My Dragon Dad!

Painting has the power to soothe the soul, elevate the spirit, and bring a sense of tranquility to a dragon's life. More intriguingly, it can bestow upon a dragon an air of wistful melancholy, a quality reputedly favored by princesses in the human realms, who are often drawn to those possessing a handsome and introspective demeanor.

With the aim of cultivating such a temperament, Lance, a formidable black dragon, took up the brush and learned the art of painting. As his skills grew, so did his reflective nature, though whether this transformation made him more appealing to princesses remained a mystery. Despite his new artistic flair, no princess dared approach him; instead, his somber mien seemed to frighten them, causing more than a few to weep at the sight of him.

Lance often pondered if perhaps it was the fearsome red dragons, with their fiery scales and fierce dispositions, who truly captured the princesses' hearts. Their scales shone like embers, commanding attention and admiration. While he believed his own scales were even more striking, if subtly so, their beauty required a discerning eye to appreciate, an eye skilled in recognizing the nuances of elegance that were not immediately obvious.

Such discerning eyes were rare, and Lance knew that not every creature possessed the dragons' unique vertical pupils, capable of perceiving beauty in all its forms. Nevertheless, he was unconcerned. His venture into painting was never truly about winning a princess's love but about showing the world that he was more than just a typical dragon. He was not the malevolent beast of legends, forcing princesses to love him or pillaging human settlements.

His intentions were pure, and he sought only to reveal his creative soul to those willing to see beyond his fearsome exterior.

As he mused on these thoughts, his reverie was broken by the playful barks of two hellhounds bounding toward him. Marly, the spirited canine with two heads, nuzzled affectionately against Lance's tail before settling down by the easel, ensuring he remained within the dragon's line of sight. Their simple, loyal presence was a comfort, reminding Lance of the genuine connections he already possessed.

This particular wisdom was hard-earned through numerous encounters with the mighty black dragon, Lance. Marly, the two-headed hellhound, had been stepped on by Lance three times, felt the harsh lash of his tail dozens of times, and been inadvertently squashed under Lance's hefty dragon rear hundreds of times. Despite these ordeals, Marly's spirit remained unbroken.

Now, as the turtle floated serenely on the sea's surface, allowing the baby dragon to meticulously clean its shell, Marly watched with a hint of jealousy. The turtle clearly favored the young dragon's method, showing undisguised disdain for Marly. The young dragon employed a brush for cleaning, a technique apparently more acceptable to the fastidious turtle.

But Marly had its own unique cleaning regimen. It would begin by unleashing the fiery breath of hell to sterilize the turtle's shell, followed by a thorough licking, leaving the shell shining brighter than ever before. However, the turtle remained unappreciative, dismissing Marly's method as unclean.

Yet, Marly was far from unclean. Lance ensured regular rabies vaccinations and even administered a special liquid medicine to ward off parasites. What sort of parasite could withstand the infernal flames that danced along Marly's spine, or resist the internal defenses provided by Lance's concoctions?

Turning its heads, Marly noticed Lance was engrossed in painting, his gaze fixed on the turtle and the baby dragon. A spark of determination ignited in Marly. It wasn't just about being seen; it was about being acknowledged as part of this eclectic family. Lance had once called such scenes a 'Family Portrait', and Marly was determined to be included.

Marly couldn't help but feel slighted since the arrival of the baby dragon, who seemed to have usurped much of Lance's affection. Gone were the days when Lance would affectionately pat Marly's heads. Now, it seemed, all the attention was on the baby dragon.

In a mix of defiance and longing, Marly positioned itself prominently on the beach, close enough to be undeniable in Lance's artistic vision. Would Lance recognize the loyal hellhound's presence and immortalize it within the canvas? Only time would tell, but Marly was not one to be overlooked.

After a brief consultation between his two heads, Marly surmised that the formidable evil dragon Lance might inadvertently exclude him from the painting. Determined to make his presence impossible to ignore, Marly concocted a plan. He would not just swim beside the turtle in the sea; he would make a dramatic entrance by leaping onto the turtle's back, ensuring he became a central figure in the family portrait.

"Family photo, and here comes the main son!" Marly declared with a mixture of jest and resolve.

The sea shimmered in golden hues as the waves gently lapped around. With a splash that caught the light, Marly swam determinedly toward the turtles, his movement bold and purposeful against the backdrop of the setting sun.

This sudden, spirited intrusion into the tranquil scene prompted Lance to reconsider the composition of his artwork. The dynamic between the young dragon, the turtle, and now the gallant hellhound stirred Lance's creative spirit. Titles flickered through his mind: "Golden Friendship," "Young Dragon, Turtle, and Dog," "The Dog Chasing the Dragon and the Turtle," and whimsically, "Dog, We Are About to Sail Away."

While pondering these names, Lance decided to first preserve the moment in a different way. From a corner of his lair, a crystal ball glowing with a soft light soared and settled above the easel. This was the Memory Crystal Ball, a magical device designed to capture and store images automatically. Once activated, it would secure the memory of today's tableau, which could later be projected into the air as a vivid hologram.

Lance planned to gift these captured moments to the young dragon as a legacy, envisioning a future where, long after they had all passed, these memories would serve as cherished relics of their time together.

As he returned to his painting, already visualizing how it would also serve as a legacy, Lance harbored three wishes for the young dragon: to outlive him, to mature into a pure-blood amethyst dragon before reaching a millennium, and to surpass him in infamy, hopefully acknowledging him as 'Dad' before his thousandth year.

Amidst these reflections, a sudden commotion broke his concentration. "Hey, hey, help, help! Marly, get out of the way, he's about to fall!" shouted the young dragon in a panic

"Woof, woof, woof!" barked Marly, quickly adjusting his position to prevent any mishaps, his actions echoing his unyielding spirit and undeniable place within this diverse and dynamic family.

As Marly swam toward the turtle, he reached its side just in time to witness a comical mishap. The young dragon, in a clumsy misstep, slipped from the turtle's shell, collided with Marly's twin heads, and plunged into the golden sea with a splash. The water bubbled around them, a chaotic blend of dragon and dog flailing in the waves. From afar, Lance, brush in hand, might have mistaken the disturbance for a mere frolic in the sea, unaware of the young dragon's plight.

"Young dragons are foolish," Lance mused aloud, watching the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and disbelief.

"Why has Marly joined in the foolishness?" he chuckled, deciding to immortalize this moment in a series of whimsical, chibi-style paintings.

The young dragon flapped its wings vigorously, finally regaining its perch atop the turtle. Marly, ever the helper, barked loudly, trying to communicate and assist. However, the young dragon seemed puzzled by Marly's intentions.

"Marly is asking for a pull up, calling you pig raising baby dragon" Lance translated the barks, a grin spreading across his face.

"I'm not the 'baby dragon raising pigs'!" the young dragon retorted, a reference to a denied pastime, as Lance had never allowed her to raise pigs.

Holding a brush, the young dragon glared at Marly, clearly annoyed yet considering the hellhound's plight. After a moment of hesitation, she handed the brush handle to Marly, allowing him to bite it. With this makeshift lifeline, she began pulling him up.

"Woof woof woof woof!" Marly barked excitedly, trying to explain further.

"Marly suggests you lower your tail to his mouth, and he will bite that to help you pull him up," Lance translated again, still entertained by their exchange.

"Dream on, you stinky dog," the young dragon scoffed, not quite ready to concede that much assistance to Marly.

Lance, now thoroughly enjoying their banter, continued his painting, capturing the essence of the scene, its chaos, its humor, and its underlying camaraderie among them.

Once finished, he planned to hang the portrait in a place of honor within his study. He envisioned a future where, long after his departure from this world, the young dragon, perhaps tearfully, would gaze upon the painting and recall the day's events, whispering fondly, "My evil dragon father, Lucia loves you the most."