The Drake and The Beast!

After what felt like the longest and most needed sleep yet Match awoke in bed wondering if the day before was all just a nightmare but upon looking out her bedroom window she could see crews of workers desperately sifting through debris and assessing the repairs needed to recover from the devastating attack. “How many people died last night?…… agh and to think I had the nerve to say half the crap I did…….. adventure…… seeing the world……. If I don’t get this right and that prophesy is real everyone’s dead. Could I really be a flame goddess…. Or am I just Match agghh no point in moping…. Just have to try my best.”

At breakfast Match couldn’t find Atta anywhere so she just decide to sit and eat by herself in the outdoor patio area to try and cheer herself up looking at the garden. She was distraught to find that all the plants were wilting, likely an effect of the all the destructive magical energy released in last nights disaster

From around the corner she could hear someone walking over and thinking it could be Atta she turned around excitedly, only to disappointedly see Cashes standing before her with a most smug expression. “Well I’ll be…… it’s as if the day couldn’t be better… first those plebeians get humbled and will be forced to realize their existence is not possible without the Coleman group and now you and my dud of a brother are to be sent off to die in the wilderness! Oh how joyous! Anyways I figured I would at least do you the kindness to let you know your lesser half is out with mother fetching the one that will aid you in your ridiculous quest.”

Annoyed, Match sneeringly remarks. “ ya know if I really am the flame goddess your ass is toast…. Just saying…” Cashes laughs saying “ that is so like the poor of mind to blindly believe the words of a stranger who has done nothing to earn trust nor respect.” This manner of speaking made Match’s blood boil, she couldn’t believe how callous the brother of Atta was. “How the hell can you be so unfeeling that you actually feel joy, how can you be so pompous when the city was almost wiped out in a few minutes! How!”

“Tisk tisk, try being smarter not louder you low life. First of all my concern is not of the standing of the overall city, it is the standing of the Colemans and despite yesterdays devastation we are among what’s left standing tall which is a clear sign of our unique superiority, an affirmation to our very way of life. The poor simply will function as a means to an end with the exception of rare individuals who have the capacity to evolve into what is truly needed to lead in this world. Anyhow, I’ve spent enough time on you, try not to stretch out your inevitable demise too long since you will be traveling on our dime ok.” He winked and then walked off leaving Match stewing in a rage.

“I need to go for a walk!” Match storms out to the front of the estate to get away from the surroundings that were just adding on to her frustrations when she noticed a boy she didn’t know carrying her bags of personal belongings out to a cart with a drake hooked up to it. “HEY!!!!! Get your grubby hands off my stuff you twerp!!!!

The boy turned looking surprised but before he could say anything he ended up being the target of Match’s anger which had now reached a boiling point. “Who the hell you think you are to just go in my room without my permission and just grab my stuff! I wasn’t even packed which means you looked through my clothes probably ya damn pervert!!!! I oughta kick your ass oh and another thing too!

With a serious expression the boy suddenly cut off Match and responded bluntly, “why the hell would I wanna go through your damn drawers I have no interest in some tomboy from the crevice.”

Match exploded, raising her voice even more “What did you say maggot!!!!! I’ll burn you to ash like the damn bug you are!!!!!!!!!”

“Woahhh there! Match please calm down, it’s not what it looks like.”

Match turned making an intimidating glare like she was gearing up to start a fire but her expression melted to relief seeing that Atta was finally back.”

“Oh Atta, I’ve been having the worst day, first of all you left without telling me anything, then your brother was being well… your brother, and then I see this half pint over here with his paws all over my stuff!”

The boy interjects yelling, “I told you I don’t care about your nasty rags, it would be one thing if you were like a real womanly woman ya know but your kind of on the whatever side so it don’t faze me to haul your crap!”

Match barks back “Damn you kid!” And the boy sticks out his tongue and clarifies “ I’m 14 so I wouldn’t exactly call myself a kid, plus I also happen to be one of the Coleman groups most valued employees at the mines so don’t get too full of your self flame fraudess.”

Seeing Match getting worked up all over again, Atta decided it was time to intervene and make peace. “That’s enough you two! Please consider that we will be traveling together for the next couple of months so for the sake of making that a more bearable experience why don’t we clean the slate and start fresh? Match, this is Reggie Wilds, as he said he is indeed a highly regarded employee of the mines but he also is a respected beast tamer whose skills will be paramount for us to make this journey successful, he may be young but he is resourceful and reliable, so please do forgive him and me as well, I understand I should of communicated better, it’s just been non stop for me working with mother trying to get this trip off the ground. That being said, Reggie, this is Match formerly a member of the Bimstone gang and very well could actually be the flame goddess spoken of in the prophesy. I ask that you please bear with her mood today and try to be a little more gentle speaking with her.”

Reggie lets out a sigh and answers, “yeah ok I guess, my bad since you were sort of out of the loop, I can understand you didn’t know what was going on, but just to clarify, I didn’t go through your stuff, it was already packed and I was just asked to load it on board to save time. More importantly, let me introduce you both formally to whom I consider the most important member of our soon to be party, with no further a do I present to you the magnificent Mara! She will help us shred time and get to where we need to way better than any MagiTech transport could, I have worked with her since I was a little snot nosed 5 year old so I consider her almost like a second mom so y’all better show her nothing but respect and kindness otherwise you can forget getting any help from me!”

Atta smiled and bowed before the Drake who indeed had a rather imposing but respectable appearance with shiny red scales that had splashes of hot pink that started at her face across the top of her back and to the tip of her tail, she also had bright green eyes that were unmistakably draconic yet somehow very gentle almost nurturing with the way she observed us.

Match couldn’t help herself but remark with a smirk “ I wonder if Mara is the actual tamer in this relationship.”

“What was that!” Snarled Reggie, and Match simply excused herself saying, “oh nothing, just saying it’s kind of cute to see your affection towards Mara, and she is a beautiful Drake indeed.”

The front doors of the Coleman estate then flew open as Aria holding a leather satchel with the family emblem embroidered on with gold silk walked down the steps to hand it off to Atta. Behind her were other members of the family including Cashes all with neutral expressions on their faces. “Atta my dear boy, please be safe and take good care of Match, while they might not like to admit it, we really are depending on you to succeed ok, also take this, it’s a letter from your father, he unfortunately tired himself out at last night’s disaster response assembly so he could only manage to write a short note before his energy escaped him…….. just know you are loved and I will pray for all of your safety and success.” Atta fighting back tears simply replied “I love you too mother, I’ll do my best.” before he turned and climbed into the cart. 

Aria then turned to Match and smiled, “ You are something else young lady, I sincerely will be praying for you too, please do your best.” Match suddenly gave Aria a big hug and with tears in her eyes she said “thank you so much for everything you have done for me, I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for you, and know you are loved too, no matter what anyone says, your an amazing mom, I wish I had a mom like you.”

Aria blushed and covered her face saying “dear please try to have a teensy bit of restraint…… but……. Thank you, it truly means so much to hear that from you, be safe and go on now!”

“One more thing though”, Match quickly walked past Aria and up to Cashes and delivered a great smack across his face before quickly running back to the cart laughing and calling out “Floor it Reggie!!!”

With a huge grin, Reggie declared, “I never really liked that prick either so respect, that being said …. LETS RIDE MARA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mara let out a gallant roar and bolted off leaving a massive cloud of dust behind while the crowd of Coleman’s (not including Aria) tended to the fuming Cashes who yelled out “Damn you street junkie!!!!!!!!”