Libraries are fun and exciting
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Later in the day, after Rose has gone back to resting in bed, John goes to the library to look for books on Dragon anatomy. The building is giant, if it were for living, it could probably house a thousand people. According to an information billboard, the Old Kroy State Library is the biggest library in the world.
Going to an information stand, he asks one of the librarians, an older woman with gray hair in a bun and some glasses, “Excuse me, I’d like some information of where to find books on a specific topic, I don’t have any specific titles in mind though, could you help me with that?”
“Of course, what are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for anatomical and medical books on Dragons, preferably with a focus on pediatric care.”
“Sure, do you want some child rearing books for Dragons as well?”
“I don’t think I’ll need those, so probably not”
“Are you sure? Parenting books are a great help for first time parents.”
“Oh! I am not his father, I'm his friend. I mean, It’s my friend’s child. I’m just trying to treat him, I’m a healer.”
“I see…Go to counter 43 in the medical section. Mr. Ramírez should be able to help you find the books you need. Just go down that way and follow the signs to the medical section.”
“Alright, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Walking down the marble halls, John gets to the counter labeled 43 where he encounters an athletic young man with long red hair in a ponytail and a short beard wearing a white linen shirt, “Hello, are you Mr. Ramírez?”
He smiles, “Yes that’s correct, how can I help you?”
“I’m looking for anatomical and medical books on Dragons, specifically pediatric care.”
“Sure, do you have any specific titles in mind? What do you need them for?”
“Uhm, well I want to take care of a friend's child. He has gotten sick recently and while I am a healer I’m not that well versed in Dragon biology.”
“Why not just go to a doctor that specializes in Dragons then?”
“Ah, that’s because we travel a lot. I want to be able to take care of him during that time.”
“I see~ How old is the boy?”
“About two months.”
“I see…You probably want to go to aisle 32B then. I recommend the works of Carla Scilio. Let me show you the way”
“Sure, thank you.”
Going to aisle 32B, John suddenly feels a strong arm around his neck as he gets choked out and passes out.
When he wakes up again, he finds himself tied to a chair in some sort of warehouse with a bag over his head, “Fuck…”
A woman’s voice tells him, “It seems you’re finally awake.”
The bag on John’s face then gets lifted revealing a group of people in black clothing and masks, the one talking to him sits directly in front of him on a wooden crate.
“I’ll have you know if you sell me, my friends will find me!”
The woman chuckles, “Sell you? That sounds like a good idea, it’d be quite the ironic punishment, I like it.”
“Can we get to the point? What the fuck do you want from me?”
“I want names, who do you work for?”
“What?”
“I asked who do you work for?”
“Uhm, the adventuring guild?”
“So you snatch eggs for the adventuring guild!?”
“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“So you’re independent. Were you already in talks of selling the child?”
“What? Look, there is obviously some sort of misunderstanding going on. Can you please tell me why I’m here so I can clear it up?”
“You were researching medicine for Dragons and claimed it was to help the son of a friend of yours. Yet you smell of two female Dragons, a young one and an adolescent. You talking about a hatchling being sick, points towards you trying to raise a Dragon you have no idea how to care for and you being unable to bring them to a real doctor tells me you have no legal guardianship over them. Seeing as you wish to travel, it is likely that you’re trying to sell them to a Dragon Tamer club.”
“That…Okay so, I agree with you it sounds bad when you put it that way but I swear I’m not trying to sell anyone. Both of them are completely safe and independent, I’m just trying to help the younger one who has recently survived a very bad disease.”
“Really? You want us to believe that?”
“It would sure be nice if you did... Look, obviously you guys seem to work for a good cause. If you want, I’ll show them to you so they can tell you they’re fine themselves. Perhaps we can even help you out, we’re adventurers after all. You heard of the Tennison incident, right? We helped with uncovering that.”
She cogs her head, “You helped with the Tennison incident…Really? You want me to believe that?”
“Well, we weren’t the ones that raided the place but we were the ones investigating before the raid.”
“Put the bag back on!”
John becomes blinded again and after a while of sitting in silence the bag is removed.
“We’ll take your offer. But know that if this is a trap you will pay dearly for it.”
“Sure, do you want me to lead you there?”
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In the late afternoon, I wake up from my nap to a sigh of relief from Scarlet, “Good morning, Rose. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, I guess…”
“Is something wrong?”
“I don’t want to be in my Draconic form again.”
“What!? Why?”
“It sucks. I’m blind, I’m weak, I can’t speak and now I can’t even move when I’m like that. Also, the scale treatment really hurt, I’d rather not have any scales if that’s something that happens.”
Manya snuggles up to me, “Please don’t say things like that, Rose. It’s true that the treatment for scale rot hurts a lot but you won’t get that anymore. It was only because you were so sick and lying in bed so long that you got infected. And the same goes for you being unable to move. You were just really sick so that’s why things are a little bad right now.”
“Still…I’m just all around worse because I'm a Dragon now. Being a Dragon sucks.”
“Gasp Don’t say that, Rose!”
“It’s true though! The only good thing about being a Dragon is having you as my sister!”
“That’s not true! You’re just not used to it yet, I’m sure once you’re home with mom and d-”
“I don’t even want to meet them! They won’t like me! The only reason I even want to give it a shot is because-! Because…”
“...”
“Because?”
Tears flow down my face,“Because…Because I love you and I don’t want to lose you! I don’t want to go there at all but if you make me choose, I’ll…I’ll choose you. Sob”
Hearing this, Scarlet gets a shocked expression on her face as she starts to cry as well and gives me a hug, “I’m so sorry, Rose. I didn’t know I was pressuring you like this. I’m sorry, I won’t force you to choose. Let’s stay adventurers until you’re ready.”
“Are you sure? Sob”
“Yes, I’m sure. I love you, Rose.”
“I…I love you too manya. Sob”
As we lie in each other's arms crying, John opens the door, waits for a second then says, “Alright, I admit this doesn’t look great…” before getting pushed to the ground by a woman with long brown hair wearing blue pants and a white shirt.
“There is no need to cry anymore, I’m here to save y-”
Growling, manya interrupts her, “I’m not sure who you are but how dare you enter our bedroom without permission!?”
“I’m here to s-”
“Shut your mouth! How dare you enter here and disrupt this moment!?” Scarlet says as she jumps out of bed and slowly approaches the woman.
“My sister and I have been having an important moment together!”
“I…I’m sorry? I-”
Scarlet's voice then suddenly changes, now sounding like multiple echoes of her voice speaking at the same time, “Silence. You’re in the presence of your betters, prostrate yourself.”
It looks almost as if the woman is fighting some invisible force as she starts shaking, then lies down flat on her belly and even John seems to be kneeling on the ground like one does in front of royalty.
“Now leave my chambers and do not return until you have an audience!”
Crawling on the floor, both John and the woman leave the room.
“Who sniff who was that, manya?”
Returning back to her usual voice, Scarlet smiles at me, “It doesn’t matter, let’s go back to what we were doing.”
“Are…Are you sure? A stranger just came in here, it’s probably important.”
“I’m sure. It’s nothing worth our time.”
“Can’t you go check at least? Just in case.”
“Sigh Of course as long as it puts your mind at ease.”
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Entering the other room, Scarlet glares at John and the woman, “You have just ruined a very precious moment that would have become a core memory in my sister’s life that for the rest of our lives we could have looked back on fondly. So tell me, what was it that was so important you would need to do that to us?”
John quickly answers, “It’s her fault, I have nothing to do with this.”
She crosses her arms, “I see, explain yourself.”
The woman then changes sex and turns into the librarian John met at the library, “Greetings your Highness, my name is Julio Fernandez Rodriguez Ramírez. I work for an underground organization fighting the trade of eggs and hatchlings. I thought that this person was trying to sell a hatchling so I came here to see if it was the case.”
“I see…And what made you think he was planning to do that?”
He explains his reasoning while Scarlet's expression slowly fades from anger into annoyance.
“Fine, you’re forgiven, you may leave now.”
“Please wait, your Highness! Your man servant offered to help our cause, we could need your assistance.”
“Man servant?” John scoffs.
“I can’t offer you any soldiers, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“No, I understand the crown can’t intervene in foreign affairs like this but we still need your guidance. We’re just a rag tag group of citizens. We don’t have any expertise in planning an operation like this. You helped free the slaves in the Tennison incident right? We are in need of foresight like this.”
“I wasn’t involved as much as you think I was. Either way, I would have to discuss this with my companions first. And under no circumstances will I do anything until my sister gets better.”
“I understand. Is your sister the one in the other room?”
“Yes.”
“How old is she? I did not know you had a sister, your Highness.”
“She’s barely two months old.”
Looking a bit conflicted, Julio asks, “If I may ask…Why does she look like that?”
“Sigh She’s cursed. She turns into this form anytime she falls asleep and they even took her wings in her draconic form.”
“Who…Who would do something like that to a child?”
“We don’t know for sure yet, but it’s possible it was Tera Flora’s work.”
His body then starts to get covered in scales and his draconic features become a lot more visible, “Why is it always them!? Why can’t they just leave children alone!? First my child, now the second princess…That country is irredeemable!”
Getting a compassionate look on her face, Scarlet asks,“Did you lose your child during the night of shards?”
“Yes…Yes, I did.”
“Did you have a name for your child?”
“Yes…Ramona.”
Kneeling down in front of Julio, she grabs his hands and looks him straight in the eyes, “In the name of the crown, I apologize for what happened to your daughter due to our negligence. But please know that as long as I live, Ramona will not be forgotten.”
Julio starts to cry, “Thank you, your Highness. Truly.”