Caliginosity [ Leo Valdez ]

First Date Ideas: Dragon Hunting

Curious to know how Leo was going to get them transportation in less than twenty-four hours, Livana followed him after the campfire was over. He jumped out of his seat and hurried towards the woods. Livana noticed he seemed to be thinking hard as he walked; she contemplated walking up to him or following him secretly. "Leo!" she called out, choosing the first option. He whipped around quickly and grinned.

"Livana! Wanna help me catch a dragon?" he asked, pausing his walk so she could catch up.

"Wanna help what?" She squinted as she made her way to him.

"Dragon. The thing in the forest that everyone at camp is worried about. I'm planning on using it for our quest!"

"Huh? Oh oh! Great idea! I can help?" Livana asked him.

"Yeah that's what I asked before," he smiled and offered his hand. "Right this way, m'lady." Livana laughed softly before grabbing his hand. Leo held it tightly- but not too tight- and pulled her a bit closer. "Watch your step," he spoke softly.

"I can see in the dark," Livana reminded him. "I should be telling you to watch your feet. And there's a pit there." Livana pulled him back slightly. Leo let his eyes adjust to the darkness and studied the trap.

"One hundred feet, ringed by boulders, is that a bathtub?" He sniffed the air. "Filled with Tabasco sauce and motor oil? That's just what it likes." Livana watched him study the area like a puzzle piece. He let go of Livana and said, "I'm gonna go down there. Stay out in case something happens."

"Be careful to not set it off..." Livana whispered. Leo nodded and pet her head, turning around and carefully walking into the pit. Livana felt the ground tremor slightly, making her nervous. Her sharp ears picked up the roar of a dragon close by. "Leo?"

"Shhh," he told her. Livana shifted nervously, knowing he heard it too; his attention was fixated on something in the pit. The roar became louder as the ground trembled more.

"Leo!" Livana whisper-yelled.

"Shhh!" He shushed her again, not looking back. Livana bit her lip and looked up, seeing the dragon across the pit and in front of Leo. It was sixty feet long with celestial bronze plates packed together along the mechanical beast. It had glowing red eyes, claws the size of butcher knives- but no wings. "You don't have wings," Leo commented, now looking at the mechanical beast. It stopped snarling and tilted its head, almost confused that the two weren't running away. "Hey no offense, you're amazing! Good god, who made you? But if it was me. I would have put wings on you," Leo said, admiring the dragon. "What kind of dragon doesn't have wings?"

"What if it's too heavy to fly?" Livana asked. Leo nodded.

"I should have thought of that," he sighed. The dragon suddenly stepped forward, almost into the trap. Leo shouted, "No!" making the dragon growl. "It's a trap, bronze brain. They're trying to catch you." The dragon opened its maw and blew a huge stream of blazing fire on Leo. Livana gasped and drew back a bit to avoid the heat. The flames died down, and Leo stood perfectly fine.

"You can't burn me," he said smugly. "Stay, boy. I don't want you to get caught. See, they think you're broken and have to be scrapped. I don't believe that. I can fix you if-" the dragon roared and charged, springing the trap. Livana jumped back, watching a huge net rise and wrap both Leo and the dragon- the oil and Tabasco spilling on them. The bronze creature spewed flames every which way; Leo struggled to keep from getting squished under the dragon.

"Leo!" Livana yelled, trying to avoid the blasts of heat. "What do you want me to do?"

"Ah! Do you think you could cut that rope-" Livana cut him off by grabbing a bit of her shadow and turned it into a small knife, cutting a chunk of rope by his arm. Leo fell out of the net as the dragon roared; it slammed its tail on him- Livana pulled him into her arms and out of the way. The force of the two colliding knocked Livana off her balance; Leo quickly caught her and picked her up, making a run for it.