The dragon's mistake

by Star Mirage


The standard disclaimer - Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko Inoue and etc.
Warning: Alternative world.
Author's note: The story takes place in a strange world, where dragons live . . . Comments are welcome.


Part 1

"Oi, Haruko-chan, would you like to be my wife?"

No, that's not right . . . Well, let's try this.

"Haruko-chan, I think that you deserve the best. That is me. I'm the Tensai and I'll be the best husband for you . . ."

No! That's not right either! Grr . . . I was declined 50 times already and I don't want Haruko-chan to be the 51st. Hmm, it must be something unusual, something original . . . Or that gorilla - her brother - will not allow me to get to her with my proposition . . . Ah, Haruko-chan . . . I don't want you to reject me, so I have to have something special . . . Oh! Yeah, a gift!! It will prepossess her to me and she will be more welldisposed to me. Yes! I'm a genius!

"Akai!"

A huge red dragon appeared in front of the boy and stared at his red-haired owner.

"Yes, Master?"

Akai respectfully declined his head, not ceasing to keep an eye on that nervous young man. He always regarded warily his owner - self-named Tensai - Hanamichi Sakuragi warily. Loud-voiced, impulsive, blustery, boastful, red-haired gangster-looking boy . . . Maybe that was the reason why the High Lord - Takenori Akagi - did not allow Hanamichi to walk out with his sister. It's strange enough that the girl was friendly with the red-haired boy. And now he decided to marry her . . .

Akai knew why his master called him, because Hanamichi 'thought' very loudly before. It was clear, that he will send him to search for a gift. Like always, something's up and the red-haired calls his dragon. Akai was in a role of an errand-boy for him. No, more correctly, an 'errand-dragon' ...

"Yes, master?" Akai repeated.

"I want you to bring something original, unusual, and exceptional as a gift for Haruko-chan."

The dragon stared at his owner perplexedly. He does not have a outstanding mind and hardly shows initiative. 'Something unusual' it's a very vague definition. Another matter is a definite and sharp-cut order. For example, 'to bring the foodstuffs'.

Hanamichi noticed the puzzled look of his dragon.

"Well, Akai, bring for Haruko-chan . . . um . . . a pet. A kitten, puppy, or something in the same vein. Haruko-chan likes the pets very much. So, did you get that?"

The dragon nodded and flew off from the Sakuragi's castle. Satisfied, Hanamichi rubbed his hands and, till Akai's returning, he decided to play his favorite game - basketball . . .

~ * * * ~

Meantime, the dragon flew round above a small town.

"A kitten, puppy, or something like that? . . . Hmm . . ."

Akai was flying low above ground, looking downwards. Strangely enough, there was no sight of any animals. Only outside the town, in the forest, an unknown creature, all covered with black fur slept in a small clearing. "I wonder, what is it?" A horse, which was grazed nearby, saw the dragon and darted away into the forest.

"Hmm . . ." Akai continued to fly low above the town and its vicinities. "Will I find any cat or dog here?"

A sudden pain in one of his wings removed Akai from his thoughts. With surprise, he saw a bronze spear stuck in his wing. "It hurts," he thought and looked downwards. There was a crowd of townsfolk, armed with spears, bows, swords, forks and other improvised weapons.

"Hmm, the dragons are not so loved here," Akai concluded. "It's time to fly away."

But remembering his master's order, he decided to take the strange creature he saw before in the forest outside the town.

"The Master himself ordered to bring something unusual and exotic."

With that, Akai made his way to the clearing and picked up the creature. But the dragon was painfully surprised with its weight.

"It is obviously not a cat or dog . . . It weighs, perhaps, as much as my Master."

Growling from the pain in his injured wing, Akai hurried to the Sakuragi's castle.

To be continued . . .


Japanese Words:
"Oi!" - Hey!
"Tensai" - Genius;
"Akai" - Red. (The dragon has this name because of color of his squama).

© Star Mirage, 2000

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