The Tale of Tara and Emiko

XXVI-Emiko

I was about to make the most important decision of my life.

"Come on Emiko, there's a lot at stake here," Zia muttered, eyes glued to her watch.

"I......I can't decide," I replied, stressed out.

"You better," Selene retorted. "Like Zia said, there's a lot on the line. The fate of our future as friends will rest on what you say next."

"Uhhhhhh......fine, Percy Jackson! But only because I actually got through the first five books," I cried.

Selene threw up her hands. "You've gotta be kidding me. Harry Potter is so much better!"

"Hey, you know I'm more of an anime person than a book person! And I couldn't even finish the third book of that one," I protested.

"If you're so much of an 'anime person', then," Zia started, making air quotes with her hands, "answer this: Shiota or Akabane? But you can't say both."

"Hey, you're an anime person too! And if it's based on personality, Shiota, any day," I said smoothly. "But Akabane has better hair. Even Gyomei could see that."

"Can you two stop with the anime 'geeking out' already?" Selene asked, exasperated. "Even I don't understand what's going on, and I've known you two for years."

"Why are you complaining? Join us! You're the one who's fluent in Japanese," Zia retorted.

"I'm not joining your little fangirling club. Thanks, but no thanks," Selene replied with that little half smirk of hers.

"It's not fangirling, it's appreciation!" Zia said, holding back laughter.

"Yeah yeah, like I care," Selene muttered. By now we were all full-on cracking up.

Yup, these are my best friends. My two, crazy, smart, silly, and altogether awesome best friends.

Selene's the one who brought us all together. The leader of the group, you could say. I'm really grateful for her and her loyalty, because so many people have asked her to be their friend, to be in their friend group, to make them popular. So many people have gotten rejected, time and time again. She would've been the most popular person in our school, thanks to her goddess-like beauty and sunny smiles...if it weren't for her brash, brazen, and often disrespectful personality. She often enjoys insulting people she doesn't like with that sweet, sunny, stunning smile on her face.

Zia's the bookworm, the one obsessed with species outside of the ones we know. A. K. A. the mythological ones, because according to her if one of them exists what's stopping the others from existing right along with them? Plus, she speaks Dragon-so fluently that some people suspect it was her first language: a rumor I may or may not have started.

Oh yeah, that's what I forgot! Probably should've said that first, actually.

My name is Emiko Naga, and I live in a world of dragons.

They come in a variety of breeds, shapes, and sizes. Personalities, too! Although I've only worked with sunny Dlofneps and stubborn Anels and the occasional enigmatic Ecila, there are eight living species of dragons known to our world so far. Key words: so far. I want to be the first of my generation to discover another species of dragon, and-

Zia snapped her fingers, waving her hands in front of my face. "Earth to Emiko, Earth to Emiko. Don't make Vine want to sneeze in your face!" When the young Yelah heard his name, his head perked up, sapphire eyes widening in anticipation.

"Ugh, please no, I hate Yelah scalebits. They're worse than pollen," I muttered. Vine sat back down on the flower-petal carpet with a harrumph, disappointed.

"Still daydreaming about finding that new species? You haven't even got a dragon of your own yet," Selene remarked snarkily, stroking Squall. The Anel sneezed and started chasing Vine around the room.

"What Selene means to say is to not get your hopes up. We don't want you getting hurt trying to achieve such a lofty goal," Zia said softly.

"Well, Selene's also partially wrong. I'm getting my dragon today," I replied, smiling. Both Zia and Selene shrieked, shocked.

"Wait, really?!?" Selene asked.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Zia cried.

"Okay, okay, that's it. Celebratory boba tea in honor of our dear friend Emiko Naga for finally passing that blasted dragon taming assessment after four-"

Zia interrupted Selene. "Five. Five months."

I facepalmed, laugh-sighing.

Selene continued her speech. "After five months of trying and failing that test that I say should either be dumbed down for the less fortunate or just removed altogether, Emiko has emerged victorious!! I'm paying, by the way, and you can't stop me."

We all started laughing again. While Selene likes to stay quietly sharp-tongued, she sure can have a thing for theatrics.

"I appreciate the offer," I said, "but I've gotta go. I'm expected to be there in half an hour, and the next scheduled TrAmrak should be coming any minute now."

"Soooooo...we'll come with you!" Zia smiled. Selene nodded in agreement.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, the alarm I'd set signaling the dragon's arrival. All three of us linked arms and jumped out the window.

We landed safely in the cushioned compartment of the roofless rooms atop the Amrak's back, just in time to see the worker going around, collecting everyone's fare.

He sighed. "Miss Naga, I thought I told you to enter the TrAmraks the correct way last time. At the predetermined stops, not through the window of your house. And yet here you are, dragging Miss Willows and Miss Milsty down with you."

I flicked a copper coin at him, which he caught deftly. "Hey, there's no law saying I can't. And these carriages are roofless for a reason, no?"

He sighed, again. "Sit down."

The dragon lumbered on, towards the real most important decision of my life.