Useless Young Dragon!

"Eva, I've come to realize I entirely misunderstood your words. It seems what I took for a blessing is indeed a dire curse," Lucua said to her self, the gravity of my error dawning on me.

"And as for that foolish dragon, can you believe he possessed a portal but chose not to use it? Opting instead to fly all the way back! Had he not flown that day, he wouldn't have mistaken me, a mere imposter, for a true dragon and taken me to the island."

Curious, Lucia asked, "Why would he choose to fly back if he had access to a portal?"

He replied, smirking slightly, "Dragons, the sovereigns of the skies, revel in the freedom of flight. Why use a portal when one can soar through the heavens, feeling the wind beneath vast wings?"

"It's clear that dragons not only reign over the land but dominate the skies as well. The sky is their realm, untouched unless the mighty of the Holy and Divine tiers intervene."

He continued, "Among dragons like me, none can assure victory in aerial combat without divine or holy artifacts."

"Remember this," he warned, "besides us mighty dragons, there exists another master of the skies, the phoenix. Should you ever cross paths with this formidable bird, avoid conflict unless necessary. And if conflict arises, it's wiser to summon an elder for resolution."

"I understand," I nodded, though inside, I was conflicted.

I'd heard tales of the phoenix, whose immortal flames were rumored to incinerate even the mightiest dragons. Yet, whether these tales were true remained a mystery to me.

The fact that he advised calling upon a elder suggested that even he respected the phoenix's might, fearing that I, still young and inexperienced, might suffer at its talons.

But then it dawned on me, by elders, did he mean himself? Was this cunning dragon setting himself up as my only protector, using my naiveté to bind me to him?

The realization stung. Tricked by the very dragon I might have to rely on in peril, my choices seemed grim.

No longer did I think of the empire's army when in danger; this island had reshaped my instincts to first consider the dragon.

Resigned, I accepted my twisted fate, "Let's go, then. A beautiful day begins with practicing health-preserving exercises."

"Indeed," he agreed with a nonchalant "Oh."

The young dragon brimmed with vitality, her heart set on the day after tomorrow when she would venture into the human world. It was exhilarating to think she could explore during the day and return to her familiar spot at night. After all, she had grown accustomed to sleeping here against the wall over the past fortnight, any other arrangement might rob her of sleep.

Later, she planned to play with Marly and offer him a taste of human world delicacies. "Would you like to try some human treats?" she'd ask, hopeful he might join her in a game of Frisbee or fetch, the games she had seen noble ladies in the imperial capital play with their pampered pets.

She threw the objects, and Marly, ever eager, would fetch them.

Yet, despite the fun, caution was necessary. Marly was a fierce creature, and unlike the docile dogs of the city, he could turn on the young dragon if distressed or provoked. They needed a plan.

Their morning began with health-preserving exercises and breakfast. Just as Lucia was about to fetch Maely and for their game, the evil dragon intercepted her. Confusion clouded her mind, there were no lessons scheduled, so what could he want?

The evil dragon, sensing her puzzlement, revealed his intention to train her flying skills further. "Flying skill isn't just about taking to the skies; it requires rigorous training," he explained.

Lucia visualized the mighty evil dragon soaring, a daunting image that made her realize the importance of his words.

"To truly master flight and speed, your wings must be robust," the evil dragon continued. "I once trained with massive rocks tied to my wings, advancing to hills, and finally mountains. But for you, I have something less arduous. I've crafted gravity source energy stickers to attach to your wings. They'll add just enough resistance to strengthen them without overwhelming you."

The idea was ingenious, training without the risk of her traditional methods, allowing her to safely practice over the sea. "If you struggle, the worst you'll face is a splash into the sea. We'll adjust the gravity as you grow stronger," he assured her.

Inherited memories buzzed in his mind, filled with various training techniques but curiously silent about his own dragon lineage. No trace of his dragon parents existed in his memory, save for blurry fragments, and nothing about Dragon Island.

Thus, under the guidance of the evil dragon, Youlong prepared to embrace the challenges of her training, stepping closer to mastering the skies herself.

The young dragon, eager yet anxious, stretched her wings wide, examining the quirky little devices now attached to them. Each gravity source energy sticker, no larger than a human palm, bore the image of a playful dragon with a comically foolish grin.

As soon as the stickers bonded with her wings, a sudden heaviness overwhelmed her. It was as if she, who had only known the lightness of feathers, was now clad in cumbersome armor. Her wings felt unwieldy, heavy with the weight of an unseen burden.

"It's like wearing a full suit of armor for the first time," she thought, struggling even to flap her wings.

"Can I actually fly with these?" she wondered aloud, skepticism creeping into her voice.

Tentatively, she took off, managing only a low, wobbly flight close to the ground, and not without a comical mishap, landing face-first, her new "face brakes" in full, unfortunate effect. Her attempt at flying was short-lived, her control over direction and speed nearly nonexistent.

"Damn it!" she cursed as she picked herself up.

Turtle, the dragon who had accompanied her for the past month, was set to journey with her to the human world in two days. She had anticipated a change from her recent hardships, a sweeter phase of life. Instead, she faced a new, grueling challenge.

As she practiced, Marly, the dog, watched, lying on the ground and pawing at the dirt, his laughter almost audible as tears formed in his eyes. Turtle, showing a bit more decency, at least had the grace to close his eyes when her crashes seemed imminent.

"If I fall too comically, face-first, rolling, or my wings cramping, Turtle can't help but laugh too," she grumbled inwardly.

"Curse you, Mary! You dare mock this princess? Enjoy your fine meals now, for soon you'll be left with nothing but bones to gnaw!"

Her numerous falls were painful—"Ow, my face, my mouth, my backside, everything hurts!" She spat out the salty taste of sea water, rueing her ambitious entry in her diary.

"I don't need to be as formidable as the evil dragon Lance. I'd rather be a carefree, do-nothing dragon," she declared, half in jest.

Under the stern eye of the evil dragon, young Lucia spent the morning in a cycle of flight and fumble, sometimes knocking Marly away like a cannonball, other times headbutting the poor dog as she crashed.

Marly, utterly fed up, scampered about the beach, cursing and eventually seeking sympathy from Lance, who seemed only amused by the antics.

Lunch was a hearty affair of barbecue, fish soup, and medicinal herbs. Lucia, famished from her strenuous morning, ate voraciously, outpacing Marly.

"Lance," she called out after catching her breath.

"What's wrong?" he responded.

"I have a dream," she began, her tone half serious.

"I know, I know, the dream of being an emperor," Lance chuckled.

"No. My new dream is to become a completely useless young dragon who just eats and waits to die. So, Lance, how about you take care of me forever?" she proposed, a playful smirk on her lips.

Lance, taken aback, could only respond with puzzled, incredulous silence. "???"