Alex Sandclaw’s POV:
After drawing out the System message, I handed the notebook to Felix so he could look as well, then went back to read the actual message again. It was a really nice Skill, but the section describing the prefix… it was noticeably different from the one I got before.
> [Skill Description Beginning]
>
> Name: Draconic magic resistance
>
> Type: Magic
>
> Subtype: Combat/Defense
>
> Affinity: Null
>
> Cost: A minimum reserve of 50 mana
>
> Description:
>
> Magic resistance is a complex defensive Skill that protects you from even the mightiest magics. It works by creating a deflective shield layered on your skin. It is remarkable that you went for this first, instead of going with an easier shielding Skill. More remarkable still, is that you didn’t learn this Skill from a parent or great master, but from your partner, Felix Sythias, the last living Dragon. As such, this Skill is greatly enhanced!
>
> This passive Skill helps you to create, control, and use your deflective shielding. Control, strength, and efficiency will increase with every Skill level and the effect scales with the Spiritual Attribute. Also, while this Skill is used, there’s a slight bonus to the effect of the Spiritual Attribute.
>
> As you were significantly and willingly helped with unlocking this Skill by an adult dragon that considers you his partner and that you are physically and emotionally very close to—and thus qualifying as a companion—this Skill receives the prefix of ‘draconic’. This massively boosts the Skill’s power, control, and efficiency, as well as boosting the effect gained by leveling. Also, while the Skill is used, there is a slight boost to the effect of the Physical Attribute. This prefix and accompanying effects are permanent until the Skill is removed.
>
> Due to your genuine closeness with Felix Sythias, the effects are boosted even further. This too is a permanent effect until the Skill is removed.
>
> This Skill has an increased effect on your Path choices.
>
> [Skill Description End]
The Skill felt a little unearned. If it hadn’t been for Felix, it wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful as it was. Even now, with just the minimal mana reserve, I could feel the sheer power the Skill had. But then again, it was only bonus power. I earned the Skill all by myself. The prefix was just the blueberry on top.
With that bit of guilt out of the way, I could focus on the actual content of the text. The System message felt a little sassier than usual, but mostly I just noticed how the System recognized Felix as my boyfriend. A warm feeling spread through me as I read those parts again.
While I wasn’t religious, it was difficult not to see the System as something divine. So, this was almost the same as a god coming down from their personal heaven and recognizing your relationship as real. It was incredibly validating and nice. I knew my parents, and really my people, would disagree with that though. The System acknowledging a same-sex couple would throw a lot of lizardkin into fits. Luckily, I wasn’t there anymore.
“Is it just me, or does the System seem a little sassy?” Felix asked.
I looked up at him, shrugging the thoughts of home off me like an ill-fitting coat. He was already reading the message again and was grinning widely. “It does, yeah. It’s weird. What are you smiling that hard about, though?”
He rolled his eyes. “I think you damn well know why I’m grinning. It’s probably the same reason you are.”
“Yeah, but I want to hear you say it, too.”
Felix chuckled, but obliged me anyway. “The System called us partners. I think that’s pretty awesome, don’t you? It’s so rare for the System to mention people by name, let alone mention relationships. And aside from that, this Skill is really good. I can’t wait to see what it’ll become when you merge it.”
What Felix said sobered me up a little. Right, this was only step one. It was going to be tough to merge all the Skills. To begin, I had to level them all up to a similar level. Merging a level four Skill and a level twenty Skill was a lot harder than merging two level four, or two level twenty Skills. And while I did that, I’d need to practice using them all at once. Hopefully, that last part wouldn’t be too difficult, since they were all passive Skills.
“Neither can I. Speaking of, should we get started leveling the Skill?”
Felix shook his head. “We should, but not right now. My mana pool is pretty much entirely dry.”
“Oh, okay,” I said, trying to not let my disappointment come through. He still noticed, of course, and patted my head.
“We’ll practice some more later. It should only be about an hour and a half before we can continue,” he said, then glanced up. I followed his gaze and noticed the dark clouds looming above. “It’s probably for the best that we take a break, anyway. I think it’s going to start raining soon.”
I sighed. “Alright. Can we try one bolt, though? I want to at least get a feel for the Skill.”
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“Yeah, okay, I think I got one more bolt in me,” he said. He then stretched and stood up, walking a small distance away. “Ready when you are.”
I nodded. “One moment, let me set it up.”
I mentally nudged at the space in my mind that was occupied by the System, getting a feel for the Skill. I could already tell it was on, but felt that I could increase the mana reserve the Skill had, making it more powerful. With a mental command, I allocated an additional 125 mana, bringing the reserve up to a grand total of 175—half of my current mana pool. I didn’t need my mana that much, anyway. Maybe in the future, when I had better use of my lightning magic, I’d turn it back down. But until then, this was a nice amount.
[System Message Beginning]
Change the reserved mana for Skill [Draconic magic resistance] to 175 mana?
[System Message End]
As I confirmed the new reserve, I felt a subtle rush of power wash over my scales, like a cloud was blocking the sun but it was blown away by the wind, exposing me to the sun’s warmth. It was a nice protective feeling, and I instantly felt more at ease.
That was something I’d have to keep watch off. Leave it to me to let my guard down and get skewered because the Skill relaxed me.
“Ready!” I called to Felix, and he didn’t hesitate for a moment, raising a talon and shooting a bolt of air straight at my chest. It barreled into me with the force of a light punch, and I felt part of the mana be deflected back to its source, where it also destabilized the rest of the incoming bolt, making the bolt weaker in two ways. I grinned. Unlike during my training, I didn’t have to focus on it at all. It just worked by itself. That meant I wouldn’t be caught unawares either.
“That’s awesome!” I said, doing a small jump.
Felix smiled and walked over, enveloping me in a big dragon-hug, and I hugged him right back. It felt nice to be in strong arms, and his grin told me all I needed to know about how proud he was.
Then his talons went over the ridges on my back and I felt that shiver go through me again. I could tell it was an accident, but the way he rubbed at them… I liked it a lot. And while I still felt a little tired, right now I couldn’t care less. Between the success of gaining the Skill, the success of letting him grope my butt earlier, the pleasure of Felix’s talons on my back, and the overall joy I always felt when Felix hugged me, I was feeling great. And I didn’t want it to stop.
Besides, I was still a little worked up from earlier.
I pressed a kiss to Felix’s neck, and another, and another, slowly moving upwards to his snout. One of his talons made its way down to my butt, and he did that thing again, where he gently squeezed while rubbing at the base of my tail. It was almost as nice as his talon was on my back. A moment later, our mouths were interlocked. Sadly, Felix pulled back after only a minute and I let out a soft whimper. I didn’t want to stop yet.
“Sorry,” he said. “But if we start—well, continue—making out now, we’ll definitely get caught in the rain.”
I wanted to say it would be worth it—and it probably was—but then I remembered when I had to walk back through the rain a few weeks ago and how my clothes had clung to my scales. A shudder went through me and I nodded. “You’re probably right,” I said.
He apologized again, and gave me one last kiss. It almost made me rethink stopping, but I really didn’t want wet clothes. I also gave him one last peck, then climbed off him. I hadn’t even realized I’d pushed him down when we were making out.
After cleaning up some of our mess—we couldn’t leave food wrappers littering the forest—we packed up our stuff and quickly left. The clouds were getting gloomier by the minute, and we didn't want to be caught outside the tarp when it began raining—especially not since that was the whole reason we’d stopped making out.
Which is of course exactly why it happened, anyway. We were only halfway back when the clouds broke and it began pouring down. The canopy of the forest stopped most of the water, but it only meant that water now accumulated on the leaves before dropping down in large droplets. One hit my neck, right where my shirt met my scales—I had put it back on after training. The cold seeped between the cracks of my scales, chilling my skin and making me shiver. As much as I loved the sound of the drops hitting the leaves and ground, I hated rain.
Luckily I didn't have to suffer for long, as Felix raised one of his wings over me, shielding me from the weather. I shot him a grateful smile and thanked him. I'd have to make it up with him later. In fact, I had to make a lot up to him later. From all the help with my Skills to the help with my feelings and fears. I had some ideas, but they'd have to wait. For now, the occasional extra hug would have to suffice.
We arrived at the tarp a few minutes later, and Felix was properly drenched. He didn't really have clothes that could get wet, though, and his saddle bags were water-tight, so he didn't mind too much. The same could not be said to some of the other students who we passed. And while I knew Felix wouldn't have minded playing umbrella for others, no one really asked if they could join. Instead, everyone we passed glanced at us, whispering, with almost fear in their eyes, and hurried away.
"What was that all about?" Felix asked, and I shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe they're afraid of lightning and are on edge?" I suggested. And as if to accentuate my point, rolling thunder came in from the distance. I liked the sound. It was loud, sure, but also awe-inspiring and interesting. We had learned about lightning in class, but I listened to Felix, anyway, as he explained how lightning worked and why it was so loud. I liked hearing him talk. It was cute, and I also learned a detail or two that the professor hadn't gotten to yet. But mostly it was cute—in the my-boyfriend-is-doing-something-totally-him way, not the adorable-little-rabbit way.
I wondered if this is what I sounded like when I got excited talking about something? Probably. I hoped Felix didn’t mind.
Soon we arrived back at the tarp. Tiki was already there and had started a fire. She was roasting a fluffy white snack on a stick. It was cylinder shaped and was turning a beautiful light brown as she rotated it above the flames. It smelled quite good, too. A bit like the caramel sweets Felix had brought back that one time he got a few of every bit of candy that one store had. We still hadn’t eaten all of them.
Tiki looked up as we came in and smiled up at us. "Marshmallow?" she asked, holding up a small pouch filled with the fluffy candies up.
"Yes, please. Have you had any before?" Felix asked, turning to me. I shook my head. He turned back to Tiki. "Do you wanna explain or should I?"
“Sure, I’ll do it,” she said, then launched into a whole explanation about what they were and the various things you could do with them. Like making s’mores. We didn’t have any cookies to use, though, so we ate them without. They were quite strange. When done well, they were a golden crispy brown on the outside, and almost entirely gooey on the inside. It mostly tasted sweet, though there was an undertone of caramel there, too. I liked them, and would definitely be getting some for myself when we got back—well, after I got my first week’s salary, anyway.
We talked for quite some time until I kept yawning every couple of minutes and decided it was time to go to bed. Tiki and Felix kept talking for a while longer, but soon, Felix joined me, too, covering me with a wing like it was a blanket. We murmured sweet things to each other for a while, but eventually Felix drifted off to sleep, and not long after, so did I.