Survival of the Fittest

[Semblance]

OVERVIEW

They live among us. They walk next to us. They look like us. But they are not us. They are dragon shifters.


Long ago, when dragons ruled the earth, before humans caused the extinction of the entire dragon race, a certain mutation in the human DNA created the evolved race of dragon shifters, as a result of the dragon-dominated environment. People who weren't human, weren't dragon, but a little bit of both. They were humans who were able to shift into their dragon forms at will, and even adopt certain dragon abilities. The normal humans feared these dragon shifters and began to hunt them down one by one, until there were none left. Or so they thought.


Thousands of years later, the dragon DNA and genes are still subtly embedded in the current human genome. Only a select number of people still have this ability. But the hunters still exist- they know that these dragon shifters, now termed the draki, have resurfaced based on recent allegations and sighting reports. The draki must learn to blend in with the rest of the humans and learn to control their powers and abilities, or else they will surely be exposed and hunted to extinction.


In a small town named Avon near the coast of North Carolina, lives a group of draki (called a Draki Pride, led by a male Alpha and his royal family) and a group of hunters, unbeknownst to each other. Will the draki be able to survive under the radar and preserve their race? Or will the hunters finally be able to achieve their goal of exterminating the dragons?


Part of blending in includes the teenage draki attending high school and the adult draki finding normal jobs. Little do they know that the hunters are living in the very same town, working the very same jobs, and going to the very same school. In the end, who will survive?

DRAKI AND HUNTERS

• Draki
• Hunters

• 
  
  Draki Abilities
  
  
  All Draki types have the ability to fly.
  
  
  Unlike in their dragon forms, Draki have limited power of their abilities while in their human forms.
  
  
  All Draki will have a dominant type, but some will inherit a secondary, recessive type, where they will be able to demonstrate some of the abilities of another elemental type. Although this is more common in the Royal Family, given their slightly more advantageous genes, it is not unheard of for a Draki who does not possess the Alpha's genes to display this trait.
  
  
  Earth Draki
  
  
  Their scales are usually the tones of earth, generally shades of browns and greens, resulting in brown hair and green eyes in their human forms. They can control earth, are able to sense gems in the soil, underground water, and anything relating to the earth, including dirt, rocks, grass, trees, etc.
  
  
  Fire Draki
  
  
  Their scales are gold and red and shimmers in the light. In human form, they have red or golden/blonde hair. They can breathe and control fire, and sometimes even lightning if they have mastered it. They generally have a high body temperature and can heat up when angered.
  
  
  Water Draki
  
  
  They have shades of blue and sapphire scales with some streaks of dark purple, resulting in blue eyes in their human forms and slight purple highlights in their hair. They are not built for speed on land, but whenever they go into water, they grow gills and can swim extremely fast, even staying in the water forever if they wish. They can control water, including snow and ice.
  
  
  Air Draki
  
  
  They usually have pale colored scales and in human form, they have pale skin and hair such as platinum blonde. They can make a mist to shroud a draki in their human forms, so that anyone who is not a draki will only see a human. This mist can be disseminated to large ranges and contain sleep-inducing or poisonous effects. They can control the air, including wind, mist, and fog.
  
  
  About Draki
  
  
  Manifesting
  
  
  - Manifesting is the process of turning from human to dragon. When draki turn back into humans, it's called Demanifest.
  
  
  - Draki manifest for the first time when they are around the age of 11 or 12.
  
  
  - Manifesting usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. Demanifesting is quicker. It is possible to stop a manifest in the middle before turning fully into a dragon, but it requires extreme control.
  
  
  - If a Draki has a huge adrenaline rush or feels like he/she is in grave danger, their survival instincts will kick in and will most likely begin manifesting.
  
  
  Living with the Pride
  
  
  - Draki must live near/around rich soil and must have plenty of water for their dry skin, especially water draki.
  
  
  - Draki live in prides, led by a male Alpha and his royal family.
  
  
  - The royal family are physically dominant over the other draki as a result of the royal genes. They are stronger, faster, more agile, more flexible, and have sharper senses.
  
  
  - A form of punishment in a draki pride includes clipping of the wings which takes away one's power of flight.
  
  
  - Draki can kill their dragon form and be totally human by never manifesting and living in a dry environment.
  
  
  Physical Features
  
  
  - The size of their dragon form is about the size of a pick up truck, although it varies depending on how big their human form is.
  
  
  - Draki blood is dark purple/red in color, and can sometimes be mistaken for deoxygenated human blood if not examined carefully.
  
  
  - Their hair/eye color in human form matches up with their scale colors.
  
  
  - Draki have tough skin but are vulnerable in their wings.
  
  
  #1 Law of the Pride:
  
  
  It is VERY IMPORTANT that draki do not fly in the daytime; if they do, they can be caught by hunters. Those who disobey are at risk of having their wings clipped, as the capture of one draki will endanger the entire pride.
  
  
• 
  
  HUNTERS
  
  They have been taught to hunt and hate the Draki.
  
  
  They will do anything to catch a Draki, using any equipment they can find, such as jeeps, helicopters, net launchers, traps, etc.
  
  
  When hunting, they are required to wear masks to cover up their faces so that the draki cannot identify them.
  
  
  They treasure Draki blood, skin, and scales as they can make a big profit on the black market. They will also capture Earth Draki and use them to find gems in the soil to sell.
  
  
  They usually hunt with their family, starting at the age of 14.
  
  

 

[Semblance]

The clock slowly ticked in the background as a tall, muscular teenager sat back in his desk. His piercing hazel green eyes darted over to the time every few moments, awaiting the feeling of freedom when the bell finally rung. Their Psychology teacher rambled on about their newest project, and apparently they had been assigned partners. Miss Ryder projected the list of partners onto the board and everyone’s eyes immediately focused on the screen, trying to find their names. Aiden's sharp eyes quickly found his name towards the bottom of the screen, reading the name Elsa next to his. That name sounded familiar.


His attentive gaze scoured the room to find the brunette he was looking for. They locked eyes for a fleeting moment, his hazel ones meeting her similar green ones. He briefly admired her delicate figure, light skin, and soft brown hair before quickly looking away. It didn’t matter who he thought was attractive at this school, as they were all normal humans. And he would never jeopardize an innocent human’s life by dragging them into his complications. After all, he was far from a normal teenager.


Finally, the shrill bell pierced the air and the students practically erupted from their desks, eager to get home. Aiden, however, took his time packing his backpack, as he did not share the same enthusiasm as his classmates for going home. Home was where all the heated arguments with his father over his future as Alpha occurred, and one of them always ended up burning something in the house, as both were Fire Draki. He slung his black backpack loosely over his right shoulder and made his way towards the brunette girl, his new project partner. He figured he might as well introduce himself. "Hi, I'm Aiden. I think we're partners," he said, putting a smile on his face and his hands into his jacket pockets.

 

[sealdust]

Elsa had a habit of paying attention in class, attentively taking a few notes even though she knew she'd remember it all clearly anyway. Her cursive handwriting was readable, but it was as messy as always, an affliction of the generation that mostly used computers. She straightened her back as Miss Ryder started going into detail about this project, and she almost felt like sinking her face into her hands when she heard mention of partners. Last time that hadn't worked out too well for her: her partner got sick and Elsa was stuck doing it alone.


The slide with the assigned partners illuminated itself at the front, and Elsa quickly scanned it, mentally flicking by names until she got to her own, then pay extra attention to the name beside it. Aiden. She didn't need to bother with last names, there was only one Aiden in the entire class, and she turned her head to spot him, noticing that he'd done the same. Then she turned back to her desk to place her notes in the bag, fumbling a bit with the cap on her pen, sensing that it was probably just about time for class to end by the familiar restlessness that always spread across the room whenever the bell was about to go off. Which it then promptly did.


Elsa stretched her hands in front of her, feeling a little stiff after having been stationary for an entire lesson. Then she stood up, shifting the weight of her navy backpack from the ground to her shoulder, then re-adjusting it because some of her hair got caught under the strap. Seconds later she was joined by Aiden, who didn't seem to be in any hurry to be anywhere, and was really cute when he smiled. She smiled back amicably in response, nodding once just slightly in confirmation, "We are partners, I'm Elsa. It's nice to meet you." He'd approached her because of the project, so perhaps he had some time to do a bit of work on it now; she could procrastinate a little on her hunter duties for schoolwork anyway. "Are you busy?" If he was, she should probably try to grab his phone number now so that they could organize a time to catch up for the project later. Her right hand drifted over to her phone, located in the front pocket of her jeans, so that she could get it out if necessary.

 

[Semblance]

Aiden noticed the way her green eyes lit up when she smiled, feeling a sort of pull towards her. When she asked if he were busy, it was a no-brainer for him. He would do anything to delay going home. "I'm not, actually. Do you want to work on the assignment now? We could go to one of the study rooms," he suggested, referring to the plenty of rooms that the school allocated for quiet study time. However, he knew that most of the students were most likely in a hurry to get home or attend extracurricular activities rather than do homework in the study rooms. Being the Alpha Heir meant that he didn't have much time to focus on other activities besides school. Even going to school was just a cover-up to appear like a normal teenager.

 

[sealdust]

Her hand fell away from her pocket, and she stepped forward, looking pleased with Aiden's suggestion. "Sure. That sounds perfect." Knowing he would probably follow, she swiftly made towards the exit of the classroom. Outside it was still pretty loud, the hallway still bustling with students who had one last thing to grab from their lockers. Elsa probably would have been out there too on a normal day, talking animatedly with her friends whilst they packed up their lockers, but the assignment gave her a rare excuse to drag her feet going home. "You don't think it'll rain later, do you?" It had been one of those cloudy days with a lot of wind, and Elsa just realized that she probably didn't have an umbrella stashed anywhere.

 

[Semblance]

Aiden followed her out of the classroom, his piercing gaze sweeping the bustling hallway that was still filled with students rushing to get home. He recognized a tall, dark-haired boy amongst the crowd as one of the Earth Draki in the Pride, and the two made eye contact. Aiden nodded his head at him in acknowledgment, and the other boy smiled back in greeting, before going their separate ways. He turned his attention back onto Elsa as she mentioned the prospect of rain. "I sincerely hope not. Rain is the absolute worst," he said with a grimace. Rain was the one thing he couldn't stand, besides snow and hail. Being a Fire Draki, the cold water from the sky always put him into a bad mood, and hence, he always carried around an umbrella with him. "Good thing I have my umbrella with me," he mentioned as they finally reached the study rooms.


Aiden walked into the first one and wasn't surprised to find it empty. There was a long wooden table in the middle along with plastic chairs surrounding it and a couple whiteboards up on the walls. He took a seat in the nearest chair and took out the assignment that they were given. "It says here that we'll have to write a final reflection paper from the other person's perspective," he said, reading off the rubric sheet. He didn't know how he was supposed to write an entire paper from her point of view when he barely even knew her. And how close to her he would be required to get in order to do well on the paper felt risky to him.

 

[sealdust]

Elsa smiled and nodded as she passed a few faces in the hallway, her friends waving exuberantly at her from the other end of the long hallway, but too soon she'd managed to find her way to the study rooms. Aiden's tone carried a heavy dislike of rain that slightly surprised her. "So you really don't like rain? At all?" Elsa furrowed her brow slightly. "I feel that it's okay sometimes, though I prefer to be exposed to the rain on my own terms." She hadn't run out into the rain since she'd been a small child, but there was still that sensation of joy when twirling around with water droplets everywhere that she remembered experiencing. Mud on her pale blue dress afterwards, after she'd fallen down, but still, it had been a good memory for her.


She chose her spot, the chair directly across from her partner, before settling down there. Elsa lifted the flap of her back, collecting her assignment sheet and letting her bag slide down to the floor. "That sounds like it's going to be tricky." So she was supposed to learn enough about Aiden to be able to write something from his perspective? Elsa didn't even feel like many people truly knew her in the first place. She rested her elbows on the table, getting comfortable, before inspecting her own assignment sheet. The third page along was a list of questions, supposed to help pairs get started with their assignment, as well as a link for people that wanted to print up and find more questions. She sighed, realizing that this assignment was definitely going to take up a lot of her time. "Do you want to start, or should I?"

 

[Semblance]

"Not one bit," Aiden replied, trying to keep the distaste out of his voice, when Elsa asked him about his hatred for rain. "I prefer the weather to be sunny, warm, and dry," he added, looking over at her.


As they redirected their attention to the assignment sheet, he found himself nodding in agreement when she mentioned that the assignment was going to be tricky. There were only less than a handful of people who he had truly opened himself up to, and he already assumed that he and his project partner would never reach that level. He flipped to the next page to read through the questions before turning the paper again, only to find another list of items. Except this time, there was a list of required activities they had to choose from rather than questions. He stifled a groan at the realization that this project was going to take up a lot of time and effort outside of regular school time.


"I don't mind starting," he responded, flipping back to the page with the questions. He noticed that the ones at the top were fairly easy questions but they gradually got more personal as the list continued. "What do you like to do in your free time?" he asked after deciding on a question, then looked up to meet her eyes.

 

[sealdust]

It sounded like he'd like summer then, since stereotypical summer weather was supposed to be exactly as he described. That or spring, where the weather was supposed to be pleasant and warm.


Elsa turned her green eyes up towards Aiden. He'd asked a question about her rather non-existent free time? It's not like she could admit to having all her free time stolen by hunter activities. Elsa bit her lip lightly as she thought the question out. She hadn't had any free time in a while, but if she had the opportunity, there would probably be a lot of things that she'd be eager to do during it. "I like swimming, and listening to music while jogging. Watching movies, hanging out with friends... I suppose I find driving fun as well?" She didn't get to swim too often though, there was always something else that she was required to do. She wasn't supposed to listen to music when going out on hunter duties either, mostly because she'd completely miss someone sneaking up on her. But jogging, she could at least do that on a constant basis - it kept her in shape, and reduced the amount of time she took travelling around. Her expression was probably a little wistful, especially since she was talking about the things that she enjoyed doing, and would enjoy doing more if she had the time for them.


She scanned the page, taking a deep breath in. "If you were stuck on a deserted island, what would be three things you'd want to have with you?" Elsa looked towards Aiden, her fingers fiddling with the edge of the page, interested in how he'd answer her question. His eyes caught her interest under the light, especially now that she was less preoccupied by having already answered his question, and Elsa noticed that they were a very pretty shade of hazel. Not that she'd ever admit that to him.

 

[Semblance]

There was wistful look in his eyes as he listened to Elsa list off a few normal teenage activities. Somedays he wished he was just that- normal. Other days, being a Draki certainly had its benefits. Nothing could ever beat the feeling of flying under the moonlight in the dark night sky and feeling the wind pulse against his scales. Being the Alpha Heir, however, had zero advantages from his standpoint, but he and his father argued over that practically every day. Aiden couldn't help but cringe a little when she mentioned swimming. He didn't mind shallow water- in fact, he could see why people would enjoy the water, but he had a deep fear of drowning and refused to go deep enough where he wouldn't be able to stand. However, he nodded in agreement when she mentioned listening to music while jogging, as those were two of his favorite normal hobbies.


"I listen to music while doing practically anything," he commented. "Jogging, driving, showering, walking..." he listed a few off the top of his head. "I love playing soccer, too. Definitely my favorite sport, and I've been playing since elementary school," he added. Soccer was one of the few human activities that brought his family together, and thus, he had learned how to play when he was a young boy. "Although my hatred for rain does extend over to swimming," he mentioned.


Aiden was a little caught off guard by her first question, but he began to rack through his brain. "A knife, matches, and medicine," he finally decided. He was a very practical guy, and these three items seem like they would greatly increase a human's survival. Being a Fire Draki, he certainly wouldn't need the matches, although the knife and medicine would certainly be useful. He glanced back down at the list of questions and selected another one. "What one thing would you be most disappointed if you never got to experience it?" he asked, curious as to what she would say. He noticed that her eyes were a similar hazel green as his, except while his were a more dull color, hers were almost a bright green. He found himself drawn to the subtle sparkle in them, but quickly glanced away before his look turned into a stare.

 

[sealdust]

"An aversion to water in general then...?" Though he'd mentioned showering, something Elsa would pointedly ignore because otherwise she'd never be able to focus on the assignment. "Pity, water-fights can be fun." Elsa let the subject drop though, her tone revealing that she wouldn't press him further about it. There was no point dwelling on his dislike of water. Besides, she listened to music whenever she got the chance to as well, and it was nice to know that she had that in common with Aiden.


She was a little surprised at his answer to her question, it was very practical and thorough. It was also very organised, which is how she liked to be."I probably couldn't give a better answer than that, to be honest. Though maybe instead of the medicine, a satellite phone." She didn't want to boast about her immune system, but perhaps having kept herself in such great shape had really strengthened it. She hardly ever got sick. And even if Elsa couldn't call anyone to get her off the island, she could at least have a conversation with someone other than herself.


Elsa took a sharp intake of breath as Aiden finished his question, then hoped it would go unnoticed. A normal future, perhaps, motivated by achieving her dreams, even though she had no idea what she wanted? A normal life where she could have grown up without being so scared all the time, without being so busy that she had to ditch hanging out with her friends on a regular basis? Normal relationships with people where she didn't exactly have to hide anything about herself, including her past as a hunter? It was one of those questions that kind of hit hard, reminding her about how much her life had been impacted by the Draki, and Elsa tried hard not to look like she cared too much about the answer. Though if she had to choose a normal answer, looking at this question from the standpoint of not being able to experience it at all, regardless of whether she'd experienced it now or not, then she knew how to answer this question with as much truth as possible. "My family," Elsa breathed, her expression probably looking a tiny bit vulnerable for a moment. Her family as a normal family, one who went on vacations to spend time with each other, who went on boating trips for the fun of it - instead of every group outing having some sort of 'hunting Draki' theme. "I'd really, really regret not having a family the most. If I never experienced it... -missing out on that would be terrible."


The surface table suddenly became very interesting as she avoided Aiden's eyes, and for a moment, Elsa regretted having not found some lighter, more joking comment to say rather than revealing something that felt so personal. Casting a look down to find a question that perhaps wouldn't be as unsettling, she immediately jumped onto the first one that seemed harmless, "Which dessert describes you the best and why?"

 

[Semblance]

Aiden nodded with a slight look of distaste on his face when she mentioned his aversion for water, and especially when she brought up water fights. However, his grimace quickly turned into a surprised smile appeared when she agreed with his island items. It seemed like they were both very practical, rational people, and it gave him a happy feeling for some reason to know that they shared such a big character trait. "Ah, I assumed there would be no signal on the island," he interjected. "Otherwise, I would most definitely bring a cell phone so that I could get the hell off," he chuckled. "How I got myself stuck on a deserted island in the first place is a wonder to me."


He noticed her light-hearted, thoughtful face quickly turn into a more serious, masked expression when he asked his next question. It seemed like his question had hit a sensitive topic for her, and he instantly regretted asking it. They had just met after all, so he completely understood her discomfort at sharing personal things. However, Aiden did find himself nodding in agreement when she finally answered. Although he and his father fought constantly, he would do literally anything for his family and his Pride. The amount of love and loyalty present in each of their relationships with each other was unreal. He couldn't imagine his life without them, especially all of his precious memories with Ardyn, his now deceased younger sister. Nostalgia filled his hazel eyes at the natural flashbacks of his little sister, but he masked it well. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he replied firmly. "My family and I certainly have our ups and downs, but I would probably be willing to do anything for them," he admitted.


Aiden almost laughed at her next question, as it was much more light-hearted than the question he had chosen. "A creme brulee," he answered rather confidently. In fact, he found that this dessert did fit him pretty accurately. The hard layer of caramel on the surface was similar to the walls he was forced to put up around him as a result of his Draki life, but behind those walls, he was similar to the soft custard base underneath. Caring, loyal, warmhearted, and even sensitive. "I guess I can relate to the hard layer on the surface and the soft custard beneath it," he said, feeling a little exposed. He quickly glanced down to the paper so that he could choose another question. "Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?" he asked, curious to see if she was well-traveled.

 

[sealdust]

Elsa smiled teasingly at Aiden's sudden amendment, "Of course there's no signal, there's probably no cell towers on a deserted island, because it wouldn't be practical for a company to have them there. That's why it's a satellite phone." His chuckle was kind of adorable though, and she decided not to tease him too much about it. "Though the odds that either of us would get into such a situation are probably quite low." Which was reassuring, though if they decided to switch out deserted island for getting lost, or stuck for other reasons in the expansive local maze they called a forest, that had a higher chance of happening. For her, at least - she doubted regular students like Aiden would have much of a reason to go there. But even the satellite phone would be useless if she didn't know where she was. 'Somewhere with trees' accurately described the entirety of the forest.


She nodded her silent agreement regarding Aiden's admission on family. It might be hard sometimes, with her father's expectations, her mother often working shifts, and her brother getting on her nerves, but Elsa would probably never turn her back on them. They meant too much to her.


He seemed rather certain of his answer, and his hazel eyes almost seemed to be laughing at her. She smiled back, finding herself relating to his answer again. Perhaps he was more like her than she'd thought. "Creme brulee? That's sweet." She adopted a thoughtful look, her fingers lightly playing across the edges of the assignment sheet. "I'd probably be a Rocky Road, because it's chocolate, and it's also sweet, but on the inside, it's composed of many other things that you might not be aware of until you've tried some. Other than marsh-mellows, there can be dried fruit or nuts... depending on how warm it is, it could be difficult to break apart or it could melt." Oddly, rocky road now sounded like it described her. Though it was perhaps a generic description at best, similar to the kind magazine editors liked to use in their weekly horoscope section.


"Somewhere quiet, perhaps coastal? I hate being cold, so it'd have to be warm most of the time. A beautiful view would be preferred, but the house would have to be bright, and the people around me friendly. It doesn't really matter to me how lovely a place is if most of the people there are horrible. I'd prefer to have good company with me." Elsa didn't really think of travel much. She'd never gotten the chance to do so herself, even though she'd heard of many beautiful places her friends had visited. Though if she had to decide on a place to live, she'd prefer to try it out herself before deciding if it was right for her. She looked for another question that looked promising. "If you went to a Halloween party, what would your costume be, and why?"

 

[Semblance]

Aiden scoffed and rolled his eyes with a laugh as Elsa made fun of him for his island comment. When she began comparing herself to the Rocky Road ice cream flavor, he couldn't help but feel intrigued to get to know her on a more deeper level. For the first time during a class assignment, he was actually looking forward to completing the project. Aiden's curious hazel green eyes looked into her similar gaze and he found a natural smile on his own face.


"Hmm looks like someone enjoys the water," Aiden smirked, managing to keep the bitter look off his face this time around. He was glad to see that they still had differences in their opinions, as this is what he found most interesting. He noticed she was rather people-oriented, as both questions he had asked resulted in something with social factors. Being an extroverted, sociable person himself, Aiden found himself pleasantly surprised at more similarities in their personas.


When she asked about the Halloween costume, he chuckled a little at her light-hearted questions. "Probably something clever but doesn't require a lot of time or effort to put together," he began to say. "To be honest, I don't really take Halloween that seriously, but if I did, maybe a ninja or a motorcycle driver. I would just wear all black for both," he admitted. Anything that required artistic creativity was rather difficult for him. His gaze redirected back down to the sheet to choose his next question. "What is the nicest thing someone could say to you?" he asked, knowing that this one was a little more personal.

 

[sealdust]

Smiling softly at his remark, and because the smirk didn't seem to be mocking in nature, Elsa decided that she'd be honest with him. "Well, water has been there during some of my happiest memories." It was a part of some of her most carefree moments, the times where she wasn't a hunter or a student, but just someone having fun of their own accord. "I can't help but feel drawn to it. I guess water makes me feel lighthearted?" Even as she spoke the last bit, she found herself getting a little caught up in his eyes, and that really nice smile on his face. He was actually a really charming person to speak to, even if he did have a dislike of water, and overall Aiden hadn't been what she was expecting at all when she'd been assigned a partner.


A ninja or motorcyclist, though the idea of Aiden wearing the same black outfit for both costumes was a little amusing. Elsa grinned. "I'd be a knight probably, because they're supposed to be brave and chivalrous." The entire prospect of a Halloween Party sounded fun, though she hadn't been to many. That was kind of what happened when both parents were busy when she was too young, and when there were too many expectations on her when she got older. She'd certainly never gotten the chance to dress up for one, though she supposed chain-mail wouldn't be the worst place to start. Elsa paused in response to his latest question,"Your latest question's a hard one, it seems." Upon thinking out her truthful answer to 'nicest thing someone could say', Elsa immediately felt a little self conscious, a tiny bit of red coloring her cheeks. She lowered her gaze to her fingers, "Perhaps the nicest thing someone could say to me is 'I love you'. But it would have to be genuine and heartfelt."


Moving on from the answer that had made her blush a little, Elsa then extended her right hand out on the table, propping it up from the elbow. "Aiden, out of the two of us, who would win this arm wrestle?" It was technically a question, but not one on the sheet. Either way, no matter what outcome it resulted in, she'd manage to learn something more about her partner, which was the entire point of the question bonding exercise.

 

[Semblance]

"I guess that's how I feel about soccer," Aiden replied when she mentioned how her happiest moments had involved water. "When I'm playing on the field, it's as if everything else doesn't matter. There's just one goal I need to achieve and nothing else... the simplicity of it is refreshing," he explained, a tinge of nostalgia in his voice. He and his family used to play soccer together all the time when he was a little boy. Before everything happened... before his little sister died.


He was surprised to hear that she would choose a knight for her costume. "I can't say that's fitting," he responded frankly. "I honestly expected something along the lines of a princess or a fairy," he admitted. Aiden's hazel green gaze observed her slender figure and the prospect of her covered in chain mail amused him, causing a lighthearted smile to appear on his face.


He nodded with understanding when she answered his next question. "I love you..." he whispered softly to himself as he contemplated those words. Besides his family, he had never uttered those words to anyone else. "I suppose the nicest thing someone could say to me would be a sincere compliment about my character. Not sure exactly what, but 'I love you' would definitely be up there as well," he admitted, a little unsure about his answer.


An amused smile lit up on his face when Elsa challenged him to an arm wrestle. Aiden put his arm on the table, his elbow firmly set into the table top and a determined look on his face. "Oh you have no idea what you just got yourself into," he said teasingly, clasping his hand firmly into hers.

 

[sealdust]

Nodding, she found herself completely understanding what he was saying about soccer, and she could tell how fond he was of it by the tone in his voice. She received a similar experience with water, and she found herself biting her lower lip lightly. "That's exactly how I feel about water. When I swim, nothing else matters; no one expects me to do anything or be anything." Though soccer was always a joint activity, requiring someone to play against, and Elsa wondered whether there were times he wanted to play but couldn't. "Soccer's nice. My father's actually a big fan of the sport, so I'm very familiar with the game." She didn't really play that often, but she probably had the stamina to keep up with someone who did play, and all she'd need to do is kick the ball around.


"A princess or a fairy?" Her tone was blank, purposely so. She looked at him for a couple more seconds with a blank expression, before she laughed, leaning back in the chair, a teasing grin appearing on her face. "I'm really flattered. I suppose I could make a really great princess or fairy if I tried. I'll remember your suggestion if I ever get invited to a Halloween or a costume party." Being a princess hadn't really occurred to her, but it would probably be easy to do: all she'd need is a nice dress and a tiara.


It was understandable, and when she'd been younger, Elsa totally would have answered the same as Aiden did right then. "Whenever I'm around others and not alone, being complemented is really hard for me." Elsa admitted. It hadn't been when she was younger, but when some of her peers started getting jealous, she'd started feeling super uncomfortable whenever someone made a point of saying anything nice about her if other people were nearby. "It kind of makes me feel trapped." She often had a tendency to change the subject as quickly as possible whenever it came up. "But those words don't."


Elsa closed her fingers around his, her competitive smile lighting up her features. "I think I could surprise you," she promised. His hand was a little bigger and warmer than hers, but she was mostly paying attention to the firm grip he used, which wasn't too tight or too loose. It was good that her hand wasn't being squeezed to death. Aiden seemed to think that he could win, but Elsa was a tiny bit stronger than she looked, thanks to all the training she'd had to put up with over the years. She started the countdown, "Three, two, one." She instantly applied pressure to her hand at one, since that was the official start of the game.

 

[Semblance]

Aiden smiled when Elsa related to him about his feelings for soccer, and that she was familiar with the game. For some reason, he felt something warm in his stomach as he discovered more of their shared similarities. He hoped that he would be able to have the opportunity to teach her soccer sometime during this assignment, since he knew that they still had to complete the activities portion of the assignment.


He chuckled with amusement when she laughed at his Halloween costume suggestion. Her laugh sounded genuine and lighthearted, and he couldn't help but let himself be pulled in towards her persona. There was something about her that intrigued him and gave him the impression that there was something different. Aiden was pleasantly surprised to hear the humility and modesty in her words when she explained to him her discomfort when complimented. He then nodded with understanding, wondering if she had ever told someone that she loved them before. "In fact, I think those words should make someone feel quite the opposite of trapped... almost freeing in a sense," he added, unconfident in his comment. He wasn't exactly experienced in the ways of romantic love.


His amused smirk only grew wider as he noticed the determination in her hazel green eyes. As she counted down, Aiden adjusted his grip against her thinner, softer hand and looked into her eyes. Elsa was much stronger than he expected. He immediately felt her grip tighten and her muscles shaking with effort. Being caught off guard by the amount of strength she had, Aiden let his hand fall towards the table for a split second, before flexing his own muscles. Soon, he easily and swiftly overpowered the slim girl as he pushed his palm towards the tabletop. Thud. He smiled victoriously when he successfully clasped her hand firmly to the table. "Points for effort," he complimented. "I guess you do have some meat on those skinny arms," he added amusingly, diverting his gaze to her thin biceps.


Aiden glanced at his watch and saw that a couple hours had already flew by. He was surprised by how quickly the time went by, and how captivated he had been with their conversation. "Wow I really lost track of time. I should probably head back now," he said, starting to collect his papers. "We should plan another time to continue the project. This seems like it's going to take a lot of time," Aiden added, taking out his black iPhone 6 from his pant pocket. "Do you want to type your number in?" he asked. He extended his phone out towards her, keeping a smile on his face as his piercing gaze met hers.

 

[sealdust]

Elsa nodded, agreeing with his perceptive comments, "It would probably be quite liberating. There's a sense of security to it too... knowing that you're important to someone." She thought it would have been more awkward to talk about with a guy, but Aiden had surprised her with the level of sincerity he was using in his interaction with her. It drew her in, and Elsa realized that perhaps this was the closest she'd ever felt to someone she'd just met. It wasn't because of the questions, but because of his personality, and Elsa really felt that Aiden was someone that she wouldn't mind getting to know.


For a moment, she thought she could win, especially when she gained a little ground, but then she felt it - the strength in his arm, right before her hand hit the table. Aiden looked pleased with himself, and Elsa supposed he had a reason to feel so. She looked into his dark green hazel eyes, "That definitely answered my question." She wouldn't go for a rematch, it would only have the same outcome. Elsa gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Congratulations on winning," she commented, before extracting her hand from his hold. As she did so, she cast her gaze on the arm that had pinned down her hand, both his arms looked like they were pretty strong, and so did his shoulders, though she quickly glanced away, knowing she'd feel a little shy if she got caught.


He'd lost track of time? Elsa looked at her own watch, realizing that she'd just spent a couple of hours just talking with Aiden, completely immersed in conversation. "I should probably head back too. I wasn't keeping track of time at all." It had been fun, but she'd completely ditched her duties today, and no doubt another hunter would have noticed this, reporting it back to her father. "Though, it certainly seems like we'll end up spending a lot of time together." She gathered her own sheet up, slipping it back into her bag, nodding to the comment on giving him her number, "Sure, that sounds great." Elsa actually looked forward to making plans with Aiden. Reaching into her own pocket, she pulled out her rose gold iPhone 6s, which was protected by a transparent floral case, and held it out to him, so that he could also put himself in her phone. She then took his iPhone 6 from his hand, quickly typing in the digits of her number and saving 'Elsa Carlyle' as a contact.

 

[Semblance]

Aiden nodded in agreement as Elsa opened up more about her thoughts on the three little words. He was surprised how comfortable he felt around someone he had just met and noticed that both of them had opened up a bit more than usual. He was refreshingly fascinated by her personality and all he wanted to do was get to know her better.


"Thanks, but I have to say I would have felt pretty embarrassed if I lost to arms as thin as yours," Aiden teased when she congratulated him, his gaze darting over to her slim arm. He couldn't help but let his eyes wander a little, admiring her slender yet curvy body. He quickly glanced away before she could notice him checking her out and finished packing up his backpack. "Although I was rather impressed by your strength," he added.


When she mentioned that they'll end up spending a lot of time together, he found himself feeling excitement instead of dread at the prospect of doing a school project. It seemed like there was a first for everything. Aiden felt rather lucky to have been paired up with a girl like her, as he knew that the other possibilities would be much worse. He took her floral iPhone and typed in his own name and number, his thumbs flying over the keyboard. After saving his contact as 'Aiden Drayce' with the flexed bicep emoji after his name, he handed his phone back to her with a mischievous smile. He took his black iPhone back from her and shoved it back into his jean pocket.


Aiden loosely slung his black backpack over his right shoulder and headed out the study room when she was finished packing up her things. "I have to admit, I'm glad we were paired up. I don't know what I would have done if I were stuck with someone like David," he commented as they began to walk through the empty hallways. David was the senior in their class who was notorious for coming to class high everyday as well as his extreme laziness. In other words, he was a group member's worst nightmare, as everyone knew he wouldn't contribute anything.


When they reached the main doors of the school, Aiden groaned when he noticed the rain outside. "Damn it," he sighed, taking his backpack off and unzipping it to take out his umbrella. As if on cue, a loud clap of thunder rumbled through the gray clouds in the dark sky. "Did you bring your an umbrella?" he asked.

 

[sealdust]

"Thank you. Well, I jog, and I keep myself in pretty good shape." She announced calmly, as though her strength was no big deal, "It's very important to take care of one's health." Elsa hoisted the bag up onto her shoulder, finding that she had the same problem as before, with her hair getting stuck under the strap. Which wouldn't be a problem if she'd tied her hair up, but she preferred having it loose when she could. She readjusted the strap again, freeing the stuck strands, and finally standing up, her brunette hair framing her face nicely.


There was something a little playful in his expression when he handed her back her phone. A little concerned as to why that may be, she glanced at the screen to see what he'd saved himself as, half in the motion of putting back her mobile into her pocket, before halting her action entirely and nearly choking in surprise. "Are you trying to show off?" Her voice was incredulous, and her eyebrows lifted themselves a little higher in amusement. She pushed her phone into her pocket, staring determinedly into Aiden's gorgeous eyes, "Give me your phone again, please. I want to change something."


Out in the hallway, she nodded, already feeling sorry for whomever had gotten stuck with that fate. "I probably would have gone to have a talk to Miss Ryder. I'm not going to put up with an uncooperative partner." Technically, Marie had gotten sick last time, and there hadn't been anything the teacher could do about it, since she was marked as absent for good reason, but it still sucked having to do the entire project on her own. "Not again, anyway." Elsa looked over to Aiden, a confident smile on her face, "Though I'm enjoying being partnered up with you so far." It certainly felt like good luck to be partnered with someone she got along with so well, and it probably didn't hurt any that he was good looking.


It honestly sucked that her guess earlier was right, and she completely regretted not checking the weather forecast before she'd left the house. "Nope, no umbrella. Though, I could probably make a dash for my car." Elsa commented, her entire umbrella-less situation exposed. Honestly, it was a little bit embarrassing to be caught this disorganized. She fished out her car keys from her left pocket, aware that the rain sounded heavy and that the sky was rumbling angrily. It probably wouldn't be too fun running out in this weather.

 

[Semblance]

Aiden chuckled with amusement when she proudly announced her jogging routine and the importance of one's health. "I couldn't agree more," he replied, watching her hoist her backpack onto her shoulders. When she flipped her hair out from underneath her straps, he caught a brief whiff of her sweet fragrance. It was a pleasant, natural scent, and he could feel himself drawn to it. He snapped out of his daze when Elsa amusingly demanded his phone back and the mischievous smile returned to his face. "Well I think that emoji is pretty fitting," he responded teasingly. With an amused scoff and a roll of his eyes, he took his black iPhone back out from his pocket and handed it over to her, curious as to what she was going to do.


As they conversed in the empty hallway, Aiden shoved his hands in his warm jacket pockets and listened to her talk about her previous partner. "Bad partner last time?" he asked. "To be honest, I wasn't exactly the best partner either. I caught the flu so I was out of school that whole week," he admitted, as he reflected back on his own assignment last time. His partner, Laura, ended up doing the entire project by herself because the Pride had been on high alert for hunters that week, which meant he barely had time to do anything else that wasn't Draki-related. Although he did feel guilty about it, there was nothing he could do, and he had technically been excused that whole week for having the "flu." It helped that his mother was a doctor, so she wrote all of his doctor notes and signed off on his excuses.


He found himself smiling a little wider than he expected when Elsa said that she was enjoying her time with him. "You've definitely been one of my better partners. Probably the best actually, from what I've seen so far," he agreed, turning his head to look into her light green eyes.


"Don't be ridiculous," Aiden replied firmly when she mentioned she didn't have an umbrella and began to fish out her keys. He could hear the pattering of the rain outside grow even louder by the second. "Where did you park your car? I'll walk you to it," he said in a voice that implied he wasn't going to change his mind. As they stepped outside, he quickly opened up his blue umbrella and raised it over both of their heads, shielding them from the watery onslaught.

 

[sealdust]

Once his iPhone was back within her grasp, she swiftly edited her contact information, changing it so that her name was framed by two crown emojis. She then scrolled down the list of ringtones, before selecting '





', since she liked the sound of it. A victorious smirk spread over her lips, and she relinquished his phone once again. "Thank you; now everything is right with the world again," she commented playfully, as though there had been something very horrible with it before she'd made those minor corrections.
"More of a partner with a bad immune system. My partner Marie got the flu too. Absent the entire week." Elsa sighed, knowing that it hadn't been intentional on Marie's behalf, and Elsa wanted to clarify that, lest Aiden got the wrong opinion of her, "It wasn't her fault, just like it wasn't yours, but it made for very frustrating circumstances." Trying to juggle an over-abundance of school work and already pretty intensive hunter duties had been difficult, and with all the late nights, she hadn't gotten much sleep at all.


Then she looked over at Aiden, a hint of worry in her eyes. If he'd contracted the flu when it'd been going around, that was possibly a sign of a weak immune system, and she didn't imagine that the cold rain would help with with that at all. Then, his praise made her blush just a little, and Aiden turned his head to look at her. Elsa wondered if it was obvious, or if the distraction of the noisy darkened sky and the rain would prevent him from noticing her slightly reddened cheeks as she looked into his complex dark hazel green eyes. "You're also probably one of my better partners as well," she admitted. Whilst everyone else in the classroom had fled at the sound of the bell, he'd stayed and approached her so that they could get a head start on their work.


Elsa nodded gratefully, deciding that contradicting Aiden and insisting on going alone when he'd offered to take her there would be foolish for many reasons, even if her immune system was great. "Thank you." She stepped closer to him, her shoulder brushing his jacket. Knowing Aiden's dislike of water, he'd probably be more annoyed by errant raindrops soaking his clothes than their close proximity. If she walked close to him, the umbrella would have to protect a smaller area, and there would be less risk of both of them getting soaked. "I parked my car in the far left section of the student parking lot. It's a shade of dark grey."

 

[Semblance]

Aiden rolled his eyes and chuckled when she handed his phone back to him, seeing the two crown emojis. However, he wasn't going to notice the water-themed ringtone until later. "If only two crown emojis could solve all the problems in the world," he said with amusement.


When Elsa mentioned that her partner was Marie, an Air Draki in their Pride, he knew that she must have been out "sick" for the same reasons as him. After all, his mother wrote all the doctor excuses for the students in their Pride. "That must have been tough," he said, trying to sympathize. "Hey are you implying that I have a bad immune system?" he asked, feigning offensiveness. "May I remind you who won that arm wrestling match," he teased, his hazel green eyes lighting up.


A natural, flattered smile appeared on his face when Elsa told him that he was one of her better partners. For some reason, he felt himself wanting to be the best partner she ever had. His own hazel eyes were drawn to her lighter green ones, and he swore that there was a sparkle in them. He quickly glanced away before he ended up staring and concentrated on holding the umbrella over both of them. The side of his jacket was getting wet from the rain dripping off the side of the umbrella, but for the first time in a while, he didn't mind it all that much. "No problem," he replied with a smile. "Well I wasn't going to make you run through this rain. Now that would've been cruel," he added as they headed towards the left section of the parking lot. Aiden felt her shoulder brush his jacket, feeling an odd sense of comfort at their physical contact. He was unusually aware of her presence, now that they were huddled together underneath a tiny dry area in the midst of the pattering rain. And he could smell her fragrance in every breath he took, especially with the humidity in the air.


By now, they were one of the only people left at school- even most of the faculty had gone home by now, so it was pretty easy to identify her car. He spotted a lone dark gray vehicle parked on the side of the parking lot and knew it must be hers. When they reached her car, he turned his head to face her and smiled into her eyes. "Alright I'll text you about plans for next time," he said. As if his arm had a mind of its own, Aiden leaned towards her and wrapped the arm closer to her around her shoulders in a quick sideways good-bye hug before casually separating again.

 

[sealdust]

"Well, you were the one who suggested princess." Elsa claimed, the entire Halloween suggestion stuck in her head, part of the main reason she'd added crowns instead of flowers. "And maybe they will," she quipped lightly, obviously not intending to be taken seriously at all.


Elsa raised her eyebrows, "Are you implying you don't?" Though at the following 'reminder', she laughed, "You may have won that round, but I haven't had a sick day in years." There had been times where she was mildly ill though, with a scratchy throat or a cough, but it would occur during school breaks, and her sicknesses didn't have a long duration. Her brother was a terrible help during those times, but he would help, and with medication, her symptoms would be gone by the third day. "Just try to keep yourself dry, and have lots of vitamin C." Her tone was rather serious, with familiar hints of concern present. It wasn't just because she'd be down a partner, but that she was finding herself a little worried for Aiden himself.


She stepped over a puddle, quietly taking in Aiden's presence beside her as they walked. His shoulder looked like it was getting wet, and she wondered if he'd noticed. He probably had. But he was also pretty close to her, the two of them walking side-by-side underneath his blue umbrella. She smiled, thankful for his consideration of her. "It was nice of you to offer to share your umbrella, though I'm sorry about your shoulder getting wet. I'll have an umbrella next time," she assured. She fiddled with the keys in her hands, the metal clashing together noisily, "And I wouldn't have blamed you even if I did run through the rain."


When they arrived at her car, she lifted up her head to face him, a gentle, appreciative smile on her face. "Okay, I'll look forward to it. Anyway, thanks again." Then he hugged her, and even though it surprised her, she found herself leaning into it a little, before pulling away when he removed his arm. She pressed the button to the automatic lock/unlock button on her car, turning back to Aiden under the cover of the umbrella one last time. "I think you'd probably make a better knight," she suggested, sincere in her words. Then she opened up her car door, gracing Aiden with a small wave goodbye even as she quickly pulled herself into the safety of the drivers seat.