"No."
"Yes."
"No."
The argument just continued. For some strange and esoteric reason, I was able to polymorph. Not shapeshift but polymorph. Meaning that I was able to change to some other animal that was within my ability.
And she knew that. How? I didn't ask. But she was still begging me to polymorph into something smaller. For whatever reason.
But my pride would not allow me to veil my form with such deception. For I was a dragon… and… and…
'God…' I whispered within my mind. Was this what I would have to deal with. A constant struggle between my draconic side and my human one. Where each wanted their own.
My human side was saying that it was fine and that Erryn must have some reason. My dragon side told me that whatever reason she had was not good enough. That veiling ourselves with such petty trickery would be a disgrace.
"Come on…? Please." Erryn pleaded. A pout on her beautiful face.
"Why?" I finally asked.
She paused for a moment, even as I continued dragging her around the sandy dessert. It was a nice break from whatever whining she had planned.
For that was what it was. Erryn… judging only by her acts, was merely a child. I could sympathize, somewhere deep within those forgotten memories.
I sighed.
"Tell me… and maybe then I will decide."
"Fine." She breathed, her voice the very definition of a pout. Arms crossed under her chest and head turned the other way with her eyes partially closed.
"Dragons… they aren't very liked."
She paused. Looking to the sky. And for a moment, a tiny moment in between pouts, she seemed so introspective, as if this was some… some…
"The chromatic dragons. Blue, Red, Gold, White, Black."
I turned and inspected my own blue scales. How they seemed to shine within the arid sun.
"There used to be many… many more. Hundreds that blotted out the sky."
I continued my stride, not caring for the creatures that scurried away at the sight of my form. Knowing that they would never be able to touch my scales.
"Each had their own territory, your kind ruled the desserts. A tyrannical rule that found us either taken as some form of treasure - for whatever reason, as even now we still do not know the criteria - or eaten… used as livestock."
I snorted, a gout of lightning coming from my mouth at the thought. It was obvious why. They must have had use. Whether it was shining our gold. Or being as pretty and unaging as the rest of our treasure.
"But then… maybe only three hundred years ago. The Golden Academy posted their graduates here. They taught under the veil of dark. Gathering the treasures of dragons long slayed."
A scowl echoed from my mind. At the thought of my hoard being taken, at the nascent and imaginary treasures they would seek to take from my hoard. I found immense rage at even the thought.
"Long story short, now… now there lives only one blue dragon here, an ancient and powerful being. That took vengeance on the golden scholars who took the treasures of their young. It was not even for vengeance of their lives, but merely that they had taken what she had claimed for herself."
I spoke for once.
"And there exists a grudge, any young blue is killed on sight. The ancient then would come and ravage the cities. A carefully scaled balance."
She smiled, "Yes, then now can you see why I want you to polymorph."
"I can…"
Begrudgingly I could see her point. There was no point in clinging to this pride - my human side reasoned - if it would keep me from gathering treasures, if it would kill me.
But then again…
"What if we-" I cut myself off.
Why did I keep thinking about things in terms of us? Of we. It must have been that connection that seemed so taut.
I scowled.
"Nevermind." I spoke, "What should a polymorph into then?"
"OH~" Erryn exclaimed. A smile that stretched to her eyes. Already that city was coming into view. It was…
What was the word… opulent. Yes, it was opulent. It seemed to shine within the sun. With baskets hanging on peoples heads, races of all kinds mingling, and walls that didn't quite seem to protect them.
"A Fennec Fox, their just the cutest with those giant ears of theirs. Plus it's just so cute how they burrow."
I perked up at that… burrow. I had this urge - at just the mention - to make my own. To hoard my treasure in a giant hole. Sleeping on piles of gold.
"If I must." I turn my head. Walking one more step before I felt my body shift. A spell cast on my own body. Materials and magic be damned. I am a dragon. The world would shape to my needs regardless.
"There. Happy." I yipped. My giant ears fluffing up as I turned and looked at Erryn. Where she had fallen in the sand. A smile on her face as she picked me up.
"Of course." A bright shine within her eyes. One that continued as she pet me the whole way back to that village.
…
The village was primitive, quite so. There was no convenient bathroom that flushed within a sewer system. Nor was there readily available water coming from pipes. There was no modern amenities.
They all came from traders, who traveled on the back of their camels. Carried with them tons of small supplies. Silks that sold for much money. Traded for by the villages.
Those people that could spin silk from the corpses of the giant spiders that the adventurers brought back.
And those silks were bought by the merchants for food and other supplies. A circle that continued. With the merchants growing that much richer with every trip that they made.
Why, pray tell, was I thinking of this. Well it was for the simple reason that I was being accosted. No, it was more accurate to say the Erryn was.
"For the last time." She glared, "I will not sell him."
"But he would do so much good. I can see that you're a mage just by your garb, don't you know how much reagents using his fur, his entire body would go for. If you just travel and let us butcher this pet. Then-"
He was cut off.
"I said no."
With that she left. A scowl on her face. One that matched my own. Only I wasn't wearing that same scowl now. Now I was wearing a shit eating grin.
Finally she felt the same frustration I was. Stupid Erryn and her stupid stubbornness.