Metaniono- Part II

(As in the last section of this story, much more took place in the role-played version than what I?m going to write. If you made good comments during the role-play and they have been pulled, it?s nothing personal. I?m just under a bit of space and time constraint in order to match the previous sections pace and mood.)

Flying out over the Char, Draxxis soon saw a small group of dragons gathered around the obsidian quarry closest to Dralk. A couple were working the stone, but most seemed to just be relaxing, enjoying the company of each other.
One of the dragons, he recognized even from a distance. Big and blue with a round, almost stupid looking head, it could only be the Helian, Tokoz. Easy prey, Draxxis thought, it?ll take my mind off the stupid dryad for a bit at least. Tokoz was quite a bit older than Draxxis, but it was well known he wouldn?t use any of that power wrongly or in rage.
He landed gracefully and majestically next to his prey, who was staring simply into a stack of obsidian before him. He was chewing slowly on a bunch of carrots, and a bit of green leaf was hanging out his mouth. It disgusted the red dragon. ?Oh hi, Draxxis,? the blue dragon said simply. His voice was deep and echoing, like many of his race, but he spoke slowly. Some who didn?t know him would say that he was speaking more surely, but the truth was that the large Helian, wasn?t all that bright.
?Did you know,? he continued, ?that when you look closely into the obsidian, it changes color? Right now it?s a kind of blue/black, a little like me, but if I put a carrot in front of it,? which he did, ?then it becomes more orange. I like blue and orange. Blue for me and orange for carrots.?
Vanda, a hatchling warming herself on the rocks nearby, lazily rolled herself over to look into some of the dark stone. ?Yes, it does,? she agreed happily, ?It?s cool.?
?Carrots?? Draxxis sneered. ?Fare meant only for naka-duskael??
Tokoz didn?t seem to notice the condescension in the red dragon?s voice, ?I suppose they eat them too.? He replied. ?I?m just trying to make this a little more interesting for myself and the carrots keep me from being hungry. Plink needs these blocks to build Celly?s plot.?
?Blocks? Celly? Plink?,? Draxxis raged, ?Tell me I?m wrong. Even you wouldn?t lower yourself to doing such menial work for the naka-duskael??
?Oh no,? Tokoz said almost shyly, ?I?d never think you were wrong, Draxxis. You?re much smarter than I am. But Celly needs these to finish building her cloth-working and alchemists shops.?
Draxxis mistook Tokoz?s sincerity for sarcasm, ?If you let them rely on you, they will only become more weak.? he countered.
Again, Tokoz couldn?t perceive of the animosity directed at him, ?They are my friends. They help me and I help them. Tyynn brings me carrots, and Celly helps me gather components for my scalecraft... Oh and Ariadni, she makes ambrosia and carrot soup for me.?
Draxxis could hardly believe what he was hearing, even if it was from a simple-minded Helian. ?Wait,? he said almost skeptically, ?You demean yourself to the work of a common pack animal in exchange for their disgusting food and unneeded help??
Tokoz continued digging and didn?t even look up to reply, ?It?s not work. They don?t pay me.? he paused for a moment, staring deep into the dark glass stone before him. ?I do it because they?re my friends. They help me sometimes too.?
Draxxis?s sarcasm was totally missed by Tokoz. ?Oh sure they do. It?s just one taking from the other back and forth.?
Tokoz again paused a moment. The conversation was pressing the limits of his mind, ?That?s one way to define friendship, I suppose. As long as it goes both ways, it?s ok, right??
The blue dragon got no agreement with the angry Lunus. ?Don?t try and obscure truth with your own slow-witted philosophy. Friendship is no more than mutual selfishness. One demanding constantly from the other.?
Vanda braced herself for a moment, knowing full well the mood that Draxxis was in and what it meant. ?Tokoz might like doing that and have naka-duskael for friends. He?s Helian, it?s not like he?s insisting you do the same.? She then rolled over and warmed a different section of her scales on the rock. She started noticeably, from Draxxis?s sharp response.
?Keep you defense of the Helian to yourself, hatchling. I?ll not hear a future Lunus of the Chet, demean herself like that.?
Vanda rolled over and set herself in a pouncing position, ears laid back in anger. But she said nothing. Draxxis was too unpredictable for her to know exactly how to respond, other than letting her anger be known.
?But it?s not like that, Draxxis. I enjoy helping others and it feels good to have them help me in return. It?s nice to know there are others I can look to if things get tough.?
?Bah!? the red dragon roared, ?How could you possibly need help from the tiny naka-duskael??
?Well, it not that I need it, although the carrots and cargo disks are nice...?
The comment on the cargo disk stopped Draxxis momentarily, but not for long. He?d used cargo disks quite often.
?But,? Tokoz concluded, ?I mostly do it because I enjoy helping them.?
?ENJOY!,? Draxxis roared load enough so that his voice echoed through the quarry. ?How dare you demean yourself and the rest of our kind? Enjoy helping the lesser races, the unscaled? We?re meant to rule them, not serve them.?
Tokoz paused in his work again for a moment and almost looked Draxxis in the eye. ?Sounds like a lot of work, ruling the world.? he said simply and returned to his quarrying.
A frightful calm seemed to fall over the red dragon and his voice had a dark snarl to it as he said slowly, ?I would prefer it if every last naka-duskael was dead. But I understand that?ll never be the case. They spread like an infectious plague.?
This thought actually seemed to trouble Tokoz and for a brief moment Draxxis thought it was possible that he was getting through to him at last.
?But,? Tokoz said slowly, almost sadly, ?How would I get my carrots??
?Live without them. Live, like you were meant to, off the meat your prey.?
Again the blue dragon sat dumbly staring into the rock before him, the mental effort taking it?s gradual toll. Vanda still stood at the ready, wondering where all this would lead. ?It seems to me,? he said at last, ?that two is greater than one.? He paused briefly, and then because Draxxis had no idea what the Helian was even talking about, was allowed to continue. ?Even if you count a biped as one-tenth a dragon... It?s still more than one dragon.?
And then deep within the depths of his slow mind, something clicked, something that someone smarter would have missed, but only the slow could comprehend with such simplicity.
?You are alone, aren?t you, Draxxis??
?I?m alone because I prefer to be alone. I don?t need anyone else.? Draxxis responded, starting to take to flight.
?That?s ok,? Tokoz said simply, not even beginning to comprehend what Draxxis was saying, but now he did look the younger dragon directly in the eyes. ?I?ll be your friend, Draxxis and then you won?t need to be alone all the time anymore.?
?I don?t need your weakness, I?m strong alone.? Draxxis fumed taking full to flight.
Tokoz watched as the red dragon flew off into the distance and then turned to Vanda who was still bristling with anger. ?Maybe he wanted carrots instead?? he said and he meant it.