After searches of a few other schools around Battle Creek, I returned a day or so later with what I got. What I got mostly were tools some heaters I found. It wasn't all that easy either. I ran into some nasty creatures that held up in one of the schools since they kept open the back door. A group of wild dogs and some other creatures. I do feel though I didn't have many scars on me. I did have a claw mark on one of my wings. I gasped in pain feeling Lyra placing cloth with alcohol cleaning the wounds on my wings.
"At least you got what you needed to get Malla. Did you find anything else that would be worth it?"
I sighed groaning.
"I found a few small generators but I doubt they would power this place. if they could we could just use the small ones to power smaller parts of the store or our private homes."
Savannah came back in from checking my hall.
"Alright, Malla why are you stealing random jewels and dresses?"
My face turns bright red, unsure of why I am stealing these things.
"I um... saw it and thought I could have it?" I tried to make my stealing of random things right in my mind for well my instincts.
"It's her dragon instincts. Dragons in my world steal but it's not to be mean well for some yes. But for some, it's something they can't fight that well. Of course, she is still thinking like a human. So I think her instincts are trying to tell her that it's alright to steal all this." I looked at Lyra, smiling that she is willing to defend me. It made me happy that she would do what she could for me.
"I see I may not be fond of the fact that she is doing this. But at least we won't go cold this winter. I do have a task for you Malla. On the way gather as much fuel as you can. That means every car you see along the way please clean them out. Remove the seats and see what you can find. Money so on just in case."
I was confused at why wanting money? I thought to myself. Why would the money still be useful around this time? It's a bit strange to me to think that American money will still be used. Maybe it won't it will just be for collections and such. I sighed not sure what to think looking at Savannah with a smirk.
"May I ask why you want me to find all this fuel and money and so on?"
Savannah smirked.
"Hmm, how to explain. Ah, I wish we could find more cars. We will need them. So we will have to learn how to drive like this. But the thing is we will need them just in case. Now I am not saying we will do it now. But we might need large trucks to find other souls. Now the reason I ask you to get fuel is mostly that we might need it. Now if you find a fuel truck on the way. Maybe you could tag it for us and we will come and get it. Now I don't wish to break into the gas station here yet. Oh and the money just in case we can use it or just to have it.”
I nodded.
"I understand you want to save that fuel just in case right?"
Savannah nodded.
"We will need it for the Winter. That's why we are saving the fuel now I don't wish to overuse any and why I am asking you to gather more. The issue is though we need to make sure we use it. Now hopefully the winter would be as bad. But I don't feel we are ready yet to just use fuel. We may have smaller generators using the new freezer and fridge. But that's all we can use it for at the moment. We may fill the other ones and I got them connected but we need to use them when the time is right Malla."
I sighed nodding. I knew she was right. If we tried using them now and tried being stupid to use them too early. We might run out faster or we might not be able to do much.
"Maybe we should have at least one spot for someone that needs to be heated just in case we find them locked in the cold. I have a fear that the winter is going to be bad here." I had fear in my voice. I could tell this wasn't going to be easy for me to see if anyone close to me falls.
"Malla we will be fine. Lyra said she would help us get everything ready before she leaves. We need to be a community before we can become more. We need to be a beacon and we need all this to become that. I know It won't be easy but we will find a way to do this even if we can't use our power. I know I said I would make us ready. But I feel we need to live forever without power."
"Excuse me.."
The three of us looked up to George.
"Well, I couldn't bother by hearing from you. I agree with you Savannah. It would be best but I think we need to make sure we have everything ready before we do this you know. Like you come with me and we gather what we can. We haven't even looked through the entire city."
I had so much on my mind. Then I heard an angry brit upstairs. The bat mare came down the stairs cursing up a storm.
"YOU DOG!!" George turned his head blinking. "You used the radio before me I need your help with something upstairs." George nodded and followed her back upstairs. looking back at me with a shrug I had no idea what was going on. I went over to listen. I could hear them upstairs talking.
"So you wish to try to expand farther out of Michigan to see if others could hear us? I don't know what makes you think anyone else out there is listening but who knows they might be."
The bat brit snorted.
"Oh come on you American dog or whatever you call yourself. I'm sure there are more souls out there. We showed back up maybe there could be more out there. Maybe we could learn what happened to us and why this happened to us. Of course, I am getting used to being able to hear more with these lovely ears. Also, these wings are wonderful." She laughed.
George laughed. "Yeah, I am sure I don't know why I came back as a dog. It's kind of strange."
"Maybe it is fate. At least you're not like Malla, she was male after all I guess. I.. wait." I heard hoof steps coming towards the steps and an angry bat mare stared at me. "Malla I know you care what goes on here. But this is a private conversation." She had a gentle smile on her face now. I knew she didn't want to get angry at me. Because she had been told my sense of judgment is not good right now.
"I'm sorry of course but you don't have to be so kind to me. I know I'm not fully in my mind upstairs. It will take me a long time to get used to being a female and a dragon. Placing my wings of mine around my body not sure what to think.
"Malla" I turned to look at Lyra who had a worried look in her eyes. "Go to your hoard, relax we will take care of everything and get you ready to go back out."
Go to my hoard and relax. Maybe that's a good idea. It might help me. Walking down the isles I found a mirror that I didn't break. I looked inside it. Seeing my reflection looking back at me. I noticed I had grass coming out of parts of me. But I ignored that just staring at my face, my eyes, my claws. I had thoughts going through my very head.
'Monster...evil monster...threat to your friends..scared monster.' These words went through my head so many times. I roared in anger at the mirror and I started yelling at it.
"I'm not a monster!! I'm... trying my best here.." Tears fell from my eyes.
Then I could swear my reflection was talking back to me.
'Oh, are you? look at you right now you're a wreck. You worry about your new friends. Savannah is trying so hard to do everything for you and the others. But all you do is act like a child Russell. Yes, I am talking to you Russell you said you have moved on but. You haven't.'
I growled grabbing the mirror in anger.
"I have moved on. I have accepted I am no longer human!!"
The reflection just laughed in my voice. It was getting to me why this was affecting me so badly?
'You may have accepted but your heart hasn't. You need to look for someone to blame for what happened to you Russell. You said you had a wonderful life before this happened to you. But no you didn't you allowed yourself to be pushed around too much you treated yourself like a punching bag. You allowed your friends to be there for you but they never could help you get what you wanted. You felt lost, you felt empty but you're stronger than you think, Russel you moved on you found yourself. Why can't you do that with this?"
Why couldn't I move on, why couldn't I just move on and accept that this happened to me. I'm a dragon now I could live forever and maybe see those around me die but I could remember them in spirit. I could be there for them, I could hold them close to me. I could meet...others that return like my friend Rachel if I ever found her. Maybe, my other friends would find a way to me. Maybe I could meet someone from that life that would remember me. My family...
'Look Russell I don't have all the answers for you. But how would it make your friends feel if they saw you talking to yourself like this?’
"They would feel very worried." I blinked, turning to look, seeing Lyra the others weren't with her. But I could tell she had tears in her eyes.
I sighed putting the mirror down looking back at the Mirror. "How much did you see?"
"I saw it all Malla.." Tears just fell from her face and she is crying again. I couldn't understand why she was so worried about me. But then I remember she went along with me through so many states just to make me happy. I just kept staring at the mirror looking away from it to look back at her.
"Lyra I...don't know how to handle all this. I fear that I am not going to be able to handle it. I want to handle it."
Lyra walked up to me nuzzled into me. I sighed looking away. I felt angry I didn't know what to do anymore. But while she nuzzled me I felt so happy at her touch holding her close to me.
"Malla gets close to Savannah she wants to know you more she wants to be there for you when I won't be able to. I won't be able to help you and you have to leave, you need to trust someone else with your feelings Malla."
Do I need to trust someone else with my feelings? Lyra and I are so close but she is right I am going to need to say goodbye to her soon. I don't wish to but I know I am going to have to. It's something I worry so much about. I gave a weak nod knowing that soon I will have to trust someone else. Slowly I walked into the back looking at my hoard. I found many things to make me happy at least in my mind.
"Leave me for a while Lyra. I need to think. Maybe the only way I can think is allowing my head to rest here." Lyra nodded. I lay myself down into the hoard. I sang into the middle of it laying my head down on one of the pillows I found in the store. I started to feel better being near what I felt was mine. Finally, my mind relaxed. I heard soft hoof steps coming up beside me. I didn't know who it was but I could feel how gentle it was.
"Malla."
It was that mare Wanda. She has been very kind to me as well. I know she is not as used to this new life as I am. I feel like I am. I lifted my head to look at her with a smile forming on my dragon-like face. I did say a word but she looked so dirty from working in the garden.
"From the look of you. You have been working hard, do you need me for something?"
She nodded with a slight blush forming on her face.
"I need you to test the soil." I stood up on my large feet slowly walking off my hoard. "Yo...u don't need to." I could tell she was scared of me still I had to do my best to make sure she didn't fear me. So I lowered my head down grabbing a Chewbacca doll.
"Chewy, this mare wants me to help her, what do you say?" I started speaking like Chewy and doing the laugh since it was pretty easy now since I was able to growl like him and laughed. "Oh. do you wish me to hug her first to show I am not something you should fear?" Then chewy nodded. I set the toy down, lifting the mare hugging her tightly. "Look I understand you fear me. But there is no need. I may have a temper and my mind is not the best right now. understand that you have fear right now. I promise you I will do what I can."
I set her down and she looked up to me with a smile. "You Wanda never have to fear me. You haven't done anything that would make me upset with you. Now I do know this journey ahead of us won't be easy. There will be many things that make us fall on our butts and then have to get us back up again. It's not going to be easy so we need to be ready for whatever is coming. So do you think you and George will be ready for whatever is ahead? Again nothing is set in stone."
Wanda nodded with a weak smile. She led the way I watched George Lyra and Savannah carrying chickens to a coop to an area I am not sure of. But I noticed we seem to be building a farm somewhere I am not sure but why chickens and how did they find them? I wasn't going to ask but that's how we get our eggs I guess. Not sure what to think at all at the moment. I'm not being kept up to date since the chickens might be scared of me since I am larger than them.
Finally, we made it back to the greenhouse. I noticed that the roof was opened to let in the rain. Bees and many other bugs came flying in. But when I finally came in I could hear something about the nature around me I felt more at home. I noticed the cloud above us and it slowly started to rain when it hit me. I felt my anger and my unsureness being removed. I just had a wonderful smile filling me. The water slowly went through every part of me cleaning me out. The impure feeling grew into the grass on my head.
I felt my anger, my instincts fully taking over the mind that has been telling me carefully now telling me to move on allow your hope to become what you need to be doing. Opening my eyes I find this strange why did so much change just because of the rain? Maybe it's more because my body is getting used to the fact that I am in a nonnature area. Maybe I am going to need to build a place of my own that will be fully natural. But that is not something I should be doing right now. I got a job to do here.
"Now let’s see you wanted me to check the soil." I looked closely at the soil, tasting all of them. "Hmm it's not the best but it will grow slowly. For now, it won't be enough for what we need. Unless we can find a magic way to grow it. I don't wish to keep doing my blood. Because it might do something awful to the plants. Now you have the green hoof, what do you think of it, Wanda?" I turned to look at her and she laughed when I turned.
"What?" I asked.
"You have grass growing out of your head." I sighed looking at the mirror she had in here and I felt maybe I could make something of it. I grabbed a rake removing the handle and started to comb my head and make the grass like my hair and then gave myself a ponytail and pigtails.
"You wouldn't make fun of a lady and her hair would you?" I posed and she clapped her hooves on the floor laughing. Then I pulled the grass oddly. It's funny I could do this and made it into a bee bonnet. "BART!!"
Wanda rolled her eyes
"Alright, Malla do you think everything is fine with what I did?" I nodded looking up to see that they didn't rip anything they just moved the top a bit. I didn't know what to think really. I didn't know much about Greenhouses. I do know during the winter it's going to be hard for us to get food. But that will be what we need to work on.
"I think it's alright now I.." But before I could finish I heard my talkie.
"Malla, he is ready for you to come and get him. Do you wish any of us to go with you?" It was Savannah's voice.
I picked up the talkie that was wrapped around my back left leg speaking into it.
"Do you think you could get away here? Savannah and you could come with me?" I heard laughter on the other side. I had no idea what was going on but it sounded like Lyra. I heard Savannah trying to shush her.
"Yes, I can come we got everything with the chickens ready just need to make sure they will be able to lay. It's going to take a while to get everything going. Even though I am a marine it's not always easy. Even with these hooves, everything is a little harder than it looks."
"Alright, I will get us some soda for the trip." I connected the talkie back to my leg sighing a bit.
"You do know you could tell her how you feel Malla." I blinked, turning to look at Wanda.
" What do you mean Wanda?"
Wanda blinked her cheeks turned bright red looking away a moment.
"Well you act so alone maybe for the time being you could ask Savannah to be that one that you connect with?" I just stared at her, my face burning. I finally got what she meant by that. I sighed softly, that's not what I need. I need someone willing to listen to me as Lyra did and... It finally hit me Savannah would just sit there and listen to me. I have a feeling this is not about love it's about a need for someone to express how you feel.
"Thank you, Wanda. Also please keep that green hoof working. I don't know how we will do this winter. So we need to be ready. Also....please don't tell anyone how I feel about Savannah. I do like her as a friend right now. I don't want to rush into anything that makes her having her around awkward. It's already awkward enough with the jokes she makes and how it seems Lyra thinks she is taming me."
Wanda smiled "Malla no one thinks this not even Lyra I had a good long talk with her and Savannah. Lyra told us what happened to you when you were human. Savannah thinks she needs to help her mind fix what happens to her. I wish to try to but I don't wish to get close to you as she does. I'm still waiting for my husband to return."
I sighed.
"And if he doesn't?"
Wanda blinks thinking to tap her chin with her hoof.
"Then I will make a new family with a stallion. That I fall in love with." She said with a sweet smile. I liked having Wanda around. She was so happy even if she turned into a winged mare. I could hear Savannah and Lyra talking.
"In my world Earth ponies do gardening and Pegasus control the weather. Unicorns are normally the leadership sometimes." I blinked. This is interesting in learning more new things every day. I turned to them Savannah nodded but when she saw me she looked a bit tired.
"Hmm well looks like you can rest. Since we will be stopping a lot along the way to find cars and going through houses right?" Savannah nodded.
"Yes to see if we can find anymore the car is full the trailer has been cleared and Jenny is taking care of Toby while you are gone. She finds it interesting that he is not scared of you."
I laughed softly.
"I am not sure why he is not scared of me. It surprises me a lot as well. Now Savannah I need to talk to you." Savannah just looked up at me with a sweet smile. I blinked my heart beat hard. Why was I feeling like this? Finally, though my body calmed down. I don't get it my dragon body seems to have a mind of its own. "We can talk in the car." I looked at Lyra.
"I have a feeling you want to speak to me before you leave?" I nodded to Lyra and we both went into the break room and I sighed deeply. "Malla what's wrong?"
"I have a feeling you told Savannah everything about me."
Lyra smirked and nodded. "Well, they all asked so I told them and then I said you feel lonely. Savannah wishes to get close to you since I will be gone Malla and I won't be here to help you through everything. Besides I will be leaving so who will take care of you while I am gone?"
I felt my heart sink. She did this all over me because she didn't want me to feel alone? With how I treated her along the journey almost starving her. Upsetting her friend and Chris I bet that wasn't going to be good. She stayed for as long as she could. I doubt I would ever see her again. But at least she will be around for Christmas then has to leave. I'm sad to see her go but I am sadder that she is working on getting Savannah to warm up to me. I'm starting to understand why this BonBon fell in love with her. She is so kind and willing to work to get things done. Even though from what she said many don't like her.
I just turned away looking down. My body behavior makes Lyra cry a bit. I could hear her having gentle sobs. I turned my head to look at her seeing her cry. I wanted to hold my friend and hug her. But I had to realize we only have a few months till she has to leave. I need to do what I can to be there for her before she goes.
"Lyra don't cry, please. I will find a way that you can remember me and what you did for me. I will be back with the new soul later. Help the others get this place ready." I walked off heading to the car.
00000
Savannah was already in the car. She brought the siphon a crowbar to pry open cars for gas and locked homes. Looking inside the car to see a cooler full of meat and veggie MRE's then I looked at the gas cans feeling ready for this. I looked at my talkie and then my phone and everything was ready and done. Getting into the driver's seat looking at Savannah we stared at each other for a while. I wanted to talk to her but I didn't know what to say. I grabbed the wheel turning the key and we slowly started to drive off. We had to head to Grand Rapids. It was strange that I haven't been in this state for years.
"We will check all the houses here later along with the cars while we wait for Ted. Malla are you listening?" I blinked turning to look at her since It was pretty easy to watch the road since I wasn't going too fast.
"I'm sorry Savannah I don't mean to be rude just finding it hard not to ask you a very personal question."
"Personal question Malla. I came with you so we could talk personally."
I sighed looking back to the road then I had to ask.
"How close do you want to get to me Savannah?"
Savanna chuckles. "That personal huh? Well, Malla I want to get to know you and maybe we will see what happens. But I want to be the friend you come to when you have issues. Like your mental problems, your anger, and maybe one you express your feelings to."
"Lyra said you're trying to tame me."
Savannah smirks. "Of course we don't need a dragon to bite anyone’s head off. It keeps them from being bad."
My cheeks turned bright red. The fact she even said that made me smile a bit.
"Got any music?" She asked.
I nodded picking up a cd and placing it in. A song started to play.
I blinked at the song and I felt my face getting even redder coughing. "Sorry I have no idea what is going on with this thing."
Savannah smirked, "I don't care I find it cute your face is very red I wish I could take a photo of it and show the others." She snickered.
This is stupid I know I feel alone but why am I wanting to be like this with her. I don't get it. It's starting to confuse me. I focused on the road while the song played. I looked over to Savannah who watched the city go by as we slowly leave Battle Creek to get to the meeting spot in Grand rapids.
"Savannah, what makes you care so much about me? I'm just a failure in my heart..."
"Stop the car Malla." I blinked, stopping the car with the breaks. "Look at me."
I looked at her turning the car off I didn't know what to think but when I turned she wrapped her hooves around my head pulling me down to her eyes.
"Now you're not a failure. You're not a problem or a monster. I have heard you while you sleep I don't sleep well when things are happening so I go check on the others. I saw you asleep and hearing from you in the night. Now you're a kind gentle giant that wishes to not be alone. I will make sure as long as I live that you will never be alone."
I just stared at her, feeling tears fall from my eyes. She held me close to her chest stroking my neck with her hoof. It felt strange that it wasn't a hand. But It feels the same. All I needed to know is that her heart gently beat, it sounded very healthy and I enjoyed being close to her. She let me go nuzzling my neck a bit.
"Thank you, Savannah sorry about being a problem right now. It's just harder than I thought it would be to control my instincts."
Savannah chuckles. "Mine is telling me to have grass and well anything else other than soda. But right now I need some soda. Just I have no idea how I am. Oh, I got it. could you open it for me?" I nodded opening a can of coke for her. She uses both hooves to drink it down quickly laughing.
"Heh, Lyra had too much while driving and smashed into a deer. Now let's get going he might beat us there." I turned the key to turn the car back on and the music started playing again. But this time it wasn't romantic music. I felt the weight on my heart slowly leave. Since Savannah will be the one to help me. I wish to help her as well. "How do I help you?'
Savannah blinked, smirking. "Blushing all the time would help me greatly."
I blinked turning to look at her as I drove off. "Why don't I think blushing would help anyone."
She laughed. I had no idea what she was getting at but I felt that she was trying to tell me something. "It shows me that you're not a heartless creature Malla and that you do have a heart of love and kindness in you.”
I blinked and those words became odd to me. Because of course, I have heat in me I have fire in me after all. It’s kind of odd that she would say that.
"What does having a fire in my body means I have heat in me? I don’t get it.”
Savannah stared at me with a laugh shaking her head. "Heh, Malla I am being like I see you have the will to be close to someone. I want to pursue something with you not because of being alone. Also because I have seen your heart through your tears. I have seen your soul, I have even seen how you treat Lyra. Granted you haven’t always treated her with respect. But if anyone can treat someone like her with such kindness. Then they have won me.”
She smiled sweetly at me. My cheeks turned fiery red just from the smile. The fact I impressed her that much. I am happy I did it makes me feel happier than I did. I do hope someday I will learn more about her and we get closer. But I don’t know what she meant about I won her. Maybe I will learn that later. All I could think about was getting to Grand Rapids and meeting this guy.
0000
Journal entry: August 24th
We made it to Grand Rapids. I left Savannah at the zoo to wait for Ted but something is very wrong. A lot of the poor creatures died only a small amount is alive. I doubt they would be alive any longer. So what I did was so no creatures around the area get sick. I burned the bodies and while I did this Savannah checked the cars left behind in the park. She asked me to leave for a while so I could look through stores and cars. I got enough gas to last for a while and well I filled up the car with cans of food that have been lasting forever. I made sure to get some. I found some car batteries and mostly dead bodies of pets. I didn't want to deal with seeing that. The fact that it took me a day to check everything. It seems Ted was going got be longer than I thought. Savannah didn't call me to come back so I broke into more homes finding more cans but I feel it was strange and then I head back to the zoo.
Of course, it took me a while to lay in the grass watching the sun. I felt maybe I should be returning even though it was so peaceful around the zoo even with the smell of the dead. It didn’t bother me so much as it would others.
0000
August 25th
"I am back!!" Savannah chuckled. She sat at a table with the Minotaur.
"Oh my you're right miss Savannah she is huge. Greetings I'm Dr."
"I know I know you ready to go?"
He shook his head.
"You see my friend, my family is normally from Africa and I have learned how to brew potions anyway I made sure to get everything from them including old cures that would be good for creatures like us. Are you willing to allow me to do such a thing? I'm told you're the leader of this group."
I didn't know what to think but he would do this for us? if one of us grew sick and needed to find a way to understand it.
"I agree but how will you check what we are sick with?"
"I would have to learn more about you and the others. It would mean heavy physicals and blood testing. Now I got everything from the office I was in. So I can do that, I just need power."
I sighed
"Then let's go.." He went into his car and I went into mine with Savannah. I didn't know what to think but I put a new Cd in and It played another song.
I groaned blushing deeply but again Savannah just laughed and we headed off allowing the song to play. I looked over at my friend. I felt happy I felt extremely happy it made me feel that I'm not alone anymore. She looked at me for a moment and I could tell she was thinking to herself.
"Maybe.... we could take a walk around town and we could talk..." I said weakly.
"Sounds good to me besides If I am going to be helping you through all this then I need to understand you."
I nodded and we drove off back to Dragon's rest with our new friend behind us.