Playing The Player

Chapter 5

Welcome back you guys! So I've run out of snacks BUT no fear! I ran to the convenience store CONVENIENTLY located two blocks away and got some.
Enjoy!

~*CHAPTER 5*~

Adelaide paid for her items and met Julian outside.

"What did you get?" He asked.

She shrugged. "You said get whatever, so I-"

"Please don't tell me you got books." Julian pleaded with a groan. Adelaide grinned.

'Yup, you got me, Casanova. I got books." They both left the platform with a couple of green bottles of gasoline- which Julian carried with ease- and the 'mystery' back Adelaide carried.

"No seriously, Dell. What did you get?"

"Skittles," she replied. "Red Skittles."

"Those are my favorite!" Julian squealed, before clearing his throat. "How did you know what to get?"

Adelaide smiled secretly and replied with a broad "just a hunch."

Oh, what the world taught you.

*****

A construction site had been erected in Adelaide's head. A little man with a big jackhammer is working on her brain matter.

Julian felt the same way, considering the regrettable fact that neither of the two had slept for hours.

Every here and then, of course, they would stop for coffee or a small drink so Julian would be able to drive. He wouldn't let Adelaide drive, being the stubborn gentleman he was, but didn't let her fall asleep. Rather, Georgina, didn't let her sleep with the constant sputtering and jerking.

"How much longer Julian?" Adelaide muttered drowsily

"We're here."

Adelaide jerked forward, scanning her surroundings. Just as Julian had explained, there was a ton of flowers- silver with vines, roses with blue stems, and the non-ordinary.

"This looks like it could be out of a fairytale," Adelaide claimed duly.

"We are in a fairytale, Angel," Julian informed with a grin. "Welcome to Flora's Apate Garden."

"First off, don't call me angel. Second, Flora? As in, Flora, the Greek goddess?"

"First off, fine. I won't call you that. Second, yes." Julian shrugged and gestured to the garden. "It's rumored that she guards the flowers at night, and at midnight, the flowers' powers strengthen."

"Rumored. Rumored, Julian. The Internet isn't always right," Adelaide huffed unbelievingly.

Ignoring her last comment, Julian turned to Adelaide. "It's quite simple, actually- the whole plan. We leave the flower-picking to the last thing we do, since we have to pick it at midnight. We go into the Bearer's cave, switch the rings, camp and wait for midnight to get the flower, then go home. Mission accomplished."

"Why make the flower-picking the last thing? It's the most important! It's the whole reason I came here"

"We can't risk getting it damaged. What if it crumbles or something? The petals are quite delicate."

Adelaide stared firmly ahead, wondering if Julian knew how the flower even looked like. "What's the catch?"

"What catch?" Julian asked with a frown.

Adelaide scoffed. "You asked me to come with you for a reason being, right?"

"Yes," Julian replied.

"Then what's the catch? You made the whole plan of action seem as easy as counting. You wouldn't have begged for me to help you if it's this easy," Adelaide reasoned. "Isn't that right?"

Julian cringed, wondering how he was going to reply to that one.

"Don't even think about making this up. It's a good thing I believe this much. Another lie, and I'll make sure to send you to a mental asylum once we get back."

"Remember how I mentioned those friendly dragons that hang out with the Ring Bearer?" Julian asked.

"Yes?" Adelaide didn't like where this was going.

"They're not exactly friendly. And they have other friends that will help them make us feel welcome."

"What?!" Adelaide shrieked. Immediately, Julian pressed the palm of his hand over her mouth, eyes darting over the garden.

"Careful," he warned. "We don't want any unwanted hosts expecting our company just yet."

"How are we even going to survive against immortal creatures like dragons and god knows what else?" Adelaide whined.

"First of all, they're not immortal. They can be killed," Julian explained. "And did you think that I was going to come here without a plan?"

"You came here and brought me with you. Did you expect me to think you were sane?" Adelaide argued.

"I did expect you to think I'm sane! You're the one who followed without hesitating!" Julian half-yelled back.

"I had a motive! I came for my mom! What did you come here for? To save freaking humanity. We're barely adults!"

"We're capable of something adults are not!"

"Oh yeah? That's a lie! We won't be capable of anything!" Adelaide screamed.

They didn't realize that their arguing was getting a bit too loud, and that was bad news. Very bad news.

Suddenly, a thundering roar filled the atmosphere, rattling the seemingly solid ground that the two stood on. Julian and Adelaide froze, before averting their gaze to the sky.

Scales cold as ice that blazes bright as an ever-flickering flame. In it's chest it holds often times a hearth of burning fires although in his remorseless heart lay rime. Eyes that turn skin into a sickly pallor, claws able to lacerate even the sturdiest to mere ribbons of flesh and bones, blood so black that night held an intense radiance that could blind your eyes. With it's tongue, it could smell your dread and fear of the very day you fall to the ground lifelessly. It's pride was enough to make the bravest of nobles cowardice before it, and anyone who was stupid enough to tread farther in it's path would be torn to shreds. A dragon was fiercely flying over the once peaceful garden, draining all the color in both of the teens' faces.

"Hey, Delle?" Julian managed.

"Yeah?"

"We've got company."

Yes- it's short. I'm sorry. I really am. Next one will be longer. Maybe. Yes it will. Will some food cheer you up?

Until next time..

Soda and crackers,
~R. W. Shadowfax