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Offering Written by Arian Mabe (Amethyst Mare) for Hagraya

Ray paused on the wooden steps of the martial arts studio, muscles trembling in barely contained tension. In that moment, he could not have discerned whether his legs shook from physical exertion - he had been training hard - or from traitorous nerves. He had been to this particular studio upon many occasions, but never for such a reason. Not an individual accustomed to seeking advice, the black-haired young man wondered what on earth he was doing. Master Roshi would not know how to take his request as anything other than sheer idiocy. If one of his friends or brothers had come to him with the same notion, he would have considered them fools. What did that say of his condition? It was an absurdly bright day, directly contrasting his sullen mood, and Ray shook his head slowly, staring down at the boards beneath his feet. He should not have come.

"Enter." A voice came from within the structure, carrying clearly through the fabric screen door. "I'll not have watchers beyond my walls. If within, you take a chance at learning."

It was too late to turn back. Taking a deep breath, Ray slid open the screen and the corresponding 'latch' thumped lightly against the plain fabric. Inside was the same as it always had been; nothing ever seemed to change in the realm of martial arts training. The only development came in the taught skills. The main room was large with four clean, simple walls and training mats laid out in the back left corner as if some manner of instruction had taken place a short while before. In the centre of the room, Master Roshi stood as tall as his aged body permitted, nevertheless hunched over as he waited on Ray's approach. Bald and with a thick beard, the master had years of experience at his back that Ray had once hoped to acquire. Maybe he still would, one day. Ray had only allowed Master Roshi's age to lull him into a false sense of security once, however: that had been enough. The old man was a formidable opponent.

Master Roshi's eyebrows twitched up when his visitor entered, though his expression could hardly be discerned behind a pair of dark glasses, which were more suitable for one spending a great deal of time in the sunlight than within a studio.

"What brings you to me this day, boy?" Master Roshi's eyes narrowed beneath a pair of arched, white eyebrows. "I have nothing more to instruct you in while you remain so distracted."

Ray scuffed a foot against the ground, stirring up a small cloud of dust. His attempt at delay was futile as Master Roshi peered at him - he suspected severely - from behind his glasses, fingers linked behind his back. He leaned forward slightly, hunching, as Ray cursed under his breath, damning the old man's patience.

"I..." He started and cleared his throat. "It is concerning my distraction, as you put it, that I have come, Master," he muttered upon his second attempt, unable to keep a derisive note from his voice.

"A distracted mind does not lend well to training," the old man turned his head away. "You should do well to dissolve this distraction before the day grows long."

A muscle in Ray's eyelid twitched unconsciously. As if his whole life was to be focused on training! He had a family. Was that not reason enough for distraction of some kind? Apparently not.

"Master Roshi," Ray sighed. "I have come to seek your advice."

"Is that so, boy?" He scratched the dome of his bald head. "And what is it that diverts your attention so?"

"It's not so easy to explain."

"I have time."

To illustrate his point, Master Roshi folded his body to one of the training mats, sitting cross-legged in such a way that he seemed as immovable as a boulder in the road. Ray shifted his weight and glanced back over his shoulder, wishing himself far, far beyond the confines of the training room. Though spacious, it suddenly seemed irrefutably confining, closing in around him until he choked on his own breath. He imagined an unseen hand clenching about his neck and, with reservation, sank to the mat directly opposite Master Roshi, swallowing the lump in his throat. The master studied him.

"I have patience but not time today," he noted with a twitch of his lips. "You would do best to share what ails you."

Ray sighed once more. It was not that easy.

"There are...things troubling me, master," he said after a lengthy pause.

"Undoubtedly."

"It's as if certain urges are overcoming me." The words flowed more freely once he had begun. "I imagine doing something and the memory grips me like the fangs of a wild beast. I cannot escape it nor think of anything else until I am thus satisfied with the imaginings."

He finished weakly, berating himself for saying too much or perhaps too little. He did not know. Why had he even come? Master Roshi nodded repeatedly while Ray spoke and even afterwards, rocking gently in his cross-legged position, hands on his knees.

"Is it a woman that concerns you so?"

The old man was blunt in his approach. Ray's eyes shot open wide and he shook his head hard enough to muss up his short but unkempt hair.

"No!" He added, as if the vehement head shaking had not been answer enough. "It is not a woman, master, it is something else. It's hard to explain."

"A man then?"

Master Roshi's eyebrows twitched and Ray fought the equally strong urge to fling a curse in the old man's direction.

"No." Ray took a deep breath. "It is a matter that concerns Shenron."

"Shenron?" Master Roshi, leaned back speculatively. "The dragon. You are aware of his summoning?"

"Yes, master," Ray nodded. "I know that he has, once again, been summoned but not by who - that does not matter to me. I know that he is waiting on the one who has summoned him to make his second wish, or that is how the rumours run."

"And what manner of business do you have with the dragon, Shenron?" The master's brow furrowed. "You cannot think to take the waiting, second wish? That is not how the summoning works."

Letting his gaze wander, Ray braced himself, fingers digging into his thighs until the thrum of pain brought him back to reality. It was too much, all too much.

"I do not want the second wish," he said simply. "I want to become part of Shenron."

If Master Roshi could have been surprised, Ray warranted that he was in that moment. The old man's white eyebrows shot up and he reached to adjust his dark glasses, stalling for time while he caught up with what Ray desired. But just what did the boy desire? That was the question.

"I do not consider that a wise proposition, boy," Master Roshi said slowly. "You know as well as any other young man that Shenron is a being of great power. Though he is rarely aggressive, he will not take kindly to your wishes. No manner of human power will convince him to take you into his mind, with two becoming one."

Ray blinked. The old man had misunderstood entirely. He did not mean... Well, perhaps what he wanted was not what the mind immediately jumped to: it was far worse but more delicious than simply becoming one with the dragon's mind. What did Shen think about? Master Roshi continued talking, head bobbing earnestly as he believed he could help put his student back on the right path.

"Soon the one who has summoned Shenron will make his second wish," Master Roshi continued, raising a hand. "And then the dragon balls will scatter as they always have done. You would do best to forget this urge, this wish, boy. It will bring you nothing but grief. Focus on your training."

"But my time is limited!" Ray lurched forward, one palm splayed on the grey mat. "I can't just forget about it!"

Master Roshi fell as still as stone and Ray gnawed the inside of his cheek, willing himself not to twist his hands together. His master would not approve of a nervous expression.

"Of course time is limited," Master Roshi shook his head, his shielded expression giving away as little as ever. "It is dangerous for Shenron to linger beyond the earth's core for too long - his powers could be abused, which you well know."

Fury seared through Ray, unexpected in its ferocity. Of course he knew! The master even acknowledged that he knew. So why tell him for a second time, if it was something that he already possessed knowledge of? He did not want to keep Shen in their world for longer; he just wanted to go back with him to the molten core, the dragon's home, in what he considered the most desirable fusion of all. Rising to his feet, he shot the Master Roshi a cold, calculating glare, though the master's face was as blank as a clean slate. At another time, he may have been reprimanded for his behaviour and attitude but Ray knew something that the Master of Arts did not. There were no consequences when one did not intend to return.

And he did not need the old man's help to achieve his desire.

*

The air sweltered and clung to Ray like a second, clammy skin. Pushing his damp hair out of his eyes for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, the young man swore fluently, loudly. There was no one there to hear him, no one to roll their eyes and berate his use of language. He had a better grasp on life than those who focused on what a particular word meant, or so Ray thought. There was plenty of time to ponder this kind of nuance while trekking through thick, heady rainforest. If he was truthful with himself, he would never have considered venturing into the jungle without a set goal; he was not much of an explorer. That was one the he was glad of - his resolute goal: Shenron.

It was difficult for a dragon to remain inconspicuous, much less one of Shenron's size and demeanour, and the trail had been fairly easy to follow. It was well known that Shenron enjoyed hot, humid conditions; it was a trait likely derived from where he spent the majority of his time at the scorching core of the earth. Therefore, it made sense for the dragon to reside in the jungle until he was requested to grant the second wish. Ray smiled to himself. Perhaps Shen treated it as a holiday. Though he wondered why the dragon did not choose the more acrid conditions of the desert instead, as that region would surely reach temperatures great enough to bake his scales in a fiery glow. On the other hand, the desert fell to freezing temperatures overnight, so the rainforest was the most accessible, general option.

Ray shook his head. What on earth was he doing, considering the wellbeing and habits of a dragon? Anything Shen did was beyond his human comprehension, regardless of his years or lack of them.

As he progressed, the signs of Shen's passing were clear to one who knew or had learned what to look for. The lack of other predators denoted that there was something more ferocious than they in the area, as a start. Otherwise it seemed as if Shen did not care to cover up his tracks as unusual prints and drag marks from his tail littered the main forest path, occasionally interspaced with the remains of prey animals, devoured as he pleased. These sites made Ray pause more often as he tried to imagine the animal that Shenron had brought an end to, but there was rarely enough remaining for him to discern more than mammal or avian. Most obviously, a single green scale the size of his palm lay near the base of a tree with the bark scraped as if the dragon and slithered too close, thus scarring the old tree with his passing.

When he eventually came upon the dragon, it was with a start of surprise at the beast's sheer size. Clambering over a pile of jagged rocks, Ray peered cautiously over the top to find Shenron sprawled languidly over a large flat rock beside a rippling body of water. It was one of many rivers that flowed through the jungle and the dragon had chosen his spot well as the sunlight brightened his scales, falling through the gap in the dense foliage that the river provided. A small, tumbling waterfall burbled to his left, providing a pleasant melody to his mid-afternoon nap.

The dragon was colossal, far larger than Ray could have possibly imagined. His tracks were deceptive as his body seemed to continue on indefinitely, cumulating in a sinuous tail that accounted for three-quarters of his total, impressive length. He was a deep, forest green with a pale yellow underbelly that glinted in the sun, evidencing his good health. What set him apart from other dragons, besides the long, draconian whiskers that curled in the Eastern fashion several feet from his muzzle, was the pair of brown antlers upon his head. Merely a discerning feature, Ray knew he would never use them to fight as antlered stags would, purely as an example.

It was now or never. If he returned home, there would be questions. Ducking his head, he pressed his forehead to the cool, shaded side of the stone, taking slow, deep breaths that slowed his racing heart rate. He removed the light travel bag from his shoulder and tucked it into a nook between two rocks, though he doubted anyone would ever find it... That was unless Shenron chased him off with as much consideration as he would give a buzzing annoyance of a fly.

No, no: he could not lose his nerve, not now! Crawling on top of the uneven rocks, he stood tall and looked down at the dragon on the opposite side of the river. Even raised as he was, Ray was infinitely dwarfed by the beast. He would need every ounce of his courage to go through with what he intended.

"Shenron!" He shouted from the top of the rocks, shifting his footing upon the treacherous moss.

Lethargically, the dragon raised his antlered head, eyes blinking open to study the one who had dared disturb his rest. A piercing red, those animalistic eyes studied Ray without feeling or emotion as Shen's pink tongue flickered across his lips, tasting the air.

"What brings you to my temporary abode, human?" Shenron did not rise, but the tip of his tail twitched like that of a domestic feline. "It is rare that one such as I receives visitors without intent."

For a terrifying span of seconds, Ray was paralyzed. The dragon's clear voice cut through him like a knife, a set of knives snapping shut upon Shenron's hapless prey. Shaking himself, he mentally drew himself together, pulling scattered thoughts back until each and every one was under his control.

"How do you know I'm not without intent?" Ray countered, settling into a half-crouch. "I could simply be visiting the great Shenron while I have the chance. You were not difficult to locate."

"All want their deepest desires from me," Shen laughed, the sound somewhere between a growl and a hoarse chuckle. "Little human, you have not collected the dragon balls to summon me. I may only grant one remaining wish to another before I return to my true home."

"I want to help you, Shen," Ray said.

Shenron tossed back his head and laughed loudly, scales rippling as his body convulsed in mirth. The dragon refused to take him seriously! Ray quivered, slamming a lid on his anger. It was all just like with Master Roshi, he was never understood. Folding his arms across his strong chest, he waited the dragon out. He had patience to match the worst of them, or so he told himself. When he was once again able to talk, Shen tilted his muzzle, arching his neck over the river as if to look Ray over more closely.

"How may one such as you help one such as me?" The dragon's eyes glinted in amusement. "You are nothing but a passing notion."

"I can help you," Ray repeated calmly. "I want to become a part of you, Shenron. Are you so caught up in your own world that you would deny a free meal?"

The dark green lids slid over the red eyes in a series of exaggerated blinks, though Ray could not attest to whether or not the dragon was surprised. Judging from his earlier reaction, he was likely amused. Ray folded his hands together behind his back, schooling his expression to discipline: he could wait.

"You want to be eaten?" Shenron said, though his voice was impassive, unreadable. "And why would you desire that? Do you think to destroy me, human?"

"Of course not," Ray smiled. "I know of not a single way in which I may destroy you, nor a single reason."

The great, green dragon twisted on the warm stone, tail writhing like the full length of a serpent.

"I have no need of you." Shenron's voice brimmed with scorn. "Leave. You amuse me no longer."

Something in the dragon's eye made Ray quail, shrinking within himself. It would be much easier to do as Shen ordered, far easier than continuing with his plan. Twisting, Shenron slithered on to his belly, gathering his short legs beneath him as he dipped his muzzle to drink noisily from the river, shoving his whole snout into the clear water. When he looked up, Ray met his red gaze with equal ferocity. He had no other option than to go through with what he desired, in his mind. A part of Ray simply did not want to admit defeat, as it were.

"You are still here?" Shenron asked as if bored.

Ray straightened, taking a step down the rocks towards Shenron, careful of his footing: it would not to do fall.

"Look around you, Shenron," Ray gestured in a wide arc. "There are no large animals left here: I know the signs, what is missing. You are unused to hunting, as you spend the majority of your time encased in the molten core where you have no need of this sustenance. I would not be surprised if this is the longest single stint you have had upon our world's surface. Am I correct?"

Shenron refused to answer verbally, but bobbed his colossal muzzle twice, each action taking several seconds to complete. An animal - much less a dragon - was difficult to read, but Ray felt bold. Shen was hungry; Ray knew he had only eaten small prey in recent days. What else could he have found to eat? Whoever had summoned him was keeping the restless, starving creature standing upon ceremony while they dallied with their second wish. It was most thoughtless.

But Ray could help.

The dragon shook his great head lethargically, swinging his tail from side to side and taking down a jungle tree in the process. Though Ray did not know what type of tree the dragon so casually felled, it was thick around and would have seen hundreds more years if Shen had not taken to an iota of destruction. The boy shivered. He was such a powerful creature. Shenron surveyed him contemplatively and Ray had the vaguely disturbing notion that the dragon was undressing him with his eyes and not for sexual purposes.

"If that is how you will 'have' it..." Shenron's voice held a twinge of sarcasm, his lofty tones setting the hairs on the back of Ray's neck bristling. "Strip, human."

"What?" Ray started.

"Must I repeat myself?" Shenron's pink tongue flickered across his lower lip.

"N-no," Ray stuttered, almost falling over himself in his haste to reach the bottom of the rocky outcrop, taking himself to the same level as Shenron.

It was happening! Excitement flooded through him as he dragged his shirt over his head, glad to be rid of the fabric that only clung to his sweat soaked skin. Despite being on the opposite side of the river to Shenron, he was acutely aware of the dragon breathing, green sides expanding in a gentle arc. The dragon yawned lazily, his attention span too short to pay Ray the same attention, and the human was briefly captivated by the pink-red interior of his mouth, sharp teeth gleaming with saliva. Ray swallowed his nerves. Five of him could have slotted into that yawning maw.

He shook himself and quickly finished undressing, tossing trousers, undergarments and footwear in an untidy pile. It was not as if he or anyone else would ever need his clothes again, hence his original, light packing. Standing naked, from head to toe, Ray curled his toes into the dirt, feeling each individual particle of earth imprint his soles and breathing deeply, calmly. Shenron writhed, turning about on his flat rock until his head was at a right angle to the river, ever watchful and waiting. Ray chanced that the dragon's stomach growled eagerly.

"Well, human?" Ray swore that the dragon was mocking him. "Have you changed your mind, as your kind are so want to do?"

"No."

Digging deep into his final reserves of strength, Ray stalked forward, head held high and proud. Shenron was a simple beast after all, if he had given in to the lure of fresh meat so swiftly. Fighting down a smile that may have confused the creature, Ray stopped a foot from the riverbank, suddenly conscious of his cock swelling, half-hard with arousal for what was to come. Shen snorted, the brush of breath warm upon Ray's genitals, and stretched out his neck towards Ray, fangs flashing. Caught off guard, Ray jumped back a foot, shaking his head vehemently.

"Stop! Don't make it hurt," Ray warned. "I know how to hurt you if you try to cause pain while...eating me."

"And what do you suggest, human?" Shenron responded with an open nuance of derision; the dragon was far from impressed by meat that talked back. "I would not expect being eaten to be a generally painless activity. I would not know: I have never been eaten."

"Swallow me," Ray said simply. "You can enjoy it. And get a full belly either way."

The dragon sighed and the glow in his crimson eyes faded noticeably. He was not one for combat or lashing out, so would not contest the human's wish, as annoying at it was. Shenron salivated at the thought of filling his empty stomach and ropes of drool hung from his maw, dripping into the river as he leaned further and further out.

"You have a deal, human."

The dragon reared up on his hind legs and Ray jerked back in alarm. His fear was short-lived, however, as Shen merely stretched his sinuous body over the river, forepaws landing heavily in the slick mud. Curved claws dug into the bank and his body arched beautifully, striking Ray with the pure notion of becoming part of this amazing creature, even if he would not be alive to tell the tale: it would be worth it. Opening his jaws wide, the dragon hissed in Ray's face.

The stench of the dragon's maw was overpowering. A disgusting mixture of odours washed over him as the dragon breathed, seeming to hold an endless amount of air in his lungs. Meat and blood emanated from Shenron's maw and a scrap of rotting meat clung to one of his back teeth; clearly the dragon was not concerned with cleaning his maw very often, which was reasonable considering his usual lifestyle. There was no one word with which Ray could have described the acrid, foul smell, as if the dragon had digestive bile residing in his very maw. Possibly like a lizard, bacteria in his saliva helped break down his prey for digestion, lending to the smell. He breathed slower than any human and Ray did his utmost to wait patiently, muscles trembling. He was well and truly at Shenron's mercy.

Sliding his dripping tongue free from the confines of his maw, Shenron curled the appendage around the nude human, tasting him. Just because he could not chew and slice the human did not mean he was not to enjoy the experience himself. It was delicious to sate his earthly body, despite it being tedious to acquire the sustenance to do so. Ray shivered as his erection grew to its full hardness, protruding modestly from his crotch. It was hardly noticeable to the dragon even as the slimy appendage dragged down Ray's body, lathering the human's cock in a thick coating of saliva. The tongue twisted around Ray and Shenron growled, the low rumbling one of pleasure rather than aggression, sending a tremor of arousal through Ray. Curling around his back and back over itself, Shen squeezed the agile appendage around his prey, testing his hold and then yanking the human from the ground: his feet would never touch earth again.

Ray shuddered as he was lifted bodily, the dragon using his unnervingly strong tongue to tip him head first into the warm, wet maw. Wrinkling his nose at the odour, his cock throbbed all the more fiercely for feeling so helpless, dropped into reeking saliva with no more care than Shenron would give a dumb prey animal. The dragon's teeth pressed into his legs and, though the only pressure came from his own weight bearing him down, the sharp fangs drew blood and a trickle of pain. Somehow, Ray felt numb within his own mind and barely registered the slicing pain even if his body did, cock pulsing out thick, oozing pre cum.

Shenron did not wish to waste any time. His stomach growled ferociously, demanding sustenance, and his 'taste' of the human in question only served to stimulate his need to feed. Pulling the human further into his maw, the dragon rumbled gently, relishing the taste. Ray's feet slipped within the confines of Shen's teeth and the dragon tipped his head back, allowing gravity to assist as he uncurled his tongue from his prey. It was so good to have a meal that did not fight! Ray wriggled, carefully easing his passing deeper into Shenron's foul mouth, sticky saliva coating every inch of him until he was as slippery as an eel.

His head pressed into the back of Shenron's throat and Ray inhaled sharply, assaulted by the foul stench of what he assumed at this point was solely digestive juices; that was what would truly break him down so that he may become part of the dragon. His excitement amused Shen and so the dragon made no comment on how the human stroked his small rod of male flesh, spurting a not unpleasantly sticky substance on to his tongue. Shenron's tongue played over Ray's flesh, tugging him further in until he pressed into the dragon's throat, his own weight acting against him.

Moaning loudly, Ray pumped his cock, on the brink of exploding after only a short time of being eaten. The process was better than he had ever imagined, more erotic and incredibly heated. His head rolled as he was tipped into Shen's throat, the pulsing, contracting muscles something of a massage for his aching mind. Soon it would all be done: his purpose would be complete. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders as Shenron swallowed, pulling Ray's shoulders and chest into his throat. Struggling with such large prey - he had not fed upon large animals during his time in the surface world - Shen relaxed his muscles as much as possible and swallowed repeatedly, each swallow a little easier than the last.

Once the broadest part of his prey's body, the chest, was within his throat, it was easier to enjoy the experience of devouring and Shen flicked his serpentine tongue between the male's legs. Like a cat toying with a particularly willing mouse, the dragon experimented with what stimulation made his prey squirm in the most delightful fashion. It was a cruelly pleasurable torture that Ray had no choice in enduring and he groaned wantonly, half-bucking his hips with the tongue twitched across his rock-hard shaft.

Shenron was hungry, however, and had little patience as a dragon or simple a predator. Digging his claws more firmly into the opposing riverbanks, he gulped, suddenly desperate to have this human slide into his belly. He had thought he would feel remorse for eating a human but he tasted just like any other prey and, after all, he was hungry. It was difficult to counter such animal instincts as such possessed him. Tossing his head back, he swallowed the human's waist, throat constricting as he fought with the moderately muscled man's bulk. He doubted the human could truly appreciate the fact, but the young man was absolutely delicious.

Hips swiftly followed the waist and Ray held his breath, half-crushed by the gulping throat. A deep sense of satisfaction engulfed him and his hard member was pushed into the dragon's throat, painful as it protruded awkwardly from his body. As he slipped past the point of no return, Ray grasped his member, folding it in against his body as much as he was able while his legs followed his body into the dragon's throat and gullet. Erotic thrill raced through his veins and his eyes danced sightlessly beneath closed lids, overcome by the constriction of being within the dragon, taken entirely by Shenron.

Once his legs were swallowed into the grip of Shenron's throat, the remainder of the journey down the dragon's body became far easier. Drawn by his own weight and the dragon's arched position over the river, he slid as if downhill for a few seconds, easing past a narrower stretch, and dropped into the very belly of the dragon. The stomach closed in around him, claustrophobic, and the walls moved with the dragon's breathing. Ray could not place the dragon's lungs in relation to his stomach but it did not matter. He had been swallowed! An erotic thrill ran through him and he wriggled in the dampness - stomach juices? - rubbing his hard cock with what little movement he could manage. The air was even hotter and more humid than the outside, the jungle, and breath was difficult to come by.

He had not considered that it would be difficult to breathe in the dragon's stomach, but he knew the end result well enough. Swearing that his harsh breaths could be heard outside Shenron's body, he gasped and arched as a light tingling prickled over his skin. The contractions of the stomach muscles, reacting to the presence of food in the gut, turned and coated him in what he knew were the digestive fluids. As desperate for a good breath of air as he was, Ray could not help but find the effect on his member fascinating, sending an erotic pulse along his length. Around him, the dragon groaned and shifted, perhaps moving back to his flat rock to digest his meal.

Soon, however, the tingling grew to the prickle of pain and Ray twisted uncomfortably. He had not known that digestion would hurt, but how else would he become part of Shen? He was too far gone in a literal sense to make regrets. Digging his nails into his flesh for a flash of recognisable pain, Ray groaned soundlessly, lips moving without vocalising. He couldn't breathe! Panic gripped him and he writhed within the stomach's confines, movements growing weaker and weaker by the second until he moved no more than a fish flopping pathetically out of water. He stilled, gasping, and reached orgasm with a fruitless cry, painting the stomach walls with a streak of white until his semen too was 'swallowed' by the stinging fluid.

As he passed into blackness, he smiled to himself, utterly at peace for the first and last time in his young life.

*

Slumbering beside the waterfall, Shenron twitched in his sleep, belly finally empty and rumbling lightly. It was with a great effort of will that be bid himself rise, uncurling as the spray cooled his scales. The dragon grumbled good-naturedly as he sinuously unfolded himself from his sleeping bundle, preparing to attend to the needs of his body as this earthly form demanded on a daily basis. Claws scored deep gouges in the grass as he carelessly paced away, his back to the river; he would not want to sully the water where he drank, regardless of the flow.

A few paces from the river, he curled his tail up, ensuring it would not be dirtied, and groaned deep in his throat. Where his tail connected to his body, his anal ring pulsed, pushing out thick logs of faecal matter. A tremor ran through him as he recalled very vividly how his last meal had come to him, now reduced to nothing more than excrement through the process of digestion and, now, defecation. He had taken all the good from the human and, like the male had said, he had now become a part of Shenron whether the dragon willed it or not. Strangely, for a beast, Shen faintly hoped that the young human had received what he truly wished for.

Bodily needs sated, he shivered with the sense of discomfort brought on by hunger, leaving the lightly steaming mound of dung behind. However, when he turned about, he was no longer alone, though he was ambivalent about this particular company. A slender, blonde man with a beard perched upon the pile of rocks, pale lips twisted as if in a grimace. Shen's jaws clicked together, greeting the one who had summoned him with the seven dragon balls. The young man's expression was confident almost to the point of arrogance and he stood in such a manner that he seemed to think himself above Shenron, using the boulders by the waterfall for additional height.

"I see you have returned," Shen hissed, parting his jaws. "

"My apologies, Shenron." The young man bowed shallowly, tone not conveying any manner of regret. "My younger brother was missing. You will understand my delay in claiming my second wish."

Shenron blinked, wondering. The two humans shared portions of the same scent, something he had not come across prior to this summoning. As the pieces of the unformed puzzle slotted partially into place, the tip of his tail flicked like that of a stalking feline.

Poor human...

"Did you enjoy your stay in the jungle?" The young man asked cordially, his gaze sliding away. "I see that you found prey at least, which is...surprising."

The dragon suppressed the desire to laugh.

"Yes, I do say that I have enjoyed my stay," Shenron smiled privately. "How is your brother?"

The young man blinked suspiciously, caution evident in his stance. A rumbling chuckle burbled from the dragon's muzzle, Shenron unable to contain himself in an orderly manner. The man took a step back, one hand going to rest over his heart.

"Still missing," he said at last. "No one seems to know what's happened to him."

"What if I could tell you?"

Oh, it was rich, too rich. The human's eyes lit up with hope and his expression softened immediately, terribly confident that the news would be nothing but positive. Licking his lips, the dragon scraped a claw gratingly over a stone, the predator's cruelty guiding his tongue. Shenron had not enjoyed the company of this male anyway.

"He came to me, just like you." It was beautiful how the arrogant man's expression changed, from hope to worry in a split second. "But he did not have the same desires as you. As simple as his needs were, I shall be plain. He is now a part of me, as he wished," Shenron's eyes glinted darkly. "He tasted wonderful as he disappeared into my maw, sliding down my throat to my belly. And he ensured I would sated and ready to fulfil your second wish! Is that not so thoughtful of your younger brother?"

The man's expression dropped as if the earth had disappeared from beneath his feet and he swayed dizzyingly, mouth opening and closing like a landed fish. Oh, it was too much! Shenron's tail flicked like a feline's and he studied the man, imagining his small mind working to comprehend the gravity of the situation, what his summoning Shen had brought forth. Shuddering, Shenron's stomach growled, reminding him that his last meal was long gone, digested and every nutrient gleaned from the boy's flesh. Glancing disparagingly at the man, thunderstruck, the dragon hissed, patience finally wearing thin. He'd had enough of toying and this man's dumb reaction bored him - he could have been a little more entertaining. It was time to complete his duties.

"Now, human," Shen continued, bringing his muzzle close to the blonde-haired man's, who near stumbled to his knees in fear, even as anger flared behind his eyes. "What do you wish of me?"