Not just an animal, THE animal

At the moment of conception, assignments were made. In a more orderly design, the matches would have been made according to personality, interests, region and culture. But, it wasn't. It was a lottery, and the combination of the soul and its partner was random and hazardous.

A complementary duo would often allow for the most resonance in the being. A type A personality paired with a lion would become a leader. A manipulative person paired with a snake? Easy - a politician. A passive B nurturer joined with a rabbit? That would be your typical kindergarten teacher/ cozy grandma model.

These pairs lived in peace in their bodies. They would naturally lean towards areas of life that were suited to them, and their internal animals reinforced those inclinations.

Then there were the middling animals- animals that could be lured into submission based on the match made in heaven. A soul seemingly connected to an opposing animal might initially be deemed disastrous, but most of the connections shifted and morphed into something that would provide equilibrium for the being . After all, both host and parasite wanted the same outcome: survival.

Kyle sighed deeply, jealous of any and every semi-anti-combination being he knew. Laura was argumentative, but was paired with a sloth. This seemed like it would cause incredible dissonance, and yet - both of her sides worked it out to make her an incredibly patient, calculating defense attorney. Paolo was the most generous being in the region, but was matched with a seagull. How could that possibly work out? Simple, he was a Robin Hood archetype, a philanthropist. Finding places to gather greedily from those who had a lot, to turn around and distribute to those in need.

Inhaling deeply, flaring his nostrils and snorting out his pent up frustrations, Kyle stretched his neck and rolled it. In the dim light of his study, his eyes glowed amber. He felt the fury of the Dragon rise within him; there was no compromise here. His two sides were diametrically opposed to one another, and perfectly balanced. The Dragon was fierce, aggressive, powerful, ravenous and constantly needing to be fed. It was all ego, all arrogance, all cunning.

But Kyle was quiet, unassuming, insecure, and in general, a milk toast of a man. "One" might think that this kind of person could hardly stand a chance opposing the will of the Dragon, but then that same "one" has most likely never witnessed the stubborn resolution of the painfully shy.

As much as the Dragon would rise and try his myriad of clever tactics to overcome his host's passivity, he would be met with such slippery resistance that it was impossible to wrestle Kyle into submission.

Fire began churning in his belly, and Kyle knew it was going to be a painful night evading the advances of the Dragon. How he wished for calm, but how could he attain it? If he gave in fully to his Dragon wishes, he would constantly have anxiety, stress, dread...and what kind of life was that? But if he continued to war with his animal spirit, it would be a lifetime of pain and suffering. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. A true nightmare while he was awake and terrors while he slept, Kyle once again considered his only way out. The Dragon reared his head and raged inside him, refusing to ever succumb to that cowardice.

Ripping clumps of hair from his temples, he screamed into the night, "Then what are we to do?!! We can't live and we can't die!!!"

The Dragon slithered inside, coiling and writhing, his tongue sliding out of Kyle's mouth to taste the air for any nearby prey. "Take a mate, and we will consume. Any sign of power in her and it will tip the scales enough in my favor to overrule. Then, I will pacify you and give you the solace you seek."

"I won't sacrifice another being for you and your insatiable appetite for domination. I'd rather suffer."

Coils of agony spiraled up Kyle's spine, torturing him until he conceded, but he wouldn't. Not now. Not ever. The sound of the phone interrupted their battle, and pulled Kyle to his feet quickly. Out of breath and still reeling from the pain, he gasped a hasty hello into the receiver.

"Kyle! It's happened!!! The Matchmaker just came to the site, looking for you!! They found her!"

Panic flooded his mind, as the words filtered into his brain, trying to make sense. "What archetype is she? Is she more me? or him?"

"No, Kyle! This isn't just any pairing. It's not an arranged suit. This is from the Matchmaker herself! She won't bring one or the other to the surface."

"What do you mean? Is she just like me? Tortured on both sides in perfect balance?"

"No, Kyle. She's Peace."

Three soft raps on the door brought him to full attention. Both Kyle and the Dragon were still, unable to move. The thought of winning had been the Dragon's sole concern from conception but now the thought of being fulfilled intrigued him. Kyle wanted to believe, but doubt crept in at every corner.

Two more taps.

He felt his feet bringing him closer to the door. Felt his arms reach out for the door handle and turn. His pupils dilated and then contracted, focusing on the face of the young woman standing before him.

"I'm Selah. I think we were made for each other."

Kyle didn't want to run, and the Dragon didn't want to attack. They just looked into her eyes and wanted to know more. This was new.

"Hi Selah, I'm a milk-toast Dragon, and I don't know what you possibly have in you to defeat that, but I'm willing to find out."

She giggled; it sounded like fairy bells. "Well, Kyle, I don't have the slightest desire to defeat you, and maybe that's the key? I just want to know you and then see where we go from there."

The Dragon sighed.
Kyle sighed.

She had captured the attention of both and that was different. The Dragon slid the tip of his tongue out to sample the air, and it was the first time he had ever tasted hope.

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This fiction was for the Hive Learner's Community and their prompt: An Animal

If you would like to join in, click HERE

cover image belongs to me, created with Midjourney.