Staying
"Are we almost there?" Daniel huffed as they pushed through yet another thicket, groaning in displeasure though the tines brushed harmlessly off his scales as they continued to walk upwards. Rylac just grinned back down at him and continued onwards through the dark forest. Half an hour ago they had just finished participating in what he could only describe as a danceclub when the blue-scaled dragon suggested that they go someone private, which Daniel agreed to eagerly. Now he began to wonder about his decision as they continued their march.
Finally the coverage broke and the two dragons stood on the edge of a grassy cliff, the waves of the bay crashed against the rocky beach below as the vibrant colors of the sky reflected off the water. From the brightening of the sky Daniel realized that the sun would be up soon and that they had prime seats to watch it do so. She asked why they had to hike through the forest instead of just flying to this locale, to which Rylac replied that it was next to impossible to find this place in the air. As they sat down the male dragon took the rucksack from around his neck and took out a few bits of food for them to munch on as they watched.
"It's beautiful," Daniel commented as he ate his snack, sighing contently as he did so. As he contemplated his imminent departure he began to dwell on his human life. Though he was a brilliant scientist he had let his work take over his life and as a result his home was a lonely one. Even his co-workers were little more than that and piled on with the stress of the work made for interactions to be strictly business and at a minimum. For the first time since he entered college he felt like he could take a breath, which caused him some slight embarrassment that he had to become a dragon to do so.
"It almost doesn't make me want to go," Daniel admitted as she rested her body against Rylac, feeling tired.
"I can honestly say I feel the same way," Rylac responded, looking down and smiling as Daniel stared up at him. "I never really allowed anyone to get close in my travels, but seeing you there acting all crazy on the beach made me want to help you. It felt... good, letting someone in again. it doesn't hurt that it's someone as beautiful as you are."
Daniel felt himself blush at the compliment, but as he pressed against him even more he could feel his eyes droop and his mind start to swim. As the sun peeked over the horizon and shined on his scales he realized that he was being pulled back to his own realm by the machine. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt an intense vertigo and a pulling sensation on his psyche, but instead of following it back to his male human body he struggled to stay in his draconic body. In the background he could hear Rylac's voice but it sounded like he was underwater as he stubbornly refused to leave his new life. It was the potential for a fresh start, one filled with the love and care of these wonderful creatures and if he had to be a female dragon to have it then so be it!
There was a sudden feeling of whiplash from the jerk on his psyche and for a second he felt like he was floating in the dark nothingness before the feeling returned to his body and the dizziness faded. When he opened his eyes again he expected to see himself back on the teleportation platform, but what he saw instead was the glittering scales of the blue-scaled dragon that looked at him in concern. "I did it..." Daniel said in awe as he looked down at his... well, he guessed he had better get started using the feminine now, her body to find everything still as it was. "I felt the failsafe pull me back and I guess I somehow shook it off, which means I'm a dragoness now."
"Welcome to the species then," Rylac stated in befuddled amazement as a smile crept across his muzzle. "Of course you're going to need someone to show you the ropes, not to mention get you established here. Luckily I can help, but it's going to take a lot of hours before-" Rylac was interrupted as Daniel leaned forward and planted a kiss on his muzzle, which took the dragon by surprise as the dragoness pulled away.
"Thank you Rylac," Daniel said before she turned her head towards the bay. "Now if you don't mind I've had these wings all night and I'm itching to finally use them." Rylac smiled even more and hopped off the cliff, flaring his wings out wide to catch the air before he glided outward, Daniel following right behind as the two dragons flew out into the sunrise.
Written by Serathin on 18 March 2017