Desert Dragon

by Michael Rogers

  Destiny: ".. Yeup.."

  Luna: "As pathetic as it sounds, most of my problems are from dickhead males.. And friends.."

  Destiny: "Yeup?" *She started to rub herself against Luna's neck, trying to cheer her up.*

  Luna: "Ahh, it's nothin', aye." *She chuckled in disgust.* "Let's go, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeup.." *She hopped off Luna's shoulder and stood on the rock beside her.*

  Luna: "Oi.. I'm not in the mood for-"

  Destiny: "Yuest!" *She hissed in an annoyed-like manner, as if she wasn't happy Luna wanted to leave.*

  Luna: "There's no point in talkin', it doesn't-"

  Destiny: *She suddenly bit Luna's hand.* "Yeu!"

  Luna: "Wat the fuck, Destiny?!" *She sat on the side and looked at her hand, watching a small stream of blood run down her arm.*

  Destiny: "Yeu..."

  Luna: *She exhaled slowly and stared at her hand.* "It all started when I was fifteen. People would think, a fifteen-year-old? It's not the end of the world.. But, it's not the end of the world, it's the emotional damage that is."

  *Luna moved her arm and continued to stare at the blood, watching it glisten in the setting sun's light.*

  Luna: "I don't easily fall for someone, but when I do, I fall hard." *She smiled in recollection.* "My first love was a guy named Jesse. He already had a partner at the time, so I never expressed how I felt."

  Destiny: "Yeu?"

  Luna: "Months went by and I suddenly found myself in his arms, behind his girlfriend's back.. I don't like to say the words love or hate, they're big-small words to me.. But I hated cheating.. And I.."

  *Luna formed a fist and purposely looked away from Destiny.*

  Luna: "I hated how much I was in love with him.. This went on for years and when he finally broke up with her, he ended it with me too. It didn't make sense.."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "I was always different, I could never relate to people my own age.. I'd either be friends with people younger or older, I just, I just don't understand.."

  Destiny: "Yeu, yeu.."

  Luna: "One night, I was drivin'.."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "I know, I was a little underaged rebel, aye. But, I accidentally hit a cat.. At first, I was like, you stupid cat, runnin' across the road-.. But then I was suddenly filled with guilt. I turned around and drove up the same street to see if the cat was okay."

  Destiny: "..."

  Luna: "The memory was burnt into my head.. I remember seein' the cat, lookin' at the headlights and it started to move its legs to run off the road, but it couldn't-" *She covered her mouth with watering eyes.*

  Destiny: ".. Yeu."

  Luna: "I hopped out of the car and by the time I held the cat, it was dead. I carried its warm lifeless body off the road and drove home."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "That night, I was so angry at myself for takin' a life.. It was the first time I cut myself, as punishment. I didn't do it because I like the pain or anythin', I did it because I felt like I deserved that pain."

  Destiny: "Yeup."

  Luna: "People who are truly sad, hide their suffering in the shadows, there was no need to tell anyone-.. Aha." *She chuckled at herself, glancing at Destiny with emotion.* "I'm hell shit at tellin' stories, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeu.."

  Luna: "I lost my dad at a young age, I can't even remember him really.. And Kairi, I love her, but I don't respect her.. Like at all.. So, I really didn't have any parents to talk to."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "So, after Jesse, I finally found another person that made me happy, that made me forget the growing cold feeling inside-" *She placed her hand on her chest, symbolising where she felt the coldness.* "He.. We spent nearly everyday hangin' out for months until he randomly said he didn't have feelings for me like that."

  Destiny: "...-"

  Luna: "It was a waste of my life.. I decided to even reduce my standards and talk to the nice people. Wat a joke that was, I even got abused or lied to by even people lower than me-"

  *Luna placed her hand on the rock and curled her nails in, scratching the rock, as she formed an emotional fist.*

  Luna: "So, I started to hurt myself again." *She observed the faint scars on her wrist.* "Despite the extremity of hurting myself, I never thought about takin' my own life.. I thought that was a pathetic and cowardly way out."

  Destiny: (Yeup..)

  Luna: "I found wat I like to call a soul friend."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "I'm a believer of soul mates and soul friends. In my opinion, you only need one of each to live a happy life. I believe-" *She looked up, watching the sky darken into a darker shade of red.* "You live to love, and you love to live. That's my thoughts about life, the meaning of it."

  Destiny: "Yeu, yeu?"

  Luna: *She looked at Destiny.* "I've been truly in love twice in my entire life.. First time was with Jesse and the other, was very recently, before I got transported to this world, aye."

  Destiny: *She tilted her head at an angle.* "Yeup?"

  Luna: "His name was.. No-, is, his name is King."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "It was perfect.. Like, perfect. It was the first time besides Jesse I thought I could spend the rest of my life with someone. I thought I found the one."

  Destiny: "..."

  Luna: "He had to go away for work, and I'd wait an entire month without hearing anythin'. I waited seven whole months until I was the one that had to end it. I knew I was going to fall back into my depressive state, so I ended communications with my soul friend."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "'Cause.. She once said, that she really wasn't a fan of someone in particular, because they were constantly depressed. And that's exactly wat I was gonna be, a sad sack of shit, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeu.."

  Luna: "I had a lot of friends, but none that I'd want to share my life story with. Like, I was almost embarrassed by the way I did things.." *She ran her hand along each cut, feeling the slight bump in the skin.*

  Destiny: "Yeu, yeu, yeup?"

  Luna: "I.. Could be happy bein' with someone, but even then, I'm afraid of opening up. I have an awesome face and kool body figure, but-"

  *Luna placed her hands on her breasts and crossed her arms, hugging herself.*

  Luna: "I don't have as big tits as everyone else. I'm also quite hairy and I sweat easily, do you understand how rank that is? I can't even have fun, because I'm so self-conscious of wat I look like."

  Destiny: "Yeup." *She started to brush herself against Luna's leg.*

  Luna: "No!" *She pushed Destiny away with sad-filled frustration.* "I'm freakin' serious. I'm still a virgin, I haven't done really anythin' because of my downfalls."

  Destiny: "Yeu!-"

  Luna: "So.. I've come to the realisation that I'm gonna be forever alone."

  Destiny: "...-"

  Luna: "I'm disgustin'. Fucking disgusting, aye."

  Destiny: "..."

  Luna: "Recently I thought, maybe it's not me? But it's the area around me.. So I thought of ways to escape."

  Destiny: "Yeu.." *She meowed softly, as if she didn't like where to conversation was going.*

  Luna: "I don't know if it was the build up of suffering, loneliness, angst, frustration, solitude-, gah." *She looked up with watering eyes.* "But, my thoughts eventually led me to another way out."

  Destiny: "Y.. Eup?"

  Luna: "The thought of ending it, was the only excitement I felt in a long time. The thought of the pain going away instantly.. My thoughts of suicide changed.. It was no longer a cowardly thing to do.."

  Destiny: "Yeup, yeup?"

  Luna: *She chuckled at Destiny.* "The pain.. When the pain becomes unbearable, you kinda stop thinkin' about how it'll hurt others."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "Yea.. I've attempted it twice."

  Destiny: "Yeup?!"

  Luna: *She smirked.* "The first time, I
cut myself across the wrist several times, blood was everywhere... I was intoxicated, but.. I thought that was it."

  *Lune chuckled at herself and looked up, as tears ran down her face.*

  Luna: "I cut the wrong way, I was going across-" *She felt the cuts on her wrist.* "Not.."

  Destiny: "Yeu?"

  Luna: "The second time, I nearly succeeded. I took different pills from Kairi's medicine cabinet.. My heart would've stopped in the few hours if I hadn't been administered to hospital... Only Kairi and my two friends know about that."

  Destiny: "Yeu..."

  Luna: "I've never had any luck with finding a boyfriend, never.."

  *Luna started to sob and shook her head.*

  Luna: "It's hard to cry in front of anyone. I want to, but the tears never come out-.." *She bent over and watched her tears drip on the rock underneath her.*

  Destiny: (Yeup.)

  Luna: "Aha, I'm a sad sack of shit, aye?"

  Destiny: "..."

  Luna: "These problems.. They might seem pathetic to other people, but if they don't understand wat I've been through-"

  *Luna placed both hands on her chest.*

  Luna: "My chest, it feels so heavy."

  Destiny: "Yu-"

  Luna: "For once, I want to go on a date.. I want people to be jealous of my partner. I want to have romantic nights in, watch movies together, eat each other's food. Get angry at each other over stupid little things, those corny assed walks on the beach, those crappy stupid shitty nicknames like pumpkin or some crap like that.. Just to feel loved-"

  *Luna paused in mid-sentence and started to cry, causing Destiny to shiver in sadness.*

  Destiny: "Yeu?"

  Luna: "I'm alone. Can't relate to any people around me, don't have my parents' support, don't have a close companion to talk to. I can't even remember the last time I passionately hugged someone." *She started to talk with anger and frustration.*

  Destiny: "Huesst." *She frizzed her fur in an annoyed-like manner.*

  Luna: "People say I'm really attractive, but if I really was, why can't I ever get the people I want? I know that's selfish, but is it really selfish to want to be happy?"

  Destiny: "Yeu, yeu!" *She hopped forward and violently bit into Luna's leg, causing her to scream.*

  Luna: "Wat the-?!" *She gasped and looked up, triggering a flashback.*

  ----------

  *A litter of purple hairballs curled up in a large bird's-like nest on top of a large tree.*

  Destiny: *She hopped in the nest, not knowing the different shade of purple she was to the other Scoldrants.* "Yeuw."

  Scoldrants: "Huesst." *They hissed at the same time, as if they weren't happy with Destiny's presence.*

  ----------

  Luna: *She gasped in shock and looked down, watching Destiny clench her teeth into her leg.* (She was picked on because she was a shade different from the others? I didn't see much, but I could tell-)

  *Luna rocked her head back and gasped into another triggered flashback.*

  ----------

  Destiny: *She stood at the end of a thick branch and looked up, watching the Scoldrants float under the canopy in amazement.* "Yeup-"

  *Destiny meowed in determination and jumped off the branch, suddenly falling down towards the dirt ground.*

  Destiny: "Yeup!" *She landed on the ground with ease and looked up, watching the other Scoldrants spiral above her in taunt-like manners.*

  *Destiny tried to hop in the hopes of floating off the ground, causing the other Scoldrants to hiss in laughter.*

  Destiny: "Yeup, yeup." *She meowed in a sorrowful-like manner, watching the litter float away.*

  ----------

  Luna: (D-Destiny.. She felt the same excluded feelin' I did?) *She thought to herself in surprise.*

  ----------

  Destiny: *She hopped down a large branch to another Scoldrant.* "Yeup?"

  Luna: (It's a male Scoldrant of the same kind?)

  Scoldrant: "Yeurp." *He turned around and noticed Destiny's fur, causing him to float off the branch.* "Yeurp."

  Luna: (Did Destiny like him?)

  Destiny: "Yeup?" *She looked up and started to hop, causing the Scoldrant to meow in disgust.*

  Scoldrant: "Yeurp." *He turned around and started to float out of her sight.*

  ----------

  Luna: "Th-There's much more, isn't there?"

  Destiny: "Yeu.." *She stopped biting Luna's leg and leant back.*

  Luna: "Destiny-" *She suddenly hugged Destiny and tightly shut her eyes, causing more tears to run down her face.*

  Destiny: "Yeu?" *She looked surprised.*

  Luna: "We share the same pain.. You can kinda understand me."

  Destiny: "Yeup?"

  Luna: *She sniffed and paused while keeping her tight hug-like smother over Destiny.* "You're one of the few people I've told the darkness that lurks in my heart without me feelin' judged or any of that bullshit, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeu?" *Her bug-like eyes started to water, as she embraced Luna's hug.*

  Luna: "Despite bein' in a guild, I feel like I'm only a tag-along-"

  *Transparent blue strings started to sway out of Luna and Destiny, wafting with the subtle changes in the air.*

  Luna: "Even though I get treated right, that's just how I feel-" *She spoke with her eyes shut.*

  *The air stood still around Luna and Destiny, as several transparent blue strings already connected appeared in between them.*

  Luna: "I..." *The blue strings that weren't attached to Destiny's suddenly connected together, causing a violent pulse of wind to blow around them.*

  Destiny: (Yeu?) *She meowed as if she knew something was happening, but continued to embrace Luna as if she didn't care.*

  Luna: *She cried, failing to notice the numerous Soul Links which connected them together.* "Destiny..."

  Destiny: "Yeu?" *She looked down, watching green sparkles glitter from her falling tears.*

  Luna: "Thanks.." *She smiled while tears continued to run down her cheeks.*

  Destiny: (Thank you too-)

  Luna: "Gah-?! Wat the flyin' fuck!-" *She screamed and instinctively backhanded Destiny off the rock.*

  Destiny: "Yeup!" *She hissed and hit the ground, causing Luna to scrunch her eyes shut in pain.* "Shit?"

  *The Soul Link suddenly faded out of visibility, as Luna rubbed the back of her head in discomfort.*

  Luna: "Your pain? That hurt more than normal?"

  Destiny: (But that didn't hurt me as much-)

  Luna: "Holy fuck!" *She squealed in fright and quickly covered her mouth with both hands.*

  Destiny: (You can hear-?) *She opened her eyes, causing both her and Luna to gasp in silence.*

  Luna: "H-Huh?" *She gently slid off the rock and looked down to Destiny with a dropping jaw.*

  Destiny: (C-C...)

  Luna: "Colour!"

  Destiny: (Colour!)

  Luna: "I-.. We can see in colour." *She staggered to the side with a loss of balance, dropping to her knees.*

  Destiny: "Yeup?" *She hopped towards Luna and suddenly floated across the ground, causing her to meow in shock and disbelief.*

  Luna: "A-Aye?" *She purposely waved her arm underneath Destiny, looking down from her point of view.*

  Destiny: (I-I can-)

  Luna: *She suddenly stood up and hugged Destiny with a growing smile.* "You can finally float."

  Destiny: (And-)

  Luna: (Can you hear me too?)

  Destiny: "Yeup!" *She meowed in excitement.*

  Luna: "Aha-" *She sniffed and continued to cry.*

  Destiny: (Why are you still crying?)

  Luna: "I dunno-" *She stepped back and spread her arms, queuing Destiny to float towards her.*

  Destiny: (I can feel what you're feeling-)

  Luna: (All these emotions-) *She held Destiny in her arms, smiling in thought.* (I don't think I'm due for my period yet?)

  *Destiny and Luna suddenly looked at each other with blank faces and suddenl
y burst into giggles.*

  Destiny: "Yeup!" *She hopped out of Luna's arms and floated towards the lake.*

  Luna: "This whole, flyin' around shit is new-"

  Destiny: (Seeing from my eyes-)

  Luna: "Yea. I'm not as disorientated as I should be, if that makes sense."

  Destiny: (I felt something before.. Maybe our connection grew in strength?)

  Luna: (Maybe-) *She thought to herself with an evil-like smile.* (We can so totally bitch about people to us-)

  Destiny: "Huesst!" *She hissed in disagreement.*

  Luna: "Calm your farm, I was jokin', aye."

  Destiny: *She looked down, staring at her rippling reflection in the lake.* (I'm... Floating.) "Yeup."

  Luna: *She walked towards the lake and bent down, staring at herself in shock.* "Colour..."

  *Luna gently touched her face from a different angle, queuing Destiny to float on top of her head.*

  Destiny: "Yeup." *She sat on Luna's head and looked into the lake, watching Luna rub the skin around her eyes.*

  Luna: "I look fuckin' ugly." *She touched the burnt, stretch-like scars around her eyes.* "I couldn't see this in detail before."

  Destiny: "Yeu.."

  Luna: "Why hasn't anyone told me how ugly I look?"

  Destiny: (That's because you're not ugly?)

  Luna: *She frowned in response.* "You don't understand."

  Destiny: (But you're not-)

  Luna: "You sound.. Or think cute.. But.. From where I'm from, everything is superficial." *She sighed and dunked her hand in the water, allowing her to wipe off smeared dirt on her face.*

  Destiny: "Yeup.."

  Luna: "These scars-"

  Destiny: (I was bullied because of the shade of my fur-)

  Luna: "But that's stupid.. They shouldn't pay you out over somethin' so stupid."

  Destiny: "Yeup." *She meowed in agreement.*

  Luna: "Wait.." *She grunted in realisation.* "I see wat you did there, you little shit."

  Destiny: "Yeu, yeu!" *She floated off Luna's head.*

  Luna: *She reached up and crossed her arms, trying to grab Destiny.* "You fuck." *She spoke with a smile and sighed.*

  ?????: "Hey." *A man's deep voice caught Luna and Destiny's attention.*

  Destiny: "Yeup?" *She spun around, allowing Luna to see it was Nathan.*

  Luna: "Your eyes.. And hair.. They're brown." *She spoke to herself in amazement, admiring Nathan's coloured appearance.*