Tired. I felt tired. I didn't know why, but I was always tired. I would wake up and not remember how I got there. My memory had never been very good. I would likely not remember to eat if not for my friends. They were always with me. They always spoke to me. A lot of the time they were unkind, but they were the only company I had. People would look at me and run away, and animals feared me even more than the humans. Even plants were afraid of me.

I didn't understand why. I walked or I floated on water. Sometimes I dreamed that I was flying. All I had was the rags on my back and the voices nobody else heard. I always felt sad and lonely, but I didn't know how to fix it. I wasn't very good with words. The moment I learned to speak their language, it'd suddenly change. I didn't like that. It felt like they were deliberately doing it to keep me away.

I wandered through the forest, looking down at my shadow as I did so. I noticed the grass flowing away from me even though there was little wind. Nature didn't like me, I just wanted to know why that was. I wasn't cursed by Ankhseram so it did not make sense to me.

Y'know, you should burn a village. That'll make you feel better. The Fire will keep you warm as well. Also, we're fucking bored. Burn something!

It was strange. There were times when the voices argued, and times like now when they all spoke as one. Thousands of voices screaming at him to do something. He wanted to find someone like him, not push them away. Burning things made him feel better sometimes, but it just made him more lonely. I didn't want to be alone anymore. The voices made me feel more lonely than I could bear.

Come on! We're dying here. Pun intended. Just do something! Your wandering is getting on our tits.

I like wandering.

Nobody asked you!

Go swimming. I wanna be in the water again. It's been so long since I've been in the water.

He can't swim idiot.

So? It isn't like he'll die.

Shut up! I say we fly. Flying is something we can all agree on.

Not me.

Shut it Callous!

Fuck you guys!

Fuck you!

Why're you bringing me into this? I wanna have a nap.

They were like this more and more often. It made my head hurt. Or was it that dry feeling that plagued my mouth? I didn't really know. I didn't have anyone to explain anything to me. The voices argued too much. It was rare one would give me advice that was helpful to me. I wish that they'd be quiet when I tried to sleep and not plague my mind more than they already did.

I remember a human opening their wrists with glass once. After a little while, they stopped moving. I'd taken a piece of glass and done the same. The glass didn't break my skin. I figured the man had thinner skin than me because he was a lighter pigment. I ended up taking a strange looking dagger from a human and managed to open my wrists. Ith unfamiliar feeling burned, but it drowned out the voices, so I'd done it many times.

I'd get deeper and deeper each time, fascinated by what was under my skin. I'd gotten to the bone ones. My body quickly healed and there wouldn't be any sign that it'd been cut open. I wondered why that was, but I never figured out the answer. I didn't just do it to my wrist either. I did it to many parts of my body. I'd cut open my stomach once to see the organs underneath. They were very weird to look at, and again, there was no sign I had done so.

Humans tried fighting me, and out of boredom and curiosity, I'd fight back. I learned quickly that they were too fragile to fight. I would tap a shoulder and the whole arm would fall off. I also learned that when humans used magic against me, I could eat it. I don't know how I learned to do this. Maybe it was from my past? I wasn't sure. Different things tasted differently, but I didn't mind.

I remember that knife breaking one day. I think I cried when it happened. I remember the voices taunting me because I'd broken it. I tried other methods of making them quiet. Recently I found that eating a certain powder would make everything disappear. The human I acquired it from called it Spice. It was made from grinding a plant from a mountain I was heading to. I wanted everything to be quiet. I wasn't bothered by the effects it had on my body. It had a habit of defying logic. I've bathed in volcanos and hot springs that'd melt a normal human.

I looked up from my unfocused gaze and realised I was already at the foot of the mountain. It would've been a week's walk so I didn't know how I managed to walk all the way there without stopping or resting. Again, my body defied logic. There wasn't much of a path so I climbed. It wasn't very difficult. The stone felt like mush beneath my fingers.

Who wants to see him fall off? I do!

I'll take that bet.

Who said it was a bet? Seriously! You think everything's a bet.

It's not a fucking bet.

Is it?

No!

I think it is.

I want a bet.

I'm tired.

We're all tired!

I'm more tired than you are.

No, I am.

I'm a dream drake. I'm instantly more tired than the rest of you.

You aren't the only one you self-centred twat.

You speaking to me or him?

To all of you!

Why're you shouting?

Why do you think!?

I want a bet. Have I won?

NO!

I growled as I reached the top. I needed that strange plant and I needed it now.

It isn't healthy to eat those plants. You won't be able to hear everyone, but it's making you sick. You aren't immune to everything.

One of the few voices I had that spoke reason warned me about the Spice. While I would normally appreciate her voice, it didn't cease my desire for the plant. The cold felt strange against my skin but I wasn't concerned. The voices were more unbearable than the white speckled wind. I walked forward in the snow that went up to my waist.

The stupid bastard is gonna freeze his balls off!

I think he's getting dumber each decade or so. What do you guys think?

What about us girls?

Fuck off Mezeth. Nobody cares about your stupid feminism bullshit.

Sexist.

We are not having this argument again!

Oh yes, we are.

Oh no, we're not.

I used my nose to sniff out the familiar flora. I felt my body shiver and saw ice growing on my long hair, but it didn't bother me. I smelled humans nearby as well. I wondered why they were here, but dismissed them a moment later. They were nothing to me. I continued my search and found some of the Spice growing on the side of a rock. I picked it and started to grind it with a stone I broke from the rock. It felt strange against my hand but I wasn't bothered by it. It was nice to feel something that wasn't exhaustion. When I felt sure that the plant had been ground enough, I put it in my mouth and swallowed.

It only took a few seconds until it took control of my body. I felt it go limp and rest against the large rock I took the plant from. My vision started to twist, but I couldn't hear the voices anymore. I couldn't feel anything anymore. It felt like I was floating. I felt my eyes go heavy, and after a while, I finally let sleep take me.

It didn't last. I was awoken by the smell and noise of human. My eyes lazily opened and I saw a strange person glaring down at me. I didn't know why and I didn't care at the moment. The plant was still in effect as I couldn't hear anything he was saying. Or was it yelling? I couldn't tell. He had green hair, brown eyes, a pale complexion and had a very ugly tattoo in the middle of his face. I think it was a turtle? As time passed, he seemed to realise I couldn't hear him. He grabbed my torn cloak and pulled me up. I wasn't afraid of him so I didn't try resisting. Eventually, I started to hear what he was saying.

"-ate the only plant nearby!" He yelled in my face, getting a little spit on my nose. I wrinkled my nose at the foul stench. "Stupid bastard. I'm gonna make you pay for this, freaky hippy!" He started to walk and was dragging me. I didn't know where he was taking me and I didn't really care. I couldn't feel my feet so I doubted I'd be walking for a little while anyway.

I didn't know how long he was dragging me. But far off in the distance, I could hear the voices again. I wanted to get another plant. I need another plant to keep them away. I liked the quiet, it made it possible to sleep. It wasn't often I got a chance to sleep. When I did get a chance, I enjoyed it as much as I could. I'd rather be asleep right now than deal with this human who was ranting to himself. I felt my nose twitch as I smelled dragon nearby.

"Found you!" Shouted a high-pitched male voice.

I looked in his direction and saw a strange human with pink hair and a scarf made of dragon scales. He punched the stranger, dropping me in the snow. I watched the short-lived battle ensue. I didn't know who he was, but he was a Dragon Slayer. While the memories I did have were minimal, I understood what they were. I have a vague recollection of a dragon war, but I didn't have much detail. Dragon Slayers weren't common, and sometimes I would see nameless faces talk to me in the few dreams I had. Was this one of them? I wasn't sure.

"Dammit!" Shouted another male. This one sounded deeper than the other one. The young man looked down at me, surprised I was even there. "You idiot! You could've hit... Uh. What's your name?" I wasn't sure. He snapped his fingers in front of me and while I saw the action, I couldn't hear it very well. "Hey, Wendy! I think this guy has been SPiced. Do you have an antidote for it?" Antidote? No. I didn't want that. I needed this Spice.

That bastard is as stupid as you are. He's got his cock out in the snow! Ha.

I wanna see him do it.

Think we can make him do it?

I'd love to do that.

Why don't we try fucking something?

As if he'd do that. He's a wuss.

I covered my ears, growling. I didn't understand the subject they were starting to bicker about now, but I didn't want to hear it. It seemed that it was becoming rarer and rarer that they spoke in unison. Sometimes I felt that they did it to torture me and I didn't know why.

I say we kill 'em!

That isn't a bad idea.

I wanna eat 'em!

Yeah, let's eat the humans!

I'm fucking starved.

We all are.

Hey, moron, eat something!

Yeah, eat them!

Bite the little one. She's just an appetizer.

The pink one might be spicy. I don't like spice.

I like spice! Eat the pink one first.

Come on you useless blue haired twat, eat them!

Yeah, eat them!

EAT ALL OF THEM!

I shouted loudly. I didn't think I made anything understandable, but I wanted them to stop. They were shouting at me. Screaming at me to eat the humans. I didn't want to. They started to scream at me. It was getting louder and louder and it was being unified. Thousands of voices screaming at once. The little minority of reason were drowned out by the sudden desire to feed on the flesh that clung to the human's bones. I didn't want it. But they were screaming so much that I was willing to just to shut them up.

When I sensed a hand coming near me, I bit it. I couldn't hear the yelp over the screams, but with the taste of blood in my mouth, the yelling as starting to quiet down. They were still too loud. I'd gotten onto my feet, holding the sides of my head in a vain effort to make them go away. I didn't know why I did that. I knew it never worked, but it was a natural reaction.

Fuck me that tastes good! Bite another one.

If I could I would've orgasmed.

Bite another one!

Eath them!

Eat, not eath. Idiot.

Shut up, I'm hungry!

Eat them!

Go on, bite!

Bite!

I growled at the humans. My eyes burned with a familiar wet feeling and I allowed magic to start building up in my mouth. I just wanted it to end. I just wanted it to be quiet again. I wanted everything to go away. At the same time, I didn't. They were my only company. As much as I despised them, I needed them. I needed something to stay by my side. I could feel the wind trying to avoid me and I barely felt any drops on snow on my body. Nobody wanted me. Not even the voices wanted me, but they were all I had.

"Lucy!" Shouted the pink haired one.

I felt two hands cup my cheeks. I didn't know why I hadn't seen her or sensed her, but a female had gotten in front of me. She was touching my face, wiping away the stream of water. I wasn't used to the gentle contact and it made me shake. I was barely used to any contact. She was looking right into my eyes, and I felt familiar with her. She reminded me of a blonde with brown eyes that had done the same a long time ago. I didn't know how long it had been, it had to have been recent if I remembered someone like this. I felt the magic in my mouth die down, but they were still yelling at me.

"What's wrong?" I couldn't look her in the eye. Humans didn't like it when I mentioned the voices. They glared at me. Judged me. Said things they didn't think I heard. "Can you hear people?" I didn't know why, but I nodded. I felt more water leave my eyes. "Are they why you bit Wendy?"

"They..." I didn't recognise my own voice. "Eat you..." It didn't feel like I was talking. But it was me. I was getting used to this new language, and I could hear it. "Spice... Makes quiet." I didn't understand the female. People didn't like being this near me, but she was doing it willingly. I felt her let go of my face and pulled me into a hug, pressing my face against her very warm chest. I didn't know why. I couldn't find the words to ask either. I tried to look up at her but I was unable thanks to how she was holding me.

"That was a very unwise action to take Lucy," said a commanding female voice I couldn't see. "How did you know he wouldn't attack you like he did Wendy?" The female's name was Lucy. The name was strange. I could feel her arm stroking my back and for reasons unknown, I felt calmer.

"He's sick," said the one called Lucy. "You came for the spice to make the voices go away, didn't you?"

Is he gonna fuck?

Who wants to see 'em fuck?

I do!

I haven't had sex in centuries!

We can whack it if we try hard enough.

And we've got a sexy figure to do it with. I'm game.

Can we eat them later?

Oh yeah.

It'll be line a genderbent mantis!

Don't you mean like?

He's right, it'll be a genderbent mantis. We fuck, then we eat! Everyone up for that?

Yep!

Why can't he be with a man? I need a good man.

We'll work something out. In the meantime, let's get ready for fucking!

Can he eat her tit? She only needs one.

It does look tasty.

But then he can't fuck her.

True.

What about the little blue one? Blues need to stick together.

Don't you touch her you slut!

Calm down, grandma.

"It's alright." She was stroking my back again. I must've been reacting to the sordid conversation the voices we having. "I'm going to take you somewhere safe. We'll help you make them quiet..." I tensed when I managed to see the others come into view. The pink one had a cat on his shoulder while the blue one was holding an angry looking white cat. The red-haired lady had pity in her eyes, something I didn't like. I couldn't stand pity. It made me feel weaker than I already was. The man who'd snapped his fingers appeared to be unsure. "Do you have a name?" I gave a weak shrug. I probably did, but it eluded me at the moment. "I'll call you Blue for the moment. You ok with that?"

"Blue..." For the time being, I was Blue. I think I could grow used to that.