Brandon Tale Chapter Two
Chapter Two: an old Friend, a New Love
Jenny sat on the living room sofa wearing a pair of black jeans and blue sweater, her mind still couldn't wrap what she did to her son. She felt like it was a dream, a good dream in some way, but not at the same time. She hung her head, what would happen now? She didn't know but as her head turned up from her thinking from hearing the sound of stairs creaking. Brandon stood at the middle looking down at her; he was shirtless wearing a pair of pants with his shirt in his hands. The two didn't say a word as he made his way down and stood by the wall.
"Brandon-" her son brought a hand up to stop her.
"Mom forget about it, I know what you're about to say," Jenny closed her mouth as he closed his eyes. "You were in heat, I understand that and do not worry; I forgive you." He smiled. "But I have to say this, best night of my teen life!" he chuckled as his mother gave a small smile, he went over and hugged her keeping her close as she hugged her back. "No matter what you are my mother nothing more, but..." he looked away as they broke their hug. "Let's keep this to ourselves, I don't want dad to become enraged by this, no matter how we twist it." Jenny nodded, agreeing with what he was asking as he stood up. "I love you mom," he turned his head to her. "I always will you know that right?" she nodded her head smiling.
"Yes I do." He gave her another smile as he ascended up the stairs, moments later; the sound of running water was heard. Jenny sigh to herself, she was glad that nothing changed in the way they knew each other. As another way of saying sorry, she thought he would make his favorite breakfast.
She was done the moment the water stopped running; she smiled looking at the table that could feed four, knowing he could eat like a dragon. Now knowing he was only half human, it made sense of his eating habit and never gaining any weight; because he was still a young 'dragon'. Her head shot to the front house when a soft knock was heard, she looked to the clock seeing that it was only nine in the morning; who could be at her home at this time? She went to the door and opened the door. A long green and yellow underbelly Naga stood at the doorway; her body was slander and curved closer where a human waist would begin. The Naga wore a shirt which was pushed outward like few Scales females had. Her blue eyes matched close to Jenny's as she smiled, a think chain was seen around her neck and pushed inside her shirt hiding whatever was holding onto it.
"Good morning!" she perked up with a small smile. "I'm you're new neighbor from next door!" she held her claw out; she wore deep blue gloves that twisted around her claw almost to her elbow. "Nice to meetcha!" Jenny took her claw and shook the young Naga; she seemed close to Brandon age.
"Well hello to you too," Jenny smiled. "My name is Jenny Phoenix, you can call me Jenny or Jen as my friends called Me." the Naga nodded her head still holding her smile.
"Well Jenny," the Naga answered forgetting to give the dragoness her name. "I should be going, mom want out and dad is still sleeping, I just thought I would come say hello."
"Why not join me and my son for breakfast?" the Naga tilted her head. "Well you came and said hello, and I made lots of food." She moved to the side and ushered her in. "Come on!" the Naga smiled and slithered her way in looking around seeing the picture of Brandon, Mar and Jenny.
"This is you're son?" she picked up the picture and gave it a gander as Jenny nodded.
"Yeah," she answered. "We adopted him close to ten years ago." The Naga gave the picture a look, bringing her claw up as she started to count downward, "Is something wrong?" the Naga was about to answer when Brandon started to come downstairs as he stopped looking at the Naga. The female turned around as she saw the necklace on his neck her eyes widened.
"Brandon?" she asked moving closer as Brandon did the same.
"N..." Brandon began to stutter looking at the Naga closer. "Naja!"
The three sat around the kitchen table as they all began to eat, Brandon and Naja sat close to each other as Jenny smiled, seeing their faces blush a deep red from being so close.
"So..." began Brandon as Jenny watched to see what would happen. "How ya been?" Naja smiled looking over at her long lost friend.
"Well," she started. "A week after you left, I was also taken by a family of Nagas. We've been living on the other side of the city for the last ten years and moved over here because mom got a job at the near by hospitable." Brandon eyes grew wide.
"The other side of the city?" Naga laughed.
"Yeah I guess it's weird how we've been in the same city for ten years and haven't seen each other till now huh?" she held her part of the necklace as Brandon did the same. "You were right, we would meet again..." she smiled toward him as he smiled back as Jenny stood up.
"Well I have to go," she went by Brandon and patted his hand; he looked down to see that she passed him a few twenty dollars bills. Brandon looked up as she smiled and left for the stairs. Naja gave them both a weird look then looked toward Brandon hand seeing the money, raising one of her eye ridges. Brandon only smiled warmly and turned to her.
"Come on," he stood up as Naja followed. "We have some catching up to do."
The two made their way down the street of the city, shoulders almost touching. Though Naja was taller with her full body mass, when she was moving around they were the same size in a way. At times the Naga would look at Brandon when he wasn't looking, and when she wasn't, Brandon would do the same with her. The human hands were sweaty, to the point if he clutched his fist, bits of water would drip down his knuckles to the ground below. The two were out for almost three hours, not stopping for the mall or food places; just walking around. At last the two found themselves in a park, but not just any park; across from the building they first met. Brandon sat down under a tree, legs crossing with his elbows on his knees; hands on his chin. Naja watched him and moved and curled around him and turned to him as he chuckled and looked back to the place they use to leave as she brought her arm on his shoulder. They stayed silent as the lioness that gave them to their new family started to line up the kids and brought them across the street letting them run off toward the grassy field as Brandon stood up.
"Hey," he turned to Naja. "Let's go say hi!" she smiled and nodded as she followed after Brandon.
"Jake, stop giving Tony a wet wily!" the small dragon groaned and let his wolf friend go as they ran off as the golden lioness sigh smoothing her grey suit out.
"Kids still giving you a hard time miss Marten?" the lioness looked up to see both Brandon and Naja make their way over to her as she tilted her head.
"I'm sorry," she answered. "But do I know you?" both teen laughed.
"It's me Brandon," answer Brandon pointing to Naja.
"And me Naja." Marten eyes grew wide as her jaw dropped.
"Brandon, Naja! My gods look at you two!" she hugged the two like they were her own children. "How have you two been?" the two laughed as they spoke briefly of how they been as Marten answered the human question. "It doesn't matter how many years past," she groaned watching the children climb the tree the two were just at. "They all have the same nuttiness as any other child!" Naja smirked as did Brandon. Marten shook her head again looking at the two. "My, you two have grown so much, and you Brandon!" she reached out and rubbed his chin bread. "When did you get this? You look like you're in your twenties!" Brandon shook his head rubbing his bread.
"Nah, only seventeen ya know." He looked back and frowned when he saw a lone child hanging away from the other group, a small brown hair human girl playing with the grass between her toes. Marten saw his look as she sigh.
"That's Zelda," she told him. "She only seven and was brought in by her mother to ask to play with the other children for a bit and...she never came back for her." Brandon shook his head, knowing full well how she was feeling.
"May I" Marten nodded as Naja looked to him.
"I'll wait here," she told him. "This seems close to home for you." Brandon nodded and started to make his way over to the child, as Naja stayed behind to help with the others.
Zelda held a shiny rock in her hand as she twirled it around in her hand. Brandon made his way toward her and bent down on one knee.
"That's a cool rock," he said as Zelda looked up, green eyes looking back to him as she nodded. "Zelda right?" the little girl looked up with a confused face.
"You know me?" she asked as Brandon shook his head.
"Nah, I'm friends with Miss Marten over there," he pointed to the lioness. "Mind if I sit here?" she shook her head as he sat in front of her. "Why aren't you playing with the others?" she looked down as if afraid.
"Jake is always mean to me because I'm the only human in there," she muttered. "Everyone is scared of him because he's stronger and he hurts them if they play with me." Brandon frowned at this; it reminded him of his time, though he had Naja to keep him sane.
"Want me to tell you something?" the little girl looked up at him. "My name is Brandon by the way." Zelda blinked.
"As in Brandon Casey, the boy who mommy was killed in a gang fight?" the human eye twitched.
"How you know that?" he asked crossing his legs. "That happened almost thirteen years ago."
"It was on the board about some children who became parentless," she answered, "Once I learned to read, I read it myself; it must have been very sad to lose you're mommy?" Brandon nodded looking up.
"Yeah it was," he answered. "I heard what happened to you too and I'm sorry." Zelda looked down close to tears.
"She left me because I'm nothing by trouble," she answered. "I cost money so she threw me out!" she was crying now as Brandon pulled her into his lap and held her tight as she cried. He could feel tears in his eyes back held them back.
"Hey, hey easy there; look at me." Zelda looked up with her now red eyes as he smiled. "Don't blame yourself okay? She's the one missing out on you, one day a nice family will come and get you and take care of you like you should be!" Zelda sniffed a bit holding back a tear as she smiled when Brandon snapped his finger going into his pocket and a pen as he wrote down a number then pasted it to her. "Here, this is my number, if you need to talk to someone; just call okay?" Zelda wiped her nose and nodded taking the paper and slipped it in her pocket.
"Okay," she answered as Brandon stood up.
"Now come with me," he turned his head toward Marten. "I think we need to talk about this Jake."
Brandon talked to Marten for a bit telling her what Zelda told him as she stood behind him. Naja listened as well crossing her arms as she remembered that Brandon was the same way as young Zelda. The gold lioness nodded and called the dragon over as he glared at Zelda as he neared her as she hid behind Brandon more.
"What ever she said it's a lie!" he cried. His scales were deep blue with a red line doing down his chest and a set of wings on his back.
"What are you talking about?" asked Marten as he looked away as Zelda looked to Brandon then Jake.
"Jake," asked Brandon as he bent down. "Why do you hate Zelda?" he didn't look at the human before him as Marten looked down at him.
"Answer him Jake." The dragon still didn't look at Brandon but his claws tighten.
"Your kind killed my mother and father, and did some...other things to my mother!" he glared to Brandon. "You're all the same and should be treated the same!" Miss Marten was about to say something when Brandon stopped her with a hand.
"Jake," Brandon said looking at him. "Do you know how my mother was killed?" Jake didn't answer as the human sigh. "She was killed by a gang, and most of these gang members were dragons, and Nagas." Naja looked down at him as well as Jake. "Does that mean I hate them? Yes it does, but; it doesn't mean I hate all Nagas and dragons. I understand you're pain, you want to make the ones who did this pay for their actions, but let me ask you this." He leaned closer to him as the dragon watched him. "Does being rude to Zelda here, telling people to stay away from her because you're bigger and stronger and meaner bring your mother and father back?" Jake slowly shook his head as Brandon picked his next words carefully. "Jake, have you ever heard the saying; you may be the biggest fish in the pound. But there are sharks in the ocean. Do you know what that means?" Jake shook his head. "It means that even though you are the bully here, if you are to go to another family and go to high school there will be much bigger guys picking on you." He pointed to Jake as the dragon looked away. "Now, why not give Zelda here a chance hrm?" he gave it some thought and looked over at Zelda.
"Wanna play tag?" he asked as Zelda looked up at him then to Brandon as she nodded.
"Okay!" she tapped his nose and started to run. "Tag; you're it!" he blinked a few times then ran after her as the two laughed as a few more children joined their game.
"You did good Brandon," Naja told the human nudging him. "When did you get wise?" Brandon chuckled and shook his head.
"Mom got me a quote book." Naga rolled her eyes as Marten chuckled. The two made their goodbyes as Marten brought the children inside.
It was still early, close to twelve as the two made their way down the sidewalk. Again Naja looked toward Brandon as he stilled looked forward; she brought her claw toward his hand, but pulled it back to her side as she looked away. Brandon saw this from the corner of his eye and gave a small smile. He gave it some thought, deep thought if he should do what she was about to. His heart quickened when he felt her claw wrap around his fingers and held on to it tightly, his heart was heard in his ears as he looked down to their entwined hand holding and up to her face. She held the most nervous smile he ever saw as he stopped, his mind was blank for a bit as he saw what he did and resumed the walking before she had to stop herself. She saw what he did but shrugged it off as a small growl was heard.
"What was that...?" asked Brandon as he turned to Naja who face blushed deep red.
"Sorry," she answered. "Guess I'm kinda hungry." Brandon chuckled remembering the money his mother gave him as he stopped and removed his hands from her claw as he counted the money, twenty, forty...a hundred! Brandon almost dropped the money, what did she think they were going to do, order a hooker to do a three-way? He stuffed the money in his pocket as he smiled.
"Any place you wanna go?" he asked as she thought.
"I heard that pizza place down town is good."
"You do know that she gave me a lot of money, like a hundred rights?" "Naja smiled and leaned closer to his ear.
"You can always help me find some new clothes," his breath quicken as she laughed pulling him after her as he followed.
"Oh crap..." they both stood in the pizza store as a few jocks from his school as Naja looked over worried.
"What's wrong?" he pointed with his chin toward the large dog messing around with the dragoness behind the counter, the pit dog fur was all black as he wore the school jacket and pants; black and white as Brandon frowned.
"We had a fight a few years back," he told her sitting down at a table. "Gave me a knife scar and all he got was a three week break from school." He shook his head. "Only that small because the school really needed a trophy, this was before my dad became principle of the school minding you." Naja nodded as the dog looked over and gave her a sly smile as she looked away toward Brandon. The dog could only see the back of Brandon head, but knew who it was at once.
"Hey if it isn't the human boy!" Brandon knuckles grew white. "Gone to you're mother grave and pray yet; ha! It's a sad day when a grown man cries over his dead mother!" Brandon rage was rising, Naja saw the table shake from rage as his hand held on to the edge as she held his hand in her claw making him clam down slightly. The dog came over as he brought his paws on their table slamming it down. Two other dogs flanked behind him, a golden Lab, and a small but muscles Beagle. "And who's this pretty girl hrm?" he looked toward Naja as she glared looking away then to Brandon.
"Let's go Brandon," he nodded as he stood up but the Lab pushed him back in the seat as a mother goose held her child close to her, knowing already where this was going to go.
"Hey, what's your name?" he brought his paw over Naja head as he leaned down as Brandon tried to push the other two dogs off of him, but they held him down firmly. The manager held a cell phone to his ears as he spoke fast and panics like.
"None of your damn concern, now please leave, me and Brandon are trying to order some food!" The dog laughed loudly as he leaned closer to Naja as she hissed baring her fangs as the dog smiled.
"A girl with fire, I like that; hey Brandon mind if I borrow her?" Brandon again glared and again tried to push the Lab off of him until a paw met his face causing his head to smash to the wall as he cried out a bit. Naja let out a small cry of surprised watching her friend get hurt as the pit bull held her arm. "I don't think you know what happens around here," he growled deeply. "I always get what I want, and I want you in my bed!" When Brandon heard this, even though he was bleeding on the temple he screamed and jumped punching the dog hard in the mouth causing him to fall on his back away from Naja. The Beagle ran to Brandon swinging a paw to Brandon as the human acted faster, grabbing his furry arm and twisting it upward until he brought his elbow down hard on the dog owns; snapping it in two places. The Lab growled going and held his arm around Brandon neck choking him, the human groaned but run backwards slamming the dog into a wall as he turned and kicked him hard in the gut. The pit bull groaned as he stood up, putting a paw in his pocket as he pulled out a small flip knife and ran toward Brandon.
"Look out Brandon!" the green eye fighter turned to see the pit bull ran to him and tried to move out of the way, but as he moved, the knife found its way to his lower left side, inbounded between his rips. He screamed out in pain as the pit punched him again as the human rolled on the ground by the mother goose and her son. The child screamed seeing the blood as Brandon stood on his knees; pain erupted from his sides as blood oozed out of his side, his breathing loud and heavy. The door to the shop burst open as three police officers, two of which were dragons, and one, in the middle a human who seemed to be the one in commanded. The pit bull cursed as he backed away as the two dragons held him and his friends by the wall. The human police officer went over to Brandon and saw his wound as Brandon groaned in pain as he held his side. Naja rushed over but another officer came in, a small vixen fox as she held on to Naja as she tried to get to Brandon side.
"Let me go!" she cried. "That's my friend over there!" the vixen held a firm hold on Naja even by her size as the commander looked up at her then brought his radio to his lips.
"We need medical support now! We have a young human teen, knife between the rips and bleeding lots of blood!" a respond came in a short moment later as he held onto Brandon head trying to keep him awake. "Hey kid, come on wake up!" Brandon eyes were only half open, deep blood shot eyes darted around. "You got to stay awake alright? Do you have any family?" Brandon nodded pointing to his pocket as the officer dug though he found his cell phone and went to the contexts finding his mother number under 'mom'. He passed the phone to Naja telling her to tell his mother what was going on and where they would be. Jenny voice was heard as she screamed wanting to know what happened. Naja told her all she could as Jenny hung up, the medical team making their way in and picking Brandon up much to his discomfited. Naja watched as Brandon was taken away, as the three dogs that attacked were handcuffed and taken as well, only the workers, Naja, the goose family and the human officer was left as he looked around. "What happened?"
First the workers of the pizza shop told them what they saw and what the three attacks did before Brandon arrived. It seemed the dragoness had broken up with the pit bull and he was trying to get her back, she told them that he would do this, push people around till he got what he wanted. She also told them that he and Brandon had bad blood, how the two had a fight a few years back. The officer went to the goose asking the same thing, she told him that the two, Brandon and Naja. Was just sitting down, waiting to be served when he came up and started to bother the two. It was the dogs that threw the first punch and Brandon was only trying to defend him and his friend Naja. The human nodded as he went to Naja, who told him the same thing. The human told Naja that he would give her a ride to the place Brandon was to be taken as she nodded; wanting to be by his side.
When they got there, Jenny was already there asking question with tearful eyes as the doctors told her much of what they could. Naja came up as she held the dragoness shoulder as she turned and asked what happened. Naja told her as much as she could remember, saying it was all just a blur to her. The officer that drove her answered more of her question as Jenny cried louder, when he said the green eye human might not make it. Mar came in the doors hours later; Jenny called him while she drove to the medical center as she clung to him crying. Mar growled when he learned who did this to Brandon, and saw them walk in, they were bruised up and broken arms from Brandon beat down, and almost went up to the pit bull to get the job done, but he knew that it would only worsen the ways now if he did so. A doctor wolf made his was out holding a clip board. He told the friend and family that Brandon would be alright, the blade only missed anything important by a few inches. Jenny sigh in relief, the doctor told them he would have to stay over night and much of the next day just in case, and even more inside his home; he would have to miss school for about a week. They were allowed to see Brandon as Jenny almost rushed in, seeing Brandon lying on the bed looking up as they walked in.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
"Brandon!" Jenny ran over and hugged her son neck as he groaned and hugged back.
"My...sides...hurt..." she let go wiping away a tear as Mar went over and held his arm.
"How are you?" Brandon smirked his old smirk.
"Well, growing older, voice changing getting taller; oh and I had a knife in my ribs, so I guess I'm good!" Mar chuckled as Brandon softly laughed, groaning as he held his side. "Naja, are you alright?" Naja looked over at him as she made her way over to him.
"Me?" she asked. "Look at you!" Brandon did what she asked, seeing a needle in his arm to give the blood he lost back and another one around his finger to measure his heart rate; a cloth as warped around his body to stop the bleeding as he shrugged.
"I don't care what happens to me Naja," he told her blankly. "I only care if you're alright." Naja swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked down. She looked up seeing that it was almost five in the after noon.
"I'll be right back," she said as she left to the nearest phone. Brandon watched her go as he lay his head back down on the pillow as he closed his eyes. Naja came back in a few moments later, telling Jenny and the others that she needed to speak to her mother, who said she could stay here for the night. Brandon told her he didn't need to but she told him she would anyway. Jenny thanked her as she and Mar left later that night, leaving the two alone.
The doctors allowed Naja to stay and brought a spear bed in the room for her and if they needed anything, just press the button next to Brandon. For the while the two spoke about what they liked and other things, but soon; it was silence.
"Why did you try to help me?" Brandon looked over to Naja as she looked to him. "Why?"
"Because you're my friend."
"Is that all?" Brandon looked away not answering her question as she moved from her bed, to his, sitting down with much of her tail on the ground. "Brandon, is that all?" the human gulped and still didn't say anything as Naja smiled softly, moving his head toward hers and kissed him softy. Brandon eyes went wide from the kiss, first his mother and now Naja, the one girl he truly loved. Her eyes were closed as she deepened the kissed, bringing her claws behind his head. His eyes slowly closed as he brought his arms around her waist, her tail lifting up and wrapping around his legs. He felt her tongue lick his lips as he opened them, allowing her spilt fork like tongue to enter his mouth. Both of theirs' wrapped around the other moaning in the other kissed. Naja broke the kiss, her eyes still closed as she slowly opened them to look down at the teen she just kissed. Brandon eyes opened as well, his arms still tightly wrapped around her "waist" as the two looked into each other.
"Naja I..." he looked down as if thinking. "When we first met all those years ago, I felt this feeling about you, somthign deep in my heart that every time I thought you would be taken away made me feel...dread. And every time you came back, I was happy but sad at the same time." He looked up as Naja wrapped more of herself around him till only his upper body and arms were freed, waiting for him to keep going. "I was happy because I knew I would have more time with you, but sad that no one wanted you. That necklace I gave you was made in art in craft, I made up the history during writing week and well, I wanted to give you it the day you would be taken; but I guess I was taken first." Naja smiled bringing her claw though his hair. "And..." he looked down again. "I always wanted to say...I love you!" he looked up bringing his hand to her cheek. "I always have Naja, and I will withstand more beating, more stabbing, to see you are safe!"
The Naga eyes started to water as she pressed her lips once again to his lips, which he was all too eagerly to give back. They didn't know when they broke apart, but when they did Naja laid her head on top of Brandon chest, closing her eyes and slept. His arm still around her waist as he too fell asleep