It's been about a month since the day I first woke up as a dragon. To be honest, I still find it strange that I've somehow turned into one, but by now I've gotten used to it. The cave looks much better since then too. I increased our supply of baskets and reserved an area in the corner of the cave specifically for storage purposes.
Everything has been going well lately and life's been really easy. But there is just one problem.
I'M. SO. BORED!
There's nothing to do here! No anime, no games, no nothing! Why aren't anime, games, and all of technology in general part of the things I've forgotten! This is just torture!
Live la Live, ElfenTail, Blade Craft Offline, there are so many animes I haven't gotten around to watching, and now never will!
What happened to the ending of Half-Iron Botanist? Code:Grease? I didn't even get the chance to see the highly acclaimed movie Roar's Walking Fortress!
And all those hours I spent grinding on Battleframe and my diamond rank on Legion of Legends... all gone! How can anyone live like this!?
I flail and roll around in the wolf fur carpet spread throughout the cave. Their fluffy softness is the only thing keeping me somewhat entertained. Usually, I pass the time by playing with horned rabbit and its ball. We actually ended up inventing a form of makeshift soccer to play against each other.
How it goes is that horned rabbit and I each take a side of the cave, and each does their best to hit the ball to the opposite wall. While it may look unfair at first glance, we're actually really evenly matched. I may have a longer reach and more power behind my swipes, but rabbit is far more agile than I am. Surprisingly, horned rabbit is very competitive. Whenever I would score against it, it would get mad and quickly demand a rematch.
We've spent entire days in the cave doing nothing but playing with this makeshift game. I'm honestly amazed the ball is still intact and usable from all the abuse it's gotten. But today, horned rabbit is uninterested with playing with the ball. It's just laying around lazily and watching me from afar.
I continue to roll and spin around in an attempt to distract myself.
I want to do something already! It's sooo dull and booooring here! There's no funn.
Horned rabbit, entertain meee!
"Guaraouuu!"
I catch myself making such a weird sound and I snap out of my boredom high, returning to reality.
I can't believe I just did that. My unwarranted cry made horned rabbit look at me bewildered and deeply concerned.
Okay, I think it's time to leave and explore the forest. If I stay in this cave any longer, I feel like I might go insane.
I leap up from the fur carpet and head to the entrance of the cave. The rabbit, seeing me on the move, shakes the dust and dirt off its fur and follows after me. As usual, it hops on my tail and sits in its resting spot.
I couldn't decide on where to start walking, so I decided to leave it to chance and throw a stick in the air. Whatever the largest part of the stick points to is the direction I'll head in.
East. With a sigh, I begin my journey towards the given direction. It wasn't because I was disappointed. It's just that of all the times I've explored the area, there was nothing notable or interesting. It's just trees, trees, and more trees. It's still better than wasting away in the cave though.
I feel my boredom fade as I travel deeper into the forest. On the way, I become hungry and tear open a bitterbush.
Ever since I've eaten the wolf meat, the fruits have lost their impact. I've found a way to dry the wolf meat to preserve it by using firebreath, but now all my spare reserves are gone.
I kinda miss its taste... should I hunt for them? The wolves on their own aren't very strong, and I'll not make the same mistake from when I last fought them.
Yep, it's decided. Next time I see those wolves, I'm hunting them down.
As I thought this, I notice something ahead that blended in with the color of the bushes and leaves. At the same time, horned rabbit alerts me and I immediately hide behind a tree.
When I peek to the side for a closer look, I see three figures covered in green fur crouched behind the bushes.
What a lucky coincidence! Seriously, just what are the chances that I run into those green wolves again right as I decided to hunt them. It looks like they are stalking something. Well, unfortunately for them, the stalkers are also being stalked.
This definitely won't be like the fight in the river. While they are distracted, I'll sneak up behind one of them and kill it in one strike. I won't have to worry about the other two since horned rabbit will protect me. Once it becomes a two vs two, our success is guaranteed.
I look back to tell horned rabbit my intent, but it looks like it's already prepared. It's on the ground with two of its earth shards hovering above it.
Apparently, horned rabbit is capable of producing the earth shards only when it is touching the ground. It can also only levitate and fire two earth shards at once, but, if the rabbit isn't moving and keeps constant contact with the ground, it can fire a continuous volley by creating another shard just as it launches the previous one.
"Pefu"
It seems that we're in agreement. Alright, let's do it.
"Ga"
Right as I step out from behind the tree, the wolves bark and run through the bush.
Damn! They decided to act. It's still okay though, we'll attack the wolves while they are busy fighting their pre-
Two high piercing yelps interrupts my thoughts. Shortly after, a wolf flies over the bush and crashes motionlessly to ground. Across its body is a single massive gash. A clean red line is clearly visible. Only something seriously sharp could have inflicted such a wound.
Another painful yelp, this time a wolf runs out whining with its tail between its legs. All of a sudden, the wolf jerks and goes limp. It falls and skids before coming to a halt. Sticking out of its side are three arrows.
My eyes round in shock. Before I can comprehend what just happened, I hear sounds of approach and I hide back behind the tree.
"είμαστε ακόμα κοντά?"
...What?
I stay silent and listen harder.
"Ναι, αυτό το επόμενο σημείο πρέπει"
Those are...voices? Does that mean....
Carefully, I peek over the side and watch as three people emerge from the bushes the wolves were hiding behind.
They're human! I had already abandoned all hope of meeting other people in this world, but humans actually exist! Then, does this mean there are other civilizations out there? I have to ask, I need to talk to them, it's been so long!
I feel something tug at my tail. I look back and see horned rabbit looking at me completely frightened. It's pulling me hard, telling me to run away.
That's right, I'm not human, I'm a monster now. If I were to confront them with how I look... I don't know how they will react. They are also really dangerous too. They were able to deal with the wolves like they were nothing. In fact, everything inside me is screaming to run away. My heart is pounding and my body is shaking just from looking at them.
But still, this is the first time I've ever encountered another human in this forest. I don't know if I'll get another chance.
I have to do it. I'll try to make myself look as friendly and harmless as possible. If I do that, then they shouldn't see me as a threat.
Horned rabbits tugs at my tail more frantically. I take a step forward and it bites my tail, drawing blood.
Ow! Horned rabbit stop!
I hear a desperate pefu muffled under my scales as it glares at me. It pulls me again with an expression that said 'Don't you dare'. I can see where horned rabbit is coming from. In its perspective, these humans are dangerous and knows that they could kill us easier than they did with the wolves. It's just trying to protect me.
With a sigh, I lift horned rabbit off my tail and bring it up to the level of my face. We look each other directly in the eyes. Horned rabbit is mad, afraid, and terrified with what I am about to do. It looks at me, silently, pleading that I just simply turn around and leave. But I can't do that.
I wanted to tell the rabbit how I have to do this, how if I don't, I will only live to regret it later on, that this is a chance I cannot let slip by. But I can't. The only thing I can do is say in a soft tone,
"Gau..."
Horned rabbit stares at me as it receives my answer. Then it looks away. After a few moments in silence, the rabbit looks back at me. There wasn't any trace of fear or anger in its eyes, only worry and concern.
"...pefu"
The rabbit gives a short and simple pefu. It is enough for me to know that it understood my intentions. It still doesn't agree with what I'm doing, but it won't stop me either.
"Gau"
I thank the rabbit and set it back down on the ground. I look back out of the cover and see the three humans inspecting the wolves. Looking closely, they are dressed rather strangely.
There is a blond haired girl who is adorned in steel armor. She carries around a large sword at her waist.
Then there is a man who is dressed in a large brown coat and with what I think is leather armor outfitted underneath. He has a short stubble beard and carries around both a bow and a crossbow.
Then there is a black haired girl who is carrying a knapsack and dressed in white robe-like clothing.
From the looks of this group, it seems something straight out of a fantasy setting. If I'm correct, then the blond haired girl is a swordswoman, the man is a rogue or ranger, and the black haired girl is their mage.
Taking a deep breath, I steel my nerves.
Okay... here goes nothing.
"πόσο νομίζετε ότι αυτό θα πο-"
The man stops mid-sentence as I step out into the open and reveal myself.
——
10/8: OKAY! So... I probably have a lot of explaining to do. And I will! But just not yet. Basically, the gist of things is that I haven't given up on the story. I wasn't lying when I said I was working on the story while I was gone. The thing is, I don't want to update after a hiatus, only to be put on another hiatus. So I decided to just have one long wait, instead of multiple smaller/long-ish ones.
Sorry.
Please don't kill me.