Bonus Art - Dragon Mobster (Plus Short Story) (Patreon)

Crammed into a small, dimly lit room with more than a dozen other prospective 'recruits' awaiting inspection, never more than now have I felt so out of place.

Heart hammering in my chest and legs threatening to buckle at any moment, I stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the seediest and burliest of sorts. You know, the kind that actually look like they belong in this kind of, uh...'organisation', as it were. Even now, I'm still not sure why I agreed to come here--nor what the recruiter may have seen in me.

I'm down on my luck, sure, and am struggling to keep a steady job, along with a roof over my head, to the point I'd agree to do just about anything as long as there was money involved...

But...organised crime...really?! Have I lost the plot?! Am I this desperate?

I didn't even think it worked this way in real life. I thought these kinds of organisations were long gone--simply romanticised ideals you'd see on TV--but sure enough...this appears to be the real deal.

I glance to the man to the side of me. I know I said we were all standing 'shoulder to shoulder'...but in actuality, this brute is so much taller and wider than me, that I think 'shoulder to elbow' would be more accurate. Or...'shoulder to forearm' if I want to be completely honest. The man squeezed up against me on the opposite side is just as imposing, his hulking arms adorned with all manner of tattoos sporting violent imagery.

These...these guys are no joke. From the muscles, to the scars--and in one case, a missing eye--it's clear everyone else in this line-up has seen their fair share of scraps. Crime is probably second nature to them. This kind of 'work' must be their true calling in life.

And me...? Well... I'm the kind of person who would hesitate to even pirate something online for fear of the consequences.

Which, again, begs the question...

Why the heck am I here?!

Before I can even begin to entertain the notion of slinking away and seeking more legal means of employment, I stiffen up on the spot as a gruff voice calls out from the end of the room.

"Alright--the boss'll be here in a sec', so I don't wanna see no slouchin'. First impressions are everythin'! Prove yer worth to the boss and maybe you'll have a job at the end of the night. Push yer luck, and well...you'll be lucky if y'leave at all. Y'get me?"

Donned in a rather garish suit with shades covering the bulk of his gnarled features, the sketchy-looking man that had approached me earlier sets the tone for what's to come with a rather grave warning. In hindsight, this really wasn't the kind of person whose word I should have been taking at face value. What can I say though--when you're poor and desperate...your judgment takes something of a nosedive...

We all acknowledge the man's words in our own ways. Some nod. Some simply grunt. Others dismiss it with a cocky snort while I struggle to make any kind of movement at all. I'm as good as a statute, only just now realising the gravity of this entire situation.

I...I really am locked into this now, huh? If I try and slip out now, it'll look like a sign of disrespect! Well...maybe if I'm lucky, they'll see I'm not fit for this kind of work after all and let me go? Or...have I seen too much now? Will they want to...'tie up' loose ends? Or--... Oh, god... I feel like I'm about to throw up.

My anxiety reaches its peak as the door at the end of the room finally swings open and the 'boss' makes their entrance.

Everyone is stunned to silence before several murmurs sound out around me. I don't think a single one of us had had any prior knowledge as to who exactly our prospective boss was going to be...but I don't think any of us expected...this!

The boss in question turned out to be a woman. Which is pretty surprising in itself, given the line of work, but more surprising is just how well-built she is. Boasting a chiselled, tan frame that could put any one of the men here to shame in terms of pure muscle, her impressive physique strains out against the dress shirt and slacks she wears. And with an extravagant coat--complete with a fur trimmed collar--draped over her shoulders like some kind of cape, she looks every part the crime lord she was just announced to be.

The mane of unruly, fiery red hair she has stands in sharp contrast to the expensive clothing hugging her figure, but somehow ties the whole look together all the same.

Oh, yeah, and did I mention she was a freaking dragon?! Because I think that's pretty important, too!

At first glance it'd be easy to miss, especially in more dim lighting, given the bulk of her form boasts a healthy amount of supple skin...but the more you look and spot where more draconic parts of her begin--seamlessly blending into the more human aspects--it becomes very clear what she is.

Wide-eyed, mouth ajar and heart ever so slightly aflutter at the sight of such expansive cleavage that she seems to proudly flaunt with her wide open shirt, I take in the sight of the gleaming red scales that compliment her untamed mane of the same shade. Fins stand out in place of more human ears. Pointed claws adorn her scaly hands, looking just lethal enough to shred the face of anyone who looked at her funny, but not cumbersome enough as to hinder anything that might require a finer touch.

And you can't forget the bulky tail that swishes behind her. If you somehow managed to overlook every other draconic aspect of her, surely the tail would be the biggest giveaway!

Humankind and monsterfolk living in harmony is pretty common and widely accepted across the world these days compared to how it might have been in the past, but not widespread. Some places see a higher density of monsters living in their midst than others--and I've lived a fairly sheltered life...so I haven't really had much 'in-person' experience with their kind, as it were.

So to see one appear so suddenly before me, in such a situation, with such a jaw-dropping body...no less...it's quite a lot for me to take in at once. I'm not alone, given my eyes aren't the only wide pair in the line-up. It's always been said that monsters are especially blessed in terms of physical attributes compared to humans...and now the proof of that is right before my dazzled eyes.

Standing taller than most of the men present, those sharp blue eyes of the dragon's that seem to glow vibrantly in spite of the gloom so thick in the room sweep across the line-up. I can't help but tremble a little as her eyes linger on me for barely even a moment.

"…"

She says nothing at first. Simply snorts. The gruff man that had warned us of her arrival just a few short moments ago rushes to her side to offer her a cigar. The dragon snatches it up without even so much as glancing her subordinate's way and clamps it down between her frighteningly pointed teeth. I expected the lackey in question to also light the cigar, just like you'd see in the movies, but...

Exhaling casually from around the cigar, an amber spark is puffed out to light it up instead.

Fire. She'd actually spat out fire. Just like a...dragon... I really shouldn't be surprised at this point, I know, but...still!

"This is the best y'could find?" the dragon finally says in a dull tone, her eyes narrowing in a manner that showcases just how unimpressed she is. Puffing on the cigar, she snorts out a steady stream of smoke, quickly lending a hazy atmosphere to the poorly ventilated room. It's all I can do not to break out in a coughing fit, terrified of causing a scene in the presence of one so imposing. If I can just...keep it together for a little while longer...maybe I can leave in one piece! And not in a body bag!

"W-well, y'see, boss... The others have already been poking around these parts and poaching whoever looks strong... I...I worked with what I had, y'know?" The lackey in question wrings his hands apologetically. The dragon simply sighs, yet more smoke escaping her like a chimney.

"So we're workin' with the dregs, are we? Great. Guess I can't be too picky, what with how short-handed we are after that last turf war, but..." She looks back over us. A claw reaches its way up to rake through her unruly red hair. "Man... This sucks."

Her clear disdain doesn't go unnoticed amidst the line-up. I mean, she'd pretty much just insulted everyone here--albeit indirectly. And I'm totally happy with any amount of disappointment being levelled my way; I'm used to it! But some of the bigger, and burlier among us take umbrage with that fact.

One especially peeved man even sees fit to stomp his way out of the line-up. Towards the dragon. Rivalling her in height--which is pretty impressive for a human, given how tall dragons can be--he gets right up in her face, angry veins bulging out against his shaved head. Teeth bared in a snarl, he roars with indignant fury.

"Oi! Lissen here y'overgrown lizard--it's bad enough that I gotta work under one of yer sort--and a girlie, at that--but if y'think I'm just gonna stand by and take it while y'disrespect me, then--..."

...Before he could get another word out, the dragon brings her head forward without hesitation, still bearing that same, bored, unimpressed look on her face all the while. Her skull collides against his with a deafening 'crack' that resounds across the room and the man crumples to the floor, completely out for the count.

"Anyone else got somethin' to say?" the dragon says casually as she looks back at the line-up. Any prior outrage is quickly quashed as everyone straightens up and quietens down, myself included. Sharp teeth surface around the cigar in her mouth in something of a smug grin. "Alright, then. That's what I thought."

Several men emerge from the door at the far end of the room to drag away the unconscious recruit. At least...I hope he's unconscious. He was looking awfully still there... And as they 'clean up', the draconic boss rubs at her forehead with a grimace. I don't think she hurt her own head or anything, given how sturdy dragon bones are, but she's more just, uh...wiping away the blood.

"'Kay--guess I should go over a few things before I inspect ya all. " Having wiped the blood on her slacks she gives us all another once-over. "As most of ya know--or at least I damn well hope y'do--I'm the boss around these parts. I'm not much for formalities, so y'don't gotta worry too much there. I don't wanna hear any 'sir' or 'ma'am'. Just 'boss' is fine. Or hell, call me Ruby if y'want to put a name to my pretty face. Just don't go grovelling at my feet and kissin' my toes. I hate that crap."

As she says that...I can't help but, well...look at her feet. As expected, they're draconic. No shoes to be found--simply two hulking great sets of claws that look far more 'monstrous' and lizard-like in comparison to her more human hands. Which...must have come with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, I suppose. Wrenching my gaze up from said scaly feet, I listen on as the dragon--Ruby--continues.

"I think I made it obvious, but just so we're all on the same page here... Yer not my first choice for who I'd want runnin' this joint. Nor the second. Or the third, or the...well, y'get the idea, right?" She sighs, letting yet more smoke fill the room. The cigar rolls to the side of her mouth to better let her speak. "Doesn't mean y'can't become the kinda guy I want runnin' with me. But it ain't gonna be easy. Nor pretty. This ain't a line of work for the faint of heart, heh. Just...keep that in mind, 'kay?"

Well. That's definitely me out, then. Thank god. Maybe she'll let me go after all if she's already warning people up front...?

With those hopes bubbling away anxiously in my chest, I stand by patiently as Ruby makes her way down the line, person to person. Inspecting each prospective recruit up close, she exchanges a few words with them before asking once more if they want to join. Each man says yes, of course, given most of them were probably living this sort of lifestyle to begin with...so that really doesn't help me to know what might happen with someone who refuses on the spot...but I'm sure she's reasonable, right? The person whose skull she cracked was asking for it! My skull will be safe! Won't it...?

...Any courage I'd mustered up to this point evaporates as Ruby finally reaches me. I tremble on the spot.

"Huh...?"

The dragon blinks as she gazes at the empty space up above me--where the head would be on any regular height human. It takes a good moment for her to finally look down and meet my terrified eyes. Sheesh... Up close she's even taller than I realised! I barely reach up to her chiselled stomach!

I expected her to burst out laughing at any moment now. Or worse yet, to get angry that such a pathetic waste of space had been dragged over here.

But...instead, she keeps up that same calm look she's had since she first arrived, her true feelings impossible to discern beyond the mask of bored indifference she wears so well. Taking the cigar from between her incredibly sharp teeth, she exhales out a good deal of smoke off to the side.

"What's yer name, shrimp?"

"M-Matt..." I say with a croak, surprised my voice even works at all in the face of such an imposing dragon. I resist the urge to bow, knowing that'd actually upset her.

"'Nd what's a scrawny little thing like you doin' here?" she asks calmly. Matter-of-factly. There's no derision to be found in her words. She's simply asking a question. One even I was asking myself not too long ago. And for the longest time, I thought I didn't have an answer to that... But in the face of her intense blue eyes...I somehow find it in myself to speak the truth. Right from the heart.

"I...I have nowhere else to go. No family. No friends. This is...my last option. I know I'm probably not cut out for it...and might die anyway, but...what have I got to lose?! I...I can't promise I'll be of any use...but I'm willing to give it my all, anyway!" My words grow steadily more impassioned the more I speak, until at the very end I'm looking right at her, fists clenched tight and speaking more confidently than perhaps I ever have in my life.

It's strange... Didn't I want to run away? To do anything but be tied up in organised crime? Even if it meant struggling futilely until my body finally gave out on the cold, hard streets of Rhan? Why did I change my mind so suddenly? What is it I see in those eyes of hers, that seem to inspire me so much? Hope? A path to a better life? Or...something far more intimate...? Even I can't say for sure right now--but one thing I know for sure is that there's a fire burning in my veins and I've never felt more alive!

"That so...?" Ruby chomps back down on her cigar as she reflects on my passionate outcry. Her gaze wanders off to the side, as if lost in thought. "Well... Y'might be small, but yer certainly not lackin' in spirit... That's for sure." A toothy grin is offered up my way. Her tail swishes excitedly. "Hell--that kind of enthusiasm is just what we need around here. I bet I can make a man of you yet, shrimp."

Rather than shake my hand like she'd done with every other man in the line-up, Ruby reaches out with a weight claw and...pats my head. She then proceeds to ruffle my hair. Affectionately...but also fairly roughly!

"Welcome to the family, shrimp. From this point on, y'don't gotta face the world alone, alright? Let's take it by storm--together!"

Leaving me to smooth my hair down, she moves on to the next person in the line-up as I play back in my head everything that just happened. I'd gotten so worked up back there--out of nowhere--that it all went by in a blur.

I'd...somehow survived my encounter with Ruby, the mob boss. And even joined her organisation, no less!

Was this what I wanted all along, deep down? What was I thinking, blurting all that out?! Ahh...I guess it's too late to back out now...and it beats sleeping in the cold, but...am I really cut out for this? I talked a big game in the face of desperation, sure...but I hope I don't let Ruby down...

...And thus, my days as a criminal began.

--

"So, tell me, kid... Y'ever shot a guy before?"

"Uhh... Videogames don't count, right?"

Ruby sighs and lazily supports her head against her hand, her elbow balancing haphazardly across her desk. A few days had passed since the big recruitment drive had taken place, and after getting accustomed to the cozy little hideout we had in the city--complete with accommodation for all--I'd been pulled into the boss's office for some kind of briefing.

Just like I imagined for someone as practical as Ruby, her office isn't anything too flashy or lavish;  just a simple room with sparse concrete walls and a desk at the far end and a few folding chairs. As I understood it, she only really came here when absolutely necessary, and otherwise enjoyed being far more proactive out on the streets.

"Okay. Y'ever stab someone?"

"...I-I guess stabbing myself doesn't count?"

Her expression grows ever more dire. Why do I get the feeling she's regretting her decision more and more...? She lets out an exasperated snort accompanied by a puff of steam.

"...Fine. Y'ever hit someone before? Y'must've gotten into a few schoolyard scraps, right?"

I give her a blank look--though the sweat beading across my brow is probably a good giveaway as to the answer. Slapping both scaled palms against her desk and making me jump in the process, Ruby rises to her feet.

"Ahh--fine. Whatever. It doesn't matter. It's not like y'got the build for gettin' into scraps anyway."

...She's being oddly lenient with me, I've gotta say. From what I've heard from the other guys, her temper runs far shorter with them, and skull-cracking headbutts can be doled out at a moment's notice. Not that I'd ever bring this up with her. But, y'know...it's at the back of my mind--and I feel a touch guilty that I'm getting so much preferential treatment when we're all supposed to be a 'family' here.

"Movin' along, I brought y'here today 'cuz I think it's about time y'get some experience out on the streets."

"You...you have a job for me?" I blink in surprise, colour draining from my face. I feel nowhere near ready for hitting the streets and doing...whatever it is organised criminal families do...but then I couldn't exactly expect to be sheltered away here for free, could I? Ruby nods as she circles around the desk. She motions for me to follow her with a wave of her claw.

"Relax. It's fine. I ain't gonna throw ya to the wolves. You'll just be taggin' along with me while I make some deals. Need someone to watch my back, y'know?"

I exhale a shaky, relieved breath as we depart from her office and wander through a maze of sparsely decorated corridors that all look the same. Even now, several days in, I'm still trying to find my way around this place. I'm beginning to think it's like this on purpose, to throw off any would-be intruders.

"Just...stand behind me and look tough while I take care of business." She throws a glance over her shoulder...and  has to force herself to angle her head down, constantly forgetting how short I am. A claw gravitates towards her chin as she reconsiders her words. "Well, uh...not 'tough', but...y'know...yeah."

I knew it. She really is regretting falling for my teary words, isn't she? Ahhh...

One short trip through the nightclub that serves as the front for this whole HQ and we emerge out into a parking lot. Given the complete lack of windows inside, I'd lost all sense of time in there and find myself gazing up at a bright, starry sky.

"Hey! Shrimp! Y'can stargaze on yer own time! Get yer cute little--er...get yer butt over here, would ya?!"

Roused out of my admiration of the sky, I jump with a start before hurrying over to Ruby and her car. Again, just like her office, her car is fairly unassuming. A beat-up hunk of junk with a faded crimson paintjob and more than its fair share of rust. Ruby has referred to this in the past as her 'steed'.

I clamber into the passenger's seat as Ruby gets in opposite me. I don't even want to begin to imagine the logistics that went into making a car that fits a dragon--both in terms of fitting her tail behind her, and making the pedals compatible with her large, scaly feet...but I guess life finds a way, huh?

After a few false starts and sputters--and a good deal of angry dragon cursing--the car finally jumps to life, and we're on the road. Things are fairly quiet between Ruby and I as I gaze out the window at all the passing lights...but...it's a good kind of silent. A comfortable kind, where neither feels obligated to talk just for the sake of filling the air.

It's only after a ten minutes on the road that Ruby finally talks, her radiant blue eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I guess it's kinda weird for the boss to be ferryin' people around herself, huh?" she says with a wry grin. I hadn't really considered it myself--given most of my thoughts were around the convenient dragon tail-shaped hold they'd made at the back of the seat, but... I guess she has a point?

"I did used to have a driver. A pretty damn good one at that, but...well...y'know..." A claw rakes its way almost nervously through her mane of unruly red hair. She doesn't elaborate, but from what I understand, it's probably tied to what made her dwindling family go in search for more recruits to begin with. Something bad had went down. Something that even the few survivors that remained refuse to talk about.

Placing both claws back on the wheel--which is torn up beyond all repair now thanks to being driven by a dragon all the time--Ruby taps each individual finger idly along the mangled faux-leather.

"It's fine, though. We'll rebuild. Just a little setback. Even if morale's at an all time low..." She casts a glance back at me and I stiffen in my seat. "That's part of why I picked ya, y'know, shrimp?"

"O-oh, yeah?"

She nods, eyes back on the road. By this point we'd gone off of the main streets and ended up on some industrial part of the city. "I'm hopin' all that enthusiasm you've got will rub off on everyone. Lift the spirits a bit. No luck yet, but...ah...people'll come around!"

We lapse back into silence after that. I'm flattered she thinks so highly of me and my uh, burning youthful spirit...but...is it really that simple?

Before I can dwell any further on that matter, the car lurches to a halt. I peer out the window to see a sea of warehouses before us. To call this place 'desolate' would be an understatement. Exactly the kind of setting you'd see in the movies for...whatever kind of deal was going to go down.

"Mmnn... Alright. We're here." Ruby cracks her neck and rolls her shoulders before getting out of the car. I follow suit, minus the joint cracking of course. I tried that kind of thing once and was on the floor in agony for ages!

"Just like I said before--all y'gotta do is watch my back. Keep an eye out for trouble. It's as simple as that. Even a kid could do it!" Having made her away around the car to join me at my side, she beams down before ruffling my hair. I still don't quite understand why she only ruffles my hair, and my hair alone... I mean, sure, most of the other men are bald, but they could still be patted, right?!

"I'll...I'll do my best!" I give one of my most prized of smiles back up at her. For some reason, there's just always something that's so...assuring about her whenever she looks at me with that draconic fire in her eyes. It sparks my own flame inside me and makes me feel like I can achieve the impossible.

"Oh, yeah, but you'll be needin' a piece."

"A piece...?" I blink with a tilt of her my head as Ruby walks to the trunk of the rusted car. Giving it a good thump with her elbow, the trunk pops up with a groan before she fishes around inside. After a moment, she hands something my way and I accept it absent-mindedly. But when I finally realise what it is weighing down in my hands, I almost drop it with a start.

A gun. A pistol. Not a particularly big one...but in my hands, even it feels like a handcannon. I'd never realised they were so heavy, either...

"Hey, watch it--it's loaded!" Ruby warns me with a stern wave of her claw. I almost drop the gun again, but tighten my hold on it with a deep breath. "Y'probably won't even need to use it, so don't freak out. But I need my back-up to look at least somewhat intimidating if y'ain't got the muscles."

"R-right..." I cast a glance over my shoulder. Nobody else is around in such a desolate district...but...just the notion that I'm partaking in something illegal is enough to put me on edge. It'd be just my luck that the one time I go out on a 'mission' that the police raid us or something, right?

Pulling the gun close to myself--and keeping the barrel pointed away, of course--I focus in on the draconic warmth pulsing in my heart--Ruby's trust in me, infused into my very being like some kind of...strange passive buff from an RPG, if we want to put it in those sorts of terms!

A clawed hand lands on my shoulder and gives it an extra reassuring squeeze to further quash the nerves fluttering around in my stomach. A briefcase is gripped in her free hand, which must have also been fished from out of the trunk before she closed it.

"This'll be over in a flash, alright, shrimp? Trust me. And it only gets easier from here!"

Nodding, I follow Ruby along into the heart of the warehouse district. It must be well past midnight now, not a single soul stirring along the way as the lights buzzing over head serve as our guide. Every now and again one of the lights is out, force us to cross through in total darkness...but knowing that Ruby is with me is more than comforting. I mean, she's a dragon, right? What is there to be afraid of when you have a dragon on your side?!

"Looks like this is the place," Ruby announces as we come up to a nondescript warehouse that looks just like all the others. She stands right in the middle of the circular light being cast down upon us, signalling for me to stand on the edge of it--so that I'm just about in sight, but not too close as to freak out whoever was making the deal with her.

I attempt to hold the gun in a slightly more natural way as we wait, as per Ruby's instructions on how to look as intimating as I can. Though...I think she ended up settling for 'halfway intimidating' after I failed to get the correct pose a good few times. I'm...a work in progress!

And after a few minutes more of waiting under the flickering light, footsteps sound from the darkness beyond. Ruby tenses up for a moment at the sound, and tightens her grip on the briefcase, but ultimately relaxes. She waves a lazy claw to the shadowy figures emerging as if from out of nowhere.

"Heh-heh. Yo. Y'sure took yer time gettin' here! What, did y'get lost?"

Several men step into the light to greet Ruby. Clad in sharp black suits with matching shades, they really do look the part when you think 'organised crime'. At least more than a dragon and a nervous shrimp of a person quaking off to the side with a gun they don't know how to use...

None of the men in suits share the dragon's enthusiasm. They simply regard her with cold, chilling stares. Sheesh... Is this how business is always conducted?

Ruby glances past the three men and into the darkness, before focusing back on them. Her grin widens. "What? The bossman isn't gonna show up in person? I'm hurt. Here I thought we were finally patchin' things up!"

...One of the men's cold mask falters for a second with a flash of anger before he composes himself. He steps forward from the other two with a suitcase in hand. Not even a glance is spared my way. He's focused entirely on Ruby.

"After everything that's happened between our organisations, he feels it's best to keep his distance for the time being. I'm sure you understand, Ms. Ruby."

"Oh, yeah? That so?" A claw in her ear, Ruby itches it lazily before looking back dully at the man. Either not picking up on his animosity, or just...not caring at all. She gives him a devious grin. "Too bad. Send that crispy-faced jerk my regards, anyhow. I hope he's likin' the nice present I left all over him."

...At that, I hear something behind me. At first, I thought it was my imagination, or maybe just my heart thumping away so loudly in my ears due to how nervous I was, but...the more I strain my ears, the more apparent it becomes. Footsteps. Far more sets of footsteps. Oh no.

"U-uh... Ruby..." I croak out meekly as I try to discern what might be approaching in the dark. I tighten my hold on the pistol despite having no idea how to use it.

Ruby doesn't hear me. She's having far more fun antagonising the suited man as his mask crumbles piece by piece under her taunting of his boss.

"Can he even go out in the sun anymore, I wonder? Or does it burn too much? Y'know what they say about dragonfire, right? It never heals!"

The briefcase held in the man's trembling hand until now drops with a clatter. He begins to reach for something in his jacket pocket, teeth bared in rage.

"Y-you dare speak ill of the boss...!"

"Ruby...!" I cry out again, spotting an entire crowd of shadows emerging from out of the darkness now all around us--all wearing the same pitch black suits and shades as the men before her. Again, she doesn't hear me, looming over the angered man with an increasingly malicious grin.

"Oh. I dare alright. I'll speak 'ill' all I want. 'Til I throw up. 'Cuz that's all his name is to me now. Vomit. And I thought he'd at least have the guts to come confront me in person, but nooooo. He had to send a bunch of suited up goons! How 'bout you tell that coward that--..."

"Ruby! People! Bad! Danger! Look out!" I finally manage to find my voice as I scream out as loud as I can, my panic echoing out across the once desolate district. All of the figures surrounding the dragon stiffen at once and glance my way before focusing back on Ruby as she finally realises the predicament she--we're--in.

The dragon's eyes narrow. Her clawed hands ball up into dangerous fists as all of the men around her draw out an assortment of nasty weapons. Guns, knives...and a few I can't even begin to comprehend, but look deadly all the same.

"Huh. So that's yer game, is it? This is low. Even for him."

The man that had been confronting her up until now staggers back to join a group emerging out of the darkness. By this point it was impossible to count just how many had surrounded us. The man adjusts his glasses before pulling his own pistol out of his breast pocket.

"This is what you get for crossing the Redd Fangs, you foul she-beast!"

I hurry over to Ruby's side--almost dropping my pistol in the process--but I already know there's nothing I can do. There's no opening. No means of escape. We're trapped. Even if she's a dragon, it's still 2--or 1, rather--against an entire horde!

"Ruby! Uh, b-boss! What do we--..."

"Just keep low. Try not to get hit in the crossfire. I got this," she says coolly. Calmly. I can't see her expression from how much I'm practically cowering at her back...but I can only imagine the kind of composed face she must be making in the face of mortal danger like this... Like...a true leader. Even still, bravado can only get someone so far!

"B-but--..."

"Trust me, shrimp. This is nothin'. I've been through tougher scraps before. Just watch; maybe you'll learn somethin'."

I swallow any other objections I might have had as she finally looks back at me with that same confident grin that's come to fill me with such hope these days. Nodding, I duck low and let the dragon mob boss do her thing.

"Alright, then! Ya all wanna piece of me? Yer welcome to try!" Throwing her arms out wide, Ruby beckons her attackers with a booming roar. "Do yer worst! First hit's free!"

From my spot on the floor, I glance up at her mighty figure in awe. I can't help but notice how from the way she's positioning herself, she's clearly shielding me.

But...to let them get the first hit... Is she insane? It's not like we aren't at a disadvantage already! Surely she doesn't need to add to that?! Or... Is she just that confident...? I guess...I need to learn to trust her. If she's survived this many fights, then...

All of the men hesitate at her most generous offer, forgetting themselves for a moment and the fact they have an overwhelming advantage over her in terms of pure numbers. The man that Ruby had antagonised at the start steps forward with gun in hand. He aims squarely for her head.

Ruby's teeth gleam in a provocative grin, egging him on. I pale in horror. Sure, a dragon's skull is thick, but...!

A sweaty finger clamps down on the trigger. Bang. A single shot resounds out across the district. The flash of the muzzle illuminates the darkness around us, revealing just how many men are lying in wait to ambush her. And the bullet...

The bullet connected with Ruby. It hit her, there's no doubt about that. From the way her head jolted back...it must have been a clean shot, too.

A strange tension hangs in the air as the man continues to holds his gun out, smoke still billowing from the barrel. Everyone around the dragon watches on, as if to see if this single hit was all it took.

But she's still standing. Something sizzles from her face. It takes me a good moment to get over my initial horror of seeing her shot to realise that it's not a gaping bullet wound, but rather...it's the bullet itself. Held between her pointed teeth. She...she caught the bullet with her mouth?!

Everyone watches on in awe as she brings her head back down and spits the bullet back out. It clinks to the floor before clattering to a standstill. Ruby grins right back at her attacker.

"Welp. That was yer free hit. Shoulda used it better, huh? My turn now!"

Before anyone else can react, Ruby is on the offense. Powerful, scaly feet propel her from the ground with enough force to crack the ground. She's on the first man with the gun like lighting, reaching him in the blink of an eye and driving a clawed fist into his gut. He crumples like paper, out in one hit.

And then everyone else finally kicks back into motion. Panic and outrage sweep across the district as a horde of angry suits converge on the dragon.

And Ruby? She's loving every second of it. Her raucous laugh booms out across the once desolate space and overpowers the yelling and screaming as she bounds from foe to foe without hesitation.

A powerful punch here. A crushing kick there. Even an occasional  headbutt, mixed in with a sweep of her tail. She's too fast for anyone to get a lock on. Knives mean nothing in the face of her scaly fists. And if someone does get a lucky hit in? Well... They might as well be attacking a brick wall for all the difference it makes.

Ruby embodies the very spirit of a dragon. Fierce. Unrelenting. Determined. Honourable. I can only watch on in awe as the once worrying horde thins out person by person. By the end, the few stragglers that are still conscious realise that it's meaningless before fleeing with a few toothless warnings thrown her way--that this wasn't the last she'd heard from the 'Redd Fangs'.

"Whew... Well, that was fun, huh?" Ruby grins down at me, the fighting having finally died down. Meanwhile...I'd just been cowering down here as instructed. I'm glad I didn't get in the way, but I still wish I could have helped in some way... Especially given I have this stupid gun!

She offers a claw to help me to my feet, which I gingerly reach for. "Y-you were amazing out there, boss. I'm sorry I couldn't--..."

My hand freezes in place as my gaze drifts off to the side, behind Ruby. A suited body was stirring. They had a gun drawn, and a bloodshot gaze burning from beyond a pair of shattered shades. Their finger was on the trigger. Ruby was completely oblivious, and focused on helping me. I wouldn't be able to warn her in time!

But what could--...

The gun held tightly in my other hand suddenly didn't feel so heavy anymore. I pointed it out without thinking. A finger snaked its way around the trigger. I'd never fired one of these before, but I couldn't let that stop me. Not when Ruby was in danger. Not when she'd risked her life already to protect me tonight! I had to repay that favour in turn!

Bang. A final shot sounded out.

Thankfully...from my gun...and not the man behind her. The recoil was enough to almost break my wrist. I hadn't been expecting thatmuch kickback!

Ruby blinked in surprise, her hand still held out to me. From her perspective, it might have looked like I was pointing right at her...but thankfully, she cast a glance over her shoulder to see the man I'd aimed for slumping back down, gun slipping from his grasp. I hadn't really had time to aim, and was more just...pointing in his general direction. Given the fresh crimson blooming from his arm, though, it looked like I'd winged him just enough to sap what little fight might have lingered in him. Thank god. I...I really didn't want to kill!

"Huh. Nice work, shrimp," Ruby said after analysing the situation for a moment longer and helping me back up to my feet. So unsteady am I on such numb legs, I almost topple forward and into the abundance of cleavage the dragon liked to flaunt. She catches me with a firm grip of my shoulders as I gaze up into her deep blue eyes adoringly.

Maybe it was just the way the moonlight was shining down on her...her impressive form backed by a sea of stars overhead and the countless twitching bodies around us...but in this one moment, Ruby had never looked more beautiful in my eyes. Even the blood spatters decorating her tan skin were enticing in their own way as they caught the light, melding with the sheen of sweat that coated her from head to clawed toe. Especially her breasts. I...I'd never realised blood could look so...sexy before.

"...Y'know, kid... I usually headbutt men if they spend too long gawkin' at my chest..." Ruby says playfully, rousing me out of my stupor. I shake my head and force my eyes back up to meet hers, along with her cheeky grin. "...But since y'just saved my life, I guess I can let it slide." She ruffles my hair affectionately--something I'm learning to love more and more recently.

Hoisting up the suitcase she'd originally come with, along with the one the men had on their person, Ruby stands by, looking fairly proud of herself as she takes in the aftermath of the one-sided brawl before us.

"This worked out pretty well I'd say! I get to keep the money and the product. A win-win, really."

"B-but, uhm... What about this...other boss that seems to have it out for you... Aren't they going to be a problem?"

Ruby blinks as if only just remembering them.

"Ehhh. They're all bark and no bite. Y'saw for yerself just how toothless they are, right? 'Nd I'm not just sayin' that 'cause a whole bunch of their teeth are scattered about now, heh."

...I guess I can't fault her confidence after a display like that. Still... This boss of theirs... I wonder just what went down between him and Ruby? That's a story for another day, I suppose.

"Now since we've got some extra cash to splurge, how 'bout we hit the strip club, huh? I'll make a man of you yet, shrimp! Plus, I really gotta find a way to reward ya for tonight!"

...And so, my adventures in organised crime truly begin after an explosive start. Very quickly am I made into Ruby's right-hand man due to my actions in the warehouse district. And if you thought the events of that night were crazy enough... That was pretty much just a prelude to the kinds of situations that crazy dragon began to pull me into, night after night. It was a miracle I was still alive sometimes!

Yet, in spite of that...never was I afraid. Never did I regret a moment. As long as I got to spend it at Ruby's side. The draconic courage was something I learned to harness myself, and before long I was achieving feats the old me never would have thought possible in their wildest dreams.

I really am glad I took that chance now and made the plunge to join her gang...because I can't imagine a life without that crazy dragon now.