[leon] into the dragon's den

The plan was simple. Go in. Kill the dragon. Get the prize. Of course, there had to be strategy to it. He was supposed to distract the beast while another killed it. Aim for the eyes. That’s what the direction said. And yet, when it came down to it, Leon decided that screw the plan, that the plan wasn’t fun, and ran straight in, sword overheard yelling out a battle cry. In an instant, he was dragon food. Swallowed up whole as the words ‘Game Over’ flashed on his screen. Leon stared for a moment as the animation replayed before throwing the controller. He’d been trying to kill the best for three hours now, and this was probably the fiftieth time he’d tried. Then again, he never did the strategy. Where was the fun in that? Screw distractions, just run in and beat the crap out of the dragon.

Sighing, Leon decided that he probably should quit for a little bit, and grab something to eat. How long had he been playing that game? He’d been battling the boss for three hours, but he’d been playing for much longer before that. He checked the time, discovering that he had wasted his entire weekend off of work playing the game. He’d been up for nearly two days straight now. But he didn’t feel tired. It was weird. He felt like he had just woken up. Maybe he did and he just dreamt playing that game… No, he had the saved data to prove it. Damn. He stared in his fridge for probably ten minutes just staring at the little bit of food he had before a knock came at his door. He pulled out his carton of milk and took a drink, a little bit of milk spilling down his chin, and placed it back in the fridge.

Leon walked up to his door and opened it, smiling widely as he saw the guy behind it. He lunged forward, throwing his arms around Zanith and patting his back before pushing himself away. “Hey Zan! What’s up? D’you wanna come inside and play games?

Leon didn’t think anything of the fact that Zan was all closed off. Zan could be like that sometimes, Leon supposed. Leon was like that sometimes. Okay, that was a lie. But that was because Leon was special. He was always a special sort of boy in a way in the fact he was always happy and loved to meet other people and just be with someone else. Perhaps that was why he liked games so much, because then he wouldn’t be alone when he knew he couldn’t really just go out and meet random people because he was on the run. Not from the authorities but his past life. Still, whatever the case, he was happy to see his friend.

When Zan mentioned an adventure, Leon’s eyes lit up and he immediately got excited. Maybe they would go to the harbor and he would run off the edge again, on purpose, but Zan could teach him how to swim so he wouldn’t drown. That would be so much fun. But then Zan motioned to the sword on his back and Leon’s eyes lit up even more. A sword. That was so cool. He wondered where Zan could’ve gotten one. But if the adventure was dangerous, then why was he here? Why was he asking him for help? Leon knew that he was a klutz, and most people would think he would get in the way for even a simple picnic or game of football. Oh, that made Leon feel so happy that despite the fact he was a walking accident, Zan wanted him to join him on his mission. It would be just like in his games! But Zan would be the main character. Darn. He wanted to be the main character. But he would settle for the main character’s best friend. But not in the game he was just playing. The best friend died saving the main character probably five hours ago. But in other games it didn’t happen.

“Oh, okay. Let’s see… Weapons…” He looked around his apartment and saw a kitchen knife but his eyes continued around as he remembered a very special weapon that he kept with him at all times. “Just a sec.” He walked from the door, leaving it open so Zan could come in if he wanted, but also since they were going to leave, Leon would easily be able to get out of the little apartment to go on this adventure. He pulled out a knife, probably about half the size of Zan’s sword and held it up. There were engravings all over, with the letter ‘S’ along the side. Leon grinned. “Would this work?” He held it up to Zan so he could see it. “My dad bought it for me when I was a kid. He said that when I was in hu- I mean, trouble, I could use it to defend myself.” As long as he didn’t hurt himself in the process. Then again, he didn’t know why there was an S on the knife, nor why he kind of felt like he was going to something about human form just a second ago. And why he felt like someone else must have given him the knife because it felt like he got it after his dad died. Psh. He was probably just tired and a bit crazy.

Now Leon wished he didn’t waste his time on that game instead of sleeping. This would be fun. They were going on an adventure and it sounded like fun. Maybe now he’d actually use his knife. Every time he needed to use it he never had it. It was too pretty and bulky to just carry around. Plus he was sure that his boss at Any Given Sundae would not be happy if he came in with a weapon in his belt or something. And he didn’t want to trip and fall and kill himself. That was always a possibility. He seemed to have terrible balance when it came to standing like normal people, though for some reason he could balance really well on all fours. He was weird like that. But it wasn’t like he could just walk around on his hands and feet. People would stare and he didn’t need attention.

“Well, my dad doesn’t… didn’t like modern stuff. No pepper spray for me.” Which was kind of funny considered he was shot and killed by a guy as he tried to protect him from the shooter. His dad didn’t like guns or anything modern, so there was really no way to defend himself, though he put up a fight, Leon remembered. Or at least he thought he remembered. Could be his memories trying to fill themselves in, especially since he tried to forget that day which was seared into the back of his mind.

Sweater? Oh right. The cold. It was getting later in the year. Leon quickly pulled out a sweatshirt from Keita & Son, a read one with gold letters, and tucked the knife in his belt. He wondered where they were going. But he bet no matter what happened he would have fun. “Alright then! Let’s go. Where are we going? Is there a prize at the end? Like, are we saving a princess or something?”

Leon laughed and shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe he liked knives. It’s kinda impractical though. Usually the guy who follows me around helps me if I’m in trouble. Never really need it in the end. Can’t really carry it around without people thinking I’m weird.” Heck, it was hard to just walk around and have people not think he was weird. Especially when he wanted to run around on all fours, or when eh was just running around and walking of piers… oh wait, that only happened twice. And once he saved himself, and the other he met Zan during. Oh right, Zan was good at swimming, Leon had to remember to ask him to teach him how to swim someday. He hadn’t done that yet.

Huh. No saving princesses? Weird. Was he like one of those solo mercenary types? Oh, those were fun too. Maybe he broke the law for justice or something. “Well, adventures are cool too. I wonder if there will be treasure at the end.” It really felt odd talking about going on an adventure like that, when it really seemed like that wasn’t really how real life worked, that was just how the games went. But Zan didn’t seem to deny any of the game-esque notions he had been saying, so Leon just continued with them. If it did turn out to be like a game and they were going to battle orcs or zombies or something, that would be cool too. But weird. Leon wasn’t the brightest, but he knew that stuff was fake. But it was fun to fantasize about.

Leon blinked a couple times when Zan said under the clock tower. He didn’t know it had a basement, but that was cool. “It’s okay, I can see in the dark well… maybe we could stop by a store and grab one before though. So you can see as well.”

Leon nearly ran right into Zan when he stopped walking to turn around, completely baffled as to why Zan seemed to care so much. Then again, everyone he talked to about the guy who followed him around seemed to be scared. But Leon wasn’t. The guy wasn’t all that scary after all. “Nah, he just following me around. Protects me if I’m in danger. Though I really wish I could just talk to the guy.” And Leon thought that it would be the last of it, even though he was probably wrong about that. It really wasn’t a big deal to Leon, but then again, he didn’t see the bad side of everything. Anyone on the outside would just see some guy following him, but Leon saw some guy who wanted to get to know him but was too shy to approach.

“Oh I dunno. I mean, I bet there’s treasure in the old mines. Someone dropped their lunch pail at some point, or that’s where the mayor stores all her gold or something like that.” Leon could imagine all sorts of things, but running off of little sleep in the last two days, he was a bit on the depleted side of creativity, though he still managed to imagine some of the more bizarre things, such as a tomb full of rubies and diamonds and other stones. Or a giant bird that flew around the city and dropped jewels but the mayor collected them before anyone got to know. Or Mr. Gold and a secret chest full of potions and treasure and holding a princess captive. Oh wait, Zan didn’t rescue princesses. Okay, maybe holding a puppy prisoner. “Why not? I’m sure I would look wonderful in it. It’d show off my legs.” He struck a pose with a goofy grin on his face.

“Zan,” Leon said as if he were a child complaining about having to do chores, “He’s not trying to hurt me. Why would I call the sheriff on him? He just sort of… helps me when I do stupid stuff. Like running off piers. Though that was really fun and really, if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t be friends, so I guess that wasn’t that stupid.” Zan was really paranoid about this guy. “He’s gotten somewhat close. I’ve seen him pretty well, but he likes to run when I spot him.” As if he weren’t supposed to be seen. Huh. Weird. Leon wondered what the guy wanted, and why he ran every time he saw him, even when Leon tried to offer him a hand or even lunch once. He just ran away.

Leon looked up at the clock tower as Zan started picking the lock. His head was looking straight up at the clock tower, watching as the minute hand slowly, very slowly moved at sixty minutes a revolution. When Zan asked Leon looked down and nodded. “Let’s do this quest!”

Leon did not realize why Zanith was being so worried about all of this. Maybe he shouldn't have told Zanith about it, it just made him worry more than really was necessary. It wasn't like the guy ever showed any hostility towards him. Plus, why would a guy like another guy? That was weird. Then again, it wasn't that weird even if Leon hadn't heard of it before. Still, if the guy loved him, then he should just talk to him about it. Maybe they could be best friends and laugh and maybe Leon would fall in love with him too! Then they could be happy, but the dude just had to talk to him, otherwise, he was too chicken to tell him the feelings and thus he probably wasn't actually feeling them. Plus, it was an older dude. Leon was pretty sure old dudes didn't perv on younger dudes like himself. It wasn't like he was an old dude too after all (though the dude wasn't that old, but still).

"Hahaha!" Leon slapped Zan's back with a hearty laugh and shook his head, "You need not worry, I am a strong guy, and he seems like such a nice guy. He even saved my friend and I from some attacker. And that friend was a girl! Though… I don't know what you meant by bumping uglies. I think there's not really an ugly place on me I can think of…" Leon began spinning around like a cat chasing their own tail inspecting spots to see if he could see anything that was ugly. Huh. Maybe Zan saw something that he didn't see. Ah well, he was a pretty boy where it mattered, right? "If my place catches fire, then I jump from the window!" Wow, Leon, you're the smartest dude ever.

Looking around in the library as Zan looked through the shelves, Leon found himself so curious as to everything that was around him. All these books. It was like he was back in his house before his dad died. But wow. Zanith was looking around probably for some sort of spell book or something. This was like a real-life video game, and Leon knew his games.

BAM!

Right into the elevator door. He felt around and felt the nice metal door and then slowly found the opening thing and suddenly the wall opened up! Oh dear! Did he break it? Was he going to go to jail - Oh wait it was just a door that opened to an elevator.

"Hey Zan, I think my head found something important."

Oh. Well that was new. He hadn't heard the phrase for that before. Ah well, you learn something every day, though Leon was pretty sure that Zan was just weird and no one else would use a phrase like that to mean sex. After all, private parts weren't really ugly right? Then again, he'd never seen a girl's private parts. But girls were beautiful too, so he doubted it. Ah well, Zan would be Zan and a very silly silly person who used weird phrases. He liked the guy for who he was and accepted his weirdness. "Oh well, in that case, uh, I haven't met someone to - as you say - bump uglies with. Though that guy just has to ask if he really wants. I mean I'd like to get to know him, but who am I to deny anyone a chance!" Leon laughed and shook his head at the silliness of it all.

"Oh, uh I didn't think that far…" That would be bad to jump and die. But then again, he usually landed on his feet. He was good at jumping. He was sure he could survive something like that. Leon jumped up and landed on his feet placing his hands on his hips. "I can handle it. Promise I won't go splat." He wasn't going to be afraid of anyone, that's what he usually told himself, as no one could be as scary as him and that whole 'father's dead and it's my fault' deal. Plus, he was strong, he was confident he could fight anyone off that he wanted to.

However, this entire situation… He only knew vaguely what he was doing, but he didn't really know much. He trusted Zan and that's why he came with so little explanation. And honestly, he was a bit freaked out on the inside, though he was toughing through it. He was ready to fight any challenge that came their way, and he'd rather die than let Zan get hurt. It was his job to protect his friends from harm and that was just what he was going to do now.

He walked into the elevator with Zan and waited for it to go. Whatever the hell they were doing it was something serious, though Leon was happy and would do whatever it took. Haha! Leon twirled the knife in his hand and it clattered to the ground with a mishandle. Leon scrambled to pick it back up and laughed. "That was totally not on purpose. Gotta be more careful." Leon held the knife aloft.