FlounderAway: Stressful Follow

Long time no see, audience. It had been a long time. Months even! Well currently you are on the right time after all. Cause you see… I am having a bit of a trouble. Just recently, perhaps a few days before. I had declared the ‘rise of the former kingdom’ and allowed all kind of citizen dragons to come back. What I did not expect was flocks of them returning to the roots, celebrating and cheering with risen mugs upon their mouths. Drinking away the problems they had experience during their time away from here. It was an overwhelming experience to see our population growth rapidly higher. Bypassing the thousands, perhaps into millions even! And where was I during all that? I was stuck inside my chamber. Staring at my reflection upon the marble floor beneath me as tears fell from my eyes and my heart pounding away at my chest. My claws fidget and vibrate at times. And my head was spinning with countless thoughts that I could not organize them. I was lost in my world, trying to find a solution to the population problem.

It was quiet. The ringing had stopped after a while since this story began. As always, I was sitting on the edge of my pink queen size bed. My legs dangled and constantly hit the wood behind them resulting in aches and pain. But I would not mind at all. My claws were upon my chin as my eyes were wide opened. Pupils shrinking in size as if they had wanted to disappear. Wings flapping constantly, creating a ‘tornado’ like wind gust around the room. Sending papers in all directions and scattered them upon the flooring below. The room I was in was huge. The door was across from where I was. My bed was leaning against the wall behind me. The room had four windows. Actually wait, there are five. I forgot that the fifth windowlike door was sitting to my right. Where the sun would sink its rays through the windows, settling upon the flooring not too far from where I was. After the door was a ‘U’ shape white railing, an additional flooring was between the rail and the door.

So why was I panicking? It was not because of the population growth. Although that could be an issue. No; it was because the citizens expected me to be a good ruler like my grandad king whose name had not been said in this story because the author had forgotten it or was lazy. They wanted peace. Tranquility. And good relationship with our two neighbores. Vaster town and some abandoned island that none of us had any information about. And me? I am just a dragoness. An adventurous dragoness wanting to explore the high seas together with my pirate friends! I never wanted to stay in one place. But since the declaration, I was forced to. It could be easier to not say anything and go live upon my life as a pirate. I exhaled a breath and folded my wings behind me. Sadness returned upon my face while I kept eye upon the flooring. Silence was my only friend here.

That all changed when the door slammed opened and forced my head to look up in surprise. With my wings opened, I stared at the door and jumped to my feet. Pondering who intruded upon my sorrows. To my surprise, it was Shinron. His face stared onto mine. Yet he wore a serious face. As his eyes narrowed to me, he calmly walked in and allowed the door to shut in time. After him, I heard a series of faint rapid footsteps fading into the silence. But I ignore that and kept my eye upon him. For those new, Shinron was the leader of the pirates. And my advisor. He is smart and serious. Never taking any time off to relax or anything. Many of the pirates, including Nor, agreed that he is a workaholic, and that he would die if he continued like this for years to come. To the surprise of no one, he did not. Shinron is a silver scale dragon like me. Yet he is taller than me. His wingspan was a bit bigger however. Since several months had passed without word about our story’s status, he had been wearing light silver glasses. Shinron thinks they would make him cool and loveable for the ladies… Well, he is not wrong however.

“Virkoal.” Shinron responded as I stared at him back wearing a hard face. “Just what are you doing in the chambers? You should address the citizens of the use of whatever drinks they had brought into the kingdom. I found several drunk!” “Is that all?” I asked suddenly, he shook his head adding “In addition to, You should also speak to them. Do we have any plans to make the city more safe for them? Away from harm and such?” “No.” I answered back, he blinked in the following silence before snorting. “Fine. We will find something soon.” I said nothing after him as he turned around and headed out the door. Disappearing from my sights as I sat down onto my usual spot. I kept my head leftward to the window door. The sun was about to disappear, its last lights shimmering upon the flooring. I stared onto the window for a moment before shaking my head. Why oh why did I make the decision?

The silence continued inside my room as the sun set finally disappeared. With the moon hanging just barely from the horizon, I gave an exhale before jumping onto my feet. And walk to the window door, pushing it aside to let me through. As I exited from the chambers, I took a few steps forth and extended my claws to the railing while I raised my head high into the night skies. Houses all bowed to me. They look smaller in comparison to my castle. While I watch the lights flickered and die inside the homes, I suddenly spread my silver wings and jumped. Allowing the cold air to pick me up as I flapped once to maintain the elevated height from the grounds below. Constantly, I had been doing this every night when no one was awake. It had felt nice and refreshing from my toxicated heaving lungs having to breath in the same air when I was still inside the chamber. I flew northward, cutting across the houses underneath me. Drawing to the heart of the city, here was where I landed upon one of the rooftops and raised my eyes high. However, I was not alone.

And I heard someone walk behind me. I turned my head over the shoulder and spotted Tzico and Xenao. Both had grin smiles upon their faces. I reflected back to them. We gathered, high fiving and hugging one another. As they asked me about ruling the kingdom, that same smile fled from my face and I stared at them with a frown. They looked surprise and dismissed the topic at hand rapidly, but I wave it off adding. “It was fine. I just wish Shinron would smile and enjoy himself more.” “So like him.” Xenao laughed, his wings spread behind me and Tzico joined in. I said nothing in result but smile at them as Xenao stopped and said, “Have you guys heard of the rumor that is spreading about within the kingdom?” “Was it me?” I asked jokingly, Xenao chuckled shaking his head. “No. Well, Yes actually. It is honestly in relation towards you, Virkoal. Besides being a special dragoness in the line of silver-” “Alright alright.” I waved it off, growling playfully as Xenao formed a smirk beaming directly at me before he resumed.

“Some dragons are saying about a hailstorm coming this way. The kingdom will be totally damage. Perhaps to ruin.” “Will it be in the same status as the fox’s destruction?” I asked, tilting my head to one side as he shook his head, “No.” Xenao finished, but his eyes looked with worry as I faintly smile in response. Hopefully to brush that off. Sadly, it did not work and I forced myself to frown as I asked him, “Is there more?” “Well…” Xenao trailed, and raised his head high into the skies pondering for a short moment before telling me. “The dragons here will riot. And you…” “Me?” I pressed him, my scales vibrating as I breathed with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. But he fell silent and shook his head. Turning his attention to Tzico, both of them said nothing. For their eyes were maintained and still that I chimed in into their silent staring contest. They stopped after and shifted their eyes to me.

“And me what?” I asked, a bit annoyed by them. “What will happen to me? Die? Overthrown? Discarded? Isolation…” And the list goes on and on. But as I realized that I was running my mouth, I slammed it shut and narrowed my eyes to them. They said nothing and turned around, spreading their wings and jumping into the skies. Flying off into the horizon, Xenao turned around and waved at me with a cheerful yet isolated silently smile. They left me alone as I pondered what that sentence would be. Questions entered my mind. Thoughts popped up. I was descending into anxiety and nervousness that a chill of a wind blew against me. I shivered. As another wind blew through my scales, I turned around. Spotting Shinron as he landed upon the grounds and looked up to me, adjusting his silver glasses. “Where were you, Virkoal?” “Getting some fresh air.” I started, removing my eyes away from him. “Air?” He echoed walking to me and place his claw upon my shoulder. It was cold to his warm touch that I found myself flinching away from him. Turned myself around and glared at him while he kept silent. His mouth opened, wanting to say words.

We stayed like this for eternity before I spread my wings. He mirrored me. And together we jumped, flying northward retreating to the castle once again. And during the flight, I had thoughts in my head again. In wonderance of what Xenao and Tzico were talking about…

“And you…”