Beginning of a new Organization
After my bath, I hear a knock on the door followed by a man’s voice, “Greetings your Highness, I’ve come to escort you and your group!”
“There is no need to shout, I can hear you fine.”
“Yes, your Highness, my apologies. So that is her Highness Rose’s true form, huh? That poor thing. She looks like she barely survived a battlefield…”
“Well…In a way she has. Are you excited to meet some other Dragons, Rose?”
“Gao.”
We then seem to leave the hotel room as the air changes and the sound of steps swirl around me. The streets are very loud and the smells are rapidly changing and overwhelming. It’s really scary being surrounded by all that while you can’t see or move. I try to endure it but after a while I get so scared that I start whimpering again.
Scarlet puts me closer to her and says, “If it’s too overwhelming I’ll put you in my pouch for the time. You just woke up so it should be fine.”
“Gao?” (what?)
I then feel myself being put inside somewhere warm. It’s a lot quieter now, I can only hear muffled sounds from the streets that are being drowned out by Scarlet’s breathing and pulse. The pouch itself just feels like I’m getting a tight hug or like I’m being surrounded by a tightly wrapped blanket. It’s extremely relaxing.
I don’t even notice how fast time passes until I feel Scarlet's hand surround me and pull me out of the pouch, “Was it okay for you in there Rose?”
“Gao, Gao!”
“Is that a yes?”
“Gao!”
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Together, the Shooting Stars go inside a warehouse. After walking past some boxes, they enter a room that looks like a lounge with multiple people and a few children inside. They don’t look like freedom fighters at all. Most just look like office workers or some normal passer-by. Overall, this place looks more like a grown up meet up between friends or a daycare than a meeting of freedom fighters.
“Everyone, I know I haven’t told you who our special guest is yet because I didn’t think you’d believe me so…Please welcome, her royal Highness Princess Scarlet and her younger sister Princess Rose.”
“EEEEEEEEEEH!?”
“What!?”
“You’re lying!”
“There’s no way!”
The crowd yells but instantly falls silent as Scarlet enters the room. A few seconds after they have composed themselves, they all lay down with their belly to the ground and say some form or another of “Greetings your Highness.”
Confidently walking in the room, Scarlet sits down in an armchair prepared at the front, crosses her legs, then says, “You may raise your heads.”
Julio gives a slightly proud yet composed smile and says, “As you can see, her Highness Princess Scarlet has graced us with her presence and one of her retainers will be instructing us on how to improve our group to be more efficient. Miss Sher Aka, if you may.”
Walking to the front, Sher Aka lets out a sigh, “Before I address the state of this organization, can we please get the children out of here?”
Julio looks at her perplexed, “Why do we need to do that?”
“Because children talk. Anything you discuss with children around you might as well talk about publicly. Why did you even bring them in the first place?”
“Well…We’re an organization founded on protecting children, so all of us either have or have had children at some point and because we know how much trafficking there is going on we don’t trust any babysitters not affiliated with us.”
“I see…Go get a designated group of two or three of you then that regularly rotate around to take care of the children during any activity like this. That way the kids are taken care of and no one is ever going to be alone with the children.”
“That sounds like a good idea! Does anyone want to volunteer for today?”
“Sure, me, Sofia and Athena can do it today,” A woman who looks like she is in her early twenties says confidently.
Julio answers her, “Alright, thank you mama.”
The three young women then gather up the children and go into another room.
“Good, now that the kids are out of the room…” Sher Aka puts down a crystal ball on the table, “Let’s begin the meeting. Jailbird 2136.”
The crystal ball starts to glow and an image starts being projected from it. It looks like an Elf ear next to a knife and from it a smooth and deep voice says, “Hello, my name is Jail Bird. I will be the one representing the Knifes for Freedom in this meeting. Our comrade Sher Aka has already given me a basic breakdown of what to expect. To be honest, we have shamefully neglected the plight of Dragons for a long time. Both due to a different practice of slavery that uniquely affects Dragons and because of deep seated racial resentment in some of our members. Because of this, I’m very grateful for this opportunity to rectify our own negligence today.”
“Thank you, Jailbird. Essentially, with the help of KFF operatives we’re going to create a joined organization that will work together on different missions. KFF will support you with ressources, guidance and their manpower and in exchange you will also offer your manpower to them when needed. It’s a win-win situation.”
One of the Dragons raises his hand and asks, “How will we know that they won’t just exploit us? Is there any guarantee that we will actually get help for our issues?”
The voice from the projection answers, “Good question. It’s understandable that you’re weary of us but so are we of you. If possible, we would like to use this meeting to help you with organizing and listening to your issues. To build your trust, the KFF will begin operations to help Dragons using your input without you needing to give us anything. Then, if you wish to support us, we will ask for your contribution to some KFF projects not related to Dragons as well.”
A desperate looking woman shouts, “Then could you help us with the egg disappearances in the Lagoon hospital!?”
“Egg disappearances? Can you tell me more about that?”
“Yes, over the last ten years or so eggs have been going missing at the pediatric clinic. The way it happens is always a bit different but it always ends with the eggs being taken in by the clinic, then disappearing. Afterwards, everyone denies that the egg ever existed. The police haven't done anything and we have no way to prove that we had the eggs in the first place because we don’t get a birth certificate for them until after they hatch.”
“So far, how many people were affected?”
“I know of at least fourteen cases…Myself included.”
“When was the last incident?”
“Two months ago. Her name is Marina Corazon. She went to have a check up on her egg where they told her they would need to do some tests because the egg seemed cold. After an hour of waiting in the room no one came back, so she went into the hallway and asked about her egg and people told her she never had one and asked her why she’s there. She then tried to find her egg by force but was promptly arrested and is now in jail for destruction of property…”
“I understand the situation. We will begin investigations as soon as possible, can you give me as much detail as possible about the cases?”
“Of course…”
Over the next few hours the people present all voice their concerns and receive some guidance on how to be more organized, both by Sher Aka and Jail Bird. Scarlet meanwhile seems to be taking notes on the problems of the Dragons and possible solutions for them.
It’s around noon when Sher Aka calls for a break and Scarlet feeds Rose, “I have something nice for you today. It’s called taramas, it’s a fish egg paste just as pink as you!”
Putting a small spoonful of it in her mouth Scarlet puts her lips to Rose’s open mouth similar to a french kiss and puts the food inside her mouth making her tail wag.
“Oh? You like that, huh?”
“Gao!”
“Don’t worry, I have more!”
Scarlet continues feeding Rose like this for a bit while Rayla prepares the clothes. Rayla gives Scarlet a nod and Scarlet says, “Time for your nap, Rose,” as she puts her tail to her mouth. Rose then begins to suckle on her tail and falls asleep within a minute. About ten seconds after falling asleep, she begins to grow while turning back into her cursed human male form. Thankfully, since the draconic form makes her belly face downwards, you can only see her backside when she is done transforming and Rayla quickly dresses her with Scarlet’s help. Afterwards, they go to a quiet corner of the room where Rayla spreads out some bedding and they lie down with Rose.
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