Wyvern City

After a difficult climb for the group, it's the afternoon when we come across a nice area to rest with a camp already set up, and a clear path forward.
"Ooh, lucky!"
We start walking towards it but I stop, noticing Eris was standing still.
"You ok-"
"I knew it! This was all a plan to eat me wasn't it?! You brought me to this camp to-"
Before she can finish, Lunaris rushes to her and shakes her as she says.
"NO SHE WON'T! I WILL THOUGH, IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP ABOUT THAT! I'M GETTING TIRED OF IT!"
"Ah... Ah... O- Okay..."
Lunaris lets her go and pats her on the head.
"Sorry, it's just... You always do this."
'Well that's definitely not going to help...'

We sit down around the campfire and I turn to Lunaris, asking.
"You do seem a little off though."
"What?"
"Ever since we started climbing this mountain."
"Oh right... There's just so many mountains... There's better ones out there! I can show you if you want?"
When she says that, Lina turns to her and asks.
"You know the area? Have you been here before?"
"Ah! No... I just-"
"What the... Is that... Lunaris?"

Before she can finish, another person suddenly appears with characteristics similar to her.
She slowly turns around and he continues.
"Well, well. Isn't this a fun surprise. Gave up on trying to become a dragon did you?"
She slowly turns back towards us with her face completely red and I ask.
"Do... Do you know him?"
The other wyvern turn towards me and starts walking.
"What's that? No way you found another faker?! Haha, that's hilarious!"
He crouches down next to me as an awkward look appears on my face.
'What's with him...'
"Nice wings, what are they made out of? Clay?"
Suddenly he starts pulling my wings as he laughs, only for me to get pulled along with them.
"Wha..! Hey!"
"...The wings... Didn't come off?"
He freezes and a look of fear fills his face.

Suddenly he kneels on the ground, smacking his face against it as he shouts.
"I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"
"...What the hell is your problem?"
"Do you want to come into the city? I'll guide you! Just don't hurt me!"
Lunaris stands up, and starts walking towards him, before crouching down next to him with a smile.
"She won't hurt you."
"Oh... That's gr-"
"She'll eat you!"
His eyes snap open, and he jumps back, cowering next to the path forward.
She turns to me and says, still with a slightly red face.
"Sorry. I just don't like him."
I nod slowly and say.
"Anyway we should keep going... So there's a city here?"
She sighs and motions for everyone to follow her, and we start walking up the path.

...

"So this is where you're from?"
She nods after I ask that, and continues.
"Yep... Welcome to the Wyvern city, Karaguma."
We keep walking the path, slowly up the mountain and I ask.
"And... You wanted to become a dragon?"
"I know it's stupid... Just something I used to say."
"What? Not at all! You admire dragons right? So you want to become one! I'd say you've succeeded."
'She acts more like one than me after all...'
She stops, turning towards me.
"Huh?"
"Well, you've got the bravery and strength, that's for sure."
"Nowhere to your level I'm sure..."
We begin walking again.
'At least you actually use it though...'

We turn, arriving at a nice flat area with a lot of wyverns walking around.
"We're here, welcome to the city."
I look around, the entrance seemed to mostly be a flat area with many holes in the mountain face for houses and shops, as well as paths going further up.
"Ooh, aweso-"
Before I can finish, Sasaki cuts me off as she suddenly dashes forward.
"Woah! Filled with so many... Potentially strong warriors!"
She turns around, blushing, and says.
"I'll uhh, I'll be right back! I need to challenge them! It's part of my self made rules, Bye!"
"O-Okay, meet back here at the end of the day!"
I shout and she gives a small wave before dashing away.
'She seemed... Excited.'
Lina also dashes forward, turning towards us to say.
"I'll also be going! I'll have to check so many shops!."
I give her a small wave and turn back towards the rest of the group.
"Well, I guess we'll explore the city just us together! Hm?"
I notice Makito wearing a sour expression and ask him.
"Are you okay? Are we too high up for you?"
He shakes his head.
"No... Oh! Let's check a blacksmith! I want a sword!"
'Does he even have the strength to wield one...?'
I turn towards Lunaris as she says.
"And do what with it? You don't know how to use it right? Come on."
'She really is on edge...'
Makito is shocked for a moment before looking defeated as he starts following, making None start laughing.

...

"So, where are we going?"
She looks at me.
"To visit my home, we'll stay there for a while and then we leave the mountain at the end of the day."
"That's it?"
She shrugs.
"That's what I'll do at least."
We keep walking up a path, when I notice what looks like a cave entrance in front of us.
"Oh! Is that free?!"
"Wai-"
Before she can finish, I dash forwards into it.
"Interesting..."
I look around for a moment only to see another entrance on this small cave.
"Ah."
The rest of the group catches up to me as Lunaris says.
"It's a tunnel, not a cave..."
I let out an awkward laugh.
"R-Right..."

We continue walking until we finally reach a door on the wall.
"We're here."
She knocks on the door a few times and waits. Soon, a strong looking man opens it and looks at us.
After a few moments of staring, he suddenly lunges at Lunaris for a hug as he says.
"You're back!"
"D-Dad! Stop!"
"I missed you so muc-"
"I said stop!"
Suddenly Lunaris kicks her dad way with great strength.
She turns back, blushing, and says.
"Sorry about him. You can enter."
"Was that okay...?"
"He'll be fine, I used to do it all the time."
'I don't think that's good...'

We all walk inside, as a woman approaches from the kitchen.
"Lunaris! You've come to visit how ni-"
She stops as she looks at all of us, before her eyes land on me.
"...You've befriended a dragon? I'm surprised! You're well on your way to become one no-"
"Shut it!"
I can see Lunaris's face flash red again as her mom lets out a small laugh.
"Sorry, you just used to say that so much! It's fun!"
"Yeah, yeah."
With that she goes up some stairs as the mom approaches.
"Don't worry about her, we just like to teaser her a bit, but she's so shy about it. Anyway, what brings you all here?"

Before I can answer, None goes up to her and says.
"Food!"
She smiles at her as she heads back to the kitchen.
"All this way just for food? No worries."
I take a step forward as I say.
"That's not it! We're just exploring the world as I search for a good cave to make my home."
"Hmmm. So you've been in a lot of places then?"
"Yeah! In quite a few situations too..."
She turns around giving something to None for her to chew on, and walks over to me.
"Have you gotten into fights?"
"Y-Yeah... But we dealt with it easily! Isn't that right?"
I turn around, only to see Makito and Eris crouched down next to the dad, looking at him as he kept laying on the floor.
"Ah..."
I can feel a hand on my shoulder as the mom lets out a chuckle.
"Don't worry, I believe you. About finding a cave however, unless you want to make your own on the side of some wall here in our city, there won't be much else."
She walks forward, picking up the dad on her arms and bringing him somewhere he can sit before turning to look at me.
"In any case, you can go to her room if you want. All of you are free to rest there while you're in town."

I nod and start heading upstairs, checking each room, until finding her.
"Hey Lunaris!"
She looks to me from her bed.
"Hi."
I head inside and sit on the floor before saying.
"You're usually more cheerful..."
"Sorry... That's what happens when you go back to a town where you've thoroughly embarrassed yourself in the past."
"Right... Well in my opinion you have nothing to fear. I still think you've accomplished quite a lot. You didn't become a dragon, but you're damn near close to one to be honest. As well as your dear mighty friend IS one."
She lets out a small laugh as she nods.
"Yeah... Though this feeling isn't going away anytime soon while I'm here, even if that's true. When are we leaving?"
"That embarrassing huh?"
She gets up, sitting on the side of her bed as she says.
"Probably not at this point, but it's going to take a lot longer for me to be fine with the actions of my younger self."
I stand up.
"Well I did say to meet back at the entrance at the end of the day, so if you want, we can leave then."
She smiles at me and nods.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Until then, I'll go out exploring with the rest of them. You should join us. After all, a mighty dragon will be here to protect you from embarrassment, right?"

...

Afterwards Makito and I waited downstairs for a moment, until finally he decides to walk to the doorway.
"I don't think she's coming boss."
"WAIT!"
I look towards the stairs to see her come down just in time.
"Don't write me off just yet Makito."
I smile and pull her in for a hug.
"Alright! Let's go!"

With that we began exploring a bit of the mountain and buildings. It was a vertical town with every house, shop and other types of buildings carved into the side of the mountain, with the only things not inside being most of the pathways.
Lunaris showed us around, at first shy and uncomfortable, but slowly she began to return to her normal self.
Finally, after a good while, it began getting dark and we started heading to the entrance.
'Oh... Sasaki is already there?'
She notices me and I wave, soon reaching her.
"Hey there! Got any luck finding a man?"
She shakes her head disappointed.
"No... Damn all these wyverns! How could they be so weak?! DAMN!"
I let out an awkward laugh, when Makito says.
"Well that's good right? It means the strongest man is still out there! You'll find him one day. I'm sure of it. Maybe he still needs to train before defeating you!"
We look at him and Sasaki smiles.
"You're right! I can't give up!"

It doesn't take long until Lunaris's parents, along with Eris, and None to show up.
"Oh. Kind enough to escort our allies here."
The mom nods and speaks, while the dad starts crying.
"Yes! We've also got here a bag with some food since Eris here tells me you're often hungry enough you consider eating her!"
She lets out a laugh as I stare at Eris with blank eyes, causing her to hide behind None.
I sigh and thank her as she gives the bag to Lunaris.
"So Lunaris, these are your other friends? How nice!"
She looks around and nods.
"Yeah, they are. Oh, we're just missing Lina."
Suddenly the dad grabs her hands as he says.
"So you'll stay?! You were barely here for a few hours after all, right?!"
"Dad..."
Her mom turns to look at him, holding him back.
"You better stop now, otherwise she might kick you again!"
Suddenly her dad gets a serious look on his face as he says.
"I'd gladly get kicked a thousand times if it means she'll stay here for even a little longe-"
Before he can finish, the predicted kick came, sending him flying back.
I turn towards her and see her blushing, before looking away.
'...Is that just how she shows love for her family or something?'

"EVERYONE!"
We all turn to look as we see Lina running as fast she can towards us.
I wave at her as I say.
"Hey, Lina, we were just waiting fo-"
Instead of stopping she runs right past us, down the path, as she shouts behind her.
"NO MORE WAITING, I'M HERE, NOW RUN!"
A few of us get the message as Lunaris, Eris, and None start running with her.
"Huh?"
"Oh my!"
I turn around as the mom says that, only to see her pointing to the distance. The rest of the group all turn to look, noticing a huge mob of what I assume from their clothes to be shopkeepers running towards us.
Upon seeing that, Makito immediately starts running, while Sasaki takes out her sword.
"Hmph, I wouldn't mind giving them a second cha-"
I quickly grab her and start running.
"Don't be stupid! Let's go!"
We quickly catch up with Lina as she says with a panic.
"Sorry guys! They think I stole!"
I glance behind me, seeing the mob chasing us, and quickly shout at Lina.
"After we lose them, we'll have to teach you not to steal!"
"I DIDN'T! It was a misunderstanding with payment! Those slugs are as good as gold where I'm from!"
'THAT AGAIN?!'
"Well give whatever you took back!"
"NO WAY, I ALREADY PAID! Besides they got rid of the slugs! MY PRECIOUS SLUGS!"
"LINAAA!
FINE, RUN FASTER!"

With that, some of us start laughing as we keep running down the mountain, and forward towards our next destination.