| I trailed Zidane�s thoughts to Pinnacle Rocks. For a long while I couldn�t find him; the signal came from a rock wall that seemed to have no end in any direction. An even bigger problem was that I found the gargant cart, but nothing else around it except shoe prints. Then I found a tunnel and made it through. I exited right behind Zidane, almost bumping into his back and head. Vivi let out a squeak of surprise and scrambled away. � What�s wrong, Vivi?� Zidane asked, looking at him. He then turned, following the black mage�s gaze, and came nose to nose with me. Literally. He shifted his eyes up to mine and I once again marvelled at the ghostly, piercing brilliance of his green eyes. He had seen so much, yet didn�t blame or hate anyone . . . He pushed his nose against mine, trying to get me to react. He knew dragons preferred to keep their nose free because it was so sensitive. I wiggled my nose against an itch, making him smile. � Hi, Kiti!� [Hello.] He patted the grass beside him. � Have a sit.� I sat, then lay down after a moment. The constant travel was beginning to exert its powerful force of wanting to make me sleep. � Come on back over, Vivi,� Zidane instructed, lugging my unresponsive head into his lap. � It�s just Kiti.� Vivi returned. � Why do dragons all look alike?� Normally I would�ve taken offense and gone into painstaking detail about our differences, but I didn�t feel like it right then. I only wanted to sleep. Zidane stepped in with my answer. � They don�t,� he replied with a light chuckle, calmly petting my head from the tip of my nose to as far along my horns as he could go. � Dragons look very much alike only to those who haven�t seen many of them. I�ve seen hundreds, so anymore these days, the smallest noticeable difference in a dragon I think I know could save my life.� � Dragons don�t like people?� � Not particularly. There are always exceptions, of course, but mostly they see us as bumbling fools who won�t accept the world the way it is. I hate to admit it, but they�re right.� I snorted. � What was that, Kiti?� � Nothing. I just love listening to humans talk themselves up and then confide later that their own race is one of idiots.� He shrugged. � I don�t care. I�m not human.� � Oh? Then what are you? A doppelganger?� � Mmm . . . No, I don�t think so. Let�s try �half-breed�.� � Of what?� He shrugged again. � Dunno.� � Then what makes you say that?� � Tail.� I snorted angrily. � Oh my goodness! Grow up! The only place you could�ve gotten it from is me!� � You?� I rolled my eyes. � Dragons are born with tails, but not wings. Your tail must have developed as a result of the milk because wings would be too difficult to hide. Recall that when I was human, I had a fuzzy tail also.� He considered it thoroughly . . . and then his mind drifted off, as usual. � Do you remember what color my eyes were when you found me?� How could I forget? . . . Soft blue blanket wrapped around the wiggly form . . . Tiny hands . . . Bright azure eyes blinking curiously in return . . . � Yes.� � Tell me?� I lifted my head and peered up through the trees at a spot of blue. � Up there. The sky. That color.� He rubbed his head. � Geez, that�s . . . really pale.� � Would you have prefered blue to green?� � Well . . . Blue would�ve made me look more normal, but�--he whirled on me and knocked me over--�green scares the shit out of everybody!� I rolled, surprised, and quickly scrambled to my feet. Zidane was crouched down, braced on his fingers and toes, ready to spring. His tail swished back and forth calculatingly. I crouched down myself and leveled my head, locking gazes with him. My tail held still, for I had learned long ago that it gave away my every thought as if I�d spoken them aloud. His tail stiffened seconds before he charged and I loosed my muscles just a bit, for I didn�t want to hurt him. We collided gently and he bounced off me like a rock off a cliff and tumbled backwards uncontrollably. He hit the rock wall and stopped finally, sitting up slowly. His hand was on the back of his head and one eye was squeezed shut. � Ouch . . .� I trotted over. � Are you all right?� I asked worriedly, nudging at his gloved hand. � Let me see! Move your hand!� He sighed and let me poke through his hair. � I�m okay, Kiti. It�s just a bump on the head.� I wrapped my tail around him and squeezed him like a python, only much gentler. � You worry me with all that! If your head was cracked open and your brains were leaking out everywhere, you�d still be telling me you were okay!� He laughed. � If my head were cracked open and all my brains were leaking everywhere, I�d be dead.� � That�s my point!� There was a thud and Vivi let out a louder squeak than he had when I appeared. I looked over at the intruder. [Identify yourself!] The dragon bowed its head respectfully. [I am the king�s messenger, Gelgameth. The sire asks for your assistance in Swiftwing.] [Why?] [It is being attacked by strange beings.] [I�m on my way.] The messenger nodded and left. I turned to Zidane and opened my mouth, but he said quickly, � I�m going with you.� � No you�re not.� <--Part 12 Part 14--> |
| To see what others cannot, your mind must be clear and unbothered. Imagine a flawless crystal . . . ~Dragon's Teachings. pg. 48 Part 13 |