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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/PepperAntique on 2024-10-17 20:57:04+00:00.


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Writer’s Note: Joey’s noticed personality changes before. Makes you wonder if his soul is a bit of a ship of Theseus thing doesn’t it. Wonder if I’ll ever address that.

And remember, the Estish King knows Joey’s in the world again.

Enjoy


"Is this-" Joey yelled out as he landed on a tree for a moment before jumping off. "-because-" The moment he cleared the tree, the drakes massive claw slammed into it with a crash that sent the tree tumbling down almost on top of it. The drake wasn't even slowed down. "-I called you-" He had to leap away again as the drake's whip-like tail flashed in to strike him "Noodle?" He finally finished.

He knew the name was dumb. And it wasn't like he even COULD name the drake. According to his brother that was something that was only done once a rider had officially bonded their dragon-kin companions. He hadn't done that, and didn't really intend to. But he also felt dumb simply thinking of the drake as "the drake".

So he'd decided to call it Noodle, since it was long, slim, and incredibly flexible. Also its coloration vaguely reminded him of Kraft mac and cheese. Or at least it did right now while its skin and scales were still fresh and unhardened. He knew from his first sight of the beast, while it had been injured, that it was normally a much brighter, almost neon, yellow. Almost like an old Earth sports car.

But right now its yellow looked more cheese-like.

So he'd settled on Noodle.

He actually wasn't certain as to why Noodle had suddenly grown violent. He knew the name wasn't really the reason. He'd already established that the massive lizard didn't actually understand him.

Yet when he'd woken up that morning the drake had seemed less amiable, more hostile. It had growled at him when he'd neared the dead monster. It had settled for a bit when it had realized he was just harvesting the horns, which only took a few minutes and some strategic strikes from his hatchets spike.

When he'd tried to take a seat afterward and eat some breakfast from his supplies, Noodle had become agitated.

He'd attempted to offer some of the food to the beast, thinking maybe it found his meal preferable to the, now rotting, monster.

But when he'd held the offered food out, Noodle had snapped at him viciously.

That had been nearly twenty minutes ago.

They were nowhere near the dead monster or his bottomless bag now. Noodle had chased him several miles since then in a rapid and vicious chase.

"Okay..." He said as he dodged a massive lunge from the drake's neck. Those strikes were lethally fast, and the drake's viper-like head was purpose driven. "How bout linguine?" He asked as he skidded through some peat moss and tripped over a rock he hadn't been able to see.

In reply the drake, Linguine or Noodle it really didn't matter, slammed both claws down on his position. It missed as he flitted over and away.

His eyes were glowing with white and golden light as he moved.

"Fine." He said as he took a deep breath. Then his eyes widened as he felt the air around the drake grow hot. "NO NAME!" He yelled before flitting away to avoid the beam of fire that burned through the space he'd been in.

The drake roared at him in agitation.

"Or are you more of a sushi reptile?" He asked from the branches of a tree. The drake's head snapped to look at him. It was growing more and more exasperated with the speed he could accomplish in his combat style. "Maybe wasabi?"

As he watched it dash toward the base of the tree, Joey couldn't help but notice that he was.... quipping... while in a fight.

It was yet another difference between how he was now, versus how he had been before returning to life.

And it was another similarity to his brother.

But he didn't have time to linger on the realization as the drake scrambled up the tree, its massive claws digging in easily.

"Oh shit." He said as he began running down the branch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the drake chased the Dumb Thing up the tree it couldn't help but be furious.

It had tried to scare the dumb thing off and it had tried to.... feed it? And with a piece of old meat that was barely the size of the Dumb Thing's little claws.

Then when the drake had snapped at it it hadn't run away or cowered, it had simply pulled its limb back and stared at the drake in surprise.

Then it had gathered in its Power and decided to fight. Or at least to do whatever the Dumb Thing was doing now. It wasn't fighting, not really.

But it wasn't trying to escape either. It kept stopping and facing the drake, making its odd little jibbering noises that didn't mean anything to the drake.

Its power was enhancing its body somehow, allowing it to move faster than it should have been able to, and also react faster. It was, if the drake was honest with itself, an impressive ability.

But it was also annoying.

If it had been spraying hot or cold at the drake, or calling down sky-fire, or anything like that the drake would have understood and likely backed off. Well... maybe not for the fire. But the others would be problems for sure.

No it was simply toying with the drake. Just like the drake used to toy with small rodents and things when it had been a new hatch. Back then it had let them think they were escaping before outrunning them and cutting them off.

The Dumb Thing was doing the opposite. Letting the drake think it was about to land a hit and then disappearing at the last moment. Making it seem like it was running when really it was just wearing the drake down.

But what the Dumb Thing didn't know was that the drake was an endurance hunter.

It was, with the exception of the Dumb Thing, almost always faster than its prey. And even when prey, through cleverness or luck, got away, it would only be temporary. The drake would pursue it endlessly, using its sharp sense of smell to keep their trail, and it would hunt them until they died of exhaustion or made a mistake.

The Dumb Thing may have been fast, and willing to taunt the drake, but the drake was determined to outlast it. And when it finally ran out of energy, or made a mistake, the drake would not scare it away like it had tried to earlier.

No... No it would kill the Dumb Thing when it caught it.

Five and Gorna stood awkwardly as they waited outside the office of the King of Estland.

They weren’t the only ones that had waited there. But they were the last ones remaining.

It had been three days since they’d gotten into the city. They’d sent a message ahead that they needed to speak to the embassy urgently, and they hadn’t gotten any response. But it wasn’t surprising given the nature of the news they had learned of and its importance to the political status and how that would change as a result.

Five did what she could not to scratch at the dressy robes she was wearing. Gorna seemed equally uncomfortable in her coverings. But she was more accustomed to it than Five, and hid it easily.

The door opened, and the party that had gone in before them exited.

“Miss Lambert. Lady Gorna.” The attendant who’d opened it said.

They nodded and followed her into the royal office.

Once inside, and the doors had closed, they both bowed. Five bent at the waist and closed her eyes, and Gorna knelt on her forelegs.

“Welcome travelers.” The King said as he made a slightly smaller bow in return. “Please. Come, sit.” He gestured at the attendant, who slid a chair across the carpet that was familiar to both of them. It was designed specifically for centaurs, and Gorna was glad to see it.

The Estish king was… not terribly kingly looking in Five’s opinion.

He was short, not even six feet. And he was very skinny and seemed… scrawny. He had shoulder length, wavy, red hair and a matching mustache and goatee that vaguely reminded her of the Three Musketeers for some reason. And his clothes reminded her of an old western movie.

She had to remind herself that King Farrick didn’t exactly match the medieval image of a king either. But it was still odd to notice the contrast.

“We are honored to meet you your majesty.” Gorna said as she rested her lower abdomen on the large circular chair.

“Very.” Five added.

“The honor is mine.” The king replied as he gestured at a tea set that was already in front of them as they sat. It was steaming, implying that it must have been set down just before they’d been ushered in. “Please, help yourselves.”

Gorna moved to stir a cup for herself as Five spoke.

“We’re terribly sorry about our tardiness after getting to the city.” She said honestly. “As you can imagine your nation’s breakthrough with the Gates is… kind of a big deal to my people.”

“Oh of course, of course.” He said with a smile. “It’s fantastic news. Especially with how tight lipped our neighbors are.” He waved his hand dismissively. “But that’s not why I wished to speak with you at all.”

The two of them perked up. They’d both been curious about the summons.

The King sat forward a bit.

“I’ve got to admit. My reason for bringing you hear is mostly a personal matter. A curiosity if you will.” He said, almost conspiratorially.

Five and Gorna looked at each other curiously.

"Miss Lambert. Miss Gorna. I understand you’re some of the few people in this world -minus the Petravian royal family- who actu…


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