Elena pulled out of the hug and patted his head. "We'll get both of them back, okay?" she asked. Azmend nodded, "I'll help you find your boyfriend. Thank you." he chuckled. Elena's face went red, "B-Boyfriend?!" Azmend yanked her hand and pulled her along with him. They both started to walk, "By the w-way, he's n-not my b-b-boyfriend." Elena stammered.

Azmend laughed heartily, "Um...sure? Whatever you say~" Elena shook her head, "N-No, it's true!" "Whatever, I saw him go this way. He's a pretty young dragon so I doubt he could fly for too long. We could probably catch up to him." Azmend noted. "Oh that's a relief!" Elena chirped.

"Um...Elena?" Azmend asked, "Yes?" she quietly responded. "You look tired...you could..ride me...only if you want, though! It's only because you look tired-not that I care! I don't even-" She sleepily rubbed her eyes, "Yes please."

He eagerly transformed into his dragon form and helped her up onto him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Thank you." He nervously nodded, after all of the things he did wrong, after what he did to her, she still easily helped him and now she  even thanked him.

Azmend flapped his large wings and leaped off of the ground. He soared into the sky and bounded over wispy clouds. The sky had started to darken and stars started to fade into view. Elena tried to stay awake but found herself slowly dozing off into a quiet slumber.

He peeked back at her and was stunned to see her calm expression and she was lightly hugging his neck-she was asleep?! What if she fell!? He slowly and carefully swooped down towards the ground. Azmend skillfully landed with a small thud.  Azmend turned back into a human and Elena still was clinging to his neck. 

A loud sigh escaped Azmend. She's fast asleep! Her house is way too far for me to carry her back, and it's  too cold for me to just leave her here... He thought. Azmend decided to just carry her into the closest village. He then started walking towards a clump of buildings and streetlamps off in the distance.

It didn't take him long to arrive there and Elena was surprisingly lighter than he thought she'd be. Azmend cautiously stepped into the town. He scanned the area for a hotel but decided to just ask a villager if he met one. A little boy peered his head out of a window, "Why are ya' carryin' a lady, mister? Is she your girlfriend or somethin'?" Azmend thrashed his head towards the kid, "G-Girlfriend?! N-No! She just fell asleep on my back!" 

The kid stood there, dumbfounded, but just shut the window. "I should've just asked for a hotel..." Azmend grumbled. Elena shifted a bit in her sleep so he stood still for a moment, he really didn't want to explain how they ended up here if she woke up. She'd probably think he was kidnapping her again!

An old woman wandered the streets with a dog in her arms and noticed Azmend's worried expression. "Are you lost, sir?" her raspy voice called. "Actually, yes ma'am. I was looking for a hotel." he replied. She smiled, "This town's hotel is great, you'll love it! It's just down this street, left, down two streets, and the sign says 'Maryanne's Merry Inn." 

Azmend wanted to laugh at the name but remembered Elena and just thanked the lady instead. He recalled the instructions and followed them until he reached the Inn. He carefully pulled the door open with one hand while his other hand tried to balance Elena. 

A young girl was beaming at a large wooden desk. She had short fluffy pink hair with tons of hair clips and pins holding her side bangs back. She wore a simple white dress with a baby blue ribbon across it. "Good evening customer! How may I assist this loyal customer today?" she asked. Azmend wanted to punch her face so bad-but he didn't...because of Elena...again.

"Are you Maryanne? We need a room, well she does." he showed Elena to the girl. "Ah yes! Maryanne is I! I mean...oh that's not right....I is Maryanne! Hmm...I really have to work on that-oh wait a room!" she rummaged through her desk's drawers and pulled out a shiny golden key. "Would you like a room too? Or are you going in with her? Sir, I also have two bed bedrooms!" she explained. 

Azmend thought it over, "Just one room for her-not me." Maryanne nodded and escorted him to the room. "Enjoy your stay~" she chirped. He entered the room and gently set Elena onto the white bed. He tucked her under the blankets then wrote a small note to explain everything. He looked at her, she was so calm and peaceful. After all she had gone through she managed to be so kind to him. Azmend patted her head and hugged her, "Thank you."

~Time Skip!~

Elena woke up in an unfamiliar bed. Just as she was about to panic she spotted a small note on the wooden desk next to her. It was obviously from Azmend and it explained how she fell asleep, he found a hotel, payed for it all, and how he would help her keep searching for Cole when she woke up. 

She sighed and set the note aside. She fell asleep, she couldn't believe it! She was supposed to find Cole! Elena left the room and went to the front desk. "I'll be checking out of my room now, thank you so much for the room." Elena smiled at Maryanne. "No problemo! Thank you loyal customer! This customer sure did sleep a lot though~"

Once she had returned the key she left the Inn and searched for any sign of Azmend. Maryanne chased after Elena, "Wait! Your adorable customer boyfriend left this for you!" she called. At first Elena didn't think she was talking to her but then she understood, "He's not my b-b-boyfriend!"

"Oh, well he left this for you, customer." she replied and handed over another note. Maryanne skipped back into her Inn and Elena read over her note. It said that Azmend would be waiting at the Town Square. Elena sighed, she didn't know where that was!

She rubbed her hands together and chanted a quick charm, it summoned a glowing blue arrow that acted like a GPS. "Show me the Town Square." she ordered. The arrow quickly  swerved, almost like a compass.

 Elena followed her arrow and eventually it disappeared, "I must  be here." she mumbled. She scanned the area and found a bench with Azmend napping on it. Elena shuffled up to him and sat beside him. She patted his head, "You must be pretty tired after what happened yesterday," she smiled, "Thank you, Azmend."