Hidden Promise

Hidden Promise

    He never could find the quite bars, he always had to pick the bars that were noisy and crowded when he did this. Not that he cared those were sometimes the best bars, and half the time something interesting happened that would help to take his mind of the war.

    Oh the war…if only he could forget about that. But nope, he had to be there on the front lines every fricken day and he had to do massive threats just to get a few days where he could relax for a little bit so that he did not go crazy. And had to pull favors just so he could sneak out and get to a neutral city to even be able to relax in a place no one knew him.

    He was easy to remember. That was even clearer when he would look at the mirror that hung just behind the bar tender. He could see himself, a five foot ten dragon (anthro), blunt short muzzle, easy to see purple scales cover his face, a bit of his neck and what you could see of his arms beyond the plain undescriptive tan shirt he was currently wearing, couple with his purple eyes he had a lot of purple.

    The front half of his neck you could see the start of his Gold-yellow scales that ran down the entire upper part of the front part of his body, but was covered by his shirt and the his lower half covered by the black jeans he had on and the general shoes he wore. His large and powerful yellow armed and orange membrane wings were folded up against his back preventing other creatures from seeing the scars they had. His two yellow horns scared, battered, and recently cleaned stood on his head, while the few yellow finds he had left were standing tall and proud running down his back. And his sort of flat yellow sort of pinecone tale end hanging lazily at the ground.

    On the battle field, amongst his allies he was well known in and out of armor. But he took great strides in making sure his enemies did not know who he was, the full body armor he wore made sure of that, he rather liked being a partial unknown to his enemies, made his life much easier and the war a lot calmer if his mentors where correct.

    But he had come to this city on this day to forget about the war, maybe get rip roaring drunk for once. But sadly he could not bring himself to do that, he had been at this bar for three hours still nursing his first alcoholic beverage, he just could not bring himself to drink.

    The bar tender would look at him at times, giving him odd looks but he had paid for the drink, and neither was inclined to push the other about something so it did not matter.

    What did matter was the small commotion going on at one side of the bar. It actually caught the purple dragon’s attention. He was a bit shocked at what he saw:

    An elegant black dragoness, slightly elongated muzzle, with decent assets on her chest, and ruby front scales and wing membrane, with multiple white well-kept horns and sort of scythe tail end that look like it been and knew how to be used to deadly proficiency. And then coupled with the elegant dark blue blouse, tight blue jeans, decent shoes, whiter chocker, armbands and tail cuff made the dragoness a rather hot thing.

    One some half-drunk idiot undescriptive brute dragons would not leave alone and was quickly getting frustrated.

    Normally the purple dragon would watch such a commotion until someone was about to get hurt, but with what he was seeing the dragoness would get to the point of frustration and would hurt the idiot dragons before he could stop her. So he figured he would help her out.

    He turned completely on his bar stool, one paw kept on his drink the other on his side and faced partially to the group of idiots, “Hey, lay off her. She’s told you to bug off already, so leave her alone.”

    The idiots stop their harassment and turned to the purple dragon and glared, the one that seemed to be the leader took the most offense from it. “Who asked you? And why would you care?!”

    See where this was going already, the purple dragon sighed and stood up, then started walking to the group, “I care because I would rather this day be peaceful and relaxing. I don’t get them often and having to listen and eventually deal with idiot males who don’t know the definition of no can be easily ruin my day. So please leave the female alone.”

    The brutish males seemed to care even less about all that. Instead the decided they would rather try and intimidate the interloper.

    The leader let out a snort before saying, “Like we give a shit, where just trying to have a good time, so bug off outsider.”

    The purple dragon did a cross between a sigh and a growl and shook his head, putting his paws into the pockets of his jeans, “If this is your definition of a good time you need to rethink your life and get a steady relation, I’m sure the males around you would be happy to oblige.”

    The dragoness had to suppress a laugh while the purple dragon quickly realized that while it was funny it might not have been the best thing to say.

    For indeed it was not as the lead was sober and smart enough to know what the purple dragon was saying and decided he would teach this smart uppity dragon a lesion and swung at him.

    The purple dragon saw the moving coming, the brute did not know how to start a fight, he broadcasted his opening move in just his face alone. So as the arm was flying forward, the purple dragon spun underneath it, pulling his right paw out of his pant’s pocket and on completion of his complete 360 degree spin in which he partially moved to the left and slightly down, he brought his now fisted right paw up, and with added momentum of his body going upwards slammed his powerful punch just below the lead’s rib cage, angled up into the diaphragm.

    All the wind was knocked out the lead and he also bent over the punch as well got lifted a good two inches off the ground before the purple dragon’s paw quickly came back and caused the leader to crash onto the floor in a giant heap.

    The other brutes took instant offense to this action and instantly figured numbers would bring the strong dragon down. But the purple dragon did not want to get into a long fight so he pulled out a trump card.

    His quick moving right paw went behind his back to a hidden budge in the center of his back and pulled out a heavily modified M39 Hand Cannon: Pistol variant (imagine bigger version  of a Smith & Wesson .357) and pointed it at the center brute still standing. The sight of witch froze the entire bar.

    One of the brutes, still frozen was sober enough to think and say, “How?! G-Guns aren’t allowed inside city limits.”

    The purple dragon smiled, “Armed Guns aren’t allowed. This baby doesn’t have any bullets…”

    To prove this point he hit the release and nothing happened, everyone started to relax a little and the brutes got ready to attack again, until the paw holding the gun started to glow red and little lines of red started to sprout through the gun.

    “This baby doesn’t need bullets, I modified specifically for cities like this. I simply channel my element into the paw holding it and thus into the gun and I can create a version of a bullet out of that element in the firing chamber, and if I pull the ticker the magic I’ve put into this will throw that bullet right down the barrel like a regular bullet. So yes, guns with bullets aren’t allowed, but magiced weapons have always been allowed to be used, so I get around your little law there. Still want to try me, or are you going to pick up your injured friend and leave.”

    The brutes stood frozen for a bit before one of them decided to pick up their lead and slowly start backing away with the rest of the group following, until they were out of the bar. It was only then that the purple dragon put away his gun.

    He turned and nodded to the dragoness before he went back to his seat at the bar and took sip of his drink. It took a little bit for the bar to go back to the way it was after that little bit of action, but he paid it no mind.

    After bit he found himself a bit of company in the version of the dragoness he just helped sitting next to him giving him a calculating look. Eventually he got a bit tired of it and turned to face her.

    “You going to ask a question or just keep sitting there?”

    The dragoness smirked, “I was wondering why you stepped in, you had to know I could handle myself.”

    The Purple dragon snorted, “I did that because I figured it was better if someone else did it instead of yourself, just from looking at you I could tell if you had to forcefully stop them, there would have been blood.”

    The dragoness shrugged, “I guess you got a point there. Though it would be nice to know the name of the one who…helped me.”

    “I can’t disway you there, it’s Spyro.”

    “Just Spyro? Most I meet usually give me their name and family name.”

    The newly named Spyro snorted, “No thank you. I rather like the places I visit not knowing my family name, that is for work related shit only, in a place where the name actually holds weight.”

    The dragoness giggled lightly, “So your first name is only given in places outside where you normally stay and your last for inside?”

   Spyro nodded, “For the most part. It helps keep certain idiots off my tail and lets me slide into the back ground a little easier.”

    “That can’t be easy to start with given…you know.”

   Spyro rolled his eyes, “Yes, my scales. I actually work to hide these except in places where creatures don’t give a shit. Makes life much easier. And what about you, Black scales aren’t exactly common either.”

    The dragoness sighed, “True, but at least it’s a bit more common than yours. I can blend in certain areas. They’re just hard to find.”

    Spyro nodded and conceded that point. And fell silent.

    The dragoness smirked, “Most males would have asked for my name by now.”

    Spyro nodded again, “True, but I did not want to ask and I figured doing so would fall into some clichés and I’d rather not go down one of those paths.”

    That got the dragoness laughing, “Just looking to hang out in a bar then?” She got a nod in response, and decided to continue. “Well in that case I think I’ll hang out with you, I just wanted to hang out in a bar myself. Name’s Cynder by the way.”

    Spyro chuckled, “Same stuff with the family name as myself?”

    Cynder gave an exaggerated grown, “Ancestors yes. Can’t escape it half the time.”

    Spyro chuckled again, “I know it’s not nice, but it’s good to know I’m not the only one that has to deal with it.”

    Cynder smiled, “Agreed.” She ordered a drink real quick from the bar tender before returning her attention to Spyro. “So…What brought you here, to a bar?”

    Spyro “hmmed” before he turned around on his stool and leaned back against the bar top, he was quite for a little bit before he responded, “I made a promise.”

    Cynder’s eyeridges scrunched, “A promise?”

    Spyro nodded, “It was to the ones who raised me. Before I left them they made me promise, That every year on this day I would honor relationships basically. They wanted me to have a time every year where I would sit down and think about those I care about in some form or fashion. And in extension if I ever get into a deep relationship that on this day every year, I would spend extra attention on that relationship and show that significant other how much they meant to me. And so every year that I’ve could I’ve found myself a nice bar outside of places my mentors normally have me go, forget about life and thing about those I know and honor those that have someone they deeply care about.”

    Cynder smiled, “That’s a nice promise. Reminds me of my own.”

    Spyro raised an eyeridge, “Oh?”

    Cynder nodded, “Yea, a promise to my guardian that every year on this day I’d go out and in his words, “Try and get laid.” Not that I try all that hard mind you, mostly I just go to a bar and relax a little.”

    Spyro could not help the laugh that came out. “Oh Ancestors, if some ones caretaker made their charge make that promise, that must have been a hell of a child hood.”

    Cynder smiled brightly, “It was tough but I can’t complain too much.

    Spyro turned back around and raised his glass, “Well then, how about a toast, to our hidden promises.”

    Cynder smiled and raised her own glass, “To our hidden promises.” And with that they toasted and drank.

    From there they chatted for the rest of the night, about this and that, they stayed away from topics of the way, each other’s family, and where they lived but everything else was open. It was a long night, and neither of them drank too deeply neither going past their second glass by the time the bar closed, but they both figured it was a good night.

    Outside the bar Spyro stopped and took a deep breath, before stating, “Another year gone, and another year before I do this again.”

    Cynder giggled, “Oh come on, it’s not that bad.”

    Spyro hmed, then said, “True. But hey…do you want someone to walk you to where ever it is that you’re staying?”

    Cynder smiled, “I thought you were trying to avoid the clichés.”

    Spyro chuckled slightly embarrass and rubbed the back of his neck, “I guess that’s true, but well…I guess…a fuck it, I don’t want to end my relaxing yet and spend the rest of the night sneaking back home, and I…rather like spending time with you.”

    Cynder giggled, “Alright then, I guess I don’t mind someone walking with me. It’ll help keep the creeps off. But you’d better behave yourself.” She finished with a half hardened glare.

    Spyro smiled and gave a mock salute, “Yes ma’am.”

    That got them both laughing as they set off, Spyro following next to Cynder on the way to their hotel. They chatted a bit more on their way about different things they saw. But eventually they reached the hotel. They stopped just outside, and turned to each other.

    Spyro sighed, “I guess this is where we part.”

    Cynder nodded, “Yea, but hey it was a nice night. It was fun hanging out with you.”

    Spyro smiled, “I agree.”

    Neither quite wanted to part, but eventually Cynder started to turn but then Spyro spoke up.

    “Did you know that in certain parts of the world, this day is an actual holiday?”

    Cynder stopped and turned around, “No, I didn’t. What is it?”

    Spyro smiled lightly, “It’s called Valentine's Day and I found out that it means basically what our two promises wanted us to do. I think there was a bit of a subliminal message there.”

    Cynder giggled, “Maybe so. And if we ever encounter each other again on this Valentine's Day we’ll have to enjoy a bit more with the actual meaning.”

    Spyros milled a bit more, “Sounds like a promise.”

    Cynder smiled as well, “A hidden promise.” And with that she turned and entered the hotel.

    Spyro stood there for a bit watching her through the glass doors until she was out of sight, then he turned and started walking down the street a goofy smile plastered on his face. Best day of his life, he just hoped he got to meet Cynder again just so he could fulfill that hidden promise he just made.

    “Valentine's Day,” he thought, ”Not that bad of a holiday after all…”