It Was Bright Orange

“Close it, we’re leaving,” Noa scolded Astra, and everyone else shifted uncomfortably.

“Come on, don’t you wanna look?” Drea teased, pulling away from Noa a bit dramatically, Flinging herself back on the dumpster. “Could get you billions-”

“If the whole city is looking for it it's not gonna be in the dumpster,” Cassian tried but she was already leaning in, rooting around the contents of the dumpster.

Then, out of nowhere, she was yanking her hand out; cursing aloud and staggering backwards. Everyone froze, and a hush fell over the group. The very air seemed to grow colder, as the only girl who could talk a mile a minuet went dead silent. She braced a shaking hand, holding it to her chest.

“Something… bit me.” She whispered.

Nobody moved. Except for the little creature that was.

Drea appeared to have startled the thing more than herself, that much was made clear when it flew from the walls of the dumpster and out onto the street. Hissing furiously. Everyone took a step back as the thing stared at Cassian - square in the eyes.

Orange. Bright orange and long. Incredibly small. Scales shimmering like a million tiny silverfish.

“It's... it's a dragon.” Cassian breathed the words. Shocked to the bones. The girls were right - their target - it was very much alive. A small dragon, no bigger than a backpack.

A few seconds passed like everyone was suspended in honey. Time crept and froze and sped up all at once. The dragon stared. Astra winced. Noa and Drea and Cassian inched back - but Reyna seemed unphased. Entirely unphased.

She approached the thing. And against everyone's warning and pleadings to stop, she bent down. Gently fell on her knees.

The little orange dragon leapt onto her shoulder. And sat. Reyna grinned. Whispered something inaudible - but Drea was already in motion. And that snapped everyone out of the trance.

She swung the taser staff at the dragon, barely missing as he ducked and deflected. Reyna jumped back, screaming at Drea to stop. This didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. “What is it - your pet?!” Drea lunged again but Reyna was quicker, sidestepping and holding an arm in front of her new friend. The little dragon just sneezed out a small cloud of smoke.

“Let's just get out of here okay! We’re not the only ones looking for Fiel- I mean the dragon.”

“It has a name!” Cassian was dumbfounded. Not only were dragons incredibly rare and elusive but why on earth was simply perched on a human's shoulder… with a name? He couldn't see straight. Suddenly everything in his sight was spinning. “What's going on Rey?”

She didn't get to answer. No one did.

He was wearing Business attire. Steel work boots and a hyper-titanium briefcase, towering at as easy nine feet tall. If not more.. It seemed as though he materialized out of nowhere, spawning right in the middle of their only exit. Staring at Reyna. With one, single, eye.

“Cyclops.” Was all Reyna whispered before she took off running.

Cassian didn't really notice if the others followed them deeper into the alley way or ducked into the nearest restaurant. All he knew was he was sprinting after Reyna and that stupid dragon. Nine foot man beast is not far behind.

They dashed across the street in a blurr. Beelining for something Cassian couldn't see, until Reyna ducked into a half open door. The smell of dead things and oil hit Cassian hard as he dove in behind her. Silently shutting the door.

It was the smallest meat locker he had ever seen. Illuminated by the thin glow of their new little friend.

“Are you going to explain what's going on here?” Cassian heard the anger in his own voice. Still he didn't back down. Reyna frowned, turning away from him. Gazing through the cracked door back onto the street. She didn't say anything for a moment. The sound of the dragon breaths filling the void.

“Let's just say,”

Cassian held his breath. “What.”

“Felix is mine. The bounty is mine. But there's more to the picture than you could understand.”

“Starting with cyclops’s right?”

Feilix swiveled his head around and hissed. A warning to lower his tone. Cassian threw his hands up as Felix curled his tail around her neck. Possessive much? He thought.

That's when the cyclops knocked on the door. Or more accurately - busted it down before they had the chance to run.