The dance had stopped

The crowd had dispersed.

I found myself in the company of seven

The five human musicians

The lone elephant

And

Hljóð-

Mister Butler…

Strange company.

“Your one hell of a funny dancer, miss”

“Who are yuo caling fnuny? My danse was expertly dnoe”

I responded, sipping on a glass of beer.

Sitting in a bar that looked more human than faun

Also, holding more humans than fauns, the bartender included.

According to the five musicians, this is the best bar in town

Which they are technically correct at

If you count in the fact that this is the only bar in town.

“Yeah yeah, sure. But I have to thank you, your absurd display gained us a well-deserved audience. Now we’ll be swimming in requests!”

A cheer, clinking their glasses into one another

A big chug from the group of humans

Including me

Then the elephant spoke.

“I have to agree, you have showed me something splendid, a scene which I’ve travelled far to see.”

Piquing my interest, I leaned over the table, trying to sneak a peak at his painting.

Which he, in return, pulled back a bit

“It’s not done yet. I have to add some colours and correct some parts before I can mass produce it, but once it’s done, I’ll give you the first copy”

“YES! Plesase do!”

A loud yell, making a nearby table look over in interest.

A small laugh from the elephant

“Haha, yes girl, you are very interesting. I like people like you, non-caring”

“Hey! I care, I just... Dont care enough?”

Another round of laughter

And a raised arm, with a glass in hand

“To the funny dancer”

And in unison, the group said:

“To the funny dancer!”

Clinking their glasses, drinking greedily

I, in turn, did the same.

Quicker than I’ve ever done before

Faster than anyone on the table

Letting it slide down my throat as I eyed the group of five musicians

Which they saw, trying to outpace me

Starting an impromptu race

Which I handedly won

“Aaaaah. Stoff taht yuo slow Drinkers!”

A grimace showing on one of their faces

“Hehe, well then, next beer is on me. Oi barkeep, six beers here please!”

“Coming right up!”

The barkeep yelled out, slowly filling the glasses, not minding the way he was spoken to

Or maybe not caring.

I looked back to our table.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed

Realising that I had already drunk six glasses of beer

Maybe seven?

It’s a little too much

I usually stop at three.

But today...

Is a little different.

Sneaking a glance at mister Butler

I meet his eyes.

Quickly looking away. Instead, I locked eyes with the elephant.

Who gave me a smug smile

Ah you crap.

Of course the big elephant is the most observant one.

“Heeeey! Elephant guy! Wehre are yuo from!”

I yelled to him, slurring my words a bit

“Haha, you dont have to yell girl. But to answer your question, a far, far way from here”

A light laugh and talking with a confident tone

Not slurring a single word, even after sinking eight beers

Stupid... Elehpant!

“You cheeter! U use magic to not be-“

A loud thud, looking to the source

I find six new beers.

Mmmmhm

Just what I needed

I quickly grab one, chugging a fourth of it before dropping it

Getting a funny eye from the elephant.

“As i siad, You ar cheting!”

“I did not know we were in a game.”

“LIFe IS GAME! U JUST DODNT PLAY BY RULSE!”

I yelled angrily, letting my hand hit the table to emphasize my anger.

And missing splendidly, almost falling over

Or rather, I would have fallen, if mister Butler had not caught me

The group of five humans laughing loudly at the sight

One even tearing up.

I quickly shooed mister Butler away

Sitting up straight

Not giving him a glance

Not even thanking.

“Haha, I agree dancer. Life is just a big game! And right now you're winning it!”

One of the musicians said, holding his beer high

I gave him a big toothy grin

Trying to look at him, but feeling my head tilt too much

And trying to compensate for the weight, I find myself tilting too much the other way.

Stupid head

Why are you so heavy?

The five musicians laughing at the sight

Starting to talk amongst themselves.

Why can't I sit still

Stupid chair

It’s your fault

Hmmm

Yeah...

I could build a better chair than this

This one is stupidly small

It doesn’t even have back support.

If I built a chair, I would build...

Eeeeeh.

I would build...

Looking up, I took a sip from my beer.

Realising that I’ve zoned out, missing the better part of a conversation

“..... to hire you”

One of the humans said, looking at the elephant,

The elephant, in turn, started to stroke the top of his head

Looking like an old man thinking

But what made it funny

Was that he used his snout.

“PPpppppffff”

I spilled my drink.

Dripping from my closed mouth

Trying to hold it in.

The group of five looked at me funny, but not responding.

Although the elephant seemed to not notice

“Hmmm. I’m sorry, but I have to decline. Not to offend you guys, but I doesn't find you guys fun enough to paint. On the other paw”

He then looked at me

Two big eyes

Flapping ears

And his snout still scratching his head

“HAhahahaha!”

I laughed, pointing at his head.

“I find this human to be absolutely thrilling.”

A big smile forming on his face.

One of the five musicians responded with a sigh

“Aaaaah, well yeah, you got us there. No beating her. And no offence taken.”

Saying that, he quickly drank his beer, finishing it and nodding to his compatriots.

“Well, we should get going. It’s late and we need to be up early tomorrow. Dont want people to forget about us, you know?”

Then the group finished their beers, moving up and going.

I found myself frowning

You bunch of light weights

Thinking that as I finished my beer

Getting a funny look from the elephant.

“Hehe, girl, I’m not saying this to be mean, but will you be alright?”

Huh.

Waht Are U siayng Elehpant

“I’ma alr-“

“She will be alright, I’m here for that”

Mister Butler responded.

My eyes going wide

Staring at him

Meeting a smile

...

Shaking my head, I felt it spin

Almost falling, but quickly catching myself

Slowly looking up towards the elephant.

“I’m completely aright”

“Haha, if you say so. Well, I’m staying at an inn near the wall north of here. Search for the singing faun and you’ll find me”

After saying that, he stood up

Chair creaking unfavorably

“Then I’m going girl, it’s been very fun”

Then he took off

Leaving me alone.

...

“BARTERNED! ONE MORE BEER!”

Giving me an awkward look, he shrugged and started pouring one more.

Three beers later, and a bar tab I forgot to pay

I made my way outside

Mister Butler stayed behind for some reason.

Feeling the cold night air hitting me

I felt the ground shake

Or rather sway

Why is walking so hard?

I thought my legs were healed.

Falling over multiple times, I walking unsteadily

To where?

I don't know

It just felt right

I just need to walk right now

I need

Some time to think

...

Why would he do that?

Why does he have to do something so stupid?

Why do I

“Wait up! I need to take you home.”

Mister Butler called after me

Saying something stupid

Home?

“Home? I have no home.”

“You have a home here, come, let’s go.”

Gaining on me, he stopped at my side, moving his hand to support me

Slapping it away

I screamed.

“GET AWAY! I DONT NEED YOU”

Walking back, eyes widening

My eyes widening

I felt shocked.

How could I say that?

Turning around, I started running

Using every ounce of my strength

I ran fast

Faster than the wind

Tripping multiple times

Even running into buildings

But not stopping.

I was outside.

Outside of the protection of the walls

Outside of him.

I’m alone.

I’m...

“YOU STUPID DRAAAAAGON! WHERE ARE YOU!”

I screamed into the night.

Echoing throughout the quiet land.

No response

Moon shining down on me

Glowing the surrounding rocks

Taunting me

“DRAAAGON! WHEEEERE AAARE YOOOOU!”

I screamed.

And I screamed

“WHEEERE ARE YOOOU!”

“WHERE ARE YOOOOU!”

“DRAAAAGON!”

DRAGON!

I NEED YOU HERE NOW

I NEED HELP

I...

Miss you.

“Dragon”

A sob

A quiet sob.

Loud wind hit my ears

Forcing me to the ground

Hitting my butt

Making me close my eyes

“Can you not scream so loud human? I can hear you very easily you know”

A voice

An echo

Something I know

Someone I know.

I looked up

Meeting something huge

Something that could rival mountains in size

Sparkling bright blue

Eyes glowing brighter than even the moon

Something so beautiful

So precious

Eyes tearing up

I stood up, falling down.

But standing up again

I quickly made my way to mister Dragon

Going for the hug

But getting shoved in response

Falling on my butt again

“Human, No touching”

A small laugh

Rubbing my eyes

Looking up, locking my sight with his

“I missed you.”

“I did not miss you”

“Hehe, well.. Why are you here then?”

“Hrmpf, a Dragon always upholds his promises, so I will make sure you uphold yours, nothing more, nothing less”

Same old

Same old.

“You never change. Do you mister dragon?”

“I’m eternal, change does not come easy for me”

“But you can change?”

“If I so choose”

“Then I’ve decided. I’m gonna make you admit that we are friends!”

“As if, human. Someone as lowly as you could never do such a thing.”

“Hehehe, dragon, sometimes you're to obvious. And I love you for it”

“Obvious? Human, tell me how, in the seven worlds, that I am in even a small part, slightly close to being obvious?”

“Then I would have to tell you what I’m thinking about”

“Thinking? What do you mean human?”

“Yeah, who knows. Who knows”

A big smile forming on my face

A big frown forming on his

I think

As I’ve said before, I can't read dragon expressions very well

“But I tell you what, give me a hug, and I’ll tell you”

“What, how dare you. You lowly human, you should be happy that I even deigned to come here, to speak to you, to sho-“

“Yeah yeah, I know you will. Do you want to know or not?”

...

A long silence

Eyes glancing down at me

“One hug.”

“WOOHOOO!”

Yelling that, I ran up to mister dragon

Jumping several meters, until I reached his leg

Which I quickly started climbing

“Human, I said one hug”

“This is not a hug, I’m just climbing, I wanna hug your throat”

“Is this a poor attempt at an assassination?”

“Haha no you big silly, a big hug requires a hug to the neck. But you are too big so I have to climb to get to it”

“Hrmpf, very well. But make it quick”

“Of course”

An obvious lie

Moving deliberately slowly

Feeling his scales on my hands

Warm

And weirdly slimy.

“Hey, why are you so slimy? Are you sweating?”

“Human! Do not speak ill of my scales.”

“You should bath, this feels pretty nasty”

“YOU DARE SPEAK LIKE THIS HUMAN! YOU.. STUPID!”

“HAHAHA Sorry! Haha, but you're just to funny!”

A long laugh

A warm laugh

Climbing mister dragon

Feeling the vibrations of his rage

But staying still, so very still

Letting me climb easily

Which I enjoyed

Every last bit of.

And soon.

I found myself by his neck

And hugged it tightly.

Letting seconds turn to minutes

A silence embracing us

A comfortable silence.

His breathing making me jut out

His warmth filling me up

His slime making me slimy

...

I will need a bath after this.

“Human, can you jump off now?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I like this”

And a new silence

Me feeling contempt

And a smile wide on my face

I like to think this means that me and mister dragon has come closer

Our friendship deepening

It felt good.

A while later, I finally jumped down

Mind you, not willingly.

An hour into our hug, he started whining

Saying that “This was not part of the deal”

Me responding with “Of course it was”

Hehe, you must be more specific mister Dragon

“Now, human, Tell me what you where thinking about.”

“Not now.”

“Not now?”

“I’ll tell you later”

“When is later?”

“I dont know”

“How can you not know? You said you would tell me”

“I never said when”

Going quiet at that

I could feel the surrounding area growing hot

Everything going brighter

Getting painted in blue

“You-yo... YOU STUPID HUMAN, I EVEN CAME BACK FOR YOU, EVEN AFTER YOU TALKED SO MUCH SHIT! YOU EVEN WALKED AWAY FROM ME ME?! OF ALL DRAGONS YOU DARED SPEAK ILL OF ME. DO YOU KNOW HOW ANGRY I WAS? ME! ANGRY, FROM A LOUSY HUMAN, AND NOW YOU HAVE TRICKED ME AGAIN, YOU ARE SO STUPID, HUMAN, YOU KNOW WHAT, I HATE YOU, I SO DONT W-“

And on and on he continued

Firing flames of blue everywhere

Even scorching my clothes

Burning me.

But through it all

I smiled, even the small burn marks feeling like nothing

A big smile

Content.

Hehe, this is my revenge mister dragon

And.

Thanks for coming back

It really means a lot to me.