Birth Grounds

Skating down a small valley-like path, I found myself lost in joy that I was finally free, one with the wind once more. I looked back while still moving forward, searching for the structure that held me. I found it, about to be lost by the bend, not that being built into the mountains wasn't enough to lose it. I liked how it was, it was, to say, like my home but everything was so much more inviting. Removed, simple, and even has forest running along side, all inviting. Except the people in it. They can go. A small hill swallowed the cave from view, only for trees to do the same. I leaned back and sighed, such a waste, but, maybe it could turn for better.

Realizing that I'm slowing down, I turn back to continue my motions, the town's roofs rising now higher than my eyes. The river slowly reached back around into view, fish jumping out to catch insects at the water's edge. I became enthralled with the fish, my stomach growled, and my face hit the dirt.

Sitting up, I rub my face free of the dirt, and looked up. The town was moments away, the outskirts insight, its people barely visible. I can finally get something to eat! I patted myself down and got up, still looking at my dirty hands. No, it's not because they're dirty. I stick out. The fact that I've been down a deserted path this whole time, and not spotted is nothing short of a miracle. I can just imagine it, someone coming from town spots me, word goes back and I'm hauled in again.

Back to my hands, I shake them together to clean them. They're huge, my hands are bigger than a normal person's. Not just that, I'm blue and white, everyone else is a tan-peach color. And I have a tail. And my hair is blue. And my eyes are purple. I don't blend. I could fix my tail problem. I still don't blend.

I hovered towards the town, working on a plan. Nothing was coming to me, except the paved roads, except... "I'll have to keep high," I told myself, even though it's not much. Just wait for opportunities. I reached the first outer building before long, and I could already hear people. I whisked myself up to the rooftop, and not a moment too soon, humans were rounding the corner.

"...Yet to see it, I want to."

"Do you want a magical pet?"

"Kind of, but it might be too much to take care of."

"What kind would you want if you had any choice?"

"I think a Fox of the Earth suits me best. I heard they can pull you through their tunnels as they dig them."

"Sounds cool."

"How about you?"

"I don't know, I don't know if I'd have..."

They were to far to hear, besides, not my kind of talk in this moment. I continued by hopping roof to roof, trying to find someplace for food. At last, a gathering with a very appetizing scent. I rushed over, and found where people were going: A small building, with a brand new sign display its name, and a vineyard look to the entryway and outdoor stations. My stomach reminded me what I had to do: get food. I placed myself at the roof of this popular building, waiting for the last person to enter. Those two from before entered too, I guess they were on their way here too.

No one was outside except some that were leaving, "No other better time than now," I told myself. I walked over to the front, and started to create a mist in one hand, and a darker, heavier one in the other. I mixed both and pour them onto the building, it rolled down the rooftop and over front of the establishment. A panic followed, it apparently entered the building, people filed out in a frenzy.

I made my way to the side where the door to the outside tables were, dropped down, and entered there.

No one noticed, everyone was screaming "Fire!" and ramming into the nearest person out the front doors.

I swept up some undisturbed fruit from the nearest table, and picked up what I could carry from another. I made my way to leave out the doors I entered, and found my path blocked by one of the humans from before.

"You?" he asked, "You did this?"

I had no intention of answering, but yes, I did. I shot a small gust of wind at his right leg, he stumbled and I swerved around. He grabbed my arm to regain balance, as I nearly dropped my prize. The frenzy was over, people were about to be back in, I had to disappear.

"I didn't know someone like you could exist," his words unfazed my thoughts, I ripped my arm from him, and slid to the doors.

I turned back to him at the door, eyes locked, "I will free them, nothing deserves to be a prisoner 'pet'." I swept myself out, and up to the rooftop, no one else noticed. I crossed town on the roofs, making the jumps as fast as possible. The sun was nearing the peak of its arc, and I reached the last building.

It had a small shady platform on it, apparently people come up to watch to sun go down, it is a nice view. I take a seat from a box and place my plunder on another, and tried to figure out all of them. Sure, fruits, but I have yet to see any off these before, but before I admire the exoticism anymore, I need one in me.

The first one to catch my attention looked as big as my eye, red skinned that was dipped in yellow with leaves sprouting from the top. I grabbed four of these little fruits, took one and bit it half-way, taking most of the yellow side. It tasted very balanced, mostly a mild sweet and made my mouth water as soon as I swallowed. I looked at the half-fruit, it was yellow-white inside, with a small seed inside. I took the seed out, and ate the remaining piece.

The next one my sight landed on was just red save for the leaves, it was pieced already, dined on, but still, I'll partake. Even the inside of this bumpy fruit was red; I touched the lingering juice, it was a solid red, no light passed. I wiped it off, or tried, it stained my fingers and I attempted to lick it off. It had a small kick, I didn't think it was too bad; Now my fingers were pink, I figured that's the best it can be for now. I took the red staining fruit and chewed off half, and spat it back out. It was immediate, it was fairly spicy, something I could much do without.

Spotting my last fruit, it looked like a small yellow hand with huge pink fingers, dryness set in. I didn't wait, I ripped one of the fingers off from the bunch and scarfed it down. The skin was thick, but easy to chew through, and it was bitter, it took care of what spices were left in my mouth. I noticed that the inside was very mushy, but I wanted to actually taste it, I peeled another finger and ate just the squishy flesh. It had a hearty-sweet taste, it was very distinct, and took over even its skin's taste. I looked back at the whole fruit, the inside of the fruit was connected, it'll go to waste if I don't eat it all now, even though it isn't too big.

I finished the pink fruit, enjoying the view of the sun still strong but falling, and people walking about. Aimless. I sat back and gazed over the town, it was simplistic in its own way, square-layers shaped, with some out of place buildings on the outside.

Yawn. I haven't slept in, too long. Flat ground feels inviting compared to being tied up. Looking at the landing for the first time, it was made of tree, as were the boxes. There was a ladder from the top of the house to the landing on my left, and to my right, a sort of net hung at two ends. It seemed very peculiar, it reminded me of how we hung pieces of tree skin to curl up in. I walked up to it, and pulled on the string to test how it held up to the stress. Everything seemed fine. I sat down on it, it shifted sideways more than I wanted, but still it held.

Yawn. They just keep coming out. I lay back in the net, it rocked as I got settled. It was very calming, I was nearly asleep. "I will free them," I looked back when I said that earlier. It felt so corny, I did mean it, but what was I thinking? I think... Yawn... It was the... Hunger talking...


---


Darkness was my vision, even though there was a certain brightness to it. A small glowing pair of yellow appeared in front of me, it was far like a river's length. They seemed to stay still while everything else felt like it was foggy, and moving around.

"~Agon fugo mih...~" The voice wasn't mine, the two glows? They moved closer, slowly, moving ever slightly.

"~Nondum...~", The glow grew with that, as if they were staring me down, they were, they were eyes!

"~Egomo invenio vos... Adhuc, memoris,~" The eyes back away slowly, and stopped at what I thought two arm lengths away.

"~Flelfen doun xe, klivs ny couhfroden.~"

Yellow flashed in front of me again, "~Vulto in alia dum relatus. Nul, fatigo non,~" and with that, they vanished, leaving the shifting world and me in it.

I think I'm in it, I can't feel myself. I'm dreaming. I think I am. I feel so awake though. But don't remember leaving that net. Or the town. Where the hell am I? I moved myself from my spot, it was weird, I could go as fast as I want or any angle, but everything was a shifting darkness. I felt like I was moving, but it didn't look like it.

A pure white ball-shaped object grew towards me from the distance, it flew fast; I dodged and confirmed that I was moving. More came, they turned into a wall, just one mass of white. I tried to go above it, but the wall never ended. I looked up, it was almost upon me. I looked back to the wall.

Tink!

I sat up in an instant, a red-yellow fruit dropped to my lap. I rubbed my forehead; what a weird dream. I sat on the side of the net, checking myself, everything seems fine... Wait, this little ball just dropped on my head. I looked around for any signs of life, finding only the people in the distance of town.

On the box where my remaining three, now two pieces of food, were placed, were folded cuts of fabric. Someone's been here, they know about me, but, they didn't take me in? Curiosity took over, I wiped my eyes and leaned closer, enough moonlight glow revealed the stack to be a fair shade of light green, bound by a braided yellow sash. There was the two fruits on top of the stack, with something thin next to them. I figured that it was words, but I can't read it, nothing past 'I' being the first word, 'you' the third, and that there's six words. It frustrated me, that I didn't know what it meant. I could guess that it is a gift, or that I should get out. I ran through what it could be, most things lead to gift; Why else have something that I could take lying next to a stranger? I mulled it over with the ball that hit my head, pushing the seed out of the fruit and placing it next to the other on the 2nd box.

I didn't know what to do, except seek out who placed these here. I crawled over to the ladder, it had a trapdoor to enter the building, just a few rungs down. I hopped down, the wind helping my silence, and cracked open the door. Inside seemed very intricate, three tables, one stretching the far end wall, and two smaller ones touching making it semi-circled shaped. Lots of little objects were scattered on the tables, very tiny string wrapped around tubes in so many colors, with pieces of cloth underneath, and pine-needle shaped pieces of metal sticking from the fabric. It looked like it was a crashed rainbow attempting to be fixed.

More to the center, there were many simple statues, no real details except the body shape. some of them had the made-up fabric and worn like the people of this town do. A lot of these looked nicer, and once again, in many sorts of colors, and varying designs.

To my left, the part not under the landing, was a platform made of fabric. Does this person have a fetish for fabric? Obsession much, though. I couldn't see much of the rest of the building, namely the backside.

"Hello, cold one," I'm seen, screw it. I swiveled my head in and my sight reached the foot of the fabric platform. Him, I can't escape him, the one that grab my arm from before. He's sitting in a soft-looking chair, with his feet held up by it. His face was lightly covered by his jet black hair, and bore a welcoming smile.

His eyes seemed to hold questions. "Are you dressed?" He asked.

What did he just ask? "What?" I questioned back.

"The green clothes. Are you wearing them?" He took a small container and raised it to his lips, and expelled a relieved breath.

I looked up, they were still there, I guess they were for me.

"The card says, 'I want you to have them,'" he spoke through the opening.

I pushed myself up the landing, and held the clothes. They were soft, nice, and light. I untied the sash and unfolded the bundle, some small pieces fell back onto the box.

"Put the smaller ones on first, and the hard ones with the long, thin one last" he told me.

I felt confused, but, seeing the shapes, I figured it out, and placed the largest on the net. I stepped through the smallest one, and pulled it up to my waist, it fit perfectly. I took a moment, it felt nice, but, it fit really well, too well. I'll question that in a bit, can't make a scene.

The second smaller one was different, and by the shape, made for my chest. The main band was stretchy, but snapped small tightly. I wondered if this would fit, it doesn't look like it. I stretch it over my head, the shoulder straps catch my head once, and pulled down around my torso. After adjusting, it fit... perfectly... again. This guy. Pervert. While I'm admiring that what I have on feels nice regardless of how new and weird this is to me, it burns to me that he knew the, if not, exact shape of me.

I just noticed black metal pieces on the box, those must be last. I took the large piece I hung on the net, and slipped it on. It worked like the second piece, it stretched to my shape, but not by much. It held to my neck, torso, shoulders and waist. The cloth billowed slowly from my waist down, like the wind held it slightly aloft, keeping it just above the ground and mostly behind me. It reached to my hands, but only held to just above my elbow, there was some that hung just before ending at my hands. The triangle shape started before my hand and dropped down about a digit's length, before making an inside curve to my elbow.

I reached down for one of the big black pieces, something shifted in the arm part. I placed the metal piece around my hand, with small difficulty I did so and it held at my upper arm. I finished with the other a bit faster, everything seemed to come into place, except, the sash and the remaining black piece.

I remembered, something's below my hands, inside. I reached in, and two small pieces were inside, they looked like they fit my hands. I didn't think they were necessary, but I wore them nonetheless. That took forever.

I grabbed the sash and the remaining two metal pieces, and floated down the opening, closing the door on the way down.

"Just about done, you did better than I expected," he got up, and was already tying the sash around my waist.

"How did you know how to..." I could get the words out, I didn't know how to say it.

"Your sizes? I just have a knack for it, and made a living making clothes. I'm so used to it, I don't need measurements if I can get up close. I can just look."

Well, he didn't touch me, that's fine, I suppose.

"Do you like the dress? It's made to feel comfortable while repelling water and the like. Does it fit well? I've only done a few, and one other like you not too long ago." He already had the two remaining black pieces on, they're anklets.

"Its nice, thank you, but there's just one thing. I have retracted wings," I felt myself blush a little, just something about talking down a gift. A very nice one at that.

"Don't worry, that can be fixed." He rushed to a door, slid it and pulled out a reflective surface.

"Take a look at yourself in the mirror, I think you're stunning." I gazed at the new me, and I couldn't look away. Just something about the 'dress' had me glowing, I felt so much light than the air that supported me.

"I take it that you love it. Now, where are your wings?" His voice snapped me back, and I calmed the the swirling wind from around my feet. Focusing on my back, my wings pushed slightly at the dress. He began to work quickly, the dress seemed to open then close quickly, he was done in a moment.

"There, try it now," he stepped back.

I wasn't sure if should, actually, a couple of questions bubbled up, "You're being so nice to me, why?"

"I never get to help anyone out, and well, you're like a perfect model for dresses, you look elegant now." My uncertainty quelled by his expressions, sincere, and sounded it, I had one more, "And might I ask a favor?"

"What is it?" He was curious, and seemed already willing.

"Something I was told in a dream, to do, just to say something while looking into another one's eyes. Could..."

"Of course, it doesn't sound like it will hurt, so I'm fine with it," he walked up to me, he was just shorter than me and made straight eye contact.

Here goes... "~Flelfen doun xe, klivs ny couhfroden.~" My vision swirled, the black of his pupils overtook my vision, dark lightning ventured across, and my thoughts were blank. I couldn't think, or recall anything, and just like that, everything was back to what it was.

I held my head, it was pounding, I couldn't figure out what just happened.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Wesley said.

Wait, I know his name, Wesley, his clients call him Wes, sowing was his passion since three, he was adopted, he had a rough life, until royalty saw his work, nobles across the land know of Wes the Best.

"I'm... Fine, I will be, Wes," my headache was subsiding.

He stepped back, "Wait, did you know my name? You seemed to act like you've never heard of me."

How to explain this, "I think I just gained your knowledge," I proceeded to rattle of some facts, trying to not hit extremely personal ones. "...And your last one like me was named Trift."

He looked impressed, "Just don't tell anyone my secrets. Actually, if I can ask of you, to visit again, and maybe one more favor in the future."

"I will, and for the favor, I'm sure if I can, I would be happy to help," For everything he's done, I could, but Trift is back on my mind, he was veiled in Wes' memories. Still nothing to lead from.

"Ohh, if you also, test your wings with the dress," Wes leaned forward, wanting to see.

I got up from the bed I ventured to, and spread my itching wings. My wings ripped my back slowly, the pain calmed quickly with my blood reaching the surface. My wings' bases finally reached the outside, my blood and scales began to close up what was left open. The feathers unfurled, the snow blue shining through the dripping dark maroon red. The floor was becoming stained, but Wes was in awe of my transformation. Oblivious to that his floor is turning red from the original gray slate. I stretched my full span, I barely hit the ceiling, and the same with the walls. I folded them back, it felt good to be myself again, even though I think my wings grew, considerably. I don't think I'll get out now, before I think I could have, but not now, not how big they've gotten.

"Wow, just, you truly are beautiful. I can't believe I'd ever see a real dragon Hybrid. I thought you were just a myth, always said to be so rare," Wes sat in awe, nothing more, nothing less. I blushed and held myself, his flattery is starting to get to me.

"Wes, I'm going to have to get going, there's something I have to deal with."

"What is it?" He snapped to at my question.

"I need to stop the production of a capturing ball," I stared seriously at Wes. This was something I had to eliminate before it got out of hand.

"A what?" Wes was taken aback at what I said.

"Something that cages Hybrid and magical creatures, and from what I experienced, it can do it, I narrowly escaped."

"Then by all means, I just hope to see you again, not stuck in one," Sincere. I'm glad someone was straight-forward about their feelings to me. "Take these, I know you'll get hungry," More of those red-yellow berries, Leppa berries.

I placed them in the sleeve, "Thank you, Wes."

"Of course, I don't like the idea of anyone starving," He opened the back double door, just big enough to allow me out, "Could I be graced with your name?"

"Nul," I responded, "Just Nul." I folded my wings as tightly as I could, and managed to get out sideways.

"Take care, Nul."

"Until next we meet, Wes," I flapped once, and the lift shot me past his house. Again and I was on my way south, to the next major city I find.