Dragon's Wings

Chapter 15

Rashmi peered down below at the campus. Even through the slightly scratched flying goggles she had on, Randoakademī looked quite different compared to Tiānkōng Xuéyuán—which, in all honesty, Rashmi hadn't expected. Then again, perhaps they didn't want to decorate their roofs like her academy did. After all, they weren't the ones that specialised in creatures of flight.

It doesn't look particularly nice, does it? Vera said, her thoughts aligning themselves neatly with Rashmi's own.

Gazing down at the sloped roofs and the squat, ugly buildings below them, Rashmi agreed. Although, perhaps it's just because we're in the air?

Maybe, Vera replied, doubt slipping around the word and into Rashmi's mind. We're going to land soon.

Rashmi sent her acknowledgement as an impression to Vera, and twisted in her seat, to look behind her where Shui sat. "We're going to land soon," she signed.

"Understood," Shui said. Grinning, Rashmi turned around and slipped her arms through the loops at the front of the saddle, leaning forward.

Even though Vera's body filled most of Rashmi's vision, she could still see the grounds below somewhat. The place did look rather different to Tiānkōng Xuéyuán. The buildings, as she had noted earlier, were lower to the ground and generally bigger. The streets were wide as well, and everything was spaced apart quite a bit. They had come in from the south, and so had flown over much of the land—which was flat for the most part, but had some gentle slopes and rolling hills.

It looked rather picturesque, in Rashmi's opinion. It was also very green, but she was pretty familiar with seeing greenery everywhere now. The desert would probably seem strange when she saw it again... which was a weird thought.

They descended circling, slowly and gently. Vera was one of the first to land, since she was one of the two dragons who had come. Majority of the others had come by pegasi, but there were two griffins and three hippogriffs.

Stretching her feathered wings upward, Vera heaved a sigh. I am grateful for the rest, she said, and I am sure the others are as well.

Rashmi hurriedly dismounted, followed by Shui, and untied their bags, dropping them by Shui's feet. Sorry, Rashmi said, but Vera nudged her with her snout, rolling her eyes.

I wanted to do this, the dragon reminded the Sensitive. Do not worry over it. I will see you soon, yes? I am going to go hunt and find something to drink.

I'll see you later, Rashmi agreed, stepping back. Vera hummed and took off, following the other dragon—who was a teacher's dragon and had, apparently, been here before.

Now out of the cool air, Rashmi was starting to feel rather warm in her thick flying clothes, and slightly ridiculous with the flying goggles she has on, even if everyone around her was wearing the same—or similar—things. Beside her, Shui was taking off their jacket to reveal the singlet top they were wearing underneath. Which, in Rashmi's opinion, was nuts, but apparently Shui didn't feel the cold that much. Meanwhile, Rashmi took off both her jacket and her hoody underneath and, after a moment of deliberating, took off her flight pants to reveal the linen pants beneath.

"Looking a bit crushed there," Shui signed, laughing at her.

Rashmi made a face in return. "It's not my fault—if flying wasn't at such a high altitude, I wouldn't have to wear all this and it wouldn't be a problem."

Shui simply shrugged, before pulling out their hearing aids and—once they were in—followed Rashmi into the group of other students from their academy. The two teachers stood at the front of the group beside a few unfamiliar beings.