- Whisperpeak Academy for Wayward Dragons - Ch.14 P.2 - Dying Tears -

Instructions

(+)She looked like a bunny next to Oliver, especially with her platinum blonde hair and peeking dragon ears. I wondered if the look was intentional. They often acted in sync without even knowing it. Iris read my overthinking and explained apologetically, "After everything that happened yesterday, I wanted to pretend maybe this was a normal morning. I'll get dressed right after breakfast." I shook my head. "Didn't mean to rush you." After taking a seat on Oliver's right, I noted Shortie and Alex. They looked the same. Short wore her usual boots, but this time with subtle pink skinny jeans and a flowy beige blouse French-tucked into the pants. Alex wore a thin Russian blue sweater and cargo pants with black boots. John wore the same thing (they were like brothers) but with a brown tee. He'd be in the garage today, after our big tour. A door to one of the other rooms creaked and a bedraggled Henry stumbled out- sh!rtless. Oh god, and only in b@xers. I diverted my eyes and held my forehead, trying not to react. Iris snorted out of reflex, and Oliver elbowed her, looking mildly offended. Henry yawned and casually slipped into a seat next to Alex. "Mate, your shirt? And your... Uhm, did you lose it somewhere?" Oliver fake coughed in an effort to not join Iris as she trembled with laughter. A confused fog passed over Henry's face before it cleared in realization. "Oh! Sorry." Suddenly, with no more but a brush of his hand, he was transformed into a dress shirt with ruffles along the collar. A silver bowtie with a small fluffed ribbon cascading from it was attached to the waistline, and his lower body was in formal pants of a darker gray shade. His shoes were predictable dress shoes. If this was his average outfit he meant to be in, I wanted to see what would happen if he dressed up for real. Iris caught her breath. "Oh, right, I forgot you are a wizard!" Oliver raised his eyebrow slightly, but smiled. "Yeah.. Sorry- ahem, I apologize for that. It's just, I was so worn after years of working at the lab... And... When I got the opportunity to sleep... I just- ugh." Henry worked his frills restlessly as he searched for words. "I never thought it was that easy to /sleep/. And- usually, at the lab, I would just use that little pinprick of magic I had to cover up bags or any fatigue. I had to keep myself looking sharp for Golthem, after all. But now... I mean, this is my first time actually using my wizard magic for light stuff! Dressing without a uniform... My father said it would feel nice." He sighed and pressed his hands against the table, his embarrassment ebbing away as we got over the strange moment. The only thing I could think about is how many lives we were changing. Plus, the people Henry rescued that had abnormal amounts of power- they'd be introduced to us soon, too. So many people. In all this commotion, I finally heard the delightful cheering of the pan as John cooked up something. Its sizzles and pops were satisfying, like the food was calling out what was to come. "Whatcha whipping up for us, mate?" Oliver asked as he passed by to the modest fridge for some water. "Omelets. I figured breakfast should be simple and fast today because of the tour Alex has planned for you all, but tomorrow it's going to be Swiss." John sounded proud as he sprinkled dried herbs over our dishes. "Well, while we wait for breakfast, how about we get to know each other?" Shortie suggested earnestly. Alex's eyes grew just a little dimmer, but I saw him correct his posture and push any feelings to the side. "That sounds important," I blurted. "We should know a thing or two about our allies." There was an anticipating silence that stretched across the cozy, well-set table as we waited for someone to speak up. Iris sputtered out, "Well, my life before all this wasn't too glorious. I live on the outskirts of Beverly Hills... And my parents are wealthy... I forgot what my dad's business does; just know he's overworked. I think it's something with cars. My mom's kinda strange. That's about it. I prefer the person I am in Skygale. I don't really want to leave. In the human world, I'm just a classic dumb blonde with generational wealth and a family business. I prefer the person I've become here." She took one breath and sighed. Something in her eyes was different. . . Stronger. Stable. Not interrupted by the power of the Infinity. This felt more like the Iris the Resistance deserved to meet. Oliver gave her a tiny pat and glanced at Shortie. Apparently, he didn't want to elaborate on himself yet. Ugh. Selfless, as always... "Well, my life before the Resistance? Gosh, where should I start…" She smiled faintly.(+)