Hero couldn’t help staring. Even with the wet hair in her face, he couldn’t mistake who those muddy brown eyes belong to. Despite his throbbing head, Hero took her into his arms for an embrace. He liked how his dreams felt so real. This was the first time she ever appeared to him all wet though. She must be cold, he thought as he rubbed her back.

Cyndi was caught by surprise. The “thing” just grabbed her. It could be her death if she didn’t do something quick! She couldn’t free her arms so she kneed it instead. The “thing” groaned and released her from its grip. Cyndi rolled off as quickly as she could.

Hero could feel the sudden pain spread from his leg to his entire body. What kind of dream was this? It was most definitely a nightmare.

“Forgive…. I mean no harm… nothing… afraid of…” Cyndi was surprised that the “creature” knew how to speak. Well, it sounded like words… against the storm and the dragon’s “wing attack.” She felt a little less afraid now that she knew it could talk. Maybe she could reason with it and persuade it not to eat her.

The pounding rain hushed down to a sprinkle.

“Can you repeat that again?” Cyndi asked as she slowly wiggled away from it. Doesn’t hurt to be cautious, right? Again, it mumbled something but in a less audible voice.

It must be weak from the blow, she thought. A perfect time to make her escape. Just when she managed to scrambled to her hands and knees, the dragon was successful in freeing itself. A stream of fire shot from its mouth. One minute it was going crazy and the next minute it was sitting on the ground as meek as a puppy. Cyndi’s haven burned all around her. She followed the dragon’s gaze to the “creature” with blue eyes. In the light of the flames, she could see it was a man with blonde hair. They held a steady gaze, the dragon and the man.

What was she doing, staring at them? She had to save what was left of her haven. The sprinkling rain was hardly enough to put out all the fire. Cyndi quickly got up, unwound the wet cloth clinging to her body, and ran to the nearest flame.

Meanwhile, Hero was still busy talking to the dragon. They didn’t use words though...

“Look what you did… you almost killed us.”

“Dragon not mean to. Dragon happy head out of earth.Fire happy.”

“You really need to learn how to restrain yourself a little.”

“Girl.” The dragon slapped its tail around happily.

“Yes, yes. I know. She is Cyndi. She’s the one.”

“Fire… girl.”

“She can’t blow fire like you… wait, what?!?! She’s on fire?”

Hero broke his eye contact with the dragon to look around for Cyndi. He found her vigorously stepping on a white piece of cloth. She glowed in the firelight. Her skin was a milky white. He wasn’t dreaming. She was really there looking prettier in person. Hero sighed. Cyndi must be a descendant of fairies.

With its large, pointy head, the dragon nudged his shoulder. Hero snapped out of his “fascination.”

“So… what exactly are you doing with that cloth, miss?”

She turned and glared at them. Her foot was still stomping on the cloth, “Putting out the fire. Can’t you see?” She returned her full attention to the next patch of burning grass.

Hero glanced as his dragon and it gave him a shrug.

“Help put out the fire.” He demanded.

“Yes, okay.” The dragon replied lazily. 

“Forgive me!” Hero yelled out loud as he shot towards her.

Before Cyndi knew what was happening, Hero had already tackled her to the ground.

The dragon hovered slightly above the ground with its wings stretch wide. In a few flaps, all the flames died without another peep. It was as easy as blowing out a candle.

Hero only wanted to shield her from the dragon’s powerful wings but of course she thought he was attacking her like the first time.

Cyndi instinctively kneed him again. This time, harder. 

“Ah! I said I was sorry!”

“That doesn’t give you the right to knock me down.”

She pushed him off and they were both on their backs, side by side.

“If I didn’t, you’d probably be flying into that pond.”

“Phond?” Cyndi just realized he had a weird accent. It’s as if he still wasn’t get the hang of speaking. Kind of odd for a grown man like him…

“The pond! The pond!”

Cyndi sat up and looked down at him. The moon was out from the clouds. It was the first time she saw him at a good distance. Not too far and not too close. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Perhaps he was a lost angel.

“You’re not from around here, are you..?” Cyndi found it rather funny that she was casually conversing with him. Just a few minutes ago, she thought he was a monster trying to eat her.

“I’ve never been to this place.” He replied, avoiding a direct answer to her question.

“Not many come here… oh well… now it looks like any other forsaken place in Sykotica.”

Hero sat up and took a long glance around. He could tell it use to be pretty before the fire.

“How did you-“

“-make such a green place in Sykotica?” Cyndi finished the sentence for him.

“You’re going to find out, blue eyes. You and your dragon friend over there are going to help me make this place green again.”

“Call me Hero.”

“Guro?”

“Hero! Hero!”

“I’ll never get use to the way you speak.”

“I’m sorry. But it will get better. I’ll practice, now that I have you to talk to.”

“I see….” Cyndi doesn’t really “see” it. He made no sense what so ever.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“No… I don’t think I’m really old…”

“No… Cold! Cold!”

“Ohhhh…. I’m use to the cold.”

“You have barely anything covering your skin.”

“So you noticed… it’s okay. I’ll be fine. Let’s get up and find you some shelter.”

Cyndi got up first without a problem. Hero, however, struggled a little.

“Are you okay?” Cyndi held out her hand to help him up.

“If you didn’t knee me twice, I would be fine.”

“You grabbed me. What was I supposed to do? Give you a hug?”

The dragon roared. Cyndi thought it was going crazy again.

“Twice…” The dragon laughed.

“Quiet, you.” Hero spoke the words out loud.

“What?” Cyndi looked at him confused.

“I was talking to the dragon.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes. But I usually communicate with it mentally. I rarely speak out loud.”

“That explains why you have this accent.”

“I’ll work on it.”

“Work on it…” The dragon bellowed.

“Stop laughing, will you?!?” Hero was irritated. He wanted to give her a good impression but the dragon was not helping. Luckily, she couldn’t hear what the dragon was saying.

Cyndi looked at herself. She wasn’t laughing… so that must mean the dragon was laughing… And all this time, she thought it was going crazy with rage or something.

“Does the dragon understand-“

“Yes, it does. It just can’t speak out loud.”

“Look. You managed to speak… if you can manage then it shouldn’t be a problem for the dragon.”

“Hey!” Was she saying he was dumber than a dragon?

After hearing what the girl said, the dragon rolled on the ground and the earth trembled.

“Let’s go. You need some rest. Tomorrow morning, we’re all getting to work.”

Man and dragon followed the girl without protest.

Hero was starting to have second thoughts. Maybe he was better off just watching her through a glass mirror. Because this? Seriously, it feels more like a nightmare than anything else.

Now go bury your keys. (No, this is not part of the layout... or I'd be sick.)