The Reluctant Passenger
#1 of Story Pad
Alright, Hetzer, Padfoot, and others have got me to do short stories. Everyone pitches an idea and the person doing the story pad writes a short story based on said idea. This one was a macro that was scared of flight.
You may be surprised to know it's a dragon.
Anyway, short blast, enjoy!
"Arden, you're being silly about this," Jayden said, putting her hands on her hips.
"I am not!" the large dragon said, rustling his wings irritably, lashing his tail. "I have wings, I know how to fly, and if you think for a single second that you're going to get me aboard one of those fool aircraft you are sadly mistaken!"
Jayden sighed and closed her eyes, praying to anyone that would listen for strength. "I know you can fly; that's not the problem, Arden. The problem is that it's way to far for you to fly unaided."
"Then they should have left us posted here!"
"Be that as it may, high command has issued orders."
"If they like it so much they can go there."
"Arden!"
"I am a dragon, not some pawn they can order about!"
Jayden closed her eyes and bit back an angry retort. While she didn't regret being partnered with Arden most days, this day was rapidly going down in history as one where she would have gladly stayed in the infantry rather than being uprated for full combat mech. Then of course being offered to partner with a dragon was just that much greater an honor, so how could she have passed it up?
She had been warned that dragons could be stubborn, condescending, and just plain odd at times, but gladly took on the assignment. She had been nervous, meeting Arden for the first time, but it took little time to overcome those fears. Arden was very good natured as far as dragons went and the two enjoyed a very close bond that had seen them through some tough situations.
At this point, she wished they were taking fire, not just be reassigned to the other side of the planet. Lord knows it would have been easier.
"Arden, you know better than that. You signed on with the defense force just like I did, knowing that you would have to take orders and right now the order is to move to Midway Base."
"In the middle of nowhere!"
"Yes, in the middle of the ocean."
"Dragons do not belong on the sea."
"Dragons belong wherever high command damn well places them!"
Arden pulled his head from under his wing and glared at her, his blue eyes boring into her skull. She had long since grown immune to that little trick so she just stared back at him. He huffed a huge sigh. "And why is it that you are now on their side? Tell me that! My handler, the person who is supposed to care for and protect me now wants me to get on that infernal contraption to go to a place no dragon was meant to go!"
"That's not fair, Arden."
"Oh? Oh? How is it not, tell me! You are supposed to protect me, says so in your orders!" Arden demanded, suddenly sensing he had the upper hand
Jayden's face went bright red as she tried to stay calm. "This is hardly a life or death situation, Arden," she said, teeth gritted together.
"I could die! Those machines fall from the sky all the time!"
"They do not!"
"Says she with no wings!"
"Arden..."
"Tell high command that I am not feeling well and we can move...tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow will do nicely I think."
"There are no aircraft capable of lifting your huge ass that day!"
"Oh, well that's a sorry state of affairs, isn't it? I guess they will have to forget the whole thing!"
"Dragon! You are going to get aboard that aircraft, get fastened in, and I swear by all that's holy if you don't I will tell command about that little incident at Firebase Alpha!"
Arden flinched back, eyes wide. "You said you would not tell."
"Try me," she growled.
Arden looked into the cavernous maw that looked ready to swallow a poor dragon whole, looked at the little round pods that were supposed to make this ungainly thing fly, looked at wings that were straight and did not flap (a highly suspicious thing in his mind), and at the crew that were looking rather put out by the whole ordeal. He swallowed and looked down at Jayden. "Jayden, I am not at all comfortable with this."
She sighed. "I know that, Arden. But it has to be done. Look, I'll be sitting down there with you the whole way," she said soothingly, hoping that most of the tantrum was over.
Arden nosed her. "You will read to me?"
"If I must!"
He nudged her again and gave her hand a lick. "I want to hear Integration again."
"Again? We've read that ten times already! You have it memorized!"
"I like hearing you read it."
She sighed. "Very well. Now get aboard!"
The dragon sighed and slowly climbed aboard the aircraft with one very tired handler following behind.