It's deep into the night when I wake up feeling unable to continue sleeping. Whatever I try, I can't fall asleep anymore. Even though I received that blessing....I still have dreams about that attack, and my thoughts just keep going in circles...again and again and again.

Kasumi is still fast asleep, and with my night vision I can see she's smiling in her dreams.

Mmmm....perhaps I should go for a walk? Walk a bit until I feel relaxed, or even until dawn....but I have to go outside. I must go outside. It's like my body is telling me that I shouldn't waste any time on sleep now. What's wrong with me? I feel so restless.

Alright, then go with the flow we will. I very carefully change into my clothes so I don't wake up Kasumi. 

First down the stairs, then very carefully walking through the corridors until I reach the backdoor. There....made it. I'm standing outside and nobody has noticed me leaving.

Mmmmm.....I take a few deep breaths, enjoying the fresh nightly air. Even though it's summer, this night is a bit on the cold side. I see little clouds leaving my mouth on each exhale, and still I feel perfectly fine, not cold at all.

What would happen if I changed into a dragon now? How would I feel? When I changed during the attack, for some reason my clothes vanished while being a dragon and reappeared when I returned to this form again. Magic....it's pretty weird, but I have to get used to it. There's no way for me to return to the station anyway. Honestly.....I don't think I even want to go back there anymore at this point.

 

In the distance I see a few homes with lights still on. Perhaps they're only going to sleep now, or waking up to start a new day. I have no idea what time it is, but it feels past midnight.

My god, it's so peaceful here. Except for some moonlight, the sky is dark and cloudless, showing oh so many stars. A band of light with purple colors seems to be a relatively nearby galaxy or perhaps a nebula. Does it even matter? The more you know about the workings of the universe, the less magical things seem. No, I won't think about that anymore....it's just plain beautiful.

Here, on the mansion's back side, there's lots of grasslands and fields. A lone cricket is chirping, probably jumping to get warm, the poor thing.

Well.....if I want to become a dragon...this is the right time. Something inside me almost begs me to change. I must learn about that side of me. It's who I am now....what I have become. I'm not human anymore...that's for sure.

I take another deep breath.......after which my thoughts return to what happened earlier. Those attackers....I hate them. Unnecessary violence, just like the Insurgents back home. What's wrong with those people?

Grrr.......

Perhaps those thoughts, the feeling of being helpless, feeling anger, are what triggered the transformation in the first place. And now too....I feel my body temperature rising. It's not as uncomfortable as when they attacked. This feels more....I don't know....natural?

FLASH

Suddenly I'm back in my dragon form again. A huge dragon is standing in the back gardens, carefully avoiding any potted plants. And yes....it really seems that my clothes are gone again. When I inspect my body with my night vision, I see scales everywhere. Probably blue, but I only see black and white at the moment. My reptilian-like hands and feet have long, pointy claws where there were nails before. My face feels...different....longer somehow. It reminds me of a dinosaur I once saw in a documentary about Earth, so long, long ago. My wings are ginormous....extending far to my left and right. It may be my ego talking, but I bet people would be afraid to just see me, let alone hear me roar. And I'm so incredibly tall as well, but that's mostly my neck. When I use my hands to carefully touch my head, I feel long, heavy horns extending far to my back.

I wonder what my true form is. My humanoid one.....or this one? Which one is the temporary one...and which one is the real one? Or are they both me....? I can't believe I'm actually a real dragon right now...soooo weird.

And yet, in this dragon form, I feel at peace. For some reason this form feels....right...for a lack of better words. I feel super focused....aware of my surroundings....my ears picking up sounds of small critters nearby. My nose...picking up the scent of flowers and trees that I couldn't smell a minute ago. In this form I just....am.....  I feel alive...real......happy even! No negative emotions, just a perfect calmness. 

I slowly start flapping my wings until I get the feeling how they work, and a few moments later I'm already high up in the night sky. It seems I instinctively know how to fly.

I look back for a moment, taking a mental note where home is supposed to be. I make a few turns, just to learn about my body. Woooww.......this form is so agile! I'm gliding in the air....so quietly....only my wings make a bit of sound....but I bet it's only barely noticeable to others.

Moments later I find myself flying in circles above the town, or city as they call it....the main street....the Temple...I recognize those places. Ah....the footprint and the location where my tail hit the ground. It really must have been quite the impact.

Mmm....I wonder how fast this body can go. In the distance I see the mountain with its snowy peak. It must be at least fifty miles away from here, so I set a course.....and move there as fast as I can. Faster...faster....my wings are flapping faster and faster.

I see meadows rushing away beneath me....another town....a small forest....everything is just a blur. Just when I feel a bit of fatigue, I slow down and halt mid-air. The mountain.....it's here....I'm there already! It's only half a mile or so away from me and I'm slowly landing to take in the sights.

A barren landscape, not even grass around here. Very strange, but perhaps a dormant underground volcano releases toxic gasses around here....or it's just the way this world works...whatever. An old, lifeless tree marks the boundary of life and death.....grass and no grass. Trees....and dead trees.

Mmm....I wonder why I'm a Sea Dragon? Is it just because of the blue color? Even in this form I feel perfectly fine. My body is not demanding to find water, no, I feel perfectly fine. So why? Well, I did absorb a tub-and-a-half of water...

After taking a few moments to rest and just "feeling" how this form "works," I fly up into the sky again, hovering near the mountain, facing it.

Okay...this is it. Even though the Priestess gave me a blessing, I still carry those emotions inside of me. I just know it.....and it has to go out, one way or another.

I focus on all the memories of those attackers, the Insurgents back home, losing my parents......and feel the anger take shape in my throat.....and release it all in one mighty roar. A roar bursts out of my mouth, probably unlike any creature would be capable of. But I'm alone here...far away from civilization.

"Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!"  

And again. "Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!"  

And again. "Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!"  This time straight up into the night sky.

Suddenly I instinctively fly backwards. My reflexes are amazing as well! Only now do I see an avalanche falling down, rocks as well. Oops.....there's not much snow remaining on the peak anymore.....   If anyone asks...it wasn't me!

But at least I feel much, much, MUCH better now! All that hatred.....it's gone. No....it's almost gone. I need one more for the roar..eh...road.

When the Guildmaster read my stats as they call it, he told me about skills. I wonder what would happen if I released one of those on the mountain. Just a careful one.....just to practice a bit...nothing more.

Mmmmm......how do I know what skills I have? I need something strong....something to hit the mountain with. More than a roar.

Suddenly a popup message surprised me, vanishing immediately after I read it.
"Your mana capacity has increased. Skill recharged -  Wrath of Burning Embers."

Wow....now that's pretty convenient...just when I needed it. Perhaps I should thank the goddess later today....you know...just in case? I mean...the timing is a bit creepy...but also very welcome.

But....Wrath of Burning Embers? Seriously? What does that mean? Little tiny cute glowing sparkly stuff? And then again....I don't seem to be able to speak in this form....so how do I even...activate this skill?

I look at the mountain and try to think about the skill, like it's nothing more than the first item on my to-do list, instead of a name to remember correctly. Would that work? Or do I really need to think of the exact words?

And before I could think about this matter, my throat started to heat up considerably. My mouth opens on its own and is facing the bottom part of the mountain. But still nothing happens.

I land and put my feet on the barren ground, feeling my claws sink into the ground to prepare for whatever might happen. And at the exact moment when I look straight ahead.....it begins.

First my mouth starts to glow......then....another roar leaves my mouth, but this time accompanied by a jet of glowing fire, not unlike lava.

"Roaaaaaaaaar!"

This roar took at least a minute and when I felt tired, it finally stopped. I had absolutely no idea how to stop this thing.....the fire just kept flowing and flowing....until it suddenly stopped on its own.

Well......that was interesting. The whole bottom part of the mountain is glowing with superheated rock. Is that.....a hole in the mountain? Oops.....nope, I was never here!

I decide that both I and the mountain need to cool down, so I fly back home, but at a slow, relaxing speed. I feel calm now. Relaxed. All frustrations, anger, pent up emotions released, and the mountain didn't seem to mind.

When I turn back for a moment, I see the mountain in the far distance.....still glowing near the bottom. Oops....I need to be more careful next time. Hahahah...next time....I wonder what skill I'll use on it the next time.

When I approach the mansion again, I slowly land on the grassy area just beyond the gardens. Finally...back home...safe and sound...mission successful.

Yep, I still see a bit of light from the mountain all the way from here. But here it's calm and peaceful again....thank god nobody noticed....good.

Mmm......I feel so relaxed now....so calm....and decide to lie on my belly in the grass, arms along the length of my body. Wow.....this feeling is so amazing! My head is facing the mansion, so I should pick up any sounds when they happen.

But....I didn't...because I immediately fell asleep.

 

 

"Miooooo....Mioooo...."  Kasumi's voice gently awakens me from my deep dragon slumber.

"Mmmmm......." a deep rumbling sound left my mouth instead of the "hi" I tried to say.

I open my eyes and see a giggling Kasumi petting my nose. It's dawn, and the first rays of the sun are slowly heating the cold air, bringing light to a new day.

"Slept well?"

"Pfffffff"  Nothing more than an exhale as a reply to her question.

"Can't speak?"

I slowly shake my head, and she seems to understand. Mmmm.....wait.....should I?

YES!

Using my head and long neck I try to make her understand.....gesturing to her to climb aboard.

"You.....you want me to climb up there?"

Finally, she understands. I nod carefully.

"W.....bb.b..b...are.....eh....why?"

"Grrrrrrr."  A deep rumbling noise, more in front of my mouth, conveys the meaning of a light annoyance.

"Alright then....I trust you, Mio."

She walks over the bridge of my nose all the way to my horns and embraces one, preparing for whatever might happen. Good, she's safe that way, but I won't be reckless anyway.

I slowly stand up, preparing to fly.

"Goddess! Aren't you afraid? We're so high up in the sky already, and you're just standing here!"

"Pffff."  Another exhale, trying to say all is fine.

I slowly extended my wings, earning me another surprised "woooow."

But the fun still has to begin! My wings do their job and take us high up into the sky, just like before, but now I can see in normal colors, no longer needing night vision. It's so beautiful from up here! Even more so than before, all greens, and now flying towards the city.

I slowly fly towards the city center and decide that I shouldn't roar, people might still be sleeping. A few people are waving at me, I assume they see Kasumi waving at them. Another few run back inside the moment they spot me. It's difficult to suppress a few giggles of my own. Mio the amazing one. Mio the scary one. Mio the relentless. Nah....just plain Mio.

"Mio.....can you take us home? I'm hungry!"

Yep, that makes two of us, so I turn around and make a beeline for home...this time flying a bit faster.

"Ahhhh!!!! Slow down!!" 

Awww......that sucks....guess she's not feeling safe....so I immediately slow down.

A few moments later we land again and I let my head rest in the grass so she can step off.

"Goddess, Mio! That was amazing!" She's petting my nose again, until she sees me frown.

"Oh...sorry.....I almost thought of you as my pet..." 

She giggled, but I released a considerable exhale in her direction...making her fall down.

"Hahahah, Mio!" Luckily she's okay, and still giggling. "Now change back already. Nana has prepared breakfast for us."

The moment she mentioned the word "breakfast" my dragon stomach rumbled. And when I say "rumble"  ......  I really mean it! 

"Woww......you're pretty hungry, huh?" 

FLASH

When I blink a few times, I see I'm about the same height as Kasumi again....and luckily wearing my clothes as well. Magic....you gotta love it.

"Yep....I'm pretty hungry. Well....did you like our little trip?"

"Like it? It was AMAZING!"

 

While we're walking back inside, she sums up everything she saw and felt. There was no way for me to ask questions, she just kept talking and talking...so excited. The only thing I could do was smile. Glad she's happy.

 

A few minutes later we're all enjoying breakfast while Nana is taking a break as well. She must have eaten earlier since she's only having a cup of tea. I'm glad they include her, not treating her as a mere servant.

 

After eating something that I can only describe as a delicious currant bun, the Count asks me a question, but my mouth remains full. I'm sorry, okay? I feel like a little imaginative person is standing in my stomach, looking up "hey! I'm hungry,  MORE. We need MORE down here. Yep, that's it....just a few tons more."

"Mio?" He asks. 

"Huh? Oh, sowwy. Twese aww sooo dewicous!" 

"Hahaha, hear that Nana? You made the right choice with those!"  He gave a thumbs up to Nana, who's just smiling happily.

He then repeats the question. "So, Mio.....I was wondering. A courier on a BeeBee arrived early this morning, mentioning a terrible, frightening huge being flying over the villages and our city. It attacked the....mountain for some unfathomable reason. Did you perhaps notice any of that?" His expression is sincere, not intending any sarcasm.

"<Cough> ...<Cough>..<Cough>...." A piece of bread just got stuck in my throat, so I quickly washed it down with tea. Which was a bit too hot...burning my tongue and throat in the process. "Aaahh....yikes...that was hot."

"Ahahahahaha. A dragon burned her throat! Hahaha." Kasumi just lost it.

"Now now, dear, it can happen to anyone." The Countess replied while smiling at my antics.

"Eh...yes, mother."

The Countess then smiles at her daughter who suddenly behaves quite politely. It's either that, or Miss innocent knows who attacked the mountain last night.

"Are you alright?" Shiro asked.

"<Cough>"  My voice is a bit rough from the coughing and a few tears left my eyes. "Yep....thanks.....I'm...g.....good now."

He gave me a knowing smile. Oh dear......they all.....know? Better come clean while I still can.

"Yeaaaaah.....you see..." I scratched my head, bumping into my horns again. Right, I have those now....soooo weird. Forgot all about them. "So....yeah....that was me. I needed to vent some frustration last night since I couldn't sleep." I grimaced, expecting quite the lecture about how to behave.

"Honestly, I already expected it was you. We don't have any other beings remotely matching your appearance living nearby. Tell me, what happened...exactly?" The Count asked, not sounding threatening at all.

"Mmm....do I really have to tell? <sigh> I just needed to release my frustration. It felt so incredibly good in my dragon form, that I almost didn't want to change back."

"Mio...." Kasumi said...hearing the sadness in my voice.

The Count continues. "Mio, I can relate to that, I know how liberating a shout can be. But...you woke up all nearby villages with your roars. Us too."

"Whaaa? You heard that?"

"Hahhahah.....sure did." Shiro said after which he drank his tea.

Azumi is sitting on her mom's lap, holding her plushie and just watches us talk. She's really polite for her age, not interrupting. Ah...I need to focus.

"I.....I didn't know. I flew far away, towards that mountain you can see from here, and just released all my emotions there."

"That mountain is called Nagakumo Mountain by the way. But just to let you know...we could hear your...frustration... all the way here. I received word from 3 villages already, all of them worried about a new monster appearing nearby. Considering one report.....you might as well be considered one, Mio."

"Huh? What did I do?" I just screamed a lot, didn't I?

"I received a report that something burned away a part of the mountain's base, all the way through the rock, exiting on the other side. Luckily nobody was injured, but your little emotional outburst created something unexpected."

"Let me guess.....we now have a tunnel, father?" Shiro asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"Exactly, Shiro. Mio, you have created a tunnel....a feat we mere mortals could only dream of ever achieving. You may not have realized it, but we can now directly contact the village behind the mountain. We no longer need to journey around it, meaning news will travel a lot faster from now on, not even speaking about trade. So...as strange as it may sound......thank you!"

"You'we wewcome." I replied with another bun in my mouth. I mean, what else can I do? There's no way to "repair" a mountain....or is there? Whatever, man...these taste great!

The Count just smiled, took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he shook his head and continued. "Mio....it will have some repercussions, though. Question is...will you continue like this....releasing your emotions in the wild.....or should we see you as our city's protector?"

"Huh? I don't get it?" I look at the Countess, but she only smiles, focusing on Azumi.
Okay, not getting any help from her. Then I look at Shiro, Kasumi...even Nana.....but nobody helps me...all avoiding making eye contact with me.

"Let me try to explain this way. Please, there's a difference between what happened yesterday when you defended us....and what happened last night....flying above the city, making that ungodly loud noise......people fear you, Mio. What will you do? I can't order you, but people have a right to know who you are. Are you planning on staying here? Will you fly off into the wild? Will you harm them?"

I stand up and raise my arms in defense, then hit the table with my fist once. "Whaaa? No way! I wouldn't harm anyone!"

The Count looked surprised at my outburst...and so did the others. Seems like I startled Azumi too, she instantly starts crying. Her mother embraces her and tries to calm her down.

"No no no, no honey. I didn't mean that!"  I walk over to her and sit on my knees next to the Countess. "I'm so sorry, Azumi. Please forgive me."

When she looks at me, I see a careful smile. "Awwwww....I'm really sorry, okay?"

"Okaaaaay," Azumi said, smiling brightly again.

"Thank you, Azumi." I petted her head and fluffy ears for a moment until her tail started to sway vividly again. After giving her a kind smile and a wink, I left her in her mother's arms.

I sit down again and face the Count. "I'm really sorry for my outburst....but no....I won't harm anyone. Except for people who try to hurt us."

He then continues. "That's good to know, and I must apologize as well for suggesting you would harm us....of course we know who you truly are. Anyway, you should show yourself to the people. They have the right to know whose side you're on as well. That you're not some kind of wild, ferocious animal....but our friend."

"Mmm....okay...sure. I guess that's fair. But won't everyone know me then?"

"Yes, dear....that's the idea. Let them show who you really are. The Mio you are now, and the Mio in dragon form. Let them know you are the same person." The Countess replied while brushing Azumi's hair with her fingers.

"So.....how? I just go to town and say Hi there, may I have your attention? Throw away the pitchforks...I'm just a dragon....don't mind me flying around? Have a nice day?"

"Ha ha ha....no, not quite. But how about you and Kasumi go shopping this morning? Tell people who you are while you're shopping?" Shiro suggested. The way it sounded was more like he was teasing me a little.

"Well...that's actually a good idea," The Count said.

"It is?" Shiro replied, sounding surprised.

"Yes, she can't keep wearing Kasumi's dresses...they're a bit on the small side for her anyway." The Countess replied, making me blush a little.

"Agreed. Then it's settled. You two go shopping, and take your time. Have the clothes sent here so you don't have to carry it all the way home. It's the least we can do, Mio. Consider it a bonus for helping us out yesterday." The Count said with a kind smile on his face.

"Well...how about it?" Kasumi asked.

"Mmm....okay.....sure. I'd like that. But...I still don't know how I'm supposed to casually tell people about myself. I mean...if they ask for proof...should I change into a dragon then?"

"Yes, but carefully. Kasumi, while I trust Mio's judgment...try to help her, okay?" The Count said.

"Yes, father, of course I will."

 

 

Moments later Nana started to clean the dining room and Kasumi's father gave us a little pouch with some coins. So weird...these people pay with copper, silver and golden coins. No credits, but old fashioned, tangible "money." It's another thing I'll have to get used to. I asked Kasumi to take care of the coins, afraid I might lose them when I'm in dragon form.

 

While I'm waiting outside for Kasumi to arrive, it suddenly hits me. Can I also fly in this humanoid form? Have to try that out sometime! After waiting for a few minutes, I see her approach me in the garden. "Kasumi, why are you wearing your Mage-Knight outfit? Aren't you....like...off-duty or something?"

"I am, but I hope that people will feel more at ease when they see a Mage-Knight standing next to you. We have a certain reputation, so it should help us calm some nerves."

"Ahhhhh....okay, good thinking. Anyway, Kasumi, I'll turn into a dragon now. I'll carefully land in the city center. And when I do, please shout to the people there that all is okay, good?"

"Of course. But I think you'll have a crowd standing next to you in a matter of minutes. Are you ready for that?"

"Noooo.......but I have to. Let's get it over with. Then we can go shopping. Will you help me with that too?"

"Huh? Of course I'll help you! Let's have fun!"

Her excited expression made me smile as well, and before I had even realized it....I was in my dragon form again. It didn't cost me any effort this time....it just happened.

 

 

After flying for only a few minutes at slow speeds, I stopped mid-air, hovering while trying to find a nice landing spot. There's a strong wind in my back now, making landing a bit more challenging than this morning. My scales are glistening, reflecting a bit of morning sunlight.

Finally some people have noticed us up here, since my wings are hardly producing any noise.

"Ahh!!!" There's always one in a crowd who manages to scare the living daylights out of others by screaming unnecessarily. Well....I AM big of course, so perhaps I should forgive them.

"Hello everyone!..." Kasumi shouts down to the many people who try to hide themselves from me...but it's rather hard to miss them. They clearly don't have much experience in hiding. "....It's safe! No need to hide! We are going to land now!" Kasumi is trying to convince the town's people to stop hiding, and with partial success.

Considering people are getting curious, instead of frightened now, I slowly descend and let my feet touch the narrow street. Careful now...avoid their buildings....very carefully....and there....touchdown. My long neck allows me to get a perfect overview of this location, high above the people.

More and more people are realizing I'm no threat to them, and Kasumi keeps motioning them to move closer. I can almost hear her smiling, trying to convince them that I'm not going to harm anyone.

I slowly bend my knees and lie down in the length of the street, carefully avoiding any people near me. Finally I let my head touch the street and Kasumi hops off.

"Good morning everyone! Move closer! She's a real dragon, but I promise she won't harm anyone." Kasumi is petting my head, trying to demonstrate I'm a nice dragon....but I'm nobody's pet.

"Woooowww....a real dragon. Is she yours?" One of the city's guards asks. He must have seen me land and probably rushed over here.

"No, she's actually a person, just like you and me. This is only her dragon form. Mio, can you change into your....eh....normal form now?"

Finally she said the magic words, don't mind if I do. 

FLASH

A few people were startled by the bright flash that preceded my shapeshifting.

"Unbelievable." The guard said. It seems the others aren't so sure yet whether I'm harmless or not.

"Yep, and flying is amazing too. it's just difficult to land around here. Anybody have any questions? .....Awwww, nobody?" I'm trying to entice a few others to walk closer, but alas, they don't.

"Maybe you should tell them what happened last night, you know...while they're still here?" Kasumi suggested.

Indeed, a few people already left the area, losing interest in me quite quickly. Or they're busy people, yeah...probably just busy.

I nod to her and raise my voice. "People, last night I flew over this city and towards the mountain. I heard some of you were frightened about that and the loud sounds which woke you up so early in the morning.......soooo.....I'm sorry about that. But you should know that I'll be doing that a lot from now on. The flying I mean, not the screaming part. Eh.....oh, right. I don't mind helping you wherever possible when I'm in dragon form, so please don't be alarmed, okay?" I look around and see a few people making eye contact, some are nodding. "So when you see a dragon next time, know that I'm on your side. Anybody have any questions?"

"Eh....miss?" a woman, Cat-kin like the others, said. She's probably in her late twenties. She's holding her son's hand to keep him near her. He must be about Azumi's age.

"Yes? Feel free to ask anything." I had to add that last part, because everyone near us started staring at her, making her blush from embarrassment.

"Miss....what's your name...and where do you live?"

"Ah....I'm Mio. And for where I live...." 

"She's a guest of the Count and Countess.....my parents....in our mansion," Kasumi quickly added.

The lady nodded, and someone else quickly asked another question, no longer feeling intimidated by the stares of the others. An elderly man asks "are you perhaps a Mage-Knight as well?" He looked at Kasumi, who's wearing her Mage-Knight outfit with sword and all...so the question makes sense.

"Eh...no, sir. I'm new to this Region and only recently...eh...discovered that I'm a dragon, so I'm mostly learning about everything. I'm not sure what my job or duties will be, but so far I'm only a guest. But....if anyone thinks that I could help with something...just send word to the Count."

The man nods and smiles, but nobody else seems to have questions at the moment.

"Okaaaay......so.....if there are no more questions, we'll be off shopping for a while. Feel free to approach us, anytime. Bye!"

Kasumi and I wave at the scattering crowd, everyone going their own ways again.

"Well, that went great!" Kasumi said, pulling me along to the nearest clothing shop.

"Yep, better than I had hoped. I thought they would be running away by now, but they are actually quite nice and understanding."

"Uh-huh, you'll come to love this city soon enough. People are kind and helpful, but be aware.....they love gossiping. I'll bet a gold coin that you'll be their prime topic for at least a full day, so don't let the staring hurt you, okay?"

"Nah, I don't mind." I'm sure I would be staring at the dragon too, if the roles were reversed.

 

"Here we are, Mio.....Aimi's FourSeasons Boutique."
She points towards a modest shop at ground level, and above the shop I see someone trying to hide behind the curtains, but they are not doing a particularly good job at it. As I already suspected, downstairs shops, upstairs are people's homes.

The shop's name is written by hand, calligraphy in its purest form. It's still surprising that I can simply read their letters as if they were written in plain English. But when you realize that you truly changed into a dragon recently....these kinds of surprises don't seem to make much of an impact anymore.

The boutique has a single, large window which clearly showcases the owner's handywork. Call me impressed! Dresses, skirts, scarfs....whole outfits...ready to try on.

Kasumi opens the door and a little bell above the door signals the arrival of customers.

I close the door behind me and hear someone say from further inside the shop "Moooorning!!! One moment, I'll be there shortly!" A kind sounding female voice almost sang to us.

"That's Aimi..." Kasumi whispered to me. Why is she even whispering?

 

Oh....my.....god... 

 

Suddenly I see a door opening further in the back of the shop, probably a storage area, and something's walking towards us. It's a bit taller than me....completely covered in white fluffy furry..eh...fluff-stuff....and it has ditto wings. The wings seem to be folded, and are only barely visible behind the owner's back, hanging downwards.

"Hai dee hai hai! Mooorning! I'm Aimi...."  Yep, that white thingy really is Aimi.

I glance at Kasumi and see her smile and wink at me. "Morning Aimi, do you have time to help my friend Mio?" She pointed at me.

"Morning...eh...Aimi. Nice to meet you." Let's be kind to this fluffy Aimi.

I stare at her and suddenly see a little green box appear, probably in my mind only.
"Wayu, Aimi. Race: Moth-kin. Age: 31. Level 21."

As soon as I read that line, it disappeared. Weird stuff keeps happening to me, better ignore it for now.

"Eh....nice to meet you too, Mio. Are you alright?" The Mothlady asked.

Oops, got caught staring. "Yeah...sorry about that. I've never seen a Moth eh...lady before."

Suddenly Aimi's expression turns sour.
"I'm not a Moth..lady. I'm a Butterfly I'll have you know!" Now she's frowning and glaring.

Kasumi helps me "Aimi, Mio is new around here." She then looks at me in such a way that Aimi can't see her expressions. "Mio....she's a Butterfly, okay?" Her eyes go wide and signal that I should confirm this.

When she turns back to Aimi, she keeps smiling, waiting for me to speak.

But why? The text clearly said "Moth-kin", right? Better trust Kasumi on this one.

"Huh? Oh? Ooohhhhh! Of coooourse you are a Butterfly! I'm really sorry, as Kasumi already said....I'm new here. But I have to admit...I like your furry eh...style, it looks so incredibly soft and fluffy. Again, I'm really sorry." I bow to her to emphasize that I'm really sorry.

Aimi suddenly changes her expression to a friendly one.
"You bet it is! So....you were looking for a new outfit?"

"Yes, you're going to love this. She needs the whole shabang.....underwear...skirts...a dress..." Kasumi kept naming every item on her shopping list, and Aimi's smile grew wider and wider until she was basically grinning. I guess she's going to have a top sales day today.

 

The next two hours....yes hours were spent in agony. I don't mind trying on a few outfits, but my tail again and again prevented me from wearing the real nice ones. I guess I shouldn't complain....everyone is so kind and Kasumi's father is paying for all of this.

It's really weird to try on the clothes when you're used to being scanned, and things just fit...always. It's quite an odd experience, but also exciting. Aimi stung me with a needle once, begging me to forgive her, even though I didn't feel a thing. It seems I should be grateful to have a thin layer of scales on my legs. Besides, when she apologized, her fluffy wings buzzed for a moment, making me giggle.
But unlike my usual giggle, this one was a weird, unintended dragon giggle. Ever heard a dragon giggle? Imagine hearing a low rumbling noise in your throat while giggling, almost like a purr, and you get the idea. So nobody got hurt and the others laughed at my expense, just because I had to giggle....but I guess it really was funny...and weird. What a strange world this is.

I've obviously never done this dressing before, watching my reflection in a standing mirror. My god, that tail is really freaking big and fat.
"Kasumi.....won't this look bad with my tail?" My tail suddenly moved as if complaining about my remark.

"My goddess, Mio. Don't worry so much! You look great! You're not the only Lizard-kin around here, you know?"

"She's right, you look great, Mio." Aimi seems to agree, and her eyes tell me she also truly means it.

"Oh....okay then. I guess that's all?" I glance at Kasumi and she nods. Finally.....this took so incredibly long.

"I'll need a few hours to perfect your new outfit, so.....should I send them to your home?" Aima asked.

"Yes, please do, Aimi." Kasumi replied on my behalf. She then explained where I live and then paid for my new outfit.

"Thanks Aimi, for all the..eh...trouble." I said.

"My pleasure. Please accept my deepest gratitude for choosing my shop. Should you have any questions, feel free to visit me anytime!" Aimi bowed to us and then we said our goodbyes, finally getting some fresh air again.

 

 

"Kasumi, you looked amazing in that dress! Everything looks nice of course, but that dress was just....you."

I'm feeling a bit embarrassed, but she means well. "T...thank you, Kasumi. Oh, and thanks for helping me back in there. Never had to do anything like that before."

 

Just when I wanted to explain to her how things worked back home, we heard someone approaching us. The sounds of heavy footsteps hitting the street echo all around us.

When we focus on the sounds, we see two guards approaching us. Oh oh....trouble? Both guards are wearing protective armor, but it appears light, not like a medieval knight's. It probably is intended for times like this, when they patrol the city. One is a Lizard-kin, the other is a Cat-kin, no surprise there.

"Good morning, ladies." The Lizard-kin guard said. He glanced at my tail, more than once. See? It really stands out!

"Good morning," we return the greeting.

"Say...can you girls help us for a minute? We have a few crates in the guard station that need moving before our Commander returns. There's five copper coins in it for you...each?"

"Eh....we just finished shopping, and are expected home." Kasumi tries to politely decline, but the guard is quite assertive.

"I see, but as an apprentice Mage-Knight, it would look great on your service record, wouldn't it? Besides, it's just across the street. Ten minutes of work, max, I promise."

Kasumi looks at me, but I shrug, what else can I do?

"Alright....if you put it like that. Just lead the way." She sounded a bit annoyed, and I can certainly understand that.

Just as the guard told us, their station is really just across the street. Within a few minutes we're inside their station and about a dozen heavy looking crates are unceremoniously parked inside.

The cat-kin guard must have noticed my expression. "Yeah...you're right, the delivery guy refused to put them in the corner. Said I'm not paid to do that and simply left. If the Commander sees this mess, there'll be hell to pay."

The lizard-kin guard then adds "so....if you could just help us push them into the corner. Perhaps one on top of the other...we would be very, very grateful. I'm embarrassed to admit, but it requires a bit more strength than just the two of us. Let's shove them together."

"Alright, let's get to it." Kasumi remarks matter of factly. Her wrist stone starts to glow again, probably indicating the use of magic to enhance her strength.

"What?" I look at the lizard-kin guard who keeps staring at me and my tail.

"N....nothing! Are you that dragon girl we heard about?" He grimaced, probably assuming that he offended me.

"Eh...depends. Did you hear good or bad things about her?" I asked.

A sly smile forms on his face. "Nothing but good things, I promise."

"In that case....yep. I'm Mio. A dragon gi......eh....just a dragon. So, shall we start?"

"Huh? Oh of course!" He seems a bit preoccupied...whatever.

Since nobody else is taking the initiative, I walk towards the crates, planning on getting this over with as soon as possible.

"Careful! They are heavy!" The cat-kin guard warns, with obvious worry in his voice.

"Then don't stand there and help us......" Kasumi said, but she was interrupted.

CRASH

What happened you might ask? Simple...I interrupted Kasumi's reply by lifting a crate. But instead of lifting it a few inches from the floor, it got smashed into the ceiling, shattering the crate in the process. Lots and lots of paper is falling all around us.

"What the heck happened?!!!!" The lizard-kin guard rushed over to me and shouted.

"What happened?! I'll tell you what happened! Are you bloody mocking me? That crate wasn't heavy at all! I tried to lift it with a bit more strength, since you said it was heavy. But guess what? IT'S NOT!" I'm seriously pissed off about being pranked.

But nobody is laughing. So.....this wasn't a prank?

"What? TALK TO ME!" Both guards keep staring at me, Kasumi too. Is it my tail again?
I quickly take a look at it, but it's not even swaying....calm as it should be. Good tail....stay there....good tail.

"Mio.....that crate really was heavy, trust me." The lizard-kin guard said. 

"Besides, we're lucky that the crate only contained blank Imperial scrolls, for official record keeping. Sure, a single scroll isn't that heavy...but imagine a two-years supply packed in only one crate..."

Kasumi then asked "then why are we lucky? Aren't they expensive?"

The guard continues while his companion is gathering all scattered scrolls and placing them on a desk. "They are, but as you can see....no harm done. The other crates however....they're packed with writing ink."

"Ohhhhhh...." I grimaced....imagining spilling ink everywhere. On my clothes, on the ceiling. I even looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "I see your point. Then.....why didn't I feel the weight at all?"

"Eh...Mio? If I may?" Kasumi walks over to me. "You may not have realized it....but it's probably your dragon muscles. Try lifting another one....carefully this time."

The guards don't say a word, but nod in agreement. They're probably curious to see what's going to happen next.

This time I slowly pick up a crate and once more, it's basically weightless. 
"Where do you want this?" I ask, but the guards keep staring at what's going on.

"Unbelievable, what a strength." One of them mumbles. "Eh...right there please. You can stack them if you can."

I put the crate down against the wall and walk back and forth a few times, carefully lining them up against the wall. Stacking them wasn't difficult either, only that I could barely reach the height. Perhaps I should try flying in my current form, but I'm sure that's a recipe for disaster while still standing inside the station.

After only a few minutes I finished stacking the crates.

"I can't believe it.....amazing. So much strength. Say, Mio....can we ask you again if we need help?" The cat-kin guard asked.

"Hahaha, sure, by all means. Sorry about the first crate."

"Don't worry about that, it's fine. We'll find an excuse for that. Mmm.........big mice? Nah....whatever...."

I then had to explain to them where I live. Hearing that Kasumi is the Count's daughter, and that I stay with them was a minor shock to them. It seems these two didn't recognize Kasumi since they are not permanently assigned to this Region. More guards for our City, courtesy of the Emperor.

"Thanks girls...here's your reward as promised."

We both received five copper coins, just as promised, and the guards then swore on their honor that they would let her official service record benefit from our assistance. A nice gesture, even though I was the one who took care of the "heavy" lifting. But a deal is a deal, I guess.

 

Kasumi seems lost in thought when I follow her through the main street, passing a bakery, an inn and a genuine medieval looking arms dealer. I wanted to ask her questions about the swords presented near the street, but her thoughts seem to be somewhere else entirely. When I suddenly spot the Mages Guild, the name written in large calligraphic letters on a sign near the Guild's entrance, I just have to ask her about it. "Hey, Kasumi! Isn't that the place where you train and such?"

"Yes, it is."

"Are you alright? You're so quiet? Do you want me to fly you home?"

"Huh? Nah...can we walk home please? I love the green just beyond the city."

"Sure, I don't mind. But you haven't answered my question."

"I'm fine, Mio. I'm just worried about the Flesians. Father said we should expect to see more soon, but he couldn't elaborate. Wouldn't surprise me if I need to return to duty soon. The extra guards reminded me about the Flesians again."

"But you're still an apprentice Mage-Knight, right?"

"Yep, but they still expect me to help if we're attacked. Just like last time, remember? My goddess, I was terrified back then. If you hadn't...."

"Don't think about that. Think about the copper coins you just earned! Won't your dad appreciate the extra?"

"Dad?" She makes eye contact for a second, then returns her focus ahead again. 

"Yes, as in....your father?"

"Oh...well.....I offered him a part of my wages, but both my parents refused. They told me to just save it for later, so that's what I did. My savings are kept by the Guild, who in return offer a discount for supplies I may need. A few copper coins are nice to have, but it will at most buy you a night at the inn and a breakfast if you're lucky. Still, nice to have, though. Especially since you did all the heavy lifting."

Finally her mood is improving, now grinning since that latest remark of hers.
"Still, paying us those for just moving a few crates....sounds like a good deal, right?"

"Yep, can't argue with that."

"Mmmm....how about we buy something with them? Something to eat for everyone back home then?" 

"Okay, we can do that. And I know just the thing. Azumi loves them...follow me!"

She rushes over to a food stall just around the corner, barely avoiding a collision with a carriage.

That expensive looking carriage is something I had honestly never expected to see in my life. It appears to have escaped from times long gone....but here it is...very real. It's drawn by two BeeBees, and the coachman is yelling at Kasumi. "Careful young lady!" 

"Sorry, mister!" Kasumi shouts, but otherwise completely ignores them. 

When I finally catch up to her, waiting near a food stall, I ask "that looked important. Anyone you know?"

"Nope. Probably a visiting noble. My money is on him going to the Guild for business. It's normal around here, so pay it no attention. Well....what do you think?"

And just like that she changed the topic of our conversation. 
"My god...that smell.....it's divine!" My honest answer.

The shop's owner quickly focuses on us when he hears us approach.
"Goooooood morning ladies. Fancy some Fire-grilled Goldhorn Buns...or perhaps some Dragon Cookies? Only a small selection of Uncle Yoshi's finest baked goods."

"Uncle....Yoshi?" I blurted out while trying to stop drooling from the divine smell.

"Yes, young lady. That would be the humble me." He pretended to bow and made an arm gesture which probably only royals receive as a greeting.

I couldn't suppress a giggle, but Kasumi already made up her mind.
"Mmmmm....oh goddess! It's all so delicious! Okay okay....I'll have one bag of Dragon Cookies, please."

"Most certainly. That'll be one copper, please."

She paid the good man and he handed over a rather large bag of freshly baked cookies.

 

While continuing our way home, I couldn't get his smile out of my mind. Now that's the way people should sell their stuff! It just made me feel all giddy and Kasumi's mood has improved exponentially as well.

"Eh...Kasumi? What about those Dragon Cookies?"

"What about them?" She said in a teasing tone of voice, only briefly looking my way.

"You know what I meant! Why the name?"

"Ha ha ha...I knew you couldn't wait anymore. Well....my dragon friend....they have a crispy outer layer, but are sweet and creamy on the inside. In the middle is a Silver Bite seed."

"What....is a Silver Bite seed?"

"You'll see. Ah, alright then..." she replied after seeing my begging eyes. "....they are a bit...spicy. So that's why they are called Dragon Cookies. And eating too many of those WILL make you feel defeated pretty quickly too. So the name is perfect."

"I see. So....you think I'm exactly like that on the inside?"

For some reason she starts laughing, but in a friendly way. "Well.....you are sweet to people, and you do have a spicy temperament occasionally....so yeah....a real dragon."

"Duh.......wait....how about you let me taste one now?"

"Nope. Not gonna happen. Besides...it's tradition at home to let the youngest take the first one."

"Huh? I thought she wasn't allowed to eat that kind of stuff yet?"

"Oh? Excellent memory, Mio. You're right of course, but mother told me she's already letting her eat those Buns you seem to like. They're called Spring Buns by the way. So....I think we can let her have the first one, except for the seed....I don't think her stomach is ready for that yet."

"Wow....okay....I hope she'll like it."

"Of that I am absolutely certain. It's a tradition for a reason, you know?"

"Mmm.....do you remember your first cookie?"

"A Dragon Cookie? Well....yeah...I ate the seed...and drank lots and lots and lots of tea. Everyone laughed at me....it was not funny."

"Awww.....but you're kind enough to take the seed out for Azumi. She's lucky to have such a good big sis."

"Mmmmm.....yep! She is! Ha ha ha."

 

We finally left the city and can see the mansion in the distance. All around us is green, and that mountain in the distance. It really is devoid of snow now....oops....definitely looked better a while ago. Meh...can happen, right?

Whenever I have a few minutes to kill, I play with my "stats." I now know how that works and how to call for the skills, even though I only have a few. I wonder if they'll increase as the Guildmaster suggested.

Let's have some fun with my skills. Once more I think "status" and a list of green letters against a semi-transparent black page appears. Whatever I think happens....scrolling through it....it just happens. But this morning I learned that I can also use my hands to scroll through the list, but Kasumi noticed that and told me people consider it to be bad manners. Well...I happen to like using my hands to scroll through the list, so I'll do it anyway.

Okay...there it is...and.....off. For the first time ever I disabled the translation skill, hoping it isn't permanently disabled. Now that I think about it...I should have tried something else first..but the deed is already done. I click on it again...and it shows on. Thank god...it still works! Wow....that scared me a bit. Okay...I toggle it to "off" again.

"Kasumi...you really are a great friend, you know that?" 

She immediately halts and looks at me, blinking.
"Mio! Wahani re kabu shibe shakinaaaa?" 

"Kasumi...."  

"Mio?"

"Hehehee...." I quickly toggle the skill again..."just testing my skills a bit."

"What? By the goddess! You scared me!" She uses quite the force when she hits my upper arm with her fist.

"OUCH! What the heck, Kasumi? That really hurt!"

"That's what you get for scaring me!"

"I'm sorrrry, okay? Didn't mean to?"

"Ha ha ha....I'm just teasing you.....sooo easy to tease. Mio...I saw you scrolling through your skills. Now you understand why people don't do that in public?"

"Oh.....yeah....I'm beginning to."

She shakes her head, but her big smile tells me she's enjoying every bit of this discussion.

"Well...at least we know the skill translates for me. I can now rule out that I simply learned your language when I changed into...you know...this form...." I pointed at my tail.

"You and your tail. Is it really that bad?"

"Mmm.....maybe?"

"Mio, again...don't worry so much. Besides, perhaps we're really speaking the same language, but when you disable the skill...you think we aren't."

Now I have stopped walking. "Huh? WHAT???"

"Ha ha ha.... just kidding. Sooo easy.."

 

Okay that's enough teasing! Without any warning I change into my dragon form and when Kasumi has recovered from being startled, she hopes onto my head.

"You really are a special dragon, you know that?"

I decided to ignore her comment and flew the last part home, saving only a few minutes time.

 

When I land in the back gardens, I suddenly realize I haven't even seen the front of their mansion, so I take off again...startling Kasumi. Why do we always leave through the back gardens?

"Heeeey! Where are you going?" Someone on top of my head is complaining.

Like I can speak in this form! I ignore her and fly in front of the building.

 

The building is definitely worthy of the name mansion. All white stones, probably bricks, for the main part of the mansion's front side. A wide path leads towards a white metal fence and gate near the street, where a bit further away another rather luxurious house is located. Otherwise there's only lots of green around here. The front garden is...green.....the bushes are....green....and a single large tree is....even greener. The bushes are neatly trimmed though.

The mansion reminds me of a medieval inn, but nicer somehow. There are about 10 small windows on the second floor in groups of 2 and the first floor has 3 wide windows. All windows have wooden shutters, probably to shield the rooms from winter weather. Above each one I see a little triangle ornament.

The front door is a massive looking wooden door with stained glass and directly above it is a balcony, providing shelter for guests standing underneath it. The whole mansion shouts "wow...expensive....first class." It's definitely a place for nobility or even royalty to live. And yet, the people living inside are kind, decent people, nothing like the nobility I've seen in those anime shows. And as far as I know there's only one maid, Nana. I know there's other staff, but I haven't seen them yet. The mansion is quite spacious, so it's simply impossible for Nana to take care of everything.

A carriage parked in the driveway is being washed by someone. I guess they really do have more staff here than just Nana. Seeing these activities gives me that warm summer afternoon feeling, where people are trimming the grass, or taking a relaxed walk in the nearby park. Again, just like life in those anime shows. I wonder why humanity started to live in towers, when this is so much nicer? Birds are happily singing nearby, further enhancing that holiday feeling.

I haven't noticed any lanterns on the street, so perhaps they don't have that around here. Having more than one moon might be one of the reasons, but that's not very important, is it?

When I slowly hover to the left of the building, I see something resembling stables. 

"Hey! Are you done sightseeing?" An impatient person on top of my head shouts.

 

Okay, back to my landing spot. I landed in the back as usual and let her hop off, after which I changed into my normal form again. Well...what exactly is normal these days? Whatever...go with the flow....

Kasumi is almost inside when she raises her voice "Miooo.....lunch time!"

"Yep...in a minuuuute!" I yell back at her.

First I want to see the stables, I bet their pet BeeBee, who destroyed my shoes, is being kept there.

I walk over the stone path leading to the mansion's side. The path is a collection of wide, circular white, flat stones, placed closely after each other. It gives the place a more "homey" feeling if that makes any sense. Not just a straight stone path, but a bit more playful, informal.

The stables are right where I expected to find them, and indeed they appear to be stables. The upper part of the doors are open, and those weird looking creatures, BeeBees, immediately stare at me.

"Bee bee bee bee!" All of the four BeeBees, and I mean all four of them are making that strange sound the moment they spotted me. It's not hard to guess how those creatures ended up being named that way.

When the others stop making that sound, only one of them continues, until it starts to hiss loudly. No way in hell am I going anywhere near that thing....it seems vicious....mean. And considering they are too big to be called pets in my humble opinion....I'm sure that particular meanie is their pet BeeBee. It just keeps staring at me, now completely silent. 

I can almost hear its thoughts.. "come closer...I won't bite..much...."

Yeah, that's definitely the one who ate my shoes...the others are ignoring me and seem to be bored already. I wonder why it doesn't like me? I never ever saw it before, nor hurt it in any way. Maybe it just needs to get used to me.....but not now. Time to move on....."bleeeeh!" I quickly showed it my tongue, and it looked surprised for a moment.

But the pet wasn't the only one who was surprised...    My tongue.....it's way, waaaaaay longer than ever before. Yuck, another thing to get used to.

 

Suddenly I hear someone screaming. "Help! Heeeeeelp!" The voice seems to originate from somewhere in the front garden.

I quickly run over there and see a person lying on the stone path near the front gate. From the corner of my eyes I see the one who was washing the carriages running towards the front door, probably asking for help.

When I reach the gate, I see a guard lying down, the other is removing the top part of his uniform, hoping it might help him regain consciousness. The unconscious guard is however moving his arms and legs as if he's being electrocuted, could it be a seizure? "What happened?"

"Please get help! I can't leave my post. Please GO!" The other guard begs me to get help.

But help is already approaching, the Count and Kasumi arrive only a few seconds later.   
He shouts "Toshio! You are relieved, get the Healer here, NOW!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard shouts and runs away towards the city. Why doesn't he just take a BeeBee? Perhaps it's not as simple to get on them? The unconscious guard now starts to violently move his arms, this can't be good. Foam is forming on his mouth....that...can't be good.

For some reason I suddenly feel very calm, and time seems to slow down. It's very quiet right now, no sounds can be heard and as if this were something completely normal for me, I sit on my knees and touch his forehead with my right hand. It's very warm, but I don't think he's having a fever. It feels different....like an uncontrollable, wild energy is rushing through his body. Perhaps a mana issue as well? Somehow I'm able to feel that this isn't a serious condition...helping me feel even calmer.

Kasumi tries to keep the guard safe by gently restraining his arms and legs. When the Count joins me on his knees, he puts his hand on my shoulder, awakening me from my very strange state of being. His voice is laden with worry "Mio, can you help? Is he possessed?"

"Shhhh.....trust me.......mmmmmm..." my eyelids slowly close again and all sounds around me vanish. It is quiet....very quiet here. I feel my right hand getting warmer and warmer....I cannot pull it away.....it's like it's glued to his forehead. Next I feel a very cold liquid leaving my hand, startling me. In a split second, I instinctively open my eyes and step back to a safe distance, startling the others.

"Mio!!!! What's wrong?" Kasumi shouts, definitely startled.

The Count looks confused at me for a second, then tries to help the guard, but he can't. The guard is just lying there now.....completely motionlessly. What happened? Is he....dead?

"Ugh.........wha....what happened?" Oh, thank god...he isn't dead at all. He's slowly regaining consciousness.

"Easy now. You lost consciousness, but it seems Mio over there has healed you." Now all three of them are looking up at me, who is still standing at a safe distance from them.

"Me? I healed him?" Did I really heal him?

"Thank you, Miss." The guard said, still sounding a bit disoriented.

"Emm.....you're welcome...I think?" Then I made eye contact with the Count. "Honestly, I don't know what happened.....I thought he had a seizure and wanted to help him, but then I felt something cold..a liquid.... and that startled me."

"Mio, I saw water leaving your hand.....it entered his forehead....and immediately after that he woke up. It must have been a healing of some sort. Takao, how are you feeling?"

"Eh...I'm feeling fine, sir. I suddenly felt warm and dizzy and must have lost consciousness immediately after. But I feel perfectly fine again?" Again they all stare at me.

A few seconds later the Count tells him "your colleague will take over your shift for now. The Healer is on his way....ah, speaking of the savior. Healer! Here!" He motions for the Healer to approach us through the still open gate.

The Healer, I recognized him from his visit when I first woke up in this mansion, rushes over to us on a BeeBee's back and jumps off the creature in a split second. Wow...the response time is amazing for a late-medieval society....ah...I shouldn't think like that.

He quickly approaches the guard and moves his hand over his body, as if he were using a scanning device. "What happened? Are you in any pain?"

"No, Healer. She healed me, I'm fine now." The guard points at me, and again everyone is staring at me.

The Healer looks at me. "Mio?"

I shrug. "Eh, yes, sir. Been a while."

"Indeed. Did you heal him? Can you tell me what happened? I need to be sure."

"Emm....I only put my hand on his forehead, and apparently cold water left my hand and entered his forehead...healing him. Please don't ask me how....it just happened. It looked like he was having a seizure." Seizures rarely happened back home, but I witnessed someone having one on my way home from school. I wasn't involved in any of that, but I heard the medics speak about it before they transferred him to their HoverMed. I researched the medical term using the Alliance APEX grid that day, learning about it....until it was dinner time. Yeah, I get bored easily.

"Mmm....he really appears to be healed, I can still feel a faint residual healing energy." He then looks at the guard for a moment. "You only seem to have a mild shock, but that's understandable." Then he stands up, helps the guard stand, and addresses me again. "But what's a sea zure? Something to do with water?"

"Huh? No no, not at all, Healer." I walk closer to them and start to explain. Nana will be pleased...all grassy stains on my clothes. Whatever...focus!
"It's a medical condition. All I remember is that it can be the result of an infection, or other more concealed bodily ailment. This looked like a short circuit in his brain, like he got electrocuted. But I can't be sure of course. And that shock is probably from the adrenaline, but then again, I'm no doctor. Eh Healer, I meant to say."

"Interesting. You seem to know quite a bit about the workings of the body. We should talk someday. Anyway...there's nothing here for me to do except..."  he looks at the healed guard "tell you to...rest...take lots of rest. You agree, Healer Mio?" He smiles at me, probably trying to get everyone back to normality after experiencing this shocking event.

"Huh? What? Healer? Eh......yes, sir. Rest is very good. Also drink plenty of water, eat light meals, that kind of stuff."

"Couldn't agree more."

 

The Count then ordered the guard to return home, getting a ride on the BeeBee's back while he and the Healer left for the city center. "One guard will have to be sufficient for today," the Count said.

"Mio, you keep surprising me." The Count said while we were entering the mansion. Finally I got to enter through the front door, at least while conscious this time.

"Ehehehe....that makes two of us." I don't know what else I could reply.

"Make that three," Shiro said. He must have witnessed the event after his father ran out of the mansion.

 

 

After a few minutes, everyone is sitting at the dining room table, taking a few moments to recover. Man, my adrenaline must have been sky-high....it always happens when I'm startled or see someone hurt. And yet, during the healing, I felt perfectly calm and relaxed. It's the cold water feeling that really startled me.

"Count, why didn't the other guard leave to ask for help sooner?"

"Well....Mio...that's because his job is to keep us safe. So he couldn't abandon his post, and Kin alarmed us that something was going on." Ah...Kin...is the one who was washing the carriage. "He's a good kid, even apologized for not completing his cleaning duties. I need to have another talk with that one, almost afraid to address me. Anyway, luckily you were there too, or our guard might not have made it."

"Ah, okay, that makes sense, not leaving his duties. But the guard wasn't in any real danger. Call it luck if you will, that I just happened to know a tiny bit about seizures. Usually they stop on their own after a minute or so. But we can't be sure."

"Why didn't you follow me back inside in the first place?" Kasumi asked, trying to change topics.

"Em.....I wanted to see your pet BeeBee....and I did. She's a meanie...not my friend."

"Huh? Hahahahaha......Mio...it's a BeeBee.. that's how they always are at first.

She's always like that with strangers. Give her some time to get to know you better. That's probably why she attacked your shoes too.....just an unknown, untrusted smell. Since that ...eh...incident....my parents keep her locked up." Kasumi looked at her parents, but they didn't seem ready to release the bird anytime soon.

"Count, couldn't you just let her roam free? I'm a dragon.....I'm not afraid of a bird. I'd love to pet her....at least when she's not about to attack me...."

The Countess, who didn't want to interrupt our serious talk before, replies to me "dear, let's give her some more time, okay? She's very territorial and needs to learn that you are....well....part of the family."

I love that....part of their family.  At that moment I decided that I would tame the beast, fly with her until her wings would fall off of her. Or at the very least until she starts being nice to me.

"Mio? You're grinning..." Kasumi said while also grinning.

At that moment Nana entered the room with our lunch. Mmmm....even more buns! 
And there! That bag...Dragon Cookieeeees! 

"Mio?"

"Huh? Oh I got distracted by those....you know.....yummy things." I glanced at Azumi. She's sitting on her own chair now, barely able to sit properly.

"I was just thinking about a few ways to tame that bird of yours....don't worry...I won't harm her. I love pets....unless they attack me."

No, this won't work. Azumi can't possibly sit like that? Look at her! How is she supposed to eat like that? "Em...Countess?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you have a pillow or cushion for Azumi to sit on?"

"Already asked that, Mio, but thank you for the suggestion." She gave me a warm smile.

And sure enough, a few moments later Nana entered the room with a cushion. Azumi's expression was quite a happy one, now that she could properly sit like the others!

 

Wait...what's going on? The room looks....weird? Black and white? Why now?
Then I hear strange sounds, but wherever I look, I can't find the source. A strange whooshing sound, like water rushing through pipelines....then the room starts getting darker and darker.

I feel arms around me and see the Countess with a worried look, standing up, rushing over to me. I feel my head leaning against Kasumi's shoulder..more weird noises....and.... nothing.