Blessed by Night

Malachi had seen Aisha fly before. He was the one who taught her how to use telekinesis to achieve it.

However, there was a very big difference between that and seeing her take off into the sky on leather dragon wings.

She was amazing.

But she was also utterly confusing.

These two had bathed together, he knew full well that she didn't have those when she was a baby!

'Brother. It's fleeing.'

Malachi shook his head when he heard Serosh's voice in his mind.

'Pick up the pace, we can't-'

'It is gone.'

Malachi and Serosh slid to a halt. Aisha was already hovering just a few feet above them.

Malachi was staring at… a pile of mud at the bottom of the canyon.

It was just spattered against the wall like bad avant garde artwork.

Just as Serosh had said, he could no longer sense anything from the creature that had made itself so noticeable moments before.

Malachi dropped down to one knee and placed his fingers in the mud.

He raised the substance to his nose and sniffed it a few times- committing the scent to memory.

He held out his hand to Serosh for him to do the same.

"Strange…" The tiger sat back on his haunches.

"I thought so too, bud."

Aisha landed beside the duo and raised her brow. "Wanna fill in those of us without a direct link to your mind?"

Malachi glanced at her briefly and smiled before returning his gaze to the mud.

"It's weird… almost every living land creature on earth produces some brand of oil or secretions designed to keep their skin, fur, or feathers from drying out. These oils have a really distinctive scent."

"Yea, so? These ones extra funky or something?"

Malachi shook his head. "Just the opposite. There's no scent at all, just dirt and mineral. And then there's that…"

Malachi glanced behind him at two footprints.

Two very large footprints.

If Malachi wore a normal size 13, then those had to be at least a size 27 wide.

There were two prominent toe indents on the front, and a third longer one on the back.

In addition, the depth of the indent in the ground indicated the creature was quite heavy.

"What the hell moves like that with only three toes and that's that big..?" Aisha murmured.

"We could check the Evolved Database… see if anyone who's gone to a facility has a power that'll match that description." Malachi took our one of his knives and dipped the edge in the mud.

"Souvenir?"

"Long shot, but I think if I take it to the doc at the lab he'll be able to point out any abnormalities. Maybe help me track it down too."

Malachi finally stood back up. Aisha landed beside him.

He bit back a smile as he tried not to notice the new additions on her back.

"Was taking your shirt off necessary?"

Aisha turned around and showed Malachi the blood trails running down her back.

"They're literally coming out of my skin, you know? It's like the 'Wolverine' claws. Doesn't really hurt though, but man is it hell on my good t-shirts. I just put em' inside cause I didn't wanna ruin the surprise."

Malachi gave her wings a curious poke.

"So you're…?" He began.

"Like my frightening new father-in-law?"

Malachi nodded.

Aisha smiled… and then she shook her head.

"No. I didn't really want all that power. Or the restrictions that came with it. Being a regular, run of the mill baby dragon was enough for me."

"And my sister?"

"Said no." Aisha shrugged. "Serana did too by the way. I think they were more touched by the fact that he offered than anything."

Malachi could definitely see his sister rejecting, but Serana saying no definitely surprised him.

He thought she'd use all that god-like power to make sure no one else in the universe had a nicer ass than her.

"So, umm…"

Aisha was about to put her wings away again when she noticed Mal shuffling from foot to foot.

"So… can I see?"

Aisha grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Sorry, big guy. I'm afraid your chest is too small for my liking."

"Don't be funny! Just let me see!"

"This is feeling more and more like harassment. No means no, buddy."

"Aisha!"

"Maybe if you get on your knees and ask nicely I might-"

"Serosh! Pee on her shoes!"

The tiger stood up.

"Alright, alright, fine!"

Aisha jumped into the air.

Malachi's eyes were briefly filled with a blinding red light.

When he looked up again, the sky was completely dark.

Blocking out the blue sky was a very large and menacing eastern dragon.

It's bright, ruby-red scales glistened with a warm luster. Golden characters were inscribed along the length of her body, but.. Malachi couldn't see exactly how large she was.

Her body quite literally could have gone on for miles. She filled his vision.

Aisha lowered her looming head to stare down at him. Her head was so big she barely fit inside the canyon.

Malachi tried hard to keep his composure.

He eventually failed.

"You are so fucking cool!" His eyes sparkled.

"I know!" Oddly enough, somehow Aisha's voice was exactly the same as a dragon. She was just louder.

"You look like Kaidou if he were a masc lesbian!"

"That's literally all I've ever wanted from life!"

"We gotta show your parents! We gotta show my parents! You gotta give Cami a ride!" Malachi pulled out his phone to take a picture.

"Ooh ooh ooh! Get one of me breathing fire!"

"It's crazy that you thought I wouldn't do that!"

"Sweet!"

True to his word, Malachi pulled up the camera and made sure he had the perfect positioning of the giant dragon girl.

Aisha exhaled a breath of golden fire with her head tilted towards the sun and two fingers held up in a peace sign. An instagram worthy post of anyone had ever seen one.

As they laughed and giggled, Serosh just sat nearby; wondering how the two of them could be quite so idiotic.

Malachi must have taken over 37 different pictures. Half of him were just gong to be his new wallpapers for the next month or so.

But it was in the middle of his fan girling that he realized maybe his energy would be better served in another area.

"Hey, do you think I could make clouds to lift Mount Rushmo-"

"Hey, Aisha..?" Malachi scratched the back of his head. "There's… a small favor I need to ask you for."