❖ 006 - Video

[spotlighted]

[The feed shows a baby dragon with bright red scales crawling across the floor of Ruby's apartment. The camera's shaking in her hands a little.]

I liked this thing far more when I still thought it was a dinosaur.

[The dragon opens its mouth wide and out shoots a small fireball. The rug and the bottom of the curtains of Ruby's apartment are now on fire.]

Hey-- hey! Stop that!

[She grabs the first thing she can lay her hands on - a frying pan - and whacks the dragon with it sharply. Whereas before he'd looked playful, now he just looks very angry with her. She wouldn't be surprised if he tried to burn down the whole apartment now.]

If anyone wants him, take him. Please. Otherwise I'm going to be eating dragon stew tonight.

[She drops the camera abruptly to try and deal with the fire.]

Comments

[spotlighted]

[The dragon's feeling increasingly trapped, and snaps at Meyer with sharp, pearly teeth. It tries to shoot another fireball, but only comes out with a rather pathetic puff of smoke instead.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[Meyer pauses. There's a part of him that thinks killing the dragon -- especially in front of Ruby -- might be a bad idea. But there's a bigger part of him that knows that it's only a matter of time before the dragon gets big enough to actually hurt one of them, and then where will they be? Better to get rid of it now. He turns to Ruby for a moment, gun still trained on the dragon.]

I'd suggest going in the other room.

[spotlighted]

[Ruby nods very solemnly, not being able to bring herself to look at the dragon, walking towards her bedroom and firmly shutting the door.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[A few seconds after she walks into her bedroom, she'll hear a gunshot. Several minutes later, he's knocking on her bedroom door. When she opens it, the dragon is obviously dead, and wrapped up in a towel.]

I'll get you a new towel. I didn't just want to leave it there.

[spotlighted]

[Ruby looks at the lifeless lump obscured by the towel and has to quickly look away.]

It's okay, I don't care about the towel. ...Thanks.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He's good enough at reading people that he knows this must bother her, and although he can't necessarily offer any words of sympathy, he'll do the best to keep the towel out of her sight for now.]

You gonna be okay?

[spotlighted]

[She nods a little, although it's not a very convincing gesture.]

I shouldn't have picked one of those eggs up. I was responsible for it, and I let it get way out of hand.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He'd pat her on the shoulder, if he wasn't busy holding a towel full of dead dragon.]

I don't think anyone could've predicted that it'd get this out of hand. It's not your fault.

[spotlighted]

I don't know, it was obvious it was a curse, I never should have expected anything good to come out of there.

[Even if she'd hoped it was a dinosaur. Which would probably have ended up being even more destructive.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[A shrug.]

We've had curses that've turned out okay before. Can't blame you for hoping.

[spotlighted]

No, I should learn to leave them well enough alone if I can. Even if it might turn out okay, it's probably better to be safe than sorry.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

You really think you'll be able to do that? You strike me as the risk-taking type.

[spotlighted]

I am. And in practise I probably wouldn't be able to manage it. But I don't want the death of another creature to be a result of that, either.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Would you've preferred I didn't kill it?

[spotlighted]

No, you did what you had to.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I always do. Doesn't mean you have to like it.

[spotlighted]

I never said I liked it. But I don't think less of you for it. I'm glad you had the strength to do what was needed, when I didn't.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

That's a specialty of mine.

[Because this kind of thing just doesn't upset him.]

[spotlighted]

Maybe some of that resolve will rub off on me one day.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[A pause.]

I hope not.

[spotlighted]

[She smiles sadly across at him, realising that this is the possibly closest he's come to talking about himself.] I just meant that I'd like to be able to clear up the mess I make. Relying on other people too much isn't a good thing. Although if I have to rely on anyone in the world, I'm glad it's you.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[Yeah, he doesn't really do that whole talking about himself thing, and he already feels like he's divulged too much.]

I think you do a pretty good job of taking care of yourself.

[spotlighted]

Thanks. I hope so.

[Speaking of which...]

Do you want me to get rid of-- [She can't bring herself to say 'the body', but gestures to the lump in the towel.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

No. I'll take care of it.

[It's his mess. He's the one that should clean it up.]

[spotlighted]

Okay.

[She looks more than a little relieved. But she still considers it her mess.]