🐉 🐉 🐉
LUSHERA and Kaphal walked down the apartment building’s stairs. It was unclear when it was last cleaned, and it smelled of mold. The only sound in the stairwell was their footsteps.
“Hey, Mom,” said Lushera after a while, once they reached the landing on the third floor. “I’m not planning on dying.”
“Not me either,” said Kaphal, and the conversation faltered there.
Lushera saw similar things to her own past and present in Joanna and Kate. There was a huge difference in power between a dragon and a human, an even greater gap than that between a parent and a child. Lushera understood why Kaphal would feel like she had to protect her. But the side being protected was more than just a plant given water so it can bloom—it had feelings too. Did Kaphal understand that? Did she realize the things that Lushera, when she was XXXX, was too foolish to see?
“Hey, Mom,” Lushera said again when they reached the second-floor landing. “I don’t…want you to die.”
“I no want Lushera to die.” They were just saying out loud the things they fully understood, making sure they hadn’t forgotten.
“We’re exactly the same,” murmured Lushera without thinking.
“…Haha.” Kaphal couldn’t suppress her laughter.
“What do I have to do for the dragon test?” Lushera pressed on, taking advantage of this moment where Kaphal seemed more relaxed.
Lushera intended to go through with the test regardless of what it was, but she should plan ways of handling it in advance if she could learn what it was and it seemed feasible to plan for. You did the same when adventuring.
There was a pause, as if Kaphal was uncertain if she should answer. “Test show power when need to. There no one way do test.”
“Ah, it’s not standard.”
“Not normal do test. Because dragon strong. Reduce dragon numbers no good. Lushera different.”
Dragons didn’t easily die. And on top of that, everyone was worrying over how to maintain the current dragon numbers. They would be careful not to kill another dragon over something like a test of strength. But they didn’t need to worry about that with Lushera. That’s why Kaphal was so concerned.
“I’m not planning on dying,” said Lushera. But she was prepared to face this. She wouldn’t let this end in tragedy. That’s why she had to face this.
Lushera was no longer a normal person. She may not reach the heights of a dragon, but…to say she was worthless…well, perhaps…to a real dragon, there wasn’t that much of a difference between Lushera and a normal human. But Lushera wanted to believe that wasn’t the case. Regardless, she had to stand her ground.
They exited the apartment complex onto the cramped street where Viola and Timm waited.
“Hello there, congrats on a job done,” said Viola.
“Did you take care of your errand?”
“Yep, all sorted.” She thumped her chest as if to say they could leave everything to her. And then, with complete sincerity, she said, “Thank you, Lushera.”
“Uh…why are you thanking me?”
“Hm… You’re right. I really don’t have any reason to be thanking you. Or maybe I do? Anyway, I did what I could to help those two out as well.” Viola didn’t expand upon what specifically she did, or why. “Okay, let’s go buy you a swimsuit. The sun is about to set.”
“Oh, right.”
Lushera didn’t press Viola for details.