Desert Dragon

by Michael Rogers

  Tara: *She watched Blake collapse to his knees, causing her to chuckle in hysterics.* "Fufufufu! Finally.."

  *Tara continued to chuckle and strutted like a model towards Blake, as if she was impersonating his movements.*

  Tara: "All these years, following a girl like you.." *She twisted her wrist and the whip suddenly flicked up into the air, as if it had a mind of its own.*

  Blake: *He glanced at his hand and noticed a red mark from where the whip flicked itself into the air.* "Is that how a captain classed warrior, like, fights? Belittle them the entire fight?"

  Tara: "Who cares?! I clearly used you so I wouldn't drown!" *She waved her hand under her and looked to the side, noticing a beach in the distance.*

  Blake: "Fufufufu..."

  Tara: "What's so funny?" *She stopped in her tracks and frowned in curiosity.*

  Blake: "Fufufufu." *He hissed and shook his head, triggering another flashback.*

  ----------

  *Purge and Blake sat around a wooden table, eating bland looking potato soup.*

  Purge: "You can't stay inside all day, Blake."

  Blake: "I'm fine-"

  Purge: "If you stay inside all day, cowering in fear, then they won."

  Blake: "I-I'm not cowering in fear!"

  Purge: "..." *He looked unimpressed and nudged his hand towards Blake's hand, revealing he was shaking.*

  Blake: "Well-... Wateva."

  Purge: "It's midday. I need to go." *He stood up and brushed his hand through Blake's hair, before walking out.*

  Blake: *He half stood off the chair, intensely staring at Purge.* "Why are you leaving so suddenly?"

  Purge: "Trying to find out why the other orphans have been disappearing." *He waved at Blake before leaving.*

  Blake: *He slowly sunk back into the seat, staring at the cold soup.* "I'm not scared-"

  Boy: "Is the fag in there?"

  Blake: *He gasped in shock and quickly stood up, causing the frail chair to fall onto the floor.* "No."

  Blake: (Those dirty bitches waited until Purge left.)

  Boy: "'Cmon, let's get inside!"

  Blake: "No." *He gasped to himself and ran into the other bedroom, quickly closing the door.*

  *Blake placed his back against the door and closed his eyes in fear, listening to multiple footsteps creak into the house.*

  Blake: *He opened his eyes and watched old grey curtains blow in the wind.* (I don't know what I'm feeling-) *He suddenly ran across the room and jumped out of a frameless window, rolling onto the dirt.*

  Blake: (Everything hurt back then.. Even hopping out of a window.)

  Boy C: *He waited outside and suddenly noticed Blake.* "He's over here!" *He squealed to the others from the side of the house.*

  Blake: "No!-"

  Boy B: *He barged into Blake's room and purposely ran over his bed, leaving muddy footprints.* "You won't get away this time!" *He shouted, as he leant out of the frameless window.*

  Boy A: *He suddenly ran out from another cottage-like house and started to throw rocks at Blake.* "Hahaha!"

  Blake: "Why don't you leave me alone?!" *He squealed and ran in a girl-like manner into the forest.*

  Boy C: "Let's not lose him this time!"

  Blake: *He ran past several bushes and branches, cutting his face.* "Ewwie-" *He squealed and collapsed onto the ground, digging his nails into the soft dirt.*

  Blake: (I'm not sure if it's my memory, but all this happened in an instant.)

  ?????: "Are you okay?" *A woman's gentle but caring voice came from behind a tree.*

  Blake: "W-Who are you?"

  ?????: *She noticed Blake trembling, causing her to walk towards him, revealing her long bright red hair and royal-like dress.* "You're shaking-"

  Blake: "W-We need to hide."

  ?????: "Why?"

  Blake: "The bullies-" *He watched all three boys run out of the bushes, all holding rocks in their hands.* "No!-"

  Boy A: "There it is."

  Boy B: "Fag."

  Boy C: "Let's hurt him-"

  ?????: "Why? What did he do to you?"

  Boy A: "Stay out of this, twerp."

  ?????: "Twerp?" *Her eye suddenly twitched.* "My name isn't twerp, it's Amy!"

  Blake: "St-Stop." *He sat in the foetal position and started to cry in his lap.*

  Boy B: "Fag, hahaha!" *He threw the rock at Blake, hitting him on the head.*

  Blake: "Yahr!-" *He squealed in pain.*

  Amy: "Stop this now!"

  Boy C: "Why, twerp?"

  Boy B and C: "Twerp, twerp, twerp-"

  Amy: *Her arms started to shake.* "Stop calling me twerp please-" *She spoke in a calm-like manner, ignoring her angry body gestures.*

  Boy A: "Look at her hair, it's disgusting." *He giggled, pointing at Amy's bright red hair.*

  Boy B: "Are they friends? They both have fire based hair."

  Boy C: "Hahahaha."

  Blake: (People wouldn't know how terrible little shits can be.)

  Amy: "I said, get lost!" *She screamed at the top of her lungs, causing a flock of rabbit, bird-like Scoldrants to flap off a nearby tree.*

  Boy A: "Sh-Shut up! The crazy adults will hear us-"

  Amy: "Get lost!" *She screamed at the top of her lungs again, causing the boys to run away.*

  Boy B: "We will be back!"

  Boy C: "Having a girl stick up for you!-" *He spoke with a chuckle, as he ran out of the forest.* "Makes you even girlier!"

  Blake: "...-" *He shivered with emotion, too afraid to look up.*

  Amy: "They're gone now."

  Blake: "Why?"

  Amy: "Pardon me?" *She spoke in a posh-like manner and walked towards Blake, kneeling down beside him.*

  Blake: "Why did you help me?" *His voice muffled through his legs.*

  Amy: *She shrugged her shoulders, as if she didn't know what to say.* "I like your hair-"

  Blake: "L-Leave me alone!" *He spoke, as if her compliment hurt him.*

  Amy: "I-I'm serious. Look at mine?"

  Blake: *He sniffed and looked to the side, noticing her hair.* "It's like-"

  Amy: "Yours?"

  Blake: "..." *He stared at Amy with a blank facial expression, as tears still ran down his face.*

  Amy: "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

  Blake: "My name is Blake." *He sniffed again.* "And yours is twerp?"

  Amy: *Her eye twitched, causing Blake to apologise with a saddened smile.* "No, it's Amy."

  Blake: "Fank you for protecting me."

  Amy: "I was bullied too."

  Blake: "You were? When? I haven't seen you here before."

  Amy: "I'm new here. But, because of my hair."

  Blake: "I fink it looks great."

  Amy: "Hehe, you talk funny." *She spoke with a smile, as if she didn't care.*

  Blake: (Besides Purge. Amy was my first and real friend.)

  Blake: "The way I talk?"

  Amy: "It's fine!" *She stood up straight and reached down, as if she was offering to help Blake up.* "What's wrong? They're gone-"

  Blake: "I-I'm scared." *He spoke on his breath, as if it took a lot of willpower for him to say that.*

  Blake: (And that was the first time, I admitted I was afraid-)

  Amy: "I was afraid too. I was afraid of what the other girls thought about my hair. Afraid what they would do to me.. But I got tired of being afraid."

  Blake: "Tired?" *He sniffed again and looked up, staring at Amy with uncertainty.*

  Amy: "Mummy told me, it's okay to be afraid.. Being afraid isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign that we're still alive."

  Blake: "I like, don't get it."

  Amy: "Neither do I."

  Blake: "Fufufu."

  Amy: "Hehehe."

  Amy: "Now that those twerps have left, want to play?"

  Blake: *He stared at Amy as a smile consumed his entire face.* "Y-Yeah!"

  ----------

  Blake: "I'm scared right now."

  Tara: "Fufufu, that's what I
like! You taste better when your Neurons are filled with fear!-"

  Blake: "But I'm bloody alive, aye. And-" *He glared at Tara with a growing frown.* "I'll teach you a lesson!"

  Tara: "Teach me?! You're on your knees! Out of Neurons! You're pathetic!" *She screamed and firmly held onto the whip's handle.*

  Blake: "Fufufu... Bitch, please-"

  Tara: "Hah!" *She watched the air warp around the whip, queuing her to violently sway it around.* "Die-"

  Blake: "Amanda, now!"

  Amanda: "HYDRO CANNON"

  Tara: "Hydro Cannon? Your dirty Scoldrant is facing away-"

  Blake: "Fufufu." *He nudged his head down, drawing Tara's attention to the blowhole she stood on.*

  Tara: "What-?"

  *An eruption of high pressured water blasted Tara into the air, causing it to rain down around Blake.*

  Tara: (That dirty lamp positioned me there on purpose!) *She grunted in pain, as the water flew her across the water and onto the shore.* "Oof-"

  *Tara landed heavily on the sand and spiralled onto her side, leaving behind a deep trail.*

  Blake: "Fufufu." *He chuckled with one eye closed, as Amanda suddenly burst into tiny white orbs, causing him to drop into neck-high water.*

  Tara: *She coughed out water and let go of the whip, causing it to fade into nothing.* "Dammit!" *She screamed in frustration, even though she couldn't move her body.*

  Blake: *He stumbled forward, in sync with a wave of instantly collapsed to his knees on the sand.* "Eww.."

  Tara: *She took deep breaths while remaining on her back.* "Why did you even join the warriors? You're... Pathetic..."

  Blake: "'Cause, I wouldn't get to tell bitches like you what to do." *He closed his eyes and fell unconscious, causing him to roll on a side.*

  ----------

  *A young adult of PKMY and Blake stood on top of a massive mountain, enjoying the strong winds that blew at every angle.*

  PKMY: "We finally did it."

  Blake: "Escaped the orphanage and joined the warriors."

  PKMY: "Yea.."

  Blake: "Thanks for coming back for me, aye."

  PKMY: "Heh, anytime."

  Blake: "Today.. Is the day."

  PKMY: "Yea..." *She stepped to the side and stared out into the distant ocean.* "Purge.."

  Blake: "That stupid bitch." *He formed fists and held them in a girl-like manner.*

  PKMY: "He surged his life Neurons into me and awakened my dormant abilities."

  Blake: "I.. Didn't know people could do that, aye."

  PKMY: *She looked at Blake with watering eyes.* "Neither did I."

  Blake: "Fufufu, look at you cry. It's weird-"

  PKMY: "Eh?" *She suddenly punched Blake on the shoulder.*

  Blake: "Purge... I lose everything, aye-"

  PKMY: "Nah. You're stuck with me, eh?"

  Blake: "Aye?" *He smiled and looked at PKMY.*

  PKMY and Blake: "Bitches forever?"

  Blake: "Fufufu."

  PKMY: "Heh."

  Blake: "We'll become the sexiest captains and find our happiness."

  PKMY: *She nodded her head.* "I'll follow my sibling's footsteps and reach captain level soon. We'll become strong, so no bully can push us ever again."

  Blake: *He frowned in a mature-like manner.* "That's rite!"

  PKMY: (Purge... I miss you.) *She looked away, as a tear streamed down her cheek.*

  Blake: *He looked at PKMY and stepped forward, tightly hugging her with both arms.* "No bitch will ever mess with us again."

  PKMY: "Yea.."

  ----------

  ?????: "Blake?" *A woman spoke.*

  ?????: "Captain?" *A man grunted in frustration.*

  Blake: "Aye?" *He slowly moaned into consciousness, as several people dressed in black and red leather shook him.*

  Tara: "..." *She sat on the sand with her arms crossed over her legs, as if she was annoyed at Blake.*

  Blake: "Tyson, Quintess, Synthoss, Zazark? Wat are you bitches doing here?"

  Tyson: "The rendezvous meeting?"

  Quintess: "What happened?" *She glanced at Blake and Tara, as if she could tell something happened between them.*

  Synthoss: "Why have the Consultants requested for us to meet together?"

  Tyson: *He nodded his head while pinching a roll of fat.* "All of us, something big?"

  Zazark: *He looked at his arm and frowned to himself.* "I want revenge!"

  Blake: "Aye?"

  Tara: "While you were skipping around trying on nail polish, Zazark got into a fight with the guild and lost his arm."

  Quintess: "They are strong enough to take us on?"

  Synthoss: "Did you have your limiter?"

  Zazark: "..."

  Tyson: "Fufufu, you did, didn't you?"

  Tara: "Blake Hegarty is not fit to be leader!"

  Tyson: "Tara?" *He spoke in shock.*

  Blake: "Not this again-"

  Tara: "How about you let the others talk for themselves?"

  Synthoss: *She looked at her twin sister.* "So far, Blake has done a great job."

  Quintess: "I concur."

  Tyson: "Nobody has died."

  Zazark: "I vote Tara."

  Tara: "Tyson?"

  Tyson: ".. I'm currently indecisive."

  Tara: "Only one?"

  Blake: "There, you happy, bitch?"

  Tara: "Grrr."

  Blake: *He looked at Zazark, intrigued.* "You lost an arm?"

  Zazark: "Tara healed my arm.. I want to kill them."

  Blake "Kill them? I could've done that, bitch, but the Consultant wants them alive!"

  Tyson: "So is that the dilemma? Trying to capture someone that's our level in strength?"

  Synthoss: "Explain what happened?"

  Zazark: "I removed my limiter and..." *He suddenly had images of floating rocks and fist-shaped boulders.* "One of the guild members received a tremendous power-up."

  Blake: "Interesting." *He slowly stood up.* "Which one?"

  Tara: "What's the plan, captain?" *She spoke in a sarcastic-like manner.*

  Synthoss: "Despite being ordered to meet together, I'm sure we all had our own individual missions?"

  Quintess: "Yes."

  Blake: "Well, why don't we combine our Rostical together? Zazark's Steelight Retention."

  Synthoss: "My Ayon Rapture."

  Quintess: "My Aqua Liquid."

  Tyson: "Flurry Styx." *He smiled and scratched under a roll of fat before touching his green coloured whip.*

  Tara: "You know mine."

  Blake: "We will strike with the full brigade."

  Quintess: "I'm sure with our combined power, we'd even give the number one captain a run for his money." *She spoke in a casual, yet professional-like manner.*

  Blake: "Everyone, complete your individual missions! We will meet up in three days and knock the entire guild into a coma."

  Tara: "Isn't that the same as killing them, captain?"

  Tyson: "The Consultants will Neuron spike the activity in their brain, waking them up."

  Tara: "Grrr."

  Blake: "Dismissed, bitches." *He purposely glanced at Tara when he said bitches.*

  *Tyson, Quintess, Synthoss and Tara all flashstepped out of the area, leaving rings of sand to pulse where they stood.*

  Blake: "Tssk." *He turned around and started to walk away.*

  Zazark: "If I get hurt again, I'll blame it on you." *He grunted at Blake, staring at his back with growing anger.*

  Blake: "Do what I say and you should be rite, aye." *He hissed and walked out of Zazark's sight.*

  Zazark: *His eyes suddenly glowed an eerie yellow colour.* "I will kill them.. Forget the mission.. I will slaughter them!"

  *Zazark suddenly held his stomach and bent forward in pain.*

  Zazark: "This power? My Neurons?" *He spoke in shock before smiling in pleasure.* "They've amplified... I will feast on their flesh."

  *Zazark chuckled and licked his lips, watching the sand pulse away from him.*r />
  Zazark: "I will show them for permanently wounding me!" *He grunted to himself in rage, as he rubbed a large visible scar from where his arm was ripped off.*

  Chapter 9: Sailing Sheridan

  Lezard: "Lezard shook his booty in excitement, as we shipped on the shenanigans of Sheridan!"

  Luna: "Shut up, Lizard." *She grunted, as she leant on the side of the ship.* "Shenanigans? It doesn't even make sense, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeup." *She meowed in agreement, as she floated in a circular manner around Luna.*

  Lezard: "The ocean was crispy blue and the wind smelt deliciously salty, and and-" *He looked up, staring at mansion sized sails.* "Those things made loud flapping sounds-"

  Rachael: "They're called sails." *She spoke with a smile, as she leant on the side of the ship next to Luna.*

  Lezard: "Marvellous." *He spoke in wonder.* "Sails."

  Rachael: "Hehe. No more jokes, Lezard?"

  Lezard: "Ooo, yes!"

  Luna: "Why?" *She grunted in an annoyed-like manner.*

  Rachael: *She shrugged her shoulders without care.* "I don't know."

  Lezard: "Okies-" *He pulled out his small pocket-sized book and started to skip through the pages.*

  Luna: "Ain't you meant to keep them books in a library or somethin'?"

  Rachael: "You can check out books, Luna." *She spoke with a smile.*

  Luna: "Do I look like a bookworm to you?"

  Destiny: "Yeup."

  Lezard: "Here's one-" *A strong breeze blew past him, causing him to momentarily pause.* "A guy sticks his head into a barber shop and asks, hey, Buddy! how long before I can get a haircut?"

  Rachael: "Yeah?"

  Lezard: "The barber look around the shop and says, about two hours, and the guy leaves. A few days later the same guy sticks his head in the door and asks... How long before I can get a haircut?"

  Rachael: *She nodded her head.* "..."

  Lezard: "Again, the barber looks around at the shop full of customers and says, about two hours. The guy leaves."

  Luna: "..." *She silently watched the waves chop against the boat through Destiny's eyes.*

  Lezard: "A week later the same guy sticks his head in the shop and asks, how long before I can get a haircut? The barber looks around the shop and says, about an hour and a half. The guy leaves."

  Destiny: *She twirled around, looking at Lezard.* (Are these even funny?)

  Luna: *She smiled in response.* (I admit, some are.)

  Lezard: "The barber looks over at a friend in the shop and says, hey, Joey, I'll give you a free cut if you follow that guy and see where he goes."