A feathered lizard towers over Julius, it's menacing gaze locked with his own timid one-- Either patiently waiting for him to mount it, or considering the pro's and cons of gobbling him up, Julius could hardly tell.
[Julius]: "Seriously, I'd much, much rather just watch from the sidelines. Take someone else as your partner!"
Lucille stands with a hand on her hip, the insistent look on her face tearing at his confidence. She had made up her mind, and there was utterly zero chance of that changing.
[Lucille]: "Nah, I want you to do it."
[Julius]: "There has to be better ways to get back at me... That thing will kill me- Ngh!"
Before he knew it, Lucille had thrown him onto the drake's back, the lizard humming with excitement as Lucille hops on behind him.
She buckles the leash onto its harness from behind Julius, who holds it with trembling hands. His feet dangle awkwardly several feet off the ground, a distance that to him, stretches on endlessly.
[Lucille]: "Relax, will you. It's just like riding a horse, remember."
[Julius]: "Aren't you listening? I told you I've never ridden one!"
She hums, only now considering the possibility that this could end badly.
[Lucille]: "well how hard could it be? Look, they're already waiting for us at the starting line."
For the first time since mounting the beast, Julius lifts his gaze to see the other teams drake, ridden by the mother-daughter duo that they had for some reason challenged.
Claude steps in to guide Julius's drake to the starting line next to Lisa's, the first step nearly tipping him off its back entirely.
[Lisa]: "Took you long enough."
[Lucille]: "Save the talk until its over, when we've won. I'd hardly even call this a challenge. No offense, but your passenger here hasn't personally ridden much of anything in years."
Muriel bursts into a melodic laughter, covering her mouth to hide her amusement.
[Muriel]: "My, who raised you to have such a sharp tongue?"
Lucille locks eyes with her, a competitive glare rising from both parties.
Julius, on the other hand was completely oblivious to the energy flaring up around him. He stared straight at the poorly maintained grass track ahead, his hands gripping the leather leash like his life depends on it.
His gaze tracks the blue haired butler that walks in front of the drakes.
[Claude]: "This track makes a complete circle around the orphanage. There may be a few sections that haven't been trimmed down in a few years, so just try to avoid those, yeah?"
His heart pounded, and even the rivalry surrounding him had gone quiet.
[Claude]: "Now that you're both all prepared... Ready!"
the leash strained between Julius's hands, his whole body stiff with an anticipation that terrified him.
[Claude]: "Set!"
Lucille holds his hips to get them both connected to the drake, creating more points of anxious contact. His mind races...
{Julius}: "Just like a horse... I've watched plenty of horse races, I can do that. I can do it."
As he lifts his head with a newfound determination, Claude swings his arm down.
[Claude]: "GO~!!!"
Lucille kicks the drakes side, forcing it forwards in an instant burst of power.
[Julius]: "GYAGHH!"
His confidence in his own skills plumets in record time as his legs turn wobbly against his will, the only thing keeping him seated being Lucille, who grins sadistically ahead.
Simultaneously, Lisa whips her leash and surges forwards, both teams kicking up enough dust to cover the starting line entirely, engulfing Claude with it, whose coughing can barely be heard over the cheers of the kids.
After struggling and grinding his teeth at every stomp, Julius finally finds a balance on the drake, creating some hope of control over the powerful beast that continues its undying surge.
[Julius]: "Ah... O-... Okay...."
[Lucille]: "Hurry up! They're beating us still!"
[Julius]: "I'm trying! I don't know how to make it go faster!"
After twisting and pulling the leash in multiple directions, Lucille gives another kick, pushing the drake into overdrive with a speed that nearly knocks the wind out of Julius.
[Julius]: "WAH!"
Their chaotic riding is a polar opposite to the refined skills of the team in front of them, who both express an ear-to-ear smile as they tear through the wind.
Their golden hair reflects the setting sun ahead of them into his eyes as they approach the first turn.
[Julius]: "Come on, damn it!"
The turn ahead was sharp, far too hard of a turn to be smooth at this speed. He feels Lucille hold onto him tighter as his hands keep their death grip on the leash.
[Julius]: "Here we go, hold on!"
He yanked the leash to the side as the beast thrashed them around. Being thrown off in this very moment would most certainly result in serious injury.
[Lucille]: "Ngh-! Smooth it out, idiot!"
[Julius]: "I'm doing my best!"
The turn felt unnaturally long to Julius, who was struggling to shield his eyes from the dust picked up from Lisa's drake, still just barely ahead.
The turn had both Julius and Lucille feeling nauseous, and every tremoring stomp of the beast sent shocks of whiplash up their spines.
It took every muscle he had to endure it, but the second strip of the track was now visible, and hope filled his body once more.
[Julius]: "Nearly there!"
His smile returned, and his grip loosened, ever so slightly--
--But even that was enough to trip the disaster.
A large rock embedded in the ground at an odd angle threw the drakes talons off course, causing a buckle that launched Julius off its back, above Lucille.
She looked up at him as time appeared to slow down from both their perspectives.
This was it, the moment he would die-- is what he was thinking in this very second. He opened his mouth to scream, but even that would take far too much time.
Lucille reached for him, and after narrowly avoiding her own dismount, she had managed to grab his coat.
[Lucille]: "Idiot!"
[Julius]: "Hah-"
She yanked him back onto the drake behind her, taking the leash that had slipped from his hands moments before, continuing the race herself.
He had to hold onto her tightly not to fly off again, looking down at himself to ensure he's still in one piece.
[Lucille]: "Hey! Not so close, pervert!"
[Julius]: "I nearly died and you're worried about that!? Hk-!"
The beast thrashed the two around violently and growled as Lucille steered. Her riding skills were unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, equally as terrible as Julius's.
[Julius]: "I thought you were good at this. Is that why you made me steer?"
[Lucille]: "S-Shut up!"
Lisa and Muriel were lengths ahead by now, and had begun to wonder if trying their best was such a good idea-- after all, the teams were not picked fairly by any standards.
As Lucille started to straighten out the drake, the tree line rustled somewhere in between the two teams, and from it, a large deer-like creature, emerged quickly.
Their eyes widened as the creature, standing several meters tall with towering antlers, jumped onto the track, and stared in their direction with its glowing, unnaturally red eyes.
[Lucille]: "W-What the hell!?"
Lucille pulled the drakes leash violently, aiming to keep the beast from crashing straight into the deer at high speed.
The drake curved its path, but the distance was far too short for the turn required, causing it to trip over its own feet, throwing itself, along with its two passengers aside and into the forest.
The two brace themselves as they roll down the steep cliff, tumbling quickly alongside the drake through shrubs, branches and rocks--
--Some particular stones that bruise and cut at them. Julius grits his teeth before crashing into the stump of a tree, halting his fall.
[Julius]: "GH- AGHCK!"
He coughs up saliva as he tries to breathe after being winded from the crash. Lucille picks herself up, crumpled on her knees as she stares down at the leaves surrounding her hands.
The drake had landed nearby her, its tough scales protecting it from the fall, chirping in protest as it lies still.
Julius's chest heaved with each breath that he slowly regained, and he looked around for Lucille, seeing her nearby.
[Julius]: "H-Hey!... Are you okay?"
Lucille stared at the ground, unmoving, her tussled hair hiding her face. Though she didn't respond, Julius couldn't see any visible injuries aside from scratches.
[Julius]: "What was that thing?"
[Lucille]: "..."
[Julius]: "Huh..."
The leaves began to stain with quickly increasing droplets, tears that fall from her face. She held herself, breaking down into quiet sobs.
Julius quickly ran to her side, kneeling down and reaches for her.
[Julius]: "Hey, What hap-"
[Lucille]: "HAGH-!"
She slapped his hand away, and he reels back in shock. She's quickly consumed by tears as she dries her face with the back of her hand, though it doesn't help as more run down her cheeks.
Julius's face is filled with concern, but terrified to reach out again, standing a few feet in front of her.
[Lucille]: "Why..."
[Julius]: "..."
[Lucille]: "Why can't I do it..."
She coughs through the sobs, wiping her face over, and over.
[Julius]: "That wasn't your fault, that thing-"
[Lucille]: "I should have avoided it! There was time! If I was better..."
Julius stared silently as she held her arms tightly around herself. He wanted to help, to stop her from crying, to say sorry for something that hadn't been anyone's fault. To at least take responsibility so that he could apologize for it.
[Julius]: "I-..."
[Lucille]: "I just wanted to prove that-.. I wanted to show them that I can do other things too..."
He sat back, taking in her feelings. His hands itched to reach out--
-- Hug her, hold her hand, comfort her. Take responsibility, and bring her smile back, but his body locked up. Would she even trust him if he were to try, is what he thought. Would she push him away again like she had done before?
[Lucille]: "My aspects... Are all anyone ever sees me for. Why did I have to be born with gifts, why me? I hate them... I hate my powers so much..."
Her voice strained with each word, every breath. She had long held in such hatred for her own blessings, that speaking about them only brought out a distain that she could never express.
[Lucille]: "If only I could show them... That I can do other things too, that I don't have to rely on natural gifts to be talented, then maybe... Maybe I wouldn't be looked down upon so much. I thought that if we could win against them, they would see that I'm not just... Just a maid."
[Julius]: "Lucille..."
[Lucille]: "You told me to be proud of my aspects earlier, but... How could anyone be proud of something that comes so naturally... Something that takes no effort..."
[Julius]: "You're wrong!"
[Lucille]: "How?!... How would you understand anything?! You know nothing about me!"
[Julius]: "What difference does it make if you win the race or not? It was obviously your first time, just like it was mine. I'd be surprised if anyone bet on us to win anyway."
[Lucille]: "Then what do you want me to do?! I-"
[Julius]: "You're looking at it the wrong way! Do you think becoming the best at everything is going to make people see you differently? Being the best at every skill isn't possible. There will always be someone better out there somewhere. It's not about what skills you have that defines you, it's what you do, how you feel... What defines you as a person comes down to your actions, your intentions."
Lucille had picked her gaze up from the ground sometime during his lecture, and now stares up at him expectingly. Her eyes directly meet his, whether looking for answers or waiting for him to finish so she can slap him again is unclear.
[Julius]: "You scold me a lot, and you have a tendency to lash out at people, but even so, I can tell you have a heart in there somewhere. You care about your friends a lot, right? You're always looking out for Lisa, and you get along with the girls here, I saw you braiding the hair of one of them earlier, they really seem to like you."
She averts her teary gaze, sniffling as more tears fall. She wants to retaliate like her usual self would, but the words never find her.
[Julius]: "There's me too. Even though you hit me a lot, and insult me every chance you get, I know you still care about me, even if its just for Lisa's sake. If you didn't, you wouldn't have saved me from being thrown off before, right?"
[Lucille]: "She would have cried... I hate seeing her cry... I know she'd hate to see me like this too..."
[Julius]: "Sometimes you have to let people see you at your lowest. Even if you think you look pathetic, having someone by your side to share it with is what makes moving on worth it."
[Lucille]: "How can you see me like this and still care so much... You've only known me for a week..."
[Julius]: "I didn't even know what an aspect was until a few days ago... Where I come from, there's no such thing as magic... So, having come from a place like that and ending up here, I don't really have a good grasp on what's impressive or not, heh..."
Her face had began to dry some minutes back, and she grasped her chest tightly, holding onto herself to support as she listened to the words of a man she thought crazy.
[Julius]: "To me, you are an extraordinary person, Lucille. I don't just see you for your skills as a maid, but I think you are someone that many should inspire to be more like."
[Lucille]: "H-Huh..."
Her eyes moistened again, and she froze in shock as he kneeled down closer to her.
[Julius]: "Lisa is gifted with her strong magic... But there's more to her than that, right? Lawrence too, you don't just see him for what he can do, right? Him and Muriel seem really close, there must be a good reason for that, something that goes beyond mere skill."
She began to tremble once more.
[Julius]: "I know the girls at this orphanage are going to look up to you their whole lives. I'm sure they'll want to be like you when they're older, and I'm sure that you'll stand up to fill that spot as their role model."
Although her tears fell again, her chest felt lighter, and through her blurry vision, she should see Julius reaching out, holding an expecting hand towards her-- One that this time, she would not reject.
[Julius]: "I've never had anyone to lean on either, so... It would mean the world to me, if someone as extraordinary as you, would lean a little on me now... Let me share your troubles, okay?"
She completely broke down, sniffling and coughing as she reached out, and for the first time in her life, grabbed someone's hand, and let them see her at her lowest.
The moment she held his hand, his other covered hers, and his look of conviction brought a smile, as rough as it was, to her face.
[Lucille]: "Thank you... I... I'll try my best..."
[Julius]: "You have my trust, I believe in you."
her legs trembled as she stood up with his help, nodding.
[Julius]: "Come on, lets get back out there, there's still time."
He helped the drake back on its feet, and Lucille gave a disbelieving look at the two.
[Lucille]: "You don't really believe we can still win, do you? They'd be so far ahead by now, there's no point."
[Julius]: "You're wrong. From what I saw when we took that turn before, the right side of the track is flat, unlike this side. If we can get back up, then I have a plan that might work."
Her eyes flickered with hope, and she looked up the cliff. It was steep, but not impossible for a person to climb.
[Julius]: "Winning this race wont change how people see you, but if there is even a small chance that it will put a shocked look on all their faces, then I'll make damn sure we win."
He had a newfound determination that rubbed off on her, and the thought of surprising everyone by beating Lisa and Muriel brought stability back to her bones.
She stared back up the cliff as Julius adjusted the saddle. He noticed her thoughtful expression, and opened his mouth to speak, until-
[Lucille]: "I... I could carry the drake up there."
[Julius]: "W-What?! Really? You'd... Are you sure?"
She smiled.
[Lucille]: "I'll do it."
---
[Muriel]: "Hm? They're gone."
[Lisa]: "Huh? Did we leave them in the dust that badly? Hmph, I could have gone faster."
[Muriel]: "Maybe they're taking a shortcut. Though I'd call that cheating!"
[Lisa]: "Did you see how they were riding? There's no way they'd make it through the forest, especially with Julee steering, fufu~."
[Muriel]: "They were behind us for a while, and suddenly they're that far behind? maybe something happened to them."
Lisa glances back for a moment, a flicker of concern in her eyes, then continues steering. Their riding was undeniably smoother than Julius or Lucille's, practiced many times.
[Lisa]: "Lucee is with them, even if they were in trouble somehow, they'll be fine. but honestly, they probably just gave up and went back to the starting line."
[Muriel]: "You're right, nothing to worry about~"
---
Julius's face took many blows and scratches from the branches that he flew past, the drake's leash back in his hands.
His body shielded Lucille from the outstretching sticks and vines as the beast's talons cut through the forest moss below.
[Julius]: "It's not... a perfect plan, but if we cut through this forest behind the orphanage, we should be able to catch up to them."
[Lucille]: "You're crazy."
He grinned at her for a glance, before facing ahead, their attention on the light that peeks through the tree's in front of them as they reach their goal.
The sound of heavy thumping interrupts Lisa and Muriel's banter. They glance to the side at the tree line, confused and almost disbelieving.
The rough walls of the track shake as the noise's source reveals itself.
Lisa's eyes go wide with shock as a drake launches out from the cliff above them, ridden by Julius and Lucille, both letting out a thrilling scream as the drake sticks the landing ahead of Lisa.
[Julius]: "WAGHH!!"
[Lucille]: "GHK!"
The landing is rough, and their drake takes a few steps to adjust itself on the new terrain. As it's stride evens out, Lisa shouts from behind.
[Lisa]: "Cheaters! How is that possible!"
Lucille Sticks her tongue out at Lisa, prompting her to grow jealous of the sudden change in position.
[Lisa]: "Tch! I'll show you."
The air around the drake heats up, steam flying past Muriel as her daughter burns the air around them. Their drake grows faster, quickly catching up to Julius, a surprised look on his face.
[Julius]: "What the- How are you speeding up still!?"
[Lisa]: "When air heats up, its density changes... If I just burn the air around my drake, we can go way, way faster!"
[Julius]: "Huh?! You're one to talk about cheating! What the hell!"
He shields his face from Lisa's heated air as they fly past him. Opening his eyes again, he can see the finish line in sight.
[Lucille]: "That's the end! We gotta do something!"
Julius closes his eyes for a moment, catching his breath before opening them back up with a new look of determination.
His hands grip the leash tighter, and whips it hard to go as fast as he can. The wind burns his eyes, but he pushes forwards steadily.
As the finish line inches closer and closer, Claude can be seen in the middle, ready to declare a winner. On either side, is all the kids, along with Tohru, who had brought out colorful shakers like you'd see at a festival, shaking them enthusiastically for her friend.
[Julius]: "Hold on!"
Julius's drake caught up beside Lisa's, and they exchange challenging looks before reaching the finish line.
It appears as if both pass simultaneously, and while Lisa stops slowly, Julius's drake stomps hard to slow down, throwing both Julius and Lucille off its back.
[Julius]: "Gah-!"
[Lucille]: "Gk- Wahh!"
The two hit the grass together and crash forwards, eventually coming to a stop. Lifting his dirty face from the ground, Julius looks up at Claude, standing beside Lisa and Muriel's drake.
[Claude]: "Boy, that was a close one. But~, Lisa here crossed the line first. Team Muriel wins."
A look of failure distorts Julius's face as the crowd cheers.
The same boy that bumped into Julius earlier that day, stood on the sidelines, starring wide eyed at Julius. He gritted his teeth, and stormed off.
Julius lost. He holds the arm that he had fallen on first, and slowly turns, building up courage to look at Lucille after their loss.
Lucille sits up, her hair messy and her face equally scratched with dirt. Lisa rushes to her side, worried, and as Julius meets her gaze, expecting the worst--
-- She laughed.
It shook Julius immediately, and he was lifted up by Claude as Lisa assisted Lucille to her feet.
[Claude]: "Come on, bro. You all good?"
He remains silent, watching as Lucille breaks down into laughter and wipes her face.
[Lucille]: "That... was super fun!"
Lisa chuckles with her, and Julius feels the sounds around him fade away. His worry dissipated seeing the joy in her eyes, and when she looked at him, still laughing, he couldn't help but feel a heat rise in his cheeks.
Her smile was rare, and here she was having a laughing fit, because of him. He held his chest tightly, right on the heart that he was hearing beat loudly in his ears, blocking all other sensations.
He was blushing blatantly for the first time, it felt alien to him. All he could do was stare nervously as she slowly brought herself back together with a wide smile. The smile of the girl that would lean on him.
"I want to see that smile more..."
---