(Lunetta & Rook10) Of Scales and Gold

'Wow, can this be any more of a gorgeous day?'

Genevieve Anderson stood atop the rocky outcrop of her most recent conquest of this hike. It was an 8 mile hike with sections of steep terrain and rock scrambling, but the effort it took to reach the top was worth it. It permitted a forested view with the city in the distance which practically took her breath away. She fished out her smart phone, mindful to take a few tasteful photos for safekeeping before she sat crosslegged to enjoy her lunch and a long needed rest. Her endeavors had started at around 7 o'clock this morning, a tradition of hers to go hiking at least once a week besides working and going to school. Normally she came with friends, but neither could make it so she decided to go on her own. There was something tranquil about being alone with nature, to some it caused them to be fearful, but to her, she found peace.

The twenty year-old is a college student earning her degree in biology with a focus on zoology and in her second year of school. She was a pretty girl, dark brown hair, naturally sun-kissed skin with hazel eyes. Her figure was slim and fit from exercise, trying to keep an active lifestyle as best as she could. When you lived in a city, it wasn't always easy to make time, but she managed as best as she could. There was a lot of pressure at this age, but here, she felt like her worries could fade away with the breeze.

After much needed rest and recoup, Genevieve began to make her way down to reach the bottom of the rocky outcrop. She leapt from one section to another, landing with a soft grunt and on bent knees. About to shimmy down to the next rock, she paused when she found a large opening into the massive rock formation. Caves weren't unusual in these parts, they were usually occupied by nocturnal species, snakes and other critters, but this one was much larger. "How did I miss this?" she wondered, stepping inside curiously. She crouched low, hand against the wall as she stared into the darkness before she fetched her phone, turning on the flash light. The breeze that welcomed her was unmistakable, there must be some kind of system connecting into the mountain.

Genevieve often knew better than to satisfy her curiosity in this situation, especially alone, but she continued to move forward, quietly and carefully. There was no telling what she may come across, wildlife was always something she respected, but something drew her here. She stepped forward, the smooth surface of the rock caused her to lose her balance before she slipped down an opening and exhaled a scream of terror as she fell into the abyss, smartphone flying after her, only for her to collide a few stories down into something tough and fleshy, before falling unconscious from the impact.

Fortunately for Genevieve she slid into his underbelly, the softest part of his thick hide. Anywhere else and she would have broken something if not impaled herself.

Vinithrax had lane dormant for almost two thousand years. Wars had been waged, entire peoples wiped from the face of the earth, empires built and destroyed on the surface while the dragon slept in his lair. There hadn't been much else to do, no way out, damned humans and their crude magic finding ways to keep him trapped in here for all eternity. Now the pests were getting insi-

Something got inside. Fire welled up in Vinithrax's stomach as his body willed itself out of hibernation, his mind retaking full control of every muscle and tendon. Usually dragons slept curled up, protecting their underbellies but Vinithrax had been isolated for so long that he had grown complacent and was laid out in his dark cave prison much like a common dog would lay out on the porch.

As the creature's massive eye lids creaked open and the enormous head slowly raised from the cold stone floor steam began to fill the cavern as his now reanimated body gave off enough heat to evaporate the dampness around him. He turned his head so that one yellow eye could peer down at where his nervous system had registered the impact. What manner of.....VERMIN! Smoke streamed from his nostrils and the fire in his stomach burned even hotter as he recognized the shape and scent of the human.

Of all the things he might see after being trapped in here for so long it was a human! Disgusting, dishonorable, egg crushing, filthy, vermin! He raised one mighty claw to squash the unconscious bug before realizing two things. One was that the damned thing was oblivious to the world around it meaning there was no honor at all in killing it at the moment and the second was that he had been asleep for a very very long time and he would need information about the world as it was now.

So he slowly lowered his claw, the tips of his talons coming down gently around the human, locking her in like the bars of a cage before Vinithrax reached out with his mind to touch hers. WAKE UP!!! There was nothing gentle about the booming voice in her head, it was a demand, an order from a higher power, and it would be obeyed.

Genevieve was completely oblivious to the world around her. The steep drop had knocked her slight unconscious to the point her head throbbed with a headache and her back felt slightly stiff and sore. She remained still on the cool cavern floor for several minutes, until she began to regain some semblance of consciousness. Something had told her to wake up, some commanding voice What greeted her first was the mild pain and the darkness of the cave save for the sparse light that shone from the opening at the roof.

Exhaling a soft sigh, she shifted, slowly moving to sit up as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit area. She wasn't alone, that much she was certain. Genevieve tried to move, but something massive was blocking her, it was something living and breathing. She swallowed the lump in her throat, curling up a bit before, with futility, attempted to push whatever was blocking her way. "What the hell?" She cursed outloud. What could be so massive enough to block her? Some kind of unknown animal, but what could be so large that it's clawed hand would engulf her?

Vinithrax examined her as she stirred, the darkness of the cave no obstacle to his vision. She was pretty, by human standards. Would make for an excellent breeder or pleasure slave. The dragon shifted again, moving his feet beneath him so that he could raise his body up off the now warm stone. His eyes glowed in the dark, stabbing at her from in between his talons.

How is it that you have come here and why? He offered no explanation as to where she was. In his mind there was no way she couldn't possibly know. Yet her could smell her confusion tinged with fear. Humans were such slow creatures, terribly unaware of the world around them and firmly set in the arrogant belief that their life mattered in the vast expanses of time.

When he still did not get a response, or at least not in a timely enough matter for his temperment, Vinithrax opened his mouth and spat a glob of fire off to one side of the cave, his own mucus and bile serving like oil for the fire to burn and illuminate the cavern from the side. He brought his head closer to the human, having to turn it so that one eye could watch her closely. He could see her just fine from up above but he knew from experience that this was much more intimidating.

Now do you understand? This is not hell but I will gladly send you there. Another intimidation tactic, play off their religion, make yourself into one of their gods or demons as you see fit rather than try to make them understand what you truely are.

Genevieve was at a loss for words, and very few things could ever leave her like that. Here she was, in the dark recesses of what looked like a naturally formed cave, sitting their under what looked like the massive claws of a gigantic creature that could very well kill her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, his eyes were even glowing at her, eyeing her as if she was its next meal. How stupid of her to have explored, a vain attempt to sate her curiosity that might as well be a death sentence. There was no possible way she could leave alive.

She didn't even see its mouth open, but some supernatural ability allowed him to communicate telepathically, because she heard him loud and clear in her head. The sensation was unusual to her, and very strange. "I-" but before the confused and frightened young woman could respond, a sphere of fire was spewed, almost like it was practiced a thousand times, only to collide against the cave wall. She 'eeked' unexpectedly, crawling to the other side of the clawed cage she was currently in.

"Was that necessary?" she barked. Genevieve already came to some term she wouldn't make it out alive, but rather than let the fear grip her, the true nature of her personality shown through. "I didn't even get to answer. I was hiking and was on my way back home when I found the entrance to the the cave. I was curious and lost my balance only to drop here. Believe me, finding... whatever you may be, was not my plan. I just want to get out and leave."

She had energy, Vinithrax had to give her that much. But he was not amused by her silly stories. He had never known humans to simply go wandering into the mountains on a whim. The fact she was in his cavern had to be more than a coincidence especially since she was the first thing to enter in over two thousand years. He snorted again, little puffs of flame escaping his nostrils. It felt good to be moving again, to be awake and alive. He had spent the first hundred or so years trying to get out before resigning himself to hibernate until the magic weakened enough for him to break free.

Nonsense. No female would simply be wandering around these mountains without an escort. Where are your friends I wonder? Brave knights shaking in their armor at their doom come to life before them? Hoping I might eat you and go back to sleep so that they can scamper in here and steal my... His tail had been sweeping behind him in the cavern, waiting to make contact the the loose coins, gems, maybe a silver chalice that had fallen down from one of the many mounds of Vinithrax's life work, his treasure horde.

Yet his tail did not find any of these things when it should have which prompted him to turn his attention away from the human whilst still talking to her only for shock to stop him mid thought as he gazed upon complete, utter, earth shattering emptiness. His roar of fury echoed through the darkness, deafening as it bounced off the walls and ceiling, shaking rock loose from their places. The stone beneath Genevieve cracked and split as the beast pushed off with both fore legs to turn around and face the offensive space no longer occupied by his treasure.

The human was no longer important, the human had been forgotten entirely and Vinithrax's mind was filled only with rage as thrashed forward into the empty space as if his eyes were not working properly and accidentally coming into contact with his horde would bring it back into his vision. But there was nothing there, no bars of silver, not precious jewels, no raw metals, not mountains of gold, not even a single godforsaken copper coin!

The enraged drake spewed fire against the far wall, illuminating the cavern further but revealing nothing to placate his anger. "DEAD! THATS WHAT YOU ARE! YOU ARE DEAD! THIEVING! DIRTY! PATHETIC! ROTTEN! DEAD!" His mind shouted it openly so that anything within at least a mile could hear. Genevieve could hear him quite plainly as well as any living thing above or below all of which promptly stopped whatever it was doing and made every effort to get as far away from the epicenter of the outrage as quickly as possible. The world may not have seen a dragon's rage in thousands of years but, like wildfire, there was a instinctual fear tied to it that would never be lost.

For all of his thrashing and raging which amounted to a dragon sized hissy fit, Vinithrax was completely ignoring Genevieve and had left her the perfect opportunity to escape. The slope wasn't so steep that she wouldn't be able to climb up and she had suffered no serious injury in the fall. This was her once chance at escape while the giant lizard was distracted with fantasies of ripping the perpetrator's limbs off one at a time.

Genevieve's mind was reeling a mile a minute. This cannot be happening. Creature's of this size and capability don't exist. A lizard creature spewing forth fire with a size that rivaled commercial airplanes. She rubbed her head, wondering just how hard she hit her head, because after all, this couldn't possibly be real. But with each passing moment, the realism of it all was causing her to have her doubts. If this was a dream, she wasn't waking up, she even pinched herself, hard but no avail.

This was real, he was real. She was in the presence of a creature she's only read in story books and seen in movies. Dragons weren't supposed to exist, they always had been fantasy. Genevieve did start to freak out a bit, how the hell was she going to get out of here? The hazel eyed brunette stared up at the creature, once again her communicated with her, having doubts on the legitimacy of her story. He spoke as if he were from a different time, that was for sure. 'Who knows how long he has been down here,' she thought, wondering if there were more like him. A dragon of his size throwing a tantrum in an area this small could not be good. The only benefit to this was that

"Ahem, I don't need an escort. Not my first time I've hiked alone," she huffed a bit with a cross of her arms. "Knights? You're in a totally different time period. Only knights I ever come across are at Medieval Times..." she managed out before the great creature paused. Genevieve was started by his sudden silence, until she leapt up at the sudden ferocious roar that reverberated around the cave. She gasped, avoiding the cracking floor as best as possible. Someone was clearly very upset.

The only benefit to his freakout was that he was distracted, something was clearly taken from him. It was of no concern or problem of hers, but this was her chance to get the hell out of here! Genevieve quickly moved, sprinting over to the sloping wall, gripping the nearest protruding rock and hauling herself up, relying on her legs strength as best as she could while keeping a firm grip. She tried to avoid glancing back at him, fearing it was cause her to slip up and not be able to proceed.

The light from the entrance was growing closer, her goal, was something she never felt so relieved in seeing. There was no celebrating yet, she had several more feet to go before she reached the very top. Genevieve breathed deeply, hauling herself up over the ledge carefully. She had found the opportunity and taken it, and planned on moving as far away from this place as she could.

Escape seemed to be brushing Genevieve's finger tips. Another few moments and she would be back at the surface where she could dash into the woods and hide from the monster. The whole she had slide down and crawled back up, while large, wasn't nearly large enough for something Vinithrax's size to be able to enter and exit out of comfortably. He might not be able to get out at all!

If you run away I will burn these mountains barren. After that I will find the nearest village and burn that too. I will kill everyone, your friends, your family, the women and the children. They will all die. The words echoed in her head, icy in contrast to the heated curses and threats from earlier. There could be no mistake though, this was a promise, a statement of truth so serious that only a fool would gamble on it's maker's ability to follow through.

You are going to help me, human. You are going to help me find my gold and those who took it. If you betray me then I will kill you. If you serve me well though then you may yet live. Vinithrax had stopped thrashing about the cavern and had returned to the bottom of the slope, his eyes looking up at the shape of Genevieve's lower half mid climb. His pupils contracted at the bright light which shown down into the dark pit of his confinement.

Now get out of the way so that I can come outside and see this world for what it has become. Again this wasn't a suggestion. The tone was entirely different, one of confidence and decisiveness.

Freedom. Genevieve never felt such urgency to get out like she did now. The closest she ever felt was when she had been stalked a few years ago, the individual locked away for a felony he committed unrelated to her, a sanction she savored as it kept him as far away from her as possible. This was very close in feeling, only did her countenance waiver at his cold, calculating words. Part of her wanted to scoff and simply be on her way, there must be something that was keeping him to this cave... right? Maybe some unknown force she couldn't grasp.

She pulled herself to the very top, on her hands an knees as she regained herself as much as she could, the slight exertion had her heart raising, sweat escaping her pores in a diluted mixture of fear and fatigue. He wouldn't dare, would he? Genevieve had no idea what he was capable of, whether there was any deception in his words. Part of her didn't want to imagine that his words held some truth. It disgusted her.

Genevieve refused to answer the demanding dragon, instead walking out into the open air. She inhaled deeply, a sight of relief in the comfort she felt being outside. But rather than linger, she moved down the mountain as fast as her legs could carry her. The last thing she wanted to be was this thing's errand girl. Gold? Where in god's name would she find any of that? She barely had a car to her name for all she cares. This arrogant piece of work probably won't take no for an answer, heck he probably never had anyone tell him no.

Vinithrax had forgotten that humans, by their very nature, were foolish and had to be made to understand the facts of their existence. Sure she could have simply been following his orders but his acute hearing easily discerned the pounding of her feet on the ground above. She was running with no intention of stopping simply because he told her to.

Normally he wouldn't care, one stray human was hardly anything to worry about. Disobedience was in their blood anyway. But he needed THIS human. This human had somehow gotten into his cave and he found it hard to believe it was mere coincidence that she just happened to be the first thing to wander in after the magic wore off. So he needed to make her understand, like he had done hundreds of others in his time, that consequences would follow her actions.

Originally Vinithrax had intended to revert to his own human form and climb the tunnel himself but that would have taken too long. He was a good hunter but the world had changed too much, now that he had some time to think about the human's behavior, strange clothing, and even stranger way of speaking, that much was clear. His claws bore into the stone around the slope and broke it away in chunks. He did this with an aggression and haste fueled by a desire to regain his stolen treasure and when that much bone and muscle had a clear purpose there was little that could stop it.

Genevieve probably would have made it to the tree line or even a little farther by the time the mouth of the cave exploded open with chunks of rock flying everywhere. The dragon emerged from the tunnel, shacking the dirt off himself as his full body came into the sunlight. His sage green scales did not glisten like emeralds but instead somewhat resembled his natural surroundings just as nature would intend it. The thin membranes of his wings though resembled wine in a glass when the sun shone through it...or blood dripping from a corpse.

Remember human, you chose this. He announced before opening his maw and setting a jet of fire at the wood line, aiming high at the branches. The air popped and cracked from the heat as his head moved from left to right, liquid fire igniting the trees in a brilliant blaze. Fortunately it was not the dry season and the fire would not spread on it's own quite so easily. It was still quite a display though and would leave little doubt in anyone's mind as to the dragon's destructive capabilities.

He did not wait to see if fear would bring her back to him, he doubted it would. Instead powerful legs launched a body seemingly too heavy for natural flight into the air, huge wings flapping and blowing the flames deeper into the forest. Vinithrax circled once before spotting the rather worn hiking path that humans had worn down over the years. He closed his wings to his body and plummeted towards it, crashing through a pine tree before coming to a stop across the path. It was doubtful she had noticed his landing in the chaos and even more doubtful she had already ran this far down the path to begin with.

It had proved to be a challenge to move down the slopping rock formation. It was one thing to climb up, but to climb down with a dragon at your heels was an entirely new experience. She almost slipped not once, but twice in her haste, admitting the fall would've been a very nasty and potentially crippling one, only aiding in the dragon's capture of her. But once she leapt down from a height of about five feet, crouched into a roll she took off once she regained herself she took off.

What had warranted this happening? She had simply wanted to have a peaceful hike on her day off, only to be flung into a world where dragons apparently exist! She felt like she was going to lose it.

Legs and arms pumped as if the devil was on her back, the sound of a something ascending into the air with a sharp wisp, the sound of boulders skipping and rolling off the side of the mountain. Genevieve steeled herself from looking back, instructing herself to simply look forward and keep going. Even from this distance, his voice came to mind.

Remember human, you chose this.

'I sure as hell didn't ask for this!' she thought bitterly, sprinting towards the familiar path, running through the lines of trees just as they were set ablaze. Genevieve's heart was racing, her legs ached, lungs begging for rest, but the flames consumed the trees, the heating practically licking her bare arms and calves as smoke began to blind her vision, replace the oxygen in her lungs. The exertion of running and the cloud of smoke that began to accumulate was too demanding for her.

Genevieve kept pushing herself, covering her nose and mouth with the neck of her shirt as she slowed to a jog, oblivious to the shadowed figure that blocked her path. Her consciousness began to waver, like a cup tipping back and forth. She heaved another breath, losing control in her movements as she fell to her knees, cushioning her fall before she fell over onto her side, knocked completely out of consciousness.

Vinithrax scolded himself as he watched her crumple to the ground in a heap. He had pushed this one too far, humans were such fragile beings. He walked forward, his claws deeply imprinting the ground where it was soft. He delicately lifted her from the ground with his claw, careful not to accidentally split her open or crush her in his grip. The fire he had started wouldn't spread far, he intended it that way, but it would produce a lot of smoke. Being the curious lot they were he was certain more humans would arrive shortly and he didn't want to deal with that right now.

There was too much he didn't know, even in the few moments he was on the surface he could already smell the difference in the air, the pollution, the stench of human colonies and their waste but in such numbers it seemed impossible. He needed answers and for now it was Genevieve who was going to provide them. So with her in hand he took to the air once again and flew low until he found a suitable spot that he remembered. The waterfall had changed very little in the past two thousand years, the flow was perhaps a bit less and the foliage was a little different but the basic premise remained the same.

Vinithrax set Genevieve on his back and shielded her with his wings as the passed under the fall and into the cavern behind. It was a suitable size to hide them for a little while. He set her down on a rock and figured it was safe to leave her there for a few moments while he tended to a hunger beyond imagining. It took a little longer than he had planned, less deer now than back before, but he returned shortly with a stag limp in his mouth. For something Vinithrax's size it was hardly a meal but it would do until he could properly hunt at night. He sat so that his body blocked the falls and cornered Genevieve inside while he took his kill apart and played with his food a bit to pass the time and to savor the flavor of venison after so long.

Even the meat tastes different. He thought out loud to himself like someone might talk to themselves if they were alone. What did you do to this planet? There was a tone of concern and confusion to his thoughts. As if he was worried and maybe even...scared?

Genevieve had been oblivious to the world around her in her state of unconsciousness, the smoke inhalation made sure of that. It hadn't been enough to kill her, but enough to cause her to pass out. She was carried, limp as a rag doll, into another cave, she would be thrilled when she woke up. That was meant to be sarcastic.

The brunette stirred, breathing deeply as her eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times from mild blurriness. What registered first was that it was relatively cool down here, dark, and there was the constant sound of water moving from a height. It wasn't rain falling, but a waterfall. She rubbed her eyes a bit, slowly sitting up right at her own pace to avoid dizziness, managing to accomplish that. How did she possibly get here? All she recalled was that she had been hiking... then she had been running.

Immediately, her eyes found none other than the dragon that had been hell bent on chasing after her, and a feeling of dread gnawed at the pit of her stomach. It had been a hope of hers that this had been all a severe nightmare....

But it wasn't.

Here she was, in another cave, the dragon that ha been fixated on keeping her from escaping was blocking her only exit, enjoying the remnants of a meal of what was most likely deer. Genevieve stared at him, feeling defeated. There was no way she could outrun him. "I don't know who you are, or where this gold is you speak of. I can't be of much help, I didn't even know you existed." She was growing desperate, and hoped reasoning would help.

o-Lunetta-o said:

Genevieve had been oblivious to the world around her in her state of unconsciousness, the smoke inhalation made sure of that. It hadn't been enough to kill her, but enough to cause her to pass out. She was carried, limp as a rag doll, into another cave, she would be thrilled when she woke up. That was meant to be sarcastic.

The brunette stirred, breathing deeply as her eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times from mild blurriness. What registered first was that it was relatively cool down here, dark, and there was the constant sound of water moving from a height. It wasn't rain falling, but a waterfall. She rubbed her eyes a bit, slowly sitting up right at her own pace to avoid dizziness, managing to accomplish that. How did she possibly get here? All she recalled was that she had been hiking... then she had been running.

Immediately, her eyes found none other than the dragon that had been hell bent on chasing after her, and a feeling of dread gnawed at the pit of her stomach. It had been a hope of hers that this had been all a severe nightmare....

But it wasn't.

Here she was, in another cave, the dragon that ha been fixated on keeping her from escaping was blocking her only exit, enjoying the remnants of a meal of what was most likely deer. Genevieve stared at him, feeling defeated. There was no way she could outrun him. "I don't know who you are, or where this gold is you speak of. I can't be of much help, I didn't even know you existed." She was growing desperate, and hoped reasoning would help.

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Vinithrax watched her, the look on her face telling him that almost all the fight had been worked out of her. Still though there was something admirable about how she didn't just scream or resign herself to being eaten. Not that Vinithrax would dream of eating her, humans as a whole were disgusting creatures and a pain to try and eat.

"I know. If you knew who I was and where my treasure was you would have told me by now." Vinithrax said to her matter of factly. "All the same, you've seen me now and were somehow to enter my cavern. I need a guide in this world so that I can find my gold. What happens after that is yet to be decided but it never hurts to have a dragon on your side." It was clear to him that he was going to have to incentivize female if he hope to gain her assistance without having to threaten her beyond reason.

Genevieve fell quiet for a few moments. Was he seriously asking her to be his tour guide? The idea seemed ridiculous to her. She normally wouldn't mind jumping to such for a person, considering she's lived here most of her life so she's familiar with the city. And yet... What choice did she really have? He wasn't here for sight seeing, he's eager to reclaim what was rightfully his, and from his reaction in the cave, he seemed completely distraught at having his things taken from him.

Rather than answer right away, she exhaled a soft sigh, running her hand through her dark hair. "Fine, I'll help you find your 'lost treasure', but I can't bring you to the city. It's not exactly dragon friendly." She imagined, with faint amusement, how cumbersome it'd be for him to simply walk the streets, he was simply too large. Her hazel eyes stared at him, slowly moving to stand.

Vinithrax continued to watch her as she mulled it over. A few ribs snapped between his jaws, the marrow leaking out onto his tongue as he continued to treat the dear much like a dog would treat a pig ear, chewing and gnawing on it. In truth he just wanted to savor the taste of fresh meat for a little while for it had been far too long. Eventually the human came with her answer and, unsurprisingly, an excuse.

"Don't be ridiculous. If I continued on as I am now then those who stole my treasure would have too much warning of my vengeance." He replied before casually tossing the dear carcass to the side and out of the way. "Count yourself lucky, human. Not many have seen what you are about to see." Vinithrax twisted his massive head, rolled his shoulders and flexed his hind legs, all of his joints popping in the process and an audible groan, if you could call it that, escaped his maw. Then, right before Genevieve's eyes, he began to shrink! He wasn't just shrinking though, his scales were changing color and shape, his wings seemed to melt into his body and his tail was sucked up into his spine.

His neck compressed down into his shoulders and the claws disappeared into separate digits. It wasn't quite as gruesome as it was awkward. Even stranger there was no sound associated with it. At the end though there was just a man on all fours with his head bowed. He stood, still cradling his head in one hand as if he had a bad hangover. He stood at about six feet, his muscle tone was above average, skin pale but nearly flawless. His hair was a jet black and as he finally raised his head to look at Genevieve one could easily make out a well groomed, if not a bit out of style, beard and mustache. The most notable feature though were his eyes which shone a brilliant emerald green. Well there was that and the fact that he was naked from head to toe.

"Gods it's been awhile since I've done that!" He looked around the cavern almost in awe. "I'm so bloody small, ugh! This will take some getting used to." He put his hands on his lower back and leant to feel his joints pop yet again, completely oblivious to the show he was giving Genevieve at the moment.

Genevieve stood their, feet apart and her arms crossed. She couldn't believe she was actually considering on helping this... creature! 'But he's not just any creature... he's a dragon, and this really isn't just a dream,' she mused as he mangled the deer carcass as if it were a stuffed toy, ripped apart with ease. Genevieve had living, tangible proof of what he his, he was standing right before her, but she had trouble coming to terms with it... how could she, an average, ordinary individual, unleash a two thousand year old dragon? It sounded like the synopsis one of those fantasy novels she used to love reading.

She arched a brow when he told her to count herself lucky. Lucky to what? Before she stood there, witnessing his transformation into what seemed like a more reasonable form for him to wander a human city in. There, right before her eyes, the massive dragon began to shrink, his size reduced to and compacted into a human body that Genevieve did not expect he could do. Her mouth was left agape, her tense shoulders slacking a bit as she stared at him in total awe and... embarrassment? It was one thing to witness a dragon in its form, but magic abilities? She had a feelings things were only going to get weirder now that she associated herself with him.

"Uhm..." she quickly looked away with flushed cheeks, realizing she was staring at his naked form, which he seemed completely oblivious to. "Alright, well, let's get going. You need some clothes if you want to blend in," Genevieve instructed before she reached into her bag, fishing out a wind breaker before handing it to him blindly. "Tie this around your waist, I can't be parading you around, we still have to walk back to my car." Without really waiting, she already began to lead their way back down the trail and towards the dirt parking lot.

Genevieve scouted the area, seeing several other parked cars but no one around, so she quickly unlocked the car, opening up the passenger side. "Hurry and get in." It was a midsize sedan, a few years and thousands of miles on it but it still ran well thankfully. Once her new passenger was in, she stepped into the driver's side, turning the key in the ignition. 'How am I going to bring him home?' she wondered. Being a student and working, he was unceremoniously dropped into her life and only complicated things. The only benefit was that she was on summer vacation, so work was her only concern at the moment.

Vinithrax cocked an eyebrow at the strange garment she handed him. It took him a moment to realize he was what the humans referred to as 'naked'. Dragons didn't wear clothes so there was no concept of indecency in relation to being exposed. But humans with their fragile and bare bodies required clothing to feel comfortable and there were different rules that applied to different genders. That much he remembered.

He wrapped the wind breaker around his waste useinf the sleeves to tie a knot as he turned to follow Genevieve out from behind the waterfall. "What in blazes is a car?" He wondered aloud as he followed her down the trail. Walking on two feet was very strange, very unstable. He damn near tripped and fell on his face more than once. When they finally reached the parking lot he followed her to the designated object.

"Where are the horses?" He asked as he curiously reached out and patted the metal body of the vehicle before climbing in. He visibly jumped a bit when she turned the ignition and the engine started up. "What in the? Well this is new." He commented as he looked around the vehicle. It was his turn to be somewhat amazed. For all his strength and experience he knew nothing of the world as it was now, only what it had been.

Genevieve couldn't help but feel some amusement. He has been asleep for hundreds of thousands of years, times have certainly changed from what he last remembered it. It would require some teaching and patience, she imagined him almost like a little kid, relearning the environment around him. The strange objects and nuances of modern day life... boy this was going to be a very interesting summer.

She decided to explain to him as best as she could, she was a pretty patient person... for certain things. "People don't use horses all that much, only for recreation, sport and maybe carriage rides for special occasions," she explained as she backed out of the parking spot before carefully maneuvering out of the narrow lot and onto the road. "Cars are basically mechanical vehicles powered by fossil fuels, some partially electric. They help mobilize people since, you know, we can't fly, at least in the way you're used to. It's a practical way of getting around. Unfortunately, they aren't the most sustainable way of living. The car revolutionized the ways communities were built and such, allowed people to live further and further out."

They reached the open road, a long stretch of highway heading back into the city. It would be roughy a forty minute drive before they reached the city and her apartment. She already knew her roommate was at work, thankfully their schedules were polar opposites so the last thing she needed to worry about was explaining a naked man in their place. They drove by stretch of forest, until the towering buildings of the city could be seen before them. It wasn't long until they reached the outskirts, where her apartment was located. It was still daylight, and people were walking around, so she simply prayed no one she knew personally would catch her sneaking...

"By the way, I don't even know you're name. Since we'll be spending time with each other after all... I'm Genevieve," the brunette introduced.

Vinithrax stared at her as she explained things to him. Half the words she used he didn't understand in the least and so he chalked it up to human magic and meddling in things they had no business with. "Very good." He replied, his pride preventing him from admitting such ignorance. He spent to better part of the trip trying to work out what she meant by humans flying, the idea sounded ridiculous. He stared out the window trying to remember compare the land to what he remembered but it was all so very different. When he first spotted the outline of the city in the distance he imagined that a new mountain range had appeared and humans had carved it into rectangular shapes but as they got closer he could plainly see that was not the case. These were structures much greater than any castle he had ever seen, he wondered how much of his gold was tied up in these silly things.

As they passed through the suburbs he realized that the human population had grown considerably and their dwellings had changed as drastically as their transportation had. Eventually it all became too much and he had to close his eyes and lean his head back against the seat. What on earth had happened while he was asleep? At her mention of names though he looked over at her.

"Well met, Genevieve. I am Vinithrax the Highspoken, first of his clutch, born of Vanuel and Parthrax, born of..."His lineage continued on for another three generations and two, supposedly, noteworthy deeds before he finally stopped. He wasn't trying to impress anybody, she was a human after all and a woman at that, but this was just how a dragon was, prideful, to a fault.

Genevieve pulled into a spot in front of the four story building. These were among the cheaper parts to live in the city, contrary to popular belief. The city center was among the most priciest places to live, something a college student couldn't possibly afford unless her occupation involved something controversial. There were reasonable and lovely houses that were pricey, but this was an affordable place designated for college students so it was affordable in her case. Not the most luxurious place, but everything worked and wasn't falling apart, thankfully.

"Vinithrax..." she tried the unique name on her tongue. "That's quite the title. Uhh, how about we shorten is to Vini? Are you alright with that?" she inquired before undoing her seatbelt and looked around from the inside of the car. "Okay, it looks like the coast is clear," Genevieve insisted, exiting the car before she motioned him to quickly follow her. "Come on."

They made their way through the door, to the foyer, her keys ready as she unlocked the first door. There was no elevator, so stairs were their only option. Genevieve hurried up them, mindful of anyone that may be leaving their apartment. They reached the third floor, to apartment 3A. She unlocked the door swiftly, exhaling a sigh of relief until she heard the door next to hers beginning to unlock. Unceremoniously, she shoved Vinithrax through her apartment door, and kept it partially closed.

"Hey Gen!" an animated male voice beamed at her.

"Hi Jason," she smiled and gave him a slight wave.

"Heading back from your hike?"

"Yep, strenuous few hours for me, but well worth it."

"Looks like it," he replied, "Hey maybe we can go out sometime, whenever you're available..."

"I'll let you know," she said quickly, "I really have to get ready and take care of somethings."

Jason smiled again at her before giving her a wave, "See you around then."

Flashing him a parting smile, she quickly moved into her apartment, locking the door behind her. The front door led into a small hallway, which brought one into the living room to the left, a hallway to the bathroom and two bedrooms could be seen if explored.

"Okay, I think I have a pair of sweats and a shirt you can borrow for now," she began, walking into her bedroom.

Vinithrax scowled a bit at her shortening of his name but didn't have time to raise the issue as she quickly got out of the car. He himself hadn't been wearing a seat belt because, well, he didn't know what that was or what it was for. He got out and followed her, the windbreaker parting in the back so that anyone could have a peek at his ass, not that he cared. The building looked like an adequate size but he was disappointed as they entered and he realized it resembled a beehive or an ant mound. Tiny halls that broke off into tinier rooms. It seemed that he would be stuck in his human form for some time.

He followed Genevieve up the stairs and to the indicated room with little comment, he was otherwise occupied with thoughts like, What kind of stone is this? Why does it smell so strange in here? She doesn't have a bad ass for a human. and so on and so forth. He slowly, almost cautiously stepped into the doorway as she opened it for him, taking in his surroundings before being unceremoniously pushed inside and the door partially closed in his face. Before he could protest once again he heard another voice, distinctly male, talking to Genevieve.

He stayed quiet and listened to their conversation and how Genevieve seemed in a hurry to part ways. When she finally stepped inside, Vinithrax commented, "That man seems fond of you. Why not let him court you?" Curiosity often got the better of Vinithrax, the price all beings paid for higher cognitive thought processes. He stood in the living area as she walked back to her room. "And what are 'sweats'?" They did not sound like anything...pleasant.

The apartment was decently furnished, large, worn, black leather sofa, dark brown coffee table and a flat screen TV and cable console directly underneath. The cabinets in the kitchen were dark in color, lamented counter tops and subpar appliances. Everything was clean, to say the least.

Genevieve walked into her room. It was a 10 by 10 ft room, a wooden framed, full sized bed situated at the corner, with a white dresser and mirror, along with a full body mirror and a closet against the wall opposite to the bed. A purple, circular shag rug brought some life to the room, along with some sheer fabrics along the curtains of her window.

She pulled open a drawer, looking before she realized where she had stored his clothes. Genevieve grabbed the pair of sweats that looked like they could fit Vinithrax, and a large t-shirt with a Chevrolet logo on the front. She heard his question, curious as it was she stepped back out into the living room, where her new half naked guest stood.

"I just got out of a longterm relationship," Genevieve admitted, unfolding the pair of sweats first and handing it to him while she kept her face averted. "I'm not looking to date anyone currently... Anyway, these are sweats, they're cotton material and pretty warm. Thankfully I didn't throw them out like I did the rest of his things," she mumbled the last part. Once Vinithrax placed them on, she handed him the shirt, unfolded as well.

"Ah yes, trousers." He commented as he took the offered clothes, associating them with the item from his time period most similar. Getting the pants on was a bit tricky, he had to be careful trying to balance on one leg, but he eventually got them on. He wasn't quite sure what she meant by a long term relationship but he imagined there must have been some cultural changes in the last few hundred years to say the least.

"And who might 'he' be?" Vinithrax asked as he tried to find his way through the shirt, first putting his head through an arm hole before realizing that must not have been right and trying again, discovering the middle hole was largest and most accommodating. He look down at the crest on his chest, "And what is this? The symbol of your house or kingdom?" He looked around the room. "And what is that?" He pointed at the TV. "It's a very bad mirror if that's it's purpose." He turned and examined himself in the dark screen, still trying to piece together this new world and understand what he had missed in past few thousand years. His treasure seemingly forgotten under the mass of new information pouring into his brain.

Genevieve realized that the language he was used to was very different from what was spoken today. She would have to probably explain certain terms in detail or words that he had used back then. It sounded very middle English, so hopefully her sparse knowledge from watching movies and reading books pertaining to that time period would at least help. "Sorry, I probably sound like I'm talking in riddles. He is someone I used to date... or court in your words," she began crossing her arms as she stared over at the dining room, towards the open window. "I was with the same guy for almost three years, until I found out he was with someone else also during that time," she explained, almost bitterly.

It wasn't a topic she normally mind speaking about, they ended things a few months ago, but the wounds were still raw.

Genevieve averted her gaze back to him, both grateful and disappointed in his state of dress. He was very good looking, she had to admit. She couldn't resist giggling, "The symbol is a part of corporate America... No it's the symbol for a car business. Their emblem I guess you'd call it." His attention fixated on the television made her excited. Wait till he feast his eyes on this! "That's a television, it's an electronic device that displays images for entertainment, here, I'll show you."

She walked over to the coffee table, grabbing the television remote before she powered it on. It took a few seconds, but the black screen came to life and produced the images she spoke of. It was on some midday soap opera on one of the news channels. Not her taste in show, but she had watched the news before she left. Genevieve stood beside Vinithrax, showing him the remote. "If you ever want to watch when I happen to not be with you, the red button turns it on and off, this button controls how loud you want it to be... and this is where you can change the channel. Each channel will have its own show, movie or program on so it's all something different."

To think this was only the start of things.