by Bob Dattolo
“So you are planning on killing everyone?” Tiffany again.
“What does it matter what I say? Even I’ve heard the rumors. How I can hide my scent. How I can beat truth spells. No matter what I say, it’s suspect. Unless I come out and say that I’m planning on killing everyone. Nothing else that I do will matter, because there are rumors about almost everything I could possibly do. Pulling away means I’m going to kill everyone. Trying to make friends means I’m going to kill everyone. Attending classes. Skipping classes. Going to breakfast. Not going to breakfast. It’s insane how people aren’t putting things together. Totally insane.”
They didn’t speak again for nearly 10 minutes, allowing me to get through a bunch of wrapping. Tiffany broke the silence, “You think you’re all that, don’t you.”
“I’ve never once been on Nickelodeon.”
Stunned silence from them.
“Ugh…television show? It was on…shoot, Nickelodeon, I think?”
She shook her head, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I told you. I have an ocean of rage to hold back, and it helps to make myself laugh. So does it make me sound stupid? Yeah. To others. To me? I’m chortling on the inside and using that to stop me from wanting to lap up the blood.”
“You’re a total sociopath.” Eva spoke with confidence.
My smile got their scents to spike with fear. Tiffany’s was the worst. “Interesting. Tiffany? You never told Eva what you picked up from me when I broke your nose?”
Eva hit her arm, “What? What’d I miss?”
It took the dragon several swallows before she looked at her friend, “Uhh, when she broke my nose? Licked the blood? She showered after?”
“Yeah? I knew that.”
Silence.
“What she’s not telling you is that I licked up more blood and fingered myself to an amazing orgasm in the shower. So, you say that I’m a sociopath? To that I say…probably. My life has taught me to watch out for one person. Me. Me, myself, and I. I’ll take others for a ride with me, but it’s all in relation to me. Now, do I think others are bugs? No. Then again, if I had mortmagi on the desk here and knew killing every person in this state would stop them from going into my head? I’d kill everyone in a heartbeat without even remotely thinking about it afterwards. Now, some of that is how dragons think, but the rest is all me. Yes, I risked my life and my power saving others last year. Like I said to you the first day you got here? Don’t take my friendliness for weakness. My dragon is a unifier. I want us all pulling together in the same direction because we’re all stronger that way. But that’s because we’re all stronger. I’m part of that we. I’m part of every we where I’m involved, if that makes sense. So I look out for us. If you’re not part of us, then you’re a roadblock. An obstacle. Possibly a snack. I’m perfectly fine with bypassing obstacles. After all, if there’s a hill there but I don’t have to climb it, why worry about it? But if it’s in front of me and makes me go over it, then I’ll do my damnedest to tear it the fuck down. So you said that kinda flippantly, yet Tiffany saw a little of what I hide away inside of me. I let it out so that she had more of a clue.”
My turn to lean forward and rest on my knees. “Dragons are amazing at body language. It’s part of us. Part of the animal part of things. Humans can pick up on it. Confidence. All of that. But to a dragon? They tell stories. They can have entire conversations based on posture and how their face looks. All of us hide things. It’s just that what I hide is deep, dark, and filled with rage, aggression, and violence. The thoughts that I have that I hide behind my inane comments make me want to masturbate until I die from dehydration, all the while knowing that they’re war crimes in most countries. Things to tell the children about to make them obey.” My smile made them twitch, “Tiffany understands me. You, however, think I’m joking. I’m exaggerating. You’ve seen me do some powerful things. You’ve seen me be scary. Yet you think I’m still exaggerating. I have no reason to exaggerate. I gain nothing from telling you this. Nothing good. So, sociopath? Like I said, more than likely. Yet I’m trying with everything in me to not let the darkness out. To not slide down into depravity that the hidden parts of me want to play in. Which means inane comments that make me smile. That help bring out the façade of humanity that I use to hide what’s really lurking inside. Which has me buying gifts for people. Things to make me smile as I give them out. Maybe they’ll like them. Maybe not. Maybe they’ll use them. Maybe not. Maybe they’ll think I have ulterior motives. Which I don’t. At least regarding them. I’m not looking to have people become friends with me because of the gifts. I’m not looking to set them up for being killed. For not being killed. Nothing like that. I’m doing it because I want to and I’m 19 years old and have never done it before. I want a sense of normalcy. Just like I went and picked up that Thanksgiving dinner. I wanted something normal.”
I gestured at the wrapped gifts, “Gifts. I may not be friends with most people here, but I don’t actively hate anyone any longer. Levi was closest to that. No one else. Even he’s not in that category any longer. Just like the two of you aren’t there. Have I made some threats? I have. I’ll carry through on them, too. If you push me enough for me to do it. I don’t want to fight anyone. I want to graduate and get the fuck out of here. I’d love to have every one of us make it through the next two years. I really would. I get that people don’t understand that because of the fucked-up world we live in, but it’s what I hope for.”
One of the few unwrapped gifts is sitting in a bag near my feet, so I picked it up. “And look, one that’s not wrapped yet.” They can’t tell what it is as I hold it up. “I told you, I’m not looking to make friends over this. I don’t expect people to open something from me and declare their undying devotion to me. Nothing like that. Maybe I’ll get a smile. A hug. A thank you. Maybe. If not, I’m perfectly fine, because my intention here is the giving. Not their response. But to be honest? I’ll be kinda pissed if they do tear it apart in front of me or something like that. Something to spit in my face over my efforts.” I started pulling the item out of the bag, “So this? I bought you something your first day and you wrecked it. Which means I won’t be buying you something again. So this, right here? It isn’t for you.” Eva blinked as I showed her what was in the bag.
Then I opened it and set it up, plugging it in. “This isn’t for you. It’s not a gift for you. On the other hand, I heard the two of you talking about a month ago. How you both missed the smell of pine trees from where you live.” I showed them one more thing from the bag, “This is essential oil. Pine, to be exact. Smells like a Christmas tree.” Some went into the larger piece that I set up. “This is a diffuser.” It got turned on, and a tiny stream of mist started coming up out of it maybe two minutes later. The diffuser was also glowing and changing colors slowly. “As I said? This isn’t a gift for you. Either of you. It is, however, a gift. One I’m giving you both permission to touch. To use.”
Neither of them seemed to know how to respond before I got up and hauled all of the other gifts to the closet and closed the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me? I’m gonna go talk to people before my challenges.”
They weren’t able to get a question out before the door closed, although I heard a loud, “Challenges?!?” from Eva.
I’m not shocked that there are no teachers at the challenge circle when I arrive. None of them want to be here Christmas Eve, while we’re required to be here.
Not that Headmaster Anderson isn’t here. And two of the researchers. And some others.
My entire class is here. Even Kaylee, which I was shocked by. She smelled terrified when I walked by her. She hadn’t seen me coming and caught me at the last moment before I walked by. I swear, it’s like she thought I was going to attack her.
The first-year students came to us instead of us heading there. I have no idea why that was, but it’s not like I’m gonna question it. No one came to find me this time. Probably because I’ve been waiting for a good 45 minu
tes.
Josh was all smiles as he made it through his milling class members.
“Don’t do this, Josh! You don’t deserve her power!”
He smiled at Suzi, “I don’t? Seems to me I do! You won’t even be close to being the strongest in the class after this.”
The headmaster joined us in the circle and started his announcement as I looked around the space. The heavy discussion on my class’s side of things is that I set this up on purpose. They were a bit shocked when it came out that he challenged me. That seemed to throw them off.
“Back the fuck out, Josh! Don’t do this!”
He laughed outright at her call, “This is happening, Suzi. Deal with it. You lost.”
“I’m gonna tear you to pieces if you do it!”
“No, you won’t.”
“Seriously? You two assholes are bitching about wanting to drain me?”
He laughed louder at my question, “God, you’re so fucking stupid. You’re dead and don’t even know it. I’m gonna drain you and be the strongest in my class, then we’ll see where Suzi falls.”
“You don’t need to do this bullshit!”
“Need to? It’s a want, not a need. You have whatever pitiful power you have, and I want it.”
“Look, just take back your challenge and I’ll let you walk out of here.”
Shock from most of my classmates.
“Walk out of here? The only way I’m walking out of here is if I’m full of your power. Not before that.”
Fucking hell. “How about this? How well do you think you’ll do in your first year if you’re missing a leg?”
He scowled, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Your leg. Either one. How well will you do in your first year without one? How well do you think you’ll do in the trial without one?”
“Your question doesn’t make any sense.”
Instead of trying again, I called out to the others on his side, “If he loses a leg, what’ll happen to him?”
One of the larger guys laughed, “He’ll be torn to freaking pieces. There’s no way someone with one leg can make it through the trial. No way.”
Josh caught my smile as he looked back at me, “There you go. Retract your challenge and walk out with your power intact. And your legs. If this starts, I’m taking a leg with me. I won’t even take your power. I’ll leave you alive and declare myself the winner.”
“You can’t do that!”
“I can. If you’re unconscious, I can do that. And you will be.”
“Go fuck yourself, tiny.”
Oh, wonderful. A poke at my height?
Some kids from my side called out for him to back out.
I spoke to Suzi directly, “As for you? You, I won’t let back out. That challenge stands. You hit me. I don’t like that.”
Wow, people love to laugh at me today. “You can not like it all you want. I’m gonna enjoy your powers. Assuming you really have any.”
Instead of messing around, I let my hair glow a little, “Oh, I have my share.”
She clapped her hands together, “Wonderful! Then I hope you lose, Josh. I want her!”
“Too late, Suzi. She’s mine.”
Headmaster Anderson shook his head slowly and sighed, “The challenge starts when I step out of the circle.” I swear it’s like he’s expecting a train wreck coming up here shortly.
Instead of messing around, I pulled my light clothes off as he made his way to the edge of the circle. Yes, it left me outside in Montana buck naked, but at least the circle is cleared. Everything got tossed to the side of the circle before I headed back towards Josh. I made it to maybe 10 feet from him before the headmaster stepped over the line.
I expected an over-the-top attack from him. I really did. Instead, he ran at me as his hair lit up and he began pulling power. My power flared as well, but I kept it hidden behind the fake light that I’ve been doing. It’s become much easier to do than I ever expected, and I feel stronger nearly every time I do it. It’s very cool.
Not that I directed the power anywhere. Yet.
He came in and hit me with a punch that he seemed to expect to send me down. Possibly permanently. While it rocked my head to the side, it didn’t even break the bone.
Shocked reactions from the first-year students and laughs from my classmates. At least most of them.
“Seriously, Josh? You heard that I’m a dragon, right? You see the tits?”
Another punch, this time to the stomach. Then more came in. I blocked and blocked and waited as he built his spell. Seriously, what the fuck is taking him so long?
When it went off, I was a bit underwhelmed when metal blades drove in at me.
My power flared and I consumed the metal before they hit. That’s the point that his classmates stopped making noise and mine laughed more.
It’s also the point that I bitch slapped him, sending him tumbling to the side. “Are you fucking with me right now?” No reaction from him as he pushes himself up, looking like he’s dazed from the hit. “Josh? You…seriously? You came in and tried to beat up a dragon? That took you like a solid 20 seconds to get that spell to trigger. Was it powerful? Yeah, it was, but…seriously?”
He straightens and looks around before turning back to me, “Fuck you, you don’t have what it takes to kill me! I’m gonna drain you dry!” Power started to build again.
He’s powerful, but slow. He also decided to come in again with more punches. Kicks, too.
His spell was broken up by another slap from me that sent him across the ground.
“My fucking God, this is sad.” His classmates are calling for him to stop messing around and to kill me. Mine aren’t calling for me to kill him. They’re actually getting quieter as I think they realize just how fucked this kid is. He came in again, but this time I slapped him away before he landed the first punch. Or triggered his spell. Whatever it was.
Instead of turning, I moved around the circle to keep him in front of me but so that I could see my classmates. “What the fuck do I do with this?”
No response.
“C’mon, what do I do with this? Levi?”
He shrugged, “I don’t know, man. That’s…”
Dammit!
“Samantha?”
Another shrug, “You told him what you’d do. I’m not sure what to say. You’re right, though, that’s sad.”
Fuck!
Kaylee looks freaked out, so let’s not ask her. “Fine, Tiffany?”
She jerked at being called on. “Wha…what?”
“You’re the current head of the hate Maddie club. What the fuck do I do with this? The rumors you guys were all talking about were all saying how I wanted to kill everyone to drain them. I have no plans on draining his power, but what the fuck do I do with this? Take his leg like I said I would? Kill him? What the fuck do I do here?”
She cocked her head, “Why would you ask me that?”
He fought his way up and came in, swinging like crazy and crying.
Crying.
Fuck.
Instead of slapping him, I stated pushing him back, letting his magic build.
“Why would I ask you? Because you’ve been pretty clear that you don’t like me. As much as I’m perfectly fine with killing him and having some fun doing it, this is like…this is a joke. He came at me hoping to drain me so that Suzi didn’t get my power, but…what the fuck do I do with this?”
She frowned and watched him. Long enough for his spell to trigger, which was a pain attack. Different from others that I’ve been hit with and very powerful.
Which had me crushing it before it could hit. The backlash of power drove him to the ground as he screamed through the pain in his skull.
“It’s up to you, Tiffany. I won’t let him beat me or drain me, but I’ll do whatever you want me to do out here. I told him I’d take a leg, but I’m willing to let that go if you think that’s for the best.”
Shared looks between her and her allies, then her and ot
hers, “I don’t get it. Why are you…why would you ask me that? I get that it’s pitiful, but that’s free power.”
“I get that. I do. I just don’t need or want it. So, what do I do?”
She watched him as he rolled away to his hands and knees, still in agony but trying to push through it. It was obvious to me when her dragon came out, “He took advantage of the situation and challenged you. He wouldn’t hold off. Either kill him or do what you said.”
Fuck. “Fine.” His classmates called for him to get up quicker and to kill the bitch.
He looked up with blood dripping from his mouth and nose and tears streaming down his cheeks, “I’m gonna fucking drain you!” His voice was weak at best.
“No. You’re not.”
He tried to fight me off and failed. Utterly. Then he screamed. A tremendous amount. Was it bitchy of me to go for what I figured his dominant leg was? It took some doing without pulling out my claws, but I managed to tear his right leg away at the hip as he screamed and begged me to stop.
Then I cauterized the wound with a bit of fire that I hid away from them.
His classmates were dead silent as I stood from choking him out. “Headmaster Anderson? I believe I’m now considered the winner?”
He nodded, “I agree.” That got our nurse to head in and drag him away in a stretcher. They left his leg behind.
Our headmaster stepped back over the line and called for Suzi to join us. She looks way less confident now as she comes closer. “Do you still want to do this?”
My happy laugh turned evil halfway through, “She doesn’t walk from this unless she really convinces me she’s sorry for what she started here.”
Several long, slow breaths later, she straightened up, “You got lucky. You’re dead.”
Our headmaster called out the challenge and the rules, then headed for the side. I expected her to come in physically as soon as he cleared the circle. Instead, she shocked me by firing off a string of spells with minimal build time.
