First-Time Saving

Ryu walked up to the old, algae-covered statue of a dragon, wondered how to work it. He
stared at it, examined it, not touching it, though, he didn't want to get his fingers covered
with the icky green substance. Finally, sighing, he unpeeled a banana with one hand and 
knocked on the dragon's forehead with the other.

"There are still curious people who pray to me?"

It spoke! It was alive! Arrgghh!

Ignoring Ryu's shocked expression, the dragon continued.

"Nowadays everybody prays to that St. Eva. St.Eva this, St.Eva that. Hmph. I get so tired
of it. Anyway, do you want me to record your journey?"

"You-you-you-" Ryu stuttered.

"I-I-I-?"

"You're alive!"

"Well, of course!"

"You can speak!"

"What, really?"

"You're alive! And- and- and you talk!"

"No, no, I'm a dead, mute sewer rat who's mating with a purple chicken." The dragon
gave him a look.

"I'm sorry... I just wasn't expecting it." Ryu bit into his banana.

"No matter, now do you or do you not want me to record your journey?"

"Why would I want you to record my journey?"

"So when you need a break, drift off to Real Life, peaceful in the fact that I'll be able to
help you return to BOF-land when you want to?"

"St. Eva can do that too."

The dragon thought. "Ah! When you do die, I can pass on your heroic legend to others, I'd
make you famous!"

"I'm the main character. I won't ever die." Ryu smirked slightly, rather smug about his
rank and status of main character.

The dragon groaned. "Come on, give me a break, Ryu! I'm your forefather!"

Ryu dropped the banana peel. "You're my what?"

"I'm one of your ancestors. And you are my descendent."

"B-But you're made of stone. I'm made of flesh!"

"I'm a statue, you dope. I'm a statue that has the Spirit of the Dragon God in me. Now tell
me your story or I'll summon the Gold Dragon and kill you! Man, I get so fed up with
descendants like you! Young dragons nowadays have no respect for their elders!"

Ryu thought of having the full power of the Gold Dragon on him. Then he thought of telling
the statue his story. Finally, he weighed them both and realized that telling the story would
be a much better choice. "Fine, I'll tell it to you."

"Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!" The dragon grinned happily and turned around to
rummage in his things. He finally turned back to face Ryu with a laptop. "Come on, come
on, I'm dying to hear what you've been doing!"

"What's that thingamajig?"

"What, this?" The dragon pointed to the laptop.

"Yes."

"It's a laptop. HP Omnibook. Got it at a Harvey Norman Sale."

"I thought we used pen and ink to write. Not with strange thingamajigs like that."

"I might be your ancestor, but I still keep up with the times, you know."

"How are you supposed to write without a pen?"

The dragon glared. "Shut up and tell me."

"All right, all right... uh.... I woke up... and I brushed my teeth."

"Yes..."

"Then I told Bow to brush his. Then I bathed. (The water was cold, by the way. And there
wasn't any facial wash.) Then I ate breakfast. I had sausages, eggs
and toast for breakfast. It was delicious." Ryu licked his lips.

"Ryu. I don't want to know about your breakfast. I want to hear about more interesting
stuff! If your story continues on like this, It'll never sell! Make it a best-seller like all the
other Ryus did!"

"Well, okay.... I... I... I've just received my first mission!" Ryu smiled.

"Your first mission?" the dragon beamed as he typed. "I'm proud of you, son. Now what is
it?"

"I have to find Mina's pet, Suzy."

The dragon sputtered. "A pet?! Your first mission is to find a pet?"

"Yes." Ryu blinked. "What's wrong with that?" he scratched his head. "I thought I was
being nice agreeing to find the poor girl's pet. She was close to tears."

"Nothing, nothing," the dragon muttered. "Now get on with it."

"... I can't think of anything else I've done."

The dragon glared at him.

"W-What?" Ryu smiled nervously.

"Fine. I'll record this, and I'll save it, though I think it's a waste of good space and it'll just
clog up my hard drive. The next time you come back, you better have an interesting
story, or I'll have your head!"

"Y-Yes, Sir."

"Good. At least you're showing some respect. Now scram!"

The dragon immediately regained his statue, stone form, the indifferent expression had
changed, though. The dragon's face was now frozen into an angry, glaring expression.
Ryu shuddered and walked away. He never wanted to save again.



Private Public
[of] Paperplanes and Stars (*
"Throw your paperplane, and maybe it'll reach the stars."