GummyDragon

If Yakuza had been startled the first time Ascaris came back, nothing compared to the second. In a month, Yakuza had recovered his senses. He stayed away from the part of the city he’d met Ascaris in. He and Silence hid during the day, worked at night, endless routine, endless blood. It was almost time to leave this city and move on. The second time Ascaris came back, he was better prepared. Yakuza received only the brief warning of something coming into his range- fast, very fast, and he turned around, and then Ascaris was there, his hands tight around Yakuza’s wrists. It genuinely took a moment for Yakuza to react but when h

For the next week, Yakuza was near catatonic. He did his work, he slept, he carried out Silence’s instructions, but he did not speak, did not do anything in his free time other than sit still, waiting for nothing, no matter how many times Silence scratched or bit him. For Silence, this was damn awkward. Yakuza wasn’t exactly cheerful or chatty but he was used to at least some kind of communication. Although, in some ways it was useful. Yakuza didn’t talk back or complain, just carried out his work like a robotic soldier. But his heart and mind weren’t in it, and sooner or later that would lead to mistakes. Couldn̵

Yakuza stopped when he heard the noises, beyond the range of his senses. The sound of shoes hitting pavement, but not footsteps, not exactly. Silence shifted, then leaned his mouth next to Yakuza’s ear. “Behind you.” He drew his katana and spun around, pointing the blade although he still could not sense what he was pointing at. “Reveal yourself.” There was a soft noise of surprise, followed by quiet steps against the sidewalk. Slowly the person entered his range. They were tall, nonhuman, with three pairs of wings curved at their back. Yakuza double checked this, but there were three; the largest set were feat

Click, click, click, click. His boots on the pavement. Chirp chirp, chirp chirp. A few birds on the roof above him. Rustle, rustle, swish. A tree ahead, mixing with the sound of the wind. Scchwish, flutter. His wings behind him. “Are you paying attention?” “What?” He tilted his head towards the voice. “I said, are you paying attention?” One of the dragon’s whiskers brushed his shoulder as the dragon climbed up his back. “Or you lost in dreamland again?” “It’s hard to listen for everything and listen to you, Silence.” He gently nudged the dragon with one wing, and S