Fun and Games
By Draco

Artha sat on top of Penn Stable’s roof looking at the afternoon sky, listening to music with his vidd gear.  He was exhausted from his training, and his father pushed him often.  His father knew a new Dragon-Human war would be coming, and he had to get Artha whipped into shape for it.  Artha, however, is becoming annoyed with his father’s bossy behavior, so he decided to escape it by sitting on top of the roof where he can get away from most of his troubles.  
A sunset was beginning to occur, making many shades of bright orange, red, and pink.  Mother Nature was calming him as it always did.  If only the big buildings didn’t block most of the sight.  
“Nice Sunset, huh?”  Artha turned around to find Kitt just sit next to him.
“Yeah… it’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” Artha replied, not taking his eyes off the darkening sky.  
Kitt noticed the gloomy sound in his voice.  “Are you feeling okay, Artha?”
Artha turned to her.  “Yeah… I’m just…”  He sighed, unable to explain.  “… I’m just tired of Dad pushing me and pushing me at such short notice.  I know he wants to help me succeed, but he seems to keep trying to make me work harder even though I already am…”  
Kitt didn’t know what to do when Artha was upset or had a lack of confidence.  It was hard for her to try not to say anything to him because she was afraid it will give away her emotions… her true feelings.  She has been having these feelings for a very long time, but she didn’t know how to tell him.  Kitt was scared that what she will tell him will make him more surprised… and uncomfortable.  Somehow she will tell him.  She can feel it.  She tried to encourage him.
“Oh… it’ll be okay, Stable Boy,” she said.  “Cheer up.  If you could, go tell him how you feel.”
“I don’t know… I don’t want him to think that I’m just being lazy or something…” Artha said.
“How can you be lazy?” Kitt asked him, a little surprised about what he thought.  “You train every morning, you race every day, and you’re being Hero Boy at night.  Your schedule is packed!  If you were lazy then you wouldn’t be doing any of that.”  
“I know…” Artha replied.  They didn’t say much of anything for a while.  Kitt’s plan of “cheering him up” didn’t work.  She had to find a better way to do so.  Artha was tough to crack today.  
Kitt began poking him on the shoulder repeatedly for no reason.  Maybe I can get him to play… she thought.  After a minute or two, Artha turned around a bit annoyed.
“Kitt, why are you poking me?” he asked.
“I don’t know.  I just feel like it…” Kitt said, pretending to be casual.  Artha rolled his eyes.  Girls… For a while Kitt continued to poke him.  Artha tried his very best to ignore it.  Unfortunately it wasn’t working.
“Could you please stop?” Artha tried to stay calm.  
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know…”  Artha sighed and turned away from her and looked back at the sky.  He didn’t want to tolerate Kitt’s random game.  He knew he had feelings for her, and he couldn’t help but feel that way.  He had a crush on Kitt the moment he saw her.  But even though he liked her -- and everything about her -- Kitt can get very annoying when she’s doing something like this.  Kitt, however, kept trying to get him to play by annoying him half to death, but right now it wasn’t working.  She decided to push her luck and see if he will crack.  
Time continued to pass, and Artha was not playing yet.  Kitt poked him faster.  Artha was ready to explode.  “Alright, that’s it!”  He then started poking her shoulder repeatedly.  As one of them went faster, the other tried to do the same.  It went on for about a minute.  Kitt was enjoying it while Artha was doing it just so he can get Kitt off his back.  
“TIME OUT!”  Artha finally stopped the poking, leaving Kitt a little surprised.  “Will you cut it out?!”  Kitt finally took his orders seriously and stayed quiet.  Artha was REALLY tough to crack today.  She had to find another type of game that is less annoying and more competitive.  She looked at the vidd gear that was still playing peaceful music.  She smiled.  She had another idea.  
Kitt grabbed the vidd gear and stopped the music.  “Hey!” Artha cried once he noticed.  “Give me back my vidd gear!  C’mon Kitt this isn’t funny!”
“No.”
“Why?!”
”Because you’re not as fast of a runner as I am!” Kitt declared.    
“Oh really?” Artha said with a grin.  “What makes you think that?”
“You’re going to have to find out, if you can catch me!” Kitt said.  She ran off the roof.  
“Hey!  Get back here!” Artha cried.  Kitt finally got him right where she wanted him.  Artha ran after her while she ran around Penn Stables, trying to find a place to hide.  She found Connor’s broken sign and hid behind it.  Artha turned the corner to find Kitt no where in sight.  “Kitt?  Kitt, where are you?”  Kitt softly giggled behind Connor’s sign.  She liked seeing this side of him.  “I know you’re here…”  Kitt’s giggling became a little louder, and Artha finally had an idea where she might be.  He looked at Connor’s broken sign and sneaked up on it.  
Kitt was giggling hysterically, unable to stop.  She was feeling that emotion again… and she couldn’t help it.  That was one of the reasons why she was giggling.  Artha emerged from the opposite side of Connor’s sign and Kitt’s giggling turned into laughter as she ran away, a little surprised.  Artha smiled as he was catching up with her.  
Kitt ran towards the practice track, finding no where else to go.  Artha was starting to enjoy himself as well and began laughing as he was able to catch up with Kitt.  “I got you now!” he announced as he jumped forward and tackled her when she was close enough.  He tried getting the vidd gear from her grasp, but she kept moving in all sorts of directions to not let him get what he wanted.  
“You’re not going to get it from me, Stable Boy!” she declared.  
“You want to bet?” Artha said.  Kitt once again began giggling, fully aware on how close they were.  Artha however was too preoccupied to get the vidd game than to feel any emotions.
After a while of tackling and play-fighting, Artha finally was able to get the vidd game, but they ended up in a tug-of-war instead.  “Give it to me!” Artha said.
“NEVER!” Kitt yelled, certainly not surrendering.  She didn’t want to lose.  Each one of them pulled harder and harder.  Suddenly, Artha pulled a little too hard, making each of them loose their balance and Kitt landed right on top of Artha, inches from each other’s faces.  
For a moment or two, they stared at each other.  Kitt’s mind began to race, making her more and more nervous as they stared at one another dumbly.  Her feelings rushed back to her, flooding her mind.  The only thing she thought of was how close she was… and closed the space between the two teens…
The moment Kitt’s lips connected with his, Artha began shaking with excitement.  He has never felt so wonderful in all of his life.  He didn’t know why Kitt suddenly connected lips with him, but he didn’t care, as long as he was sharing this moment with her…
Kitt suddenly pulled away, realizing what she had just done.  Tears were almost present in her eyes.  Both of them sat up, climbing off each other.  Artha and Kitt didn’t know what to say, and both were extremely embarrassed.  
“Um… here’s your… vidd game back…” Kitt said to him while handing Artha the vidd game controller, almost in tears.  Artha took it reluctantly as she ran away from him.  After what she did, she didn’t want to see Artha mad at her.  Artha was going to stop her, but he lost his voice.
While Kitt ran back towards Penn Stables, she put her face in her hands.  She couldn’t believe that she did that.  Even though there was a lot of pressure while she laid on top of him, there was little space… and she so badly wanted to close it.  Even though she did, she regretted it.  Now she felt so guilty, and how Artha will take it.  What if he doesn’t like me anymore, and stop being friends with me?  The question that droned her head made her want her affectionate feelings for him to dwindle.  She started to wish she didn’t have them.
Artha walked slowly back to Penn Stables, reluctant to find Kitt and expect her crying.  His feelings were mixed up as well, but somehow he liked it.  He started to realize that Kitt might have feelings for him too, but that excited him and scared him simultaneously.  It excited him for the fact that he might share his feelings as well, but he is also scared because of what it will do to their friendship.
He found her up against the wall of Penn Stables, crying.  He went over to her, to hopefully comfort her and stop her sulking.  Kitt noticed him approaching and pretended to not notice.  
“Kitt…?” Artha said quietly.  Kitt couldn’t ignore him, and looked at him.  “… Are you alright?”  Kitt didn’t answer.  She didn’t want to answer, but she had to.
“No… I’m not…” she said.  “I couldn’t take it any more, okay!  I couldn’t help but feel this way and I could not control my emotions and I…”  She didn’t finish her sentence.  She continued to cry.  
Artha sat down next to her, anxious to comfort her, but he didn’t have the guts.  Trying to comfort an upset female would be dangerous for someone who is desperate -- like him.                       

--I will continue--