Kirishima's PoV

I awoke to the sound of crumbling rock and flinched. Immediately I was on alert and jumped up. A dragon had landed right in front of me, its scales shimmering silver in the morning sun, giving them a metallic glow. Since the ledge on which I had laid was quite small, he had casually struck the claws in the rocks and looked down at me questioningly.

Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. But so all alone in the mountains, far away from any dragon soul, I wanted to make sure you were all right. He made an embarrassed snort.

I looked at him. His scale color was really extraordinary, but he wasn't very tall, so I concluded that he was still quite young. Maybe at my age. Nevertheless, I was insecure. This was my first ordinary encounter with a dragon, and he had approached me as casually as people would who meet for the first time.

When I was still silent, he tilted his head questioningly. Are you all right? Can't you speak? he asked jokingly.

I flinched. No, the thing was simply that I had never used the telepathy of dragons before and worried a little about making a fool of myself. I briefly considered turning back into my half dragon form, but then decided against it. I shouldn't reveal my identity so carelessly just because I was a little afraid of embarrassing myself.

I..., I said carefully and was relieved to find out that it worked. I quietly thanked my dragon instincts. Yes. I'm fine. But you scared me, I finally said embarrassed. I put my wings close to the body, which I had previously spread out halfway in a state of alert.

Do you want to go back to the Empire? he asked curiously. I'm on my way home right now, we could fly together.

I hesitated. At first it didn't seem wise to me to trust the first dragon that crossed my path. But first of all I had to start with someone and secondly he seemed really nice. Yes ... sure, I replied, still a little shy.

He pushed himself off the rock face with his hind legs and let himself fall backwards. I made a frightened sound before I saw that he turned playfully in the air, thus catching his fall and flying back up to me in a wide curve. He made an amused rumble that sounded like a giggle when he noticed my surprised look.

Don't say that you've never done that before? he asked a little confused, flapping his wings energetically as he waited in the air in front of me for me to finally fly off.

I spread my wings and pushed myself off before I flew over to him. No, I haven't, I said a little embarrassed.

He looked at me from the side in disbelief. Huh? Didn't you have a childhood? he asked jokingly.

Yes, I did. But none as a dragon. But since I didn't know if and how I should make that clear to him, I remained silent. Normally it was not difficult for me to talk, but I felt a little uncomfortable in my own skin. Despite all the teaching of the Order I had no idea how dragons behaved towards each other and I was afraid to do anything wrong.

I felt the silver dragon looking at me from the side during the flight and I got a little stiff. Should I say anything? What's your name? I finally asked.

He laughed with a growl and swivelled playfully to the side for a moment, only to fly beside me again. Really? Nobody has asked me that yet, he replied giggling. On my questioning look he shrugged his shoulders. Isn't that obvious? he asked in surprise.

I pulled my eyebrows together and looked at him again. Tetsutetsu? I asked hesitantly. The metallic scales brought me to this assumption. The clan of Tetsutetsus was quite small and insignificant, but probably every hatchling in the Dragon Empire knew them anyway. Their color came from the fact that their scales were indeed strengthened with metal that made them a little more resistant. It was a simple ability and nothing compared to the former royal family's armor scales. The fact that I hadn't immediately guessed it showed once again how little I knew about dragons.

Yep! the dragon replied. My name is Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu.

Now I had to giggle. Your parents were really creative.

He gave me a sideways glance. Probably he had heard this comment before. Go ahead and make fun of me. What is your name then?

I hesitated, but decided it wouldn't help to lie. Eijirou Kirishima, I said therefore simply.

Tetsutetsu's wing beat stopped briefly, so he sank a short moment into the depths. Really? he asked with big eyes. Suddenly he seemed a little shy.

Yes, really, I said a little uneasy. Was it a mistake to mention my family? After all, they were one of the three most powerful families in this country. No, it was only right to tell him.

I don't mean to offend you, but that's not what I expected. I have never heard of you ... Eijirou, hm?

I sighed and a little puff of smoke escaped my nostrils. I'm not surprised that you have never heard of me before. They don't know anything about me either as far as I know, I replied.

I don't know if it was because of his friendly open manner or simply because he was the first friendly dragon I ever met, but I had decided to trust him. What else could I do? Alone I would not get far in this foreign realm. I needed someone to help me find my way. And someone whom I could ask if I did not know anything about the habits of the dragons. I needed a friend who was honest with me. Maybe ... just maybe he could take on that role. But for that I had to be honest and tell him everything.

Tetsutetsu was still looking at me from the side, a confused expression laid on his face. I don't want to be intrusive. But would you allow me a question?

I noticed that his way of speaking had changed. Respectful. Distanced. I nodded.

What do you mean by that? They must know you if you belong to the family, do they?

I'm not an ordinary dragon, I replied quietly. I am a half dragon and have grown up in the human empire.

Now Tetsutetsu really lost his poise. The flapping of his wings stopped again and he sank into the depths while his eyes grew big. D-don't joke about that! he said nervously when he had regained his composure.

It's not a joke. I watched his reaction, but I saw one thing above all in his eyes: Shock.

You're a half human?, he asked respectfully. I nodded again. How did you escape these creatures? They're said to be cruel beasts. Is it true that some of them have shimmering death bringers that can penetrate through any kind of scales? He shuddered.

The people are not cruel ... at least not more or less than the dragons. And ... shimmering death bringers? Do you mean the iridescent blades of the dragonslayers? Yes, they really exist.

Dragonslayers ..., Tetsutetsu repeated quietly. These must be the worst of their kind.

I got a little stiff and frowned. I didn't want to immediately tell him that my mate is a former dragonslayer. Instead I wanted to try to make something clear to him. If ... a dragon kills a person who threatens him, how would you think about that? I finally asked.

I... he'd be a hero to me, he said carefully.

I nodded. I expected that. It's exactly the same for the humans. The dragonslayers are their heroes.

Tetsutetsu frowned. That's a little too far-fetched for me.

I sighed. I can't blame you for that. The humans and the dragons don't have a good understanding of each other. But that's why I am here. I am here to fly to the Dragon Empire because I want the war between humans and dragons to end, I said seriously.

After my statement there was a moment of silence and all I could hear was our rhythmic flapping of the wings and the soft sound of the wind.

Excuse me but ... you're a strange dragon, he finally said, but grinned at me mischievously from the side.

I shrugged my shoulders and couldn't help but return his grin. That could be because I'm half human.