Humanity Reborn - A Dragon Majesty Story

Necessary Exchange

-Closing In-

A loud pattering  echoed through the pristine white corridor as Neugierde's large talons clawed him forwards towards the corridor end. The low hanging ceiling prevented him from flying, a safety precaution that was now an annoyance. 

Yellow lights flashed from the ceiling edges indicating some type of emergency. Neugierde however already knew the issue as he burst through the large doors that blocked his path, revealing his work space. Large table like structures with flashing yellow lights dotted the room. The green dragon quickly made his way to a large white terminal.

<<TARGET IN CLOSE PROXIMITY>>

<<DEFENSIVE MEASURES ADVISED>>

The message projected themselves in front of him as the dragon appeared to show no reaction aside from a small sigh.

He tapped the terminal with his talon and watched as a keyboard with otherworldly hieroglyphs projected itself in front of him. Taking a quick glance behind, he carefully entered several inputs into the keyboard.

The flashing lights, stopped.

The warnings, stopped.

Neugierde was too late.

* * * 

"Spaghetti, please." She turned her head quickly towards him. "Arc, what about you?"

Puzzled was the right way to describe his reaction to the situation at hand. From being attacked in a clothes store, to being offered food in just a matter of minutes. It was a sure fire way to confuse Arcadia.

"Uhh.. i think.." A slightly unnerving grin began to appear on her face as he hesitated to answer. "..I'll pass on food. thanks".

As the waiter left them the two sat in silence. Or at least one of them. Esteria showed signs of restlessness. Fidgeting with some of the items on the table. A salt shaker, the table number, even the small vase of flowers that sat on the side of their table. 

They sat just inside the small restaurant, there table giving them a full view of the street in which they crossed only minutes ago. The quiet murmurings of conversation from tables around them masked the absence of speech between them. But not for too long.

"Is it just me or does this seem like Deja vu?" He asked quietly. "I mean, i swear we've been here before, and i swear you also ordere-"

"No its just you" She interrupted, turning her head back in the direction of the street.

"Well then. That's real nice of you" he replied.

She faced him once again, her face conveyed a look of annoyance toward him. Her eyes were narrowed with lowered eyebrows, clearly the look of someone who wasn't impressed.

"Sorry.." he murmured

She turned back to the street. Gazing out into the crowds of pedestrians who walked its footpaths. She seemed intent on them, not Arcadia. 

"What the hell is going on with her?" he thought. "How did she go from being cautious, to downright rude in a span of an hour?"

Surely it was the incident in the clothes store he figured. But why she so eager to come to a restaurant of all places.?

He himself managed to catch a glimpse of the sky from inside. Dark clouds had began to roll in. Exactly as she predicted. The deep blue slowly being swallowed, ever so slowly. They should have began to go home by now, yet she insisted on staying here, of all places.

The silence was killing him, he had to break the tension, or lack thereof depending on perspective.

He stood up and carefully shuffled his chair under the table.

"I'm just gonna head to the restroom. OK?"

"That would be best" she hastily replied.

He found his way through the maze of tables towards the back of the store, the smell of food wafting around as he made his way. As he reached the door to the male restroom he heard was startled by a loud shuffling. 

As he turned he saw a  girl dash from her table and out onto the street.

The waiter who took their order stared back at Arcadia in disbelief.

She had ran away.

"Cancel that!" Arcadia shouted.

Rewinds Remaining: 3

Soundtrack:

'Too Late' (Paragraph 1-3)- "King's Fall" [Ace Combat 7 OST]

'Enthralling Conversation' (Paragraph 5 to second last)- "City Ruins, Rays of Light (No vocals/Quiet)" [NieR Automata OST]

'Cancel That!' (Final sentence)- "Magic Spear 2" [Ace Combat 7 OST]