A Deep Seated Fear
When I wake up from my nap, Scarlet greets me, “Good morning, Rose. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah…Wait. Did the people here see?”
“See what?” Rayla asks.
“Me n-naked.”
“Yeah, but these are all Dragons, they don’t care about that. We did talk to some though that were concerned about your curse.”
“Damn it…”
Scarlet, brushing through my hair, asks, “So, what did you think of my pouch?”
“I loved it! It was super comfy!”
“Kikikiki, of course it was! Twas my royal pouch after all.”
“Hey oko, you like my tails right? Maybe next time you can stay on them in your draconic form!”
“Hmm, that does sound good but ever since I got sick, you haven’t been taking care of your tails well. They’re all dirty and matted so can we wait until I get better and can help you brush them again?”
“Kikikiki, she called you out.”
“Oh, shut up, Scarlet! Anyways…Sure, let’s do it when you get better and my tails get fluffy again…”
Smiling at her, I answer, “Speaking of health…I had an idea on how we can help the egg investigations. How about we take advantage of me being sick right now and go to that clinic using me as bait-”
“No.”
“No.”
“Why not? It’s a pretty good plan! They want young children and with me being basically freshly hatched to them, I should be a great target. Especially since they have a good excuse for taking me in for ‘further examination’.”
“Do you want to explain it or should I, Scarlet?”
“You go ahead.”
“Alright…Rose, you need to realize that your life matters and you shouldn’t put it at stake for others all the time.”
I cog my head, “But right now my life doesn’t really matter.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I can’t really move right now and I’m in need of your help so my life not only doesn’t have a use I’m actively making your lives worse. If someone like me dying helps someone else, that's a good thing.”
As I say this both Scarlet and Rayla look at me in absolute shock.
“Did I…Say something wrong?”
“Yes! First of all you’re not making our lives worse!” Scarlet yells.
“And second, even if you don’t have a use, who cares!? Life is precious, it has worth even when you don’t have a use.” Rayla desperately tells me.
“That’s not true, a tool without a use gets discarded. Maybe you still think I have a use to you but if I keep staying useless like this you’ll discard me. So please, use me, I never want to lose either of you.”
Manya seems absolutely shocked, “I…I…Rayla, I don’t know what to say.”
Ane now holds my shoulders and looks me straight in the eyes, “Oko, be honest with me, is that the reason why you never tell us when you feel bad?”
“Yes.”
“Right…It was a mistake bringing you here,” Rayla picks me up and says, “Scarlet we’re leaving. Are you coming with us?”
“Yes, are we going back to the hotel?”
“No, I have something different in mind.”
“Wh-where are we going, ane?”
“You’ll see. Sher Aka, John, we’re going out. We won’t be coming back, see you in the hotel later.”
“Where are you heading?”
“I’ll tell you when we come back.”
Leaving the warehouse, we seem to be near a river. From the smell and the noises around us we must be near a harbor. With determination in her steps, Rayla walks us back into the city, refusing to answer any question I have about where we’re going on the way. As we get deeper into Old Kroy dread fills me because I start to recognize the area as being near the orphanage.
“Uhm, ane. I’m sorry for what I said.”
“Don’t be, I’m glad that I know what you think, now.”
Getting closer, the orphanage comes into sight, “Ane, are you mad at me?”
“Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Getting closer to the orphanage it seems like this is our destination.
“Hey, ane. It will be really hard to clean your tails without me, right?”
“Hmm? I’ll manage. I can’t keep relying on you for it forever after all.”
“H-how about you Scarlet? You really want me to be a princess, right?”
“You already are a princess, it’s not a matter of me wanting you to be.”
We’re now getting close to the gate.
“Please, ane. I want to stay with you! Don’t do this! I can be useful, I swear!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Please, don’t put me in the orphanage!”
“What?”
“I’m sorry! I won’t say anything you don’t want me to say again. I’ll get healthy quickly and I’ll do what you say so please don’t send me there!”
“Oko…”
“S-Scarlet, you said you sleep better with me next to you, right!? You need me!”
Rayla stops in front of the gate and says, “Rose, we’re not dropping you off at the orphanage. You really have no trust in us, do you?”
“Th-then why are we here?”
“Because it’s on the way, we’re just walking by.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Scarlet looking at me concerned asks, “Are you okay, Rose? Your teeth are chattering. You smell of fear…Did you really think we’d just send you away like this? Please be honest.”
“Y-yes…”
“Rose…I would never give you away! And I’m sure neither would Rayla!”
“It’s useless to say anything right now, Scarlet. Obviously that fear she holds runs extremely deep. But if you want to help right now, could you…(whisper)”
“Yeah, of course! I’ll be right back!” Scarlet says as she runs off.
We then continue moving in silence towards middle park, where Scarlet is waiting near the entrance and after grouping back up with her, we go inside the park towards a big building. Inside, Rayla goes to buy a ticket of some kind and we enter into what looks like a room with a big stage, loads of comfy chairs and a lot of families.
Rayla puts me down in a back row seat and sits down to my right while Scarlet sits down to my left. Both crossing their legs and staring down anyone that looks in our direction.
“Uhm…I’m confused, what is this place? Why are we here?”
“It’s a theater and we’re here to have some fun,” Rayla answers and nods at Scarlet who pulls out Hoppy and hands him to me.
“I…I don’t understand. Aren’t you mad at me?”
“Not at all. I’m concerned, I’m saddened and a bit disappointed in myself but I’m not mad at you.”
“I…I still don’t understand, what are we doing here?”
“We’re here to have fun, it's as simple as that. It’s a theater that specializes in plays for children. I saw it the last time we were in middle park. Since words don’t work we’re going to prove to you through actions that you don’t have to earn our love. Right now, you can’t do anything to ‘earn our love’. So Scarlet and I will make sure to shower you with it now to make you understand that we don’t want anything in return.”
“But why would you go that far? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Nope, I can’t really think of anything more important than you right now. How about you Scarlet?”
“Me neither.”
“Huh…And why did you bring Hoppy?”
“Because he helps you calm down. You are a bit of a mess right now, it will help.”
“I…I guess that’s true.”
“And you know what else will help you calm down, Rose?” Scarlet asks as she puts her arm around me and puts her forearm right in front of my face , “Chewing down on my arm.”
“Right here? What about the other people?”
“Fuck em. I don’t care, you’re a princess and a baby. They should feel honored to breathe the same air as you. If they make a fuss I’ll buy the place and kick em out.”
“You don’t have to do that…”
“I know. But I will if things like that keep happening. So don’t feel scared and just bite down.”
“Okay…”
With Hoppy in my arms I bite down on her arm. I’m full of anxiety right now. My body hurts, I’m exhausted, I’m afraid and I’m confused but thanks to Scarlet and Rayla I’m slowly feeling better. Maybe it’s because I’m not as tense as before but to my annoyance, I begin to whimper again. In a crowded theater nonetheless…I hate that I can’t control when it comes out...Thankfully though, no one seems to complain and anyone looking at us gets glared down into silence by Scarlet and Rayla. The play seems to be about two kids trying to get a coffee mill back from a robber. It’s really fun and interesting but sadly I don’t see the end of it because I fall asleep during the mid-break.