It was morning. The mutant 4, Sunset, Adagio, and Dwan were making their way down a dirt path. They had earlier woken up and resumed their journey. Along the way, Junior kept looking to the map to make sure the group was on track.
"Finally!" Dwan cried in relief. Over a hill, the teens found a town to be straight ahead. It was made up entirely of stone. The walls were but stone bricks, stacked high and fortified the buildings inside. Fields and farms were scattered about outside of the walls of the town.
"Best part of this, the town isn't wrecked!" Dwan cried.
The teens made their way to the town gates, where a couple of lightly armored men stood with tridents in hand. They crossed the shafts of their weapons together, blocking the path of the teens.
"You must pay a toll to pass, strangers," said a guard.
"Oh shoot," said Sunset in annoyance. Junior sighed.
"What's the toll?" asked Junior.
"One silver piece. Each," said the guard.
"Cool. Later," said Rodan as he turned away. Junior caught him by the shoulder.
"We don't actually have that. Maybe we could work something out?" asked Junior with a forced smile. The guards bore annoyed looks. Dwan sighed.
"Well, I guess I can take one for the team and..." Dwan began to tug at her bra.
"No, you don't!" snapped Sunset as she smacked her hand.
"How about a trade?" asked Angirasu.
"What could you dirty nomads offer to trade?" asked the second guard.
"What's a nomad?" asked Dwan.
"It's like a hobo," answered Adagio.
"I uh... I got some jerky left," said Rodan.
"Meh," responded a guard.
"OK. How about this squirrel skin?" asked Dwan, holding up the skin of the rodent she killed the previous night.
"Tacky," scoffed the second guard. Junior hummed as he dug through his basket.
"Well... I'd hate to part with it... How about this?" asked Junior, drawing out the can of Dr. Pepper that Pinkie gave him. The guards looked on with interest.
"What's this then?" asked a guard.
"This here is a very rare, exotic drink. You can't get this from anywhere except from our homeland," said Junior, his tone giving a sense of mystery. "It's a sweet, bubbly refreshment that goes great with a hot meal. And it's yours if you let us through," said Junior with a smile. The guards whispered to each other briefly.
"Prove to us it's not poison, stranger," said one guard.
"Seriously? OK." Junior shrugged. He opened the can, causing a hiss that startled the guards. Junior then took a sip. He savored the taste of the drink. For all he knew, this may be the last time he'd ever drink this stuff again. He sighed.
"See? Just don't chug it down," said Junior as he handed off the can. One guard took a sip. His eyes widened as he took in the flavor.
"Try this!" said the guard as he passed the can. The second guard took a sip, his eyes widening as well.
"Mm! Alright, you all may pass!" said the guard. The teens began to pass through, leaving the guards behind.
"Quick! Get the chalices and snacks!" said one of the guards.
"Nice work Goji! You didn't even have to intimidate them," said Sunset in approval.
"Yeah, I'm actually proud of that," said Junior, nonchalant.
The teens found themselves making their way into town. All around, they found citizens going about their business. Junior couldn't help but feel relief to see civilization again, even if it was more primitive from home. However, he felt a familiar feeling just moments later when he noticed people were staring.
"Hey, do we standout?" whispered Dwan.
"Not at all! Nothing unusual about kids wearing Iwi garb and a girl half naked with a leather bikini," said Junior sarcastically. Dwan scoffed.
"Sarcasm is not attractive, Naughty Goji," said Dwan.
"Don't call me that," growled Junior.
"You can call me that," said Rodan, grinning. Dwan looked at the boy with a sour look.
"Nah. I think I'll call you, 'Meh Rodan'," said Dwan.
"Meh?!" Rodan exclaimed. Junior and Angirasu began to laugh hysterically, as Rodan grew flustered.
"Boys!" scolded Mosura. Adagio lightly snorted as she held a hand to her lips. She quickly returned to a neutral look as Mosura and Sunset glared at her.
'Sounds like Rodan is getting back to his old self,' thought Adagio, her sight falling on the annoyed mutant. 'Let's hope it stays that way.'
"That's messed up, Dwan," said Rodan indignantly.
"Sorry. I just don't find you as cute as these two," said Dwan, gesturing to Junior and Aang.
"What're you talkin' about? I'm adorable!" argued Rodan. Meanwhile, Sunset hummed as she looked around.
"Maybe we can ask for some help," said Sunset as she walked off, approaching a guard that walked by. She called out to him, catching his attention.
"Excuse me, sir. Could you help us?" asked Sunset, her tone polite. The guard greeted her with a smile.
"Of course, young lady! How may I be of service?" asked the guard.
"My friends and I are just travelers looking for a place to stay, but we have no money. Could you help us?" asked Sunset.
"Hmm. Well, I can't offer you money, as I need it. But I can point you to an Inn. The owner may let you stay for as long as you need if you're willing to earn your keep. Just head down there until you find "The High Moon," said the guard. Sunset smiled brightly.
"That's fantastic! Thank you, sir!" said Sunset.
"Take care, my dear," said the guard, before departing. Sunset rejoined the group, who had ceased their arguing.
"Good news! We might have a place to stay!" said Sunset as she gestured for the group to follow.
"Huh." Junior followed.
"Man. Here I thought Dwan was easy," grumbled Rodan.
"It's for the best, Ro. You can do better," said Mosura in a whisper. Eventually, the teens made their way over to a large wooden and stone structure. It bore a sign that depicted a moon, resting high above triangle shaped mountains. They entered, finding a wide lobby, where a few citizens stood. The group found a middle aged woman standing behind a counter, taking coins from a customer.
"Come again," said the woman as the customer left.
"Oi. What can I help you with?" the woman spoke with a thick accent.
"We heard that you were offering a place to stay for those that are 'willing to earn their keep'," said Sunset.
"Ah. You kids are dirt poor, ain't ya?" asked the woman as she wiped down the counter.
"You could say that," said Mosura with an awkward laugh. The woman hummed as she eyed the teens. She had an intense look, which brought discomfort in the youth.
"Alright. I could always use extra hands around here," said the woman as she stepped away from the counter.
"I'll show you around," said the woman. She began to lead the group around the Inn. It was large, full of several wide rooms and halls just on the ground floor.
"This is where we keep the cleaning supplies. Here's where we keep the bedroom essentials like pillows, sheets, so on and so forth," said the Inn keeper, gesturing to rooms that were passed. She then brought the teens over to a large room. It was full of customers that sat at tables, with food and drinks placed before them. Women dressed in shoulder-less dresses carried out meals and refreshments to the customers. The sound of instruments being played filled the air. At the corner of the room, there was a band playing an upbeat melody.
"This here is where guests come to eat and to be entertained. It's also what the High Moon is famous for. Plus it pays most of the taxes, so I just let anyone come in without a room," said the Inn keeper.
"I can see why," said Rodan as a young woman passed by. She softly giggled as she eyed the boys before passing.
"Now, you will all have a role to play if you want to stay here without me charging you. The ladies will be assigned to act as barmaids or cleaning. The men, you have to help with the kitchen, and lugging in supplies," said the Inn keeper, pointing to both gendered groups.
"Dibs on being a barmaid!" said Adagio and Dwan in unison. They both looked to each other, their expressions hardening.
"I don't care who does what. For goodness sake, just smile, and be desirable. I hold my barmaids up to high standards," said the Inn Keeper.
"Desirable. I can do that," said Adagio with a smirk.
"Alright. Come with me and get changed. Especially you. That outfit is awful," said the Inn Keeper. Dwan looked at herself, growing offended.
"Why is everyone being so mean to me?" pouted Dwan.
Later, the boys found themselves clad in new clothes. They sported cloth tunics, with loose hide pants and tight boots. Rodan tugged at his tunic with a sigh.
"It feels weird wearing something over your torso when you're used to being bare," said Rodan.
"I feel naked without my hoodie," said Junior flatly.
"You never said that for as long as we've been here," said Angirasu, cocking a brow. A door opened. The boys turned, finding the girls to be emerging in their new uniforms.
Adagio and Dwan stood out the most, since their appearances seemed radically different. The two wore shoulder-less dresses, with a corset hugging their torsos. Cleavage was exposed. Their long skirts were a forest green, as their tops were white. They wore heeled boots.
Dwan no longer bore the dark paint that covered her face for camouflage. Instead, more feminine makeup brought up the red in her cheeks, and lipstick covered her lips.
Adagio on the other hand had her long wavy hair down. Strands of her locks hung over her shoulders. Her bust size exposed more cleavage, and her figure showed more of her curves compared to Dwan.
Mosura and Sunset sported grey long dresses that reached to their shins. They wore wedged shoes and had a hint of white stockings from what could be seen from their legs. They also wore white aprons and frilled caps on their heads. While their outfits weren't provocative like Dwan's and Adagio's, there was the hint of curves over their forms that left things to the boys' imagination.
"I'm glad we came here," said Rodan. Adagio grinned as she placed a hand on her hip, perking her chest out.
"Hot, right?" asked Adagio. Mosura growled in annoyance.
"Hmm." Junior merely hummed as he turned.
"What the hell is 'hmm'?" asked Mosura, crinkling her nose. Junior sighed.
"We should get to work before the lady changes her mind," said Junior as he walked off. Mosura grumbled to herself as she face palmed. Meanwhile, Sunset tugged at her own sleeve with a grimace.
"Hey Aang, what do you think? Do these maid outfits make us look frumpy or something?" asked Sunset worriedly.
"No, not at all. You look good," said Angirasu with a smile. Sunset lightly blushed as she stiffened, as though caught off guard. She shyly laughed as she looked away.
"Dude, don't be so blunt," said Sunset.
"Sorry. Just saying what I think," said Angirasu with a chuckle.
Junior grunted as he carried large sacks. One over his shoulder, and the other with one hand. He brought the heavy sacks into a kitchen, where a few men stood. Pots and pans gave off the aroma of hot meals as they cooked for customers. A large man with a twirled mustache stepped over to him.
"Bring the vegetables over to the storage room. Organize them by type," said the head chef.
"OK," said Junior as he hauled the sacks, followed by Angirasu, who carried sacks himself. Meanwhile, Rodan was at the washing station, scrubbing off dinning utensils, plates, cooking equipment, etc. He sighed in annoyance as he struggled to scrub thick crud off of a pot. His scrubbing caused the entire thing to get soaked in soap.
"This isn't so bad, huh?" asked Angirasu as he and Junior began to store the vegetables in the storage room. As told, they placed each kind of veggie into crates where they belonged.
"Now I know what it's like to have my first job," said Junior.
"You never worked?" asked Angirasu in surprise.
"Not for anyone else. I struggled too much in school for part time work. So instead I just took odd jobs whenever I could. Like mowing lawns, raking leaves, shoveling snow, you know. Just the work that people would rather pay a few bucks for some kid under 15 to do," replied Junior.
"Well, at least you have work ethic," said Angirasu.
"Yeah. Though the girls concern me," said Junior as he set cabbages inside of a crate.
"Ah I'm sure they can handle it," said Angirasu dismissively.
"Sunset and Mosu? Sure. But Dwan and Adagio?" Junior grimaced. From what he knew, Sunset and Mosura had work ethic. Sunset put together her own motor bike for crying out loud. Mosura was also eager to lend a helping hand around the Takeshi residence when he offered her a place to stay while Battra was away.
Dwan and Adagio on the other hand come off as not working a day in their life, though that may have been unfair to think of for Dwan, since she clearly put effort into learning survival skills. So she might find herself adapting well to her role. That only left Adagio. He hoped that she had good enough people skills and patience to work in food service.
Meanwhile, the head chef placed a plate of food onto a tray, along with some wedges of steaming hot potatoes. He set the tray onto a window and hit a bell.
"Rare Mutton with a side of potato wedges going out!" called the chef. Dwan appeared and took the tray. She strolled over to the dinning area with confidence in her stride. She allowed her hips to sway freely, showing her loose and proper posture.
"OK! Here's your lunch, sir~!" said Dwan as she stepped over to a man and set down the tray. She took the plates and set them down in front of him.
"Oh! Do you need a refill for your wine? I'll get that for you," said Dwan, before walking off. The customer stared lustfully as the he watched the sway of the girl's hips in a hypnotic fashion.
From the sidelines, Adagio watched as her rival fetched a wine bottle and brought it over to pour. She noticed the customer drop a fork, next to Dwan.
"I'll get that!" said Dwan as she set the wine bottle down. She bent over purposely, sticking out her ass for the customer to see. Adagio grumbled as Dwan smirked at her, as though she was challenging her.
"Yeah, you play your little game. I'm just here to work," said Adagio. She didn't have to stoop as low to Dwan to gain the attention of customers.
"Chowder going out!" said the head chef as he rang the small bell. Adagio took a breath before taking the tray that bore a plate that carried a large loaf of bread, filled with a milky and buttery thick stew filled with meat and diced vegetables. Adagio began to walk over to the customer that this order belonged too. She cautiously walked, sweating a bit as she attempted to carry this meal over. She never felt tension like this before, especially over a simple task of delivering food. She stumbled over her own feet, nearly dropping the chowder to the ground. The customer had flinched as she stumbled next to the table.
"H-Here's your meal!" squeaked Adagio as she set the food down with a titter.
"Where are the crackers?" asked the customer.
"Crackers?" asked Adagio, losing her smile. The customer sighed in annoyance.
"My salted crackers, which are supposed to come with the meal?" asked the customer. Adagio resisted the urge to retort to the man's rudeness with attitude of her own.
"Oh. They may have forgotten. I'll go get those for you," said Adagio as she walked off.
"Yeah, you better," said the man. Adagio gave an inaudible grunt as she made her way over to the window.
"Hey, a customer is asking about crackers that were meant to go with his meal. Where are they?" asked Adagio.
"Tell him we're out," said the head chef.
"Seriously?" Adagio muttered to herself before making her way back to the table.
"I'm sorry sir, but I've been told that we're out of crackers," said Adagio. The customer scoffed.
"Out? Bah. This place usually has them and now they're all out?" the customer grumbled.
"Sorry," said Adagio with a shrug.
"Grilled fish, going out!" said the head chef.
"Let me know if you need anything else," said Adagio as she rushed away from the table and towards the counter. Adagio took the fish and made her way over to another table to where a couple sat. Adagio set the plate down.
"Here you are," said Adagio.
"Pardon me, but we didn't order this," said the man. Adagio grimaced.
"Oh?"
"Ugh. We've been waiting for this long and we get the wrong meal? Take it back and get it right," said the woman with a glare.
"Sorry, it was a simple mistake," said Adagio, her tone shrinking back again.
"Damn hussie," spat the woman. Adagio grunted in annoyance before leaving.
"Leia!" snapped the man in a harsh whisper.
"Why are we even here? So you can gawk at these harlots?" demanded the woman.
"I just like their stuffed mushrooms and their fried spiders" said the man in annoyance.
"Fried spiders? Oh God!" exclaimed Adagio as she found a large plate holding a rather large arachnid. It was the size of a cat, much like the one that attacked Junior. But it was bald, its exoskeleton glistening with grease from cooking oil and its legs were tucked into its sides. Its fangs were also missing. Adagio eyed the meal as she handed off the fish to the correct customer. She took a breath before picking up the plate.
"Oh God, oh God!" Adagio whimpered, her skin crawling as she tried to not gaze upon the large arachnid. She yelped as she stumbled again, this time, plate knocking over the cups that sat at the table of the couple.
"By Providence! You clumsy cow!" barked the woman as she stood up from the table, water having been spilled on her skirt.
"I'm so sorry!" cried Adagio as she frantically picked up the cups.
"Oh look at his meal!" said the woman in annoyance, pointing to the spider. Adagio gasped as she found that its legs had snapped in pieces, and its abdomen having been crushed. Adagio found that her top bore oil stains and crumbs from the meal. Her bosom had caused damage to the food, much to her embarrassment.
"I'm so sorry! I'll-"
"No, it's quite alright. It should still taste fine," said the man as he took one of the broken legs and began to chew on it. His spouse scoffed.
"It is not! This clumsy fool just spilled water everywhere and-" The woman went on a rant. During this, Adagio found that Dwan seemed to be standing at a table where two men were. The three shared a laugh as she poured them their drinks. She seemed to be handling this job quite well. Adagio winced as the woman yelled at her, leading to another barmaid to approach and try to diffuse the situation.
Junior sighed as he wiped a brow. He was finally allowed to have a break until he had to resume working. Rodan and Angirasu were at the moment with the Inn Keeper, being shown the rooms that they would be staying in for the night. Junior instead took this opportunity to sit on his butt until his break was over.
The boy made his way out to the back of the Inn, stretching his arms out. He looked around, finding the clear afternoon sky. He still had to figure out a way to contact the Lord of Elsinore in order to message Twilight and the others.
While lost in thought, Junior heard light sobs. He looked around, hearing that the sounds were close. He turned over to a corner and found Adagio to be sitting on the ground, her face buried into her knees.
"Ada?" called Junior. Adagio raised her head, her eyes puffy and running with tears. She wiped her eyes as she forced a smile.
"Hey, Goji..." sniffled Adagio.
"What's wrong?" Asked Junior worriedly, kneeling next to her.
"It's this stupid job! I hate it! The customers are mean, they're demanding, I keep forgetting who ordered what, and I keep tripping over my own feet! And Dwan seems to be excelling!" cried Adagio, breaking into another sob.
"Hey, hey, come on. Cut the water works," said Junior as patted Adagio's shoulder in comfort.
"I didn't think it'd be this hard. What if that lady decides to not let me stay because I suck at this job?" whimpered Adagio.
"Even if that does happen, then I'll just set up camp somewhere in town and we can rest there," said Junior.
"We?" sniffled Adagio.
"What? You didn't think I'd leave you alone did you?" asked Junior with an amused look. Adagio smiled as her heart fluttered, her cheeks growing crimson.
"Look, don't feel too bad about your performance. A lot of people go through what you went through. You just gotta keep trying," said Junior.
"But Dwan-"
"Don't worry about Dwan. She probably has experience in being a waitress or something. Just worry about yourself," said Junior. Adagio nodded as her sniffling lessened.
"Yeah. Thanks, Goji," said Adagio, wrapping her arms around the boy, leaning her head on his shoulder affectionately.
"Sure," said Junior with a bashful smile. Adagio stood up and began to pat her skirt to rid it of wrinkles.
"I better get back inside. See ya!" said Adagio before rushing back into the Inn. Junior took a breath before sighing, relaxing in the fresh air.
"Unbelievable," Mosura grumbled in annoyance. She stared at a bed that bore a wet spot in the center. Her face crinkled in disgust.
"What adult wets the bed?" asked Mosura in exasperation as she began to remove the sheet, making sure not to touch the damp spot.
"Considering all the booze, I can make a guess," said Sunset as she picked up an empty wine bottle. There were a couple more scattered around this messy room. She tossed it into a bin as Mosura moaned in disgust, carrying the sheet over to a hamper.
"You know, I imagined working as a maid a lot differently," pouted Mosura.
"Yeah?" asked Sunset, tossing away the remaining bottles.
"I thought it'd be more romantic or something. I don't know. I certainly didn't imagine cleaning up after drunken bed wetters," said Mosura with a sigh of dismay.
"Yeah, reality is a harsh mistress," said Sunset, spraying down the bed with a bottle with a nozzle attached to it. She sprayed the bed that had been stained with urine. She noticed Mosura leaning against a wall, a gloomy look on her face.
"Mosu, it's not that bad. I mean, there are worse professions," said Sunset. The mutant girl shook her head.
"No, it's not that. I was just thinking," said Mosura, twiddling her fingers.
"I was kinda hoping for Gojira to compliment me," said Mosura.
"Well you gotta give him an excuse to. He's not the kind of guy that goes out of his way to compliment a girl," said Sunset, scrubbing the mattress.
"Hmph. He'd probably rather just see skanks with their tits hanging out," said Mosura bitterly.
"Whoa, what's with you?" asked Sunset in surprise. There was venom in Mosura's tone that it was almost scary.
"I don't know. It's just- I just don't like how Adagio throws herself all over him. What's worse is Goji's tolerance to it. I think the stress from a lot of the stuff that's been happening is starting to catch up to me. I mean, I just found out that Fluttershy has a crush on him too," said Mosura.
"Goodness girl. As much as you obsess about the guy, I'm shocked that you haven't confessed to him yourself," said Sunset, cocking a brow. Mosura glared.
"I'm not obsessed!" said Mosura, defensively.
"Whatever you say. Look, you can either make your feelings known to him, or you lose him to someone else," said Sunset, a hand on her hip. Mosura grimaced.
"How can I when a friend likes him too?" asked Mosura. Sunset sighed. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. She didn't even know if there was a right answer.
"Listen, if he's the one for you, then you have every right to pursue him. Even Fluttershy. It's up to him to decide if he wants a relationship with either you," said Sunset. Mosura held her arm as she thought of this. It brought some comfort, but it still bothered her. After all, someone in this scenario would end up heart broken. Worse case, it would be two broken hearts.
"Do you think I have a chance with him?"
"Of course! I mean, I've seen him act shy around you," said Sunset with a chuckle. "But maybe tone down the jealousy. You can get aggressive."
"Oh. O-OK..." said Mosura, growing a bit red. "Do you really think I'm obsessive?"
"Hey, we should finish this room up," said Sunset, ignoring the question
"That's not funny, Sunset!" said Mosura.
It was the end of the day. The tavern inside of the Inn had closed for the evening. Barmaids were collecting the dishes that were left behind by the customers. Some were even cleaning up any messes that were made. Tables were wiped down, and chairs were organized for each table. Adagio sighed as wiped her sweating brow.
"Hey Adagio, you're not supposed to motorboat the food," chuckled Dwan. Adagio grunted in annoyance as she covered her chest. She unfortunately had to work the rest of the day with the stains on her top. She just hoped the Inn keeper wouldn't be too upset.
Adagio noticed Dwan carrying a purse at her side.
"What's that?" asked Adagio.
"Oh this? This is just a coin purse to hold the tips that I got," said Dwan, smugly.
"Wait, we get tips?" asked Adagio incredulously.
"Oh shit, you didn't know!" laughed Dwan.
"H-How was I supposed to?!" asked Adagio.
"They usually leave it for you at the table after they pay for their meal. You either missed them and those tips were stolen, or they didn't tip you because your service sucked," snickered Dwan. Adagio growled as her rival mocked her at her expense.
"Guess I win this round," chuckled Dwan as she walked off.
"Stinkin' scrawny-ass bitch," grumbled Adagio. She noticed the Inn Keeper walking by, prompting Adagio to sigh.
"Might as well fess up while she's here," said Adagio, making her way to the woman.
"Excuse me, I've had a bit of a problem," called Adagio. The Inn Keeper sighed in annoyance as she took notice of the stains on Adagio's outfit.
"Goodness gracious, child! How did this happen?" asked the Inn Keeper.
"Let's just say these aren't always a blessing," said Adagio, forcing a chuckle as she gestured to her chest.
"Ugh. In the future, do take better care of the uniform. It's not yours to keep," said the Inn Keeper.
"Rats," said Adagio under breath.
"Just place it in the hamper in your room and I'll send someone take care of it," said the woman, before leaving.
Later, the teens found themselves led through the halls of the Inn. The Inn Keeper stopped at a door.
"Unfortunately, there are not many rooms available to fit most of you together. I have three here, and one upstairs," said the Inn Keeper. She turned to the teens.
"Decide among yourselves who gets it," said the Inn Keeper as she handed Junior three keys. Once she left, the teens gathered.
"Let's just check em out before we decide," said Junior.
The teens split off and went to the rooms that whatever key they held belonged to. Junior went to the first room. The door was unlocked and opened. It was a simple room, made up of wood with some furniture around. A window revealed the town that was darkened by the evening. There were three beds present, filled with fresh sheets and blankets.
Meanwhile, Angirasu opened up the door to the second room. It was filled with two beds
Sunset opened up the door to the third room. Much like the second room, it bore only two rooms.
Later, the teens gathered again. Here, they were debating and the room arrangements.
"So there's only room for two in 54 and 80," said Sunset.
"OK. What I'm thinking is that we guys take the three bed room," said Junior.
"Hell no. I don't wanna be in stuffy room with two other dudes," protested Rodan.
"Well you sure as hell aren't sharing a room with the girls," said Junior with a glare.
"How about sharing a room with one guy?" asked Sunset.
"That's more reasonable," said Rodan, crossing his arms.
"Just don't room me and Adagio together. Sonata told me that she snores," said Dwan. Adagio scoffed.
"I do not!" said Adagio. "I didn't want to room with you anyway! I rather room with Sunny!" stated Adagio.
"Only if Mosura rooms with us in the three bed room," said Sunset flatly. Adagio glanced at Mosura, who had a hard expression.
"On second thought, I'll room with someone else," said Adagio.
"If it's all the same to you, I rather room with Nice Aang~," said Dwan.
"NO!" Junior and Sunset exclaimed in unison.
"Ugh! Why Not!?" Dwan whined.
"First off, we had just cleaned these rooms." Sunset Explained. "And I'm not letting you ruin the bedspreads with your nasty sweat and other fluids!"
"You act like I'm some sort sex maniac" Dwan complained. "It will just be me sharing a room with Nice Aang. No more, no less.
"Look, it's probably not appropriate for a guy and a girl to share a room. We'll take the three bed room and you can work out the rest," said Junior.
"Agh. You're such a boy scout," said Dwan in annoyance.
"Geez, and you called me obsessed" Mosura muttered to Sunset.
"Hey, I take my job with pride" Sunset retorted. "Besides, I don't want Angirasu to have unprotected sex with a stranger."
"Point made" said Mosura, though if she were honest, sharing a room with just her and Junior would be a perfect opportunity to make a move with him. Her face turned red as lewd thoughts crept in her mind.
There was a great breeze. The winds blew as a multi colored streak of light flashed
Through the night. The streak moved passed many trees and and boulders.
Rainbow Dash grinded across the earth in a halt. Her eyes darted around the jungle. She looked to her map with a sigh, finding all of the locations she managed to visit. Not one of them had signs of her friends. So, that left her to search one last place.
Salem described a dangerous tribe of natives residing in the 'Roaring Jungle'. They might be where the others are. Rainbow only hoped that she would find them before anything bad happens. She was about to make another dash, but stopped as she noticed a faint glow. Rainbow could make out that it was the glow of a camp fire.
The girl began to jog to the light, hope growing in her heart. But as she came closer, she stopped and took cover behind a bush. Rainbow peeked from cover, finding Dogomite soldiers to be camped around a few camp fires. Tents were pitched and stood, and horses fed from the palms of their riders.
"Damn," whispered Rainbow. Again, her hopes were crushed.
From the camp, Kenra and Sigyn stood. Kenra was wiping down her rifle.
"So, how do you think the hunt is going?" asked Kenra.
"Can't say. After all, we're not assigned to look for him," said Sigyn.
"Speaking of which, how do you think he got here? It couldn't have been the same way as us," said Kenra.
"Ah who cares? All I want to know is why Malicia's interested in 'Lucky Dragon'?" said Sigyn, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Maybe we'll find out once we find him. For now, we just need to keep this camp secured for reinforcements," said Kenra.
Rainbow listened intently. These women kept referring to someone that they were looking for. Someone with a code name. She wondered who it was and what these people planned to do.
"Hey, where the hell is Max? He's been gone awhile, hasn't he?" asked Kenra. Sigyn shrugged.
"His pteranodon isn't here. I think-" Sigyn was interrupted as she heard the sound of wing flaps. She turned to find Maximilian to be hopping off a sickly pteranodon.
"Where have you been?" asked Kenra in annoyance.
"Apologies! I just had to let out some gas," said Maximilian, before giggling manically. Rainbow rolled her eyes, while Kenra sighed in annoyance.
"Max, we talked about this. You can't just wander off and use your gas to play your sick games," said Kenra.
"Would you rather I play with the soldiers?" asked Max, his sunken bloodshot eyes glanced in the direction of the armored men. The soldiers shifted uncomfortably at his words and gaze. Kenra sighed.
"Fine. What 'joke' did you pull this time?" asked Kenra.
"I'm glad you asked! I went out and gassed two different species of reptile! One near a town, the other near the Sacramentonian capital," said Max. Rainbow's eyes widened as she heard this.
"The capital? What'd you do?" asked Sigyn in shock.
"I don't want to give out the punchline, but let's just say a lot of unlucky folks will find themselves squeezed and crushed to a pulp! Like grapes being crushed into a fine wine!" Max began to laugh maniacally. Rainbow's eyes were wide in alarm as she heard this.
"Malicia's been wanting to deal a devastating blow to them for a while now. If it's as good as it sounds, then I'm sure she'll be pleased," said Kenra. Rainbow quickly dashed away from the area, leaving a breeze in her wake.
"Ooh! A stiff breeze tonight," shuddered Sigyn.
Rainbow continued to flee from the camp site. As she maneuvered passed endless trees, she had that conversation on her mind. Something big was going down in the capital. She had to get there before the looming threat does first.
Junior sighed as he sat in a room filled completely with hot steam. He soaked in a large stone bath with Rodan and Angirasu. The Inn's "Bathing Hall" rivaled that of the hot spring. The three relaxed as the hot water soaked their skin, opening their pores and loosened their tight nerves.
"Now this is how you end a long day," said Angirasu.
"Oh yeah. Man if I'd had money, I'd buy everything on the tavern's menu to eat too," said Junior. He had seen and smelled all of the delicious meals that were served. It made it tough to work in the back without being distracted by the smell.
"You know, Equescidar's not been so bad. All things considered," said Rodan.
"Yeah, that's what I've been trying to get you guys to see!" said Angirasu. Junior rolled his eyes.
"Granted, I wouldn't want to stay here for the rest of my life, but there's been great moments. I mean we got to see the girls in those outfits," chuckled Rodan with a perverted grin.
"Always the horn dog, ain't ya?" asked Junior. Still, he was glad to see that Rodan was getting back to his old self what with the passing of Eliza.
"Dude, tell me you weren't into it! Adagio and Dwan in those tight outfits. And Sunset's and Dwan's maid uniforms... imagine what's under those modest garments," said Rodan, grinning.
"Well obviously, under wear," said Angirasu.
"And I thought I was blunt," said Junior.
"Ah you lack imagination! Think! Maybe they're something lacy and black. Probably garter belts for those stockings," said Rodan. He glanced at Junior with a smirk.
"Nice pure white silky stockings, reaching up their shapely thighs," said Rodan. Junior merely turned to the side, annoyance hiding his growing blush.
"I'm starting to see why it's hard for you to get a girlfriend. They might sense your lust a mile away," said Angirasu.
"Hey! I don't see you guys with a girlfriend!" said Rodan defensively.
"I didn't say anything," said Junior as he looked to Rodan with a shrug. "Besides, I think Aang's already settling with Dwan."
"I'm not settling with anyone," chuckled Angirasu. Junior sighed as he climbed out of the bath, wrapping a towel along his waist.
"I think I'll head to bed. Don't stay in there for too long. We have work tomorrow," said Junior.
"What about getting in touch with the leader of the town?" Aaked Angirasu.
"I discussed it with the Inn Keeper. She said she'll hook us up with a representative or something who comes by every now and then," answered Junior.
"Sounds good," said Angirasu as Junior left.
Junior made his way through the hall. The cold air brushing his skin and opened pores. He failed to notice Adagio hiding behind a corner, watching him. Once the boy entered his room, Adagio tip toed over.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Eep!" Adagio shot upright and turned. Mosura stood by, her hair showed signs of recently being washed. a knee length white nightdress clung to her body.
"N-Nothing! Just going for a stroll," said Adagio with a nervous smile.
"Uh huh," said Mosura, a deadpanned look. Adagio sheepishly walked off.
"I better go!" said Adagio as she power walked away. Mosura smirked as she turned to the door that Adagio was by.
Meanwhile, Junior found himself sitting on the ground in the three bed room. He was dressed in a cheap cloth shirt and shorts. His "pajamas" for the night. The boy was reading through the map, doing a review of the land. It was only interesting thing he could think about doing. How he yearned for a book to read. Hell, he'd even read a bible that one would find in a hotel room.
"Actually... I wonder if-" Junior set the map aside and stood up. He began to look through the furniture in the room, opening drawers. They were empty.
"Ugh. Figures that something interesting to read wouldn't- Oh." Junior had opened a drawer, finding a book with a red cover and gold spine. Curious, he drew it out and sat down on a bed with it. The book itself was thick and heavy, bearing a silver emblem embedded onto the front cover. It appeared as a dove in the center of a stylized shield.
"Tales of Equescidar. Volume 1." Junior read to himself. Curious, he opened the book to the first page, finding a "table of contents" there was a collection of several different titles, likely different books or stories in one single book.
Junior decided to start with the first story, which was dubbed, "The Old World." The boy began to read. This book was a bit tedious to read, since it used some old dialect.
"I might as well be reading an actual bible," said Junior with a chuckle. From what he gathered, the writer of this story told the tale of a fleet of ships that were caught in a storm. This storm somehow led to the ships to suddenly being stranded in the middle of dry land. The story recounted the days of this fleet being forced to adapt to their new surroundings and turn their ships into houses and walls.
Junior was engrossed in this story that he failed to notice knocking.
"It's open!" called Junior, his eyes still on the page as he was lying on his back in bed. The door opened, revealing Mosura to step in.
"Hey," greeted Mosura, a shy smile on her face. Junior tore his eyes from the book, finding the girl standing at the door.
"Hey," greeted Junior, sitting up a bit. Mosura walked over, a tinge of red on her cheeks.
"Whatcha doin'?" asked Mosura.
"Just reading," said Junior as Mosura stood next to the bed. "Did you need something?"
"Not really. I just wanted to... hang out," said Mosura, glancing away.
"OK." said Junior, shrugging. Mosura lightly pouted at his response. He seemed rather invested in that book. At the very least, she wanted some of his attention. But she wondered how she could without coming off too much of a nuisance.
'What would Adagio do?' thought Mosura. She hated herself for thinking that, but she seemed to have a knack of being able to gain this boy's attention. Mosura cleared her throat as she took a seat on the bed, next to Junior.
"So what are you reading?" asked Mosura, curious.
"I think it's a collection of legends made up in Equescidar. Though this one might be a lot more real than I realized," said Junior.
"How so?" asked Mosura.
"This first one describes the origin of a kingdom that started off from a navy that was lost at sea. The ships were caught in a storm and were suddenly on dry land, in the middle of a valley," said Junior.
"Sounds almost like Dwan's story," said Mosura.
"That implies that the humans in this dimension were originally from ours. But I guess it's not that surprising," said Junior.
"Hey, let me read with you," said Mosura.
"Sure. I'll just-" Junior was about to sit up, but Mosura lied herself down next to the boy in bed.
"Mosu-" Junior blushed as the girl snuggled close, feeling her wet snow white hair brush his skin.
"Hey, I wanna be comfy too, pal," said Mosura coyly. She leaned her head against his shoulder with a cute giggle. Junior sighed as he held the book up. Mosura lightly blushed to herself, feeling the warmth of the boy radiate from him. She can feel the quick heart beats in his chest from being this close.
"I guess this lost fleet became the founding members of the Sacramentonians," said Junior as he read on.
"Interesting," said Mosura, though she wasn't paying attention. She was too absorbed with snuggling with Junior.
"Mosu, that's cold," said Junior as he felt Mosura place one of her feet on his leg.
"But you're so warm. And my poor little feet are freezing," said Mosura, her tone in a mock pout. Junior mentally groaned as the girl slightly turned on her side, positioning her soles over his leg. She began to rub her cold soles along his calf and shin, giving a hum.
"Yeah, that's nice," said Mosura with a sigh. Junior glanced at the girl, noticing her back facing him. Her rear slightly stuck out as she kept rubbing her cold feet on him.
'I never noticed how cute her butt is,' thought Junior. Mosura suddenly gasped, her face flushing red hot.
"Something wrong?" asked Junior in confusion.
"N-Nothing!" tittered Mosura. She glanced back at him with a flustered look. But she was somewhat pleased.
'I shouldn't be prying into his thoughts, but I'm glad I did. I'll have to keep that in mind,' thought Mosura. She began to lock her legs around Junior's calf, taking in more warmth. She could sense Junior's growing embarrassment. Especially as she scoot herself, rear first, closer to the boy's side.
"Are you even reading anymore?" asked Junior flatly.
"Nah," giggled Mosura. Junior sighed.
"Why the attitude? Relax," said Mosura, lightly pressing her rear against Junior's side.
"Easy for you to say," said Junior.
"Just set the book down. Remember when we shared a bed? How you held me close in your arms?" asked Mosura teasingly.
"Because you had a nightmare and asked me to let you in," said Junior. He felt his eyes grow a bit heavy as he suppressed a yawn.
'Dude, I'm practically inviting you to spoon me,' thought Mosura in annoyance. She took the book and set it on the dresser next to the bed. She then took Junior's hand and pulled it close, resting over her belly.
"Just... Hold me please. I wanna feel the safety of your embrace," whispered Mosura. Junior gulped as the girl gently stroked her foot over his leg. He felt her stomach move from her breathing beneath his hand. He did feel his nerves start to relax a bit with this position.
"I'm sorry for giving you a hard time," muttered Mosura.
"Hmm?" asked Junior.
"You know, when I get snippy with you. I don't mean to..."
"It's fine," said Junior.
"You know... I wouldn't have mind if we were roomed together," said Mosura, her face growing red.
"Eh..." Junior mumbled. Mosura bit her lip.
"I wouldn't have a problem with it. In fact... I wouldn't mind if we did this too. I'd even..." Mosura shuddered. She began to press her rear against Junior's lap in a seductive motion.
"Do whatever you wanted," said Mosura. Junior suddenly snorted. Mosura turned incredulously, finding Junior fast asleep.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" asked Mosura, her face more red. She groaned as she covered her flushed face.
"What the hell was I thinking?! I don't even know if Adagio would go that far! I'm such a lewd-" Mosura groaned in exasperation as she scratched her head. She gave a heavy sigh, slightly relieved that he fell asleep. She didn't want a confession to be dirty. She was just carried away with her own lust. She removed herself from Junior and stood. She softly smiled as she tucked him into bed.
"Good night, tough guy," said Mosura sweetly, before leaving.
"Maybe I should try teasing him more. Ooh. Those stockings might do the trick." Mosura giggled to herself.
Later that evening, Angirasu found himself leaning against a wall in the hall of the Inn. He held a glass bottle, filled with raw milk. Straight from the teat of a goat from a local farm, sold to the Inn. It was creamy and delicious, especially having been kept cold. He sighed after finishing off the glass.
"Who knew milk could taste so damn good?" Angirasu dropped the glass into a bin before leaving. He walked through the empty halls in silence, not feeling the desire to sleep just yet. He wanted to feel the cool breeze. After all, he just had a bath.
Angirasu stepped outside of the Inn and felt the chills of the night air. He slightly shivered but gave a content sigh, taking in the coolness. He closed his eyes as he heard the gentle breeze, and the chirps of crickets. Never has night felt so peaceful.
Suddenly, Angirasu heard retching. His euphoria was interrupted by the grotesque sound. Angirasu looked around, hearing coughs and more retching. He realized that the noise was coming from a nearby bush. From the bush, Dwan emerged with a sigh. She froze as she noticed Angirasu. She quickly wiped the back of her hand against her lips, clearing her throat.
"Hey, Nice Aang~! Wasn't expecting to see your fine self this evening," said Dwan, putting on her usual seductive persona. Angirasu was silent for a brief moment. He broke from his silence with a forced smile.
"Hey," said Anirasu, though he kept thinking back to that horrible retching.
"It sucks that Gojira had to be such a prude. I think a slumber party between us would've been fun," said Dwan, teasingly. "But I guess that's not enough to stop us from seeing each other."
"Yeah..." said Angirasu. Dwan cleared her throat, though looked to be in discomfort. Her aching throat clenched slightly as she attempted to swallow her saliva.
"So, what are you still doing up?" asked Dwan.
"I... I don't know," said Angirasu with a shrug. Dwan snorted.
"You don't know?" asked Dwan, raising a brow.
"No." Angirasu shook his head. Dwan softly chuckled.
"You're cute, you know that?" asked Dwan. She suddenly had a shift in expression. It looked a bit timid, as her eyes glanced away.
"Hey, do you think I'm sexy?" asked Dwan, her tone small. Angirasu slightly recoiled, having been taken aback by such a blunt question. He began to scratch his head.
"I-I mean... I think... I wouldn't say..." Angirasu fumbled over his words. He couldn't say yes, otherwise he'd come off as a pervert. "I think your pretty,"
Dwan's expression soured. She scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Pretty is how you describe a nice painting. Or a cheap jewel. Maybe even a flower or a girl next door. I don't want to be 'pretty'," spat Dwan. Angirasu was surprised by her response. He didn't intend to offend Dwan, but she seemed to be taking his answer hard.
"I mean, look at me! It's not easy to look this good! I mean, my boobs aren't that big, but I think I have all the right assets everywhere else, right?" asked Dwan, her expression turning to insecurity. Angirasu's expression softened. He held her shoulder as he gave her a comforting smile.
"Dwan, don't be so hard on yourself. You're fine as you are. You shouldn't worry about what other people think," said Angirasu. Dwan blinked as her eyes started to glisten. She cleared her throat as she closed her eyes, deeply inhaling.
"Aw. You're such a sweetheart," giggled Dwan, her eyes soft. Angirasu smiled warmly at her. Suddenly, Dwan chuckled as her expression shifted back into a seductive one.
"It's cold," said Dwan, wrapping her arms around Angirasu's neck. She leaned close to him, her body pressing against him. Angirasu blushed furiously.
"D-Dwan..."
"Shh. Just hold me." whispered Dwan as she shifted against him. She began to gently pull his head closer, her eyes half way open. Angirasu gulped as he felt her soft breaths on him. Even touching his own lips. As their lips came closer, there was a sudden toll of loud bells. The two pulled away from each other, startled, by the tolling bells.
"What the hell is that?" asked Dwan. Lights began to ignite from the houses and other buildings in town. From the street, a dozen guards ran by, their armor clanging with their movement.
"Move! Move!" shouted a guard.
The guards raced to the town gates, their spears drawn. From the watch towers, archers were posted with their arrows drawn. The toll of the bell continued.
"What is it?!" called a guard.
"It's a Giga-boa! It's heading this way!" cried an archer.
"Here it comes!" cried another archer.
Outside of the wall, a great serpent slithered through the field. It was 60 feet in length, with a large body at the height of a bus. It was coated in forest green scales with dark patterns. Along its neck were bright yellow frill flaps. It bore white eyes with slit pupils.
The serpent hissed as it slithered to the town gates, as archers shot their arrows at it. The beast was not deterred by the arrows and merely slammed its body against the heavy wooden gates. The serpent raised its head as it kept getting hit by arrows from the watch towers. The Giga-boa suddenly lunged to one of the towers and slithered onto the wall.
"By Providence!" exclaimed a guard as the serpent opened its jaws, hissing. Its long sharp fangs and razor sharp anaconda-like teeth were exposed.
The serpent crashed down to the ground, crushing a few guards under its huge body. Citizens screamed as they took off fleeing, as the serpent lunged towards any structure in its path, crushing anyone unfortunate to be in its way. It began to slither on top of the buildings, causing the smaller and more wooden ones to collapse under the reptile's weight.
Back at the Inn, Dwan and Angirasu caught sight of the citizens fleeing down the street. But the cause of their terror was unknown to them. Regardless, Angirasu could sense that it was a big threat.
"Angirasu, we should-" Dwan was interrupted as Angirasu dropped to his hands and knees, grunting in pain.
"H-Hey, what's-" Dwan gasped as Angirasu began to snarl. She cringed as she heard the popping of his bones as he underwent his excruciating metamorphosis. She backed away as he grew to his spiked reptilian form. He gave a bellow and wail as he began to stomp to the street. His eyes fell upon the great serpent, which was grazing its body along any structure it could find. It took notice of Angirasu as the mutant roared as an act of intimidation. The serpent merely flared the frill flaps on the sides of its head and gave a loud hiss, as though hot steam escaped from pipes. Angirasu began to paw at the ground, flaring his nostrils and narrowed his eyes.
The serpent slithered towards the mutant, its body covering the distance in short seconds. Angirasu burst into a charge, ramming into the snake.
Citizens continued to flee as the large beasts battled. Dwan just stared, wide eyed from a safe distance. She watched as Angirasu forced the serpent against the rubble of a structure. Before he could stomp the creature, the Giga-boa slithered swiftly away. It then turned and sprayed venom at Angirasu, who quickly ducked his head and clenched his eyes shut.
The venom doused Angirasu's neck and shoulder, but his eyes were spared. He quickly spun and swung his clubbed tail, missing the serpent by just inches.
From within the Inn, the muffled roars of Angirasu filled the air. The Inn also rocked from heavy tremors. Junior gasped as he shot wide awake. Rodan snorted as he shot up, his eyes blood shot.
"Ah! I swear I didn't steal the peeps, Mr. Easter Bunny!" cried Rodan.
"What in the hell?" Junior stumbled out of bed, making his way to the window. His eyes widened in shock and alarm as he caught sight of the great reptiles fighting in the street.
"Ah shit! What is he thinking?!" cried Junior as he rushed to the dresser and wrapped his left arm. After her grabbed a sheet and yanked it off a bed, he quickly rushed out of the room as Rodan looked out the window.
"Uh oh!" exclaimed Rodan as he followed Junior. As they ran out of the room, Adagio, Sunset and Mosura came out of their own rooms, stumbling.
"Its too late for this crap!" whined Adagio.
From outside, Angirasu continued to battle the serpent. Their movements kicked up dirt, crushed wagons and smashed in walls of structures. The Giga-boa suddenly began to coil itself around Angirasu, but came to immediately regret its action. In attempt to constrict Angirasu, it instead stabbed itself with the sharp spikes that decorated the mutant's carapace.
Angirasu took advantage of its stunned state by sinking his fangs and curved tusks into the neck of the serpent. The Giga-boa began to thrash in a vain attempt to free itself. But the more it struggled, the more force went into Angirasu's bite. A loud pop filled the air, and the serpent with limp. Angirasu dropped it to ground and wailed victoriously. His cries were heard throughout the town.
Angirasu stepped away from the dead serpent, panting. He groaned in pain, closing his eyes as his body began to shift. He returned to his human form, kneeling on the ground with a pant. He rose up as Dwan ran over to him.
"You were incredible!" cried Dwan, wrapping her arms around the boy.
"Ah! D-Dwan!" exclaimed Angirasu. Dwan gasped, her face growing red as she glanced down at her thigh.
"Nice Aang~..." giggled Dwan, a shy grin on her face. Angirasu pulled away, and then scrambled for a wheel to a wagon that lied on the ground.
"This is the worse part about transforming," said Angirasu, appearing flustered.
"Not for me," said Dwan, biting on her nail as she caressed her own thigh.
"Aang!"
Dwan and Angirasu found Junior rushing over, followed by the rest of the gang. Junior had a furious look on his face.
"What were you thinking?!" demanded Junior.
"What do you mean? I just saved the town," said Angirasu in confusion.
"By exposing yourself!" barked Junior. He tossed the sheet onto Angirasu.
"Cover yourself and get inside before someone sees us!" said Junior. Angirasu sighed as he complied. Dwan glared at Junior.
"Geez! What's-"
"Don't give me any lip! Get your ass back inside! You too!" said Junior, turning to the rest of his friends.
"Alright! Alright! Geez!" said Sunset as the rest of the teens retreated back to the Inn.
"Man, I guess he's cranky or something," whispered Adagio.
Junior turned back to the street, where the dead serpent lied. He found that the guards and some of the citizens were approaching the dead beast. Junior quickly followed after his friends back into the Inn.
"Did you see that? A spiked dragon suddenly appeared and killed this giga!" said a guard.
"I did. It looked familiar. I know I've seen it somewhere before. But now it's gone," said another guard.
"Because it was a beast of legend!" exclaimed a man from the crowd.
"Regardless, it's unusual for a creature like this to stray away from the jungle and attack. It's not their nature," said a guard as he poked his spear against the dead serpent.
"I don't think it even devoured anyone. It just thrashed wildly, as if it succumbed to madness," said another guard.
"Driven to madness? Then The Laughing Man is to blame. The one who drives beasts to run wild!" said a man. The townsfolk began to exclaim in alarm. They murmured and spoke in panic.
"People, remain calm!" ordered a guard over the crowd. "The beast is dead, thus poses no danger. Please return to your homes, as we secure everything," said the guard.
Meanwhile, back inside the Inn, Junior was pacing around in a room, as the rest of the gang stood.
"I don't see what the big deal is," said Angirasu.
"You don't- I'm sorry, but did you forget why it's such a big dumb mistake to transform like that?" asked Junior incredulously. "Aang, you exposed yourself!"
"What was I supposed to do? Let that thing destroy everything?" asked Angirasu.
"No-"
"Why are you freaking out over this?" asked Dwan.
"Looked, just because the Iwi are cool with us, doesn't mean that the more advanced villages would be pleased!" said Junior with exasperation. "Look, it's done and over with! We can't stay here anymore. We're leaving at dawn," stated Junior.
"What? But where are we gonna go?" asked Sunset.
"I don't know. Probably back to the jungle since it's closer. We just can't stay here," said Junior. Dwan sighed.
"Fine. So back to bed?" asked Dwan.
"Yes. Make sure you have your things packed and that you have clothes ready to be worn. We're getting the hell out of here," said Junior. The girls began to leave the room, full of reluctance. But they even had to admit that it'll be a problem if they're discovered.
The loud crash of thunder filled the air. A sonic boom made from the brilliant rainbow streak shot through the land like a shooting star.
Rainbow Dash screeched to a halt. She quickly looked through the map she had, muttering to herself.
"OK, just passed Abalone and went west to there. The capital should be up here," said Rainbow, looking from her map. She gasped, finding that a large herd of massive sauropod dinosaurs were having a stampede. They wailed as they thrashed their necks, stomping over the land as they headed for the walls that protected the capital city.
The creatures were around 70 feet in height, and over 100 feet in length. Their powerful limbs carried their large bodies across the land. The numerous footsteps and weight of the beasts left a thunder-like sound, and tremors close to earthquakes in proximity.
The creatures almost towered over the walls that protected the city. With this herd and their size, they'd go through those walls like paper.
Rainbow made a mad dash for the herd. She thought if she couldn't warn the city, she could try to deter the herd. But when she got close, she stumbled from the tremors they caused. She was also blinded by the great clouds of dust they left behind. Rainbow coughed as she tripped and fell. She gritted her teeth as she found the herd getting closer to the city walls. She had no chance of stopping them at this rate.
Rainbow heard a loud gush of wind overhead. She gasped as a large figure soared through the night sky, heading for the heard. A dragon descended. It bore the long serpentine neck of a western dragon, with a typical wyvern body. Its body was sleek and slim, with piercing blue eyes that almost glowed under the moon light. It was decorated in pure white scales with grey speckles.
The dragon opened its beak and spewed a large stream of flames, scorching the earth in front of the herd. The sauropods wailed as they skidded to a halt and bumped into each other to avoid the flames.
From within the capital, Prince David was racing to the city walls, along with armored soldiers. Once they reached walkways on the walls, they bore witnessed to the dragon that scorched the earth. The sauropods began to flee from the flames, away from the capital city. Rainbow quickly dashed passed the creatures, avoiding being trampled on.
"Go and keep order in the city! No doubt many bore witness to this," ordered David.
"Yes, your highness!" said a soldier, before leading the others away.
Prince David turned his attention to the dragon that hovered in the air. Its form illuminated by the orange light of the flames. He gazed upon the white wyvern, longing in his eyes, as though he was seeing someone dear to him for the first time in a long while. The dragon had a similar look in its eyes.
The winged serpent shrieked before flying off to the night sky. David gave a heavy sigh as he watched. He felt a presence suddenly appear at his side.
"Haven't seen her in a long time," said King Gareth.