The Domestic Dragon

Part 5: Pride

I ran into Christine almost immediately in my search for Hank. It was impressive to see her direct people around. Some young children had made their way to their older siblings rooms, scared and hoping for protection. Christine lead them to their siblings and though she didn't know why she forced everyone into their rooms unless they planned to be fighting. She trusted Alenia, and that was more than enough for her. I walked up just as she was arguing with a particularly stubborn year 14 girl that I happened to know from Lore.

"Who do you think you are? Walking around telling us what to do!" Sandra argued, clearly prideful. I rolled my eyes, now was not the time for that sort of nonsense. 

"Sandra," I said, noticing how relieved Christine felt to see me even if she didn't show it. "What's the problem?"

Christine didn't seem to mind that I had asked Sandra what was going on. As always she was especially pragmatic. I began to worry for Alenia, most of her team was made up of emotional people. Would they keep a level head or would Alenia die protecting them? Now wasn't the time to think like that, though, so I forced myself to pay attention to Sandra's miffed explanation. 

"Chrissy-" I nearly laughed at the murderous gaze Christine gave Sandra when she heard the unapproved nickname. "-here is telling everyone to go to their rooms unless they want to fight! Who does this bitch think she is?"

"Did you see the fire?" I asked plainly. Sandra nodded. "So, maybe, you can understand that things have gotten a bit intense and maybe Christine, best friend of the only dragon in the school who could possibly do something like that, has some inside knowledge about what is going on?"

Sandra glared, "I don't have time for that fucking crush of yours. Chrissy here isn't in charge and I'm damn well not taking orders from a second rate slut monster!"

Christine acted fast, clearly concerned that I would try to stop her, but I was more than happy to let her attack Sandra uninhibited. We weren't chosen for this role because we were weak, and Sandra was one of many who needed to be taught that. I was sick of being discounted because I didn't have a six pack or bulky, muscly, build. 

Christine reached forward and gently touched the side of Sandra's face. Once there was skin-to-skin contact Sandra didn't stand a chance. Christine brought their mouths together and kissed her fiercely, making me feel a little uncomfortable and turning more than a few heads in the hallway. When she pulled away Sandra swayed in place for a moment and struggled to compose herself. If the fear radiating off of her was any indication, she had been drained of quite a bit of strength. 

"Now isn't the time for a pissing fight," Christine all but growled. Ironic, considering that was what she had just won. "Now get into a dorm and prepare to protect kids if it comes to it."

By now Sandra was blushing a deep maroon and nodded before running off to a dorm that I could see 4 kids in. She closed the door behind her and I chuckled. 

"I am directing kids to their dorms," Christine said. "But wouldn't it be better to hold up in the cafeteria or something?"

I shook my head, "Hank has been working on rune protection built into the school. Once I find him I'll get him to activate it."

"If he hasn't already," Christine said and I found myself agreeing with her assumption. What was with Alenia and her friends always being right?

"I need you to tell people to call their parents and get them to come here as fast as they can," I said. "If they live too far then their parents need to leave the UHA and head to Crescent City, California." We couldn't escape the UHA by kidnapping a bunch of children. 

Christine nodded and walked away without further word. I would have said something, because goddamn could that woman be rude, but I knew exactly what she'd say if I protested. 'Now isn't the time for your feelings, Mike, grow up.'

I grumbled as if that had actually happened before turning around and heading to the Lore commons, hoping that Hank would be there and planning to set up Alenia's laptop and start calling parents. I walked through the halls and it seemed that Christine was acting fast. Most students weren't there and so I focused on sending calming vibrations to the other people. I couldn't force calm onto myself, couldn't ignore the reality of what was happening, but I could do it for everyone else. 

The truth was that, despite my mask and my control over myself, I was terrified. This was already not going to plan and prophecy or not we had started this and the responsibility was on us to finish it. I had no doubt that we could handle the teachers on our own but what about the reinforcements that would inevitably come? What sort of backlash would students in other schools face because of us? What about the parents? Not to mention that while I was fairly confident in Alenia's ability to defend herself I had other loved ones and close friends in this school that I didn't want hurt. 

"Mike!" I jerked my head out of my thoughts as I rushed thorough the hallway. I looked to find the source of the noise and felt betrayed by the sense of relief when I saw Wes unharmed. I almost wished to be so petty that I wanted him hurt, or didn't care one way or another. Instead I felt glad that my long time dorm mate was safe. "What's going on?"

I almost turned around, announced that if he wanted to hear anything from me he shouldn't have said what he said or done what he had done but I couldn't. The night that I worked with Alenia and we discovered her wings seemed so long ago and though I remembered it as if it were yesterday I couldn't find it within myself to still be upset. It seemed that, given the circumstances, I had forgiven him. For now.