Dragon of Legend: Destiny (Published)

Chapter 5

"It's beautiful," she breathed as she fingered the material. Her eyes were shining and her lips turned up in a smile.

Hannah clapped her hands together in glee. "I spent quite a while on that one," she babbled. "Now, let's see if all that time was worth it, and it actually fits. Try it on!"

"Now?" Akira asked, glancing uncomfortably at Seth.

"Yes, now," Hannah replied. She turned her eyes on Seth. "You can wait outside," she told him firmly. She began to usher him from the room. Seth left, rolling his eyes on the way.

When he disappeared through the door and shut it behind him, Hannah turned back to Akira. "Well, come on," she probed.

With excitement coursing through her, Akira began to strip, and, once undressed, she slipped into the new clothes. Hannah helped her fasten the one-piece tightly at the back before she stepped back to admire her work. It fit, and Akira was surprised at how comfortable it was. She was free to move about without the clothes restricting, or hindering, her in any way.

Hannah beamed. "Perfect," she announced. For a moment she stood, staring at Akira while Akira herself stared down at the clothes she wore, running her fingers over the material again and again. She had never owned something this comfortable, or this nice.

Is it really mine?

"Oh!" Hannah's eyes widened. "I've just remembered the rest! We aren't done yet!" She disappeared for a moment.

What more could there possibly be? Akira thought as she watched her.

When Hannah re-appeared with a pair of white leather boots, Akira could only stare in shock. She had already been given a new pair of boots today, so surely she wasn't being given another?

Her question was answered when Hannah thrust them into her hands.

"Put these on." Her tone suggesting that there was no arguing.

Akira complied without protesting. She slipped her small feet into the soft interior. They fit! She smiled as she stood and found that they were as flexible and comfortable as the suit she was wearing.

"Now we're only missing a few more things," Hannah announced as she handed Akira the gloves.

Slipping them on Akira was surprised at how soft and silky they were on the inside. They were nothing like her old gloves, ones that had been rough on her fingers and often broken the skin.

"Almost there," Hannah assured, smiling at the bewildered expression on Akira's face. "We only have a few things left. There's the sword, but I suspect that that will come later when they decide that you're ready..." she trailed off, her eyes widening as if she had said something she shouldn't have. Yet Akira did not notice as she tried to process what Hannah had just said about the sword.

They would even give me a sword? she thought.

"Oh, and then there's the helmet. I have that here." Hannah walked to a shelf that was filled with different helmets. They were all smooth and shiny, each a different color. Each also had a visor in front that could be pulled up or down to cover the rider's eyes.

Akira watched as Hannah pulled a smooth white one, with the emblem of the dragon in black on one side, out from among the pile. She came over and handed it to Akira, who reached out and gently took it. Expecting it to weigh a ton, Akira was pleasantly surprised when it felt as light as her boots.

Surprised, she turned it over in her hands. Upon examining it she found the inside it was soft so that it would comfortably cushion her head. The outside, however, was as hard as rock. The visor was black, and it made Akira frown. How am I supposed to see?