The Soul in Our Scales

Chapter Two

Like everyone in the world,I need to eat. Only I can't do that with my jaw deformity,so I have these special tubes that put fish guts into my mouth. That's right. All dragons eat fish,but I can't chew my food. Well I can eat soft foods and popcorn but other than that I mostly eat my daily mush. Quite glamorous.

Ember came earlier in the morning so she had to see me "eat" breakfast. I am pretty sure she was completely weirded out. She tried to remain expressionless and pretend it was normal. Pretty good actor,but I wasn't convinced.

"So is this normal?"She eventually blurted.

"Yeah."I confessed as I took the tubes out."I know,not very attractive."

"No,no,no!"She exclaimed."I didn't mean that...I was just...curious."

I could tell she was trying to be nice to me,but it wasn't really working. I wish I could be a normal dragon like my mom wanted. Then my life would be so much easier! But thank Celestia that I at least have a life.

"Yeah right."I replied.

"So...now what do you want to do?"She asked me.

"Maybe we could check the mail...if it isn't burning."I suggested.

You see dragons have this nasty habit of burning mail boxes. It's like trending and I pray every night that it doesn't happen to our mail box. I mean that is the only way I can contact my mom,my best friend. But other dragons wouldn't understand that. Most dragon mothers ignore there children or are super strict with them. Puff told me all about it!

Me and Ember checked the mail. It wasn't burning! The even better new was that inside it was a package!

We went back inside and I opened it. Inside was what looked like a spider we'd with feathers dangling from it. A few beads were in the web and on the feathers. It seemed like some rubbish just mixed together to make something even more rubbish.

"There is a letter."Ember pointed out.

I read it:

Dear Garry,

I really miss you in Saddle Arabia. I was able to buy you a dream catcher. If you hang it over your bed at night it aches your bad dreams in the web but let's the good dreams fall down on the feathers. I thought that you would like it since you are always complaining about nightmares. I really miss you. Oh,I have good news too! Well actually bad news...I am gonna be here for three months. (We were supposed to stay for five) I love you.  -Mom

"Awww that's sweet."Ember commented.

"I guess. But does this even work?"I asked as I looked at the dream catcher.

"There is only one way to find out."Ember told me.

She was smart and witty. I liked it.

"Eh."I moaned as we headed back inside.

"So now what?"Ember asked me.

I looked around the cave. Maybe we could play video games or something.

"Video games?"I offered.

"Nah."She replied."Let's go...to the lake."

I shrugged. The lake was okay. There was this mysterious rumor about it though. You see there once was a horse that fell in it. Yeah but then it's body appeared in a lake that was ten miles away from our lake. We thought it was just a big joke. But then the lake caught on fire! That's right. And the horse was in it,but the body looked untouched. It just lay on the bank if the lake for days,not even the bugs would touch it. It took years for it to eventually rot away.

I think it's all a lie. But the lake in conclusion is still creepy like hell!

So anyways me and Emner were able to go to the lake. I had to be careful not to get beaten up by someone though. Thousands of a holes beat me up. It sucks being in the Black Eye of the Month club. Ember seemed to scare dragons away,being the dragon lord and all that junk.

"Here we are."She gleefully exclaimed as we arrived at the lake.

The lake was deep beyond a million years so mostly giant dragons like my mom drink from it is tear of swim in it. We mostly use the ocean for bathing and swimming.

"Now what?"I asked her.

"We have fun obviously."She explained.

She was so full of light and I was so full of darkness,we were complete opposites. Like literally.

Ember was able to find some shells and catch some cray fish,that she ate. The experience was okay. I mostly just Kaye's low under a weeping willow. I dint want to be seen. Even adult dragons would pick on me,including my dad. Besides,Ember came under the willow with me and we just talked about things.

She mostly asked me about me. Like what I wanted to do,if my jaw was going to be fixed,and the usual. The usual was always about the jaw,like are you gonna get it fixed or are you sad about it.

I am just like seriously people,it is a jaw!

I've noticed most people focus on the different things of people. Like if you were deaf but broke the world record for most plates cleaned,most people would point out you being deaf. Or even worse stereotype you as "the ear guy" not the "plate cleaning dude" that you should be.

Ember was different though,she asked how my parents felt instead of how I felt. She acted about the people around me and didn't stereotype me as the "jaw guy".

She also  asked why my mom called me Garry. And I explained that was one of my many nick names and that my real name was Gareth Jr. (My dad is THE Gareth)

Ember was certainly different. That's a good thing though.