One Good Thing

My mother told me when we are in tough times, "Find one good thing each day."
 
For her, she said sometimes it was a bad day, and the best thing she had happen was she made a cup of coffee she liked. Or that dad came home and gave her a warm hug. Or that she did her hair up nice. Small things. Nothing in the long term sure, but moments. Brief glimpses and small smiles.
 
Work on the bad though. Being happy you had a good cup of joe doesn't do shit about not having a job. But remember the good. Don't let the bad swallow it. Don't let the nothing creep in.
 
Today, I have three good things. A blessed day as far as I concerned.
 
The first, is landing a job. I know right? It's awesome! Actually having some work under my belt will stop me from panicking each time I head to the store. I'm not that tight yet, but... I don't want to be. Stresses me out.
 
It's that construction site on 4th and Pine. The Foreman was looking for workers and Rover put in a good word. As long as I'm fine getting paid in cash, we're all good. Spoke with the Foreman, and he seems... well, about as strung out as you can be, but a solid bloke. A decent head on his shoulders, and not overtly awful. Covertly, we'll have to see.
 
I'll have to remember to thank Dad next time I see him. I hated installing sheetrock, but now? Here we are.
 
Second? Pretty simple, but a blessing none the less. No dreams.
 
Last night's... trip of a nightmare was more than enough. Still hurts to think about. Just... the mess and the voice just echoing and what was going on just... Gegh.
 
Heh, even that's better than the other dream though. Don't think I put that down yet though.
 
The mission in Mexico, to the mountain yeah? Well, you know how the most of it went. Arrived, went to check the statue if it was a trap, it was, we sprung it anyway, hit by a tornado. Unconscious. Woke up, and all the junk just... went away. Right?
 
Well, didn't want to tell the others what happened on the other side. It was... Well, ain't too comfortable with it still. Makes my scales... skin itch.
 
I woke up in a temple of sorts. You know, totally not where I landed. And after a short argument of sorts with myself, started heading in to see what the hell was going on. You know, temples. All the nasty awful junk is always in the center, right? Either that or way the hell underground. Well, looks like I was right on the first guess. There, sitting in there pretty as a goose on a lake was a businessman. Highrise suite, fancy desk, pen and paper, parted hair that's too greasy, whole nine yards. You know. In the middle of a temple. In my unconscious brain.
 
Totally fine.
 
Now, this out of place business man invites me on up like I'm walking into his office. Whole "Deal with the Devil" sorta vibe. And then he starts going on about... nothing good. How he want's to materialize and be about again. I tell him he's looking fine and stable where I am, and that that has nothing to do with me. He quips that our group messing with his statues is clearly causing an issue. I shot back that we were just wanting to put something on the tower, but there's big spooky statues about and a kinda-sorta in-and-out pyramid popping up around the tower, we figure something is going wonky, so we gonna go poking our snouts in where we damn well please.
 
Now, turns out, this was the dude, or likely the dude at least, summoning all the tornados. In a perfectly pleasant tone, he pretty well threatened the rest of the team. I forget the words exactly, but I called him out on his professional sounding extortion, and he just fucking sighs.
 
Dude. I get it. Chill, say what you're actually meaning, we'll work from there. You're some shady bugger from another wherever and the witches messed up something trying to summon you, and now you want help to keep being your shady self. Ain't that hard.
 
So, he keeps trying to be all professional like, trying to Totally-Not-Extort-But-Totally-Extorting the situation, and saying he'll relent for a price. See? Told you Deal with a Devil Vibe. And naturally, he's all cagy and shit about telling what the actual price is. So I manage to keep griping at him till he say's its a favor. A favor. The most nebulous and vague answer of, "I'll tell you what I want later."
 
So I tell him yes.
 
I think that took him off guard, cause he sorta looked surprised. But, far as I could see? We'd either be laid out flat in the middle of the desert out of the way from everyone, with a magical garbage-bag of a person looming and being spooky, or I can owe him something in the future. And heck, I'll take owing someone something over secret stealthy possessions. Way easier to limit the damage too. Just limited to what I can do, rather than all of us.
 
But... Ugh. Still makes me angry just thinking about it. He tried to seal the deal with a kiss. With me! Like hell I'm gonna kiss a human! That's...
 
... Thanks brain. Kick me while I'm down. Either way. I put my foot down at that. He want's his damn favor, he can shake my claws. Hand. Whatever.
 
I'll make a Deal with the Devil, but I ain't gonna french kiss 'em.
 
Yeck. Slimy Dude.
 
Anyway. Freak's name is Axul. Or Azzul Or Avzul. Something like that. Sounds like Ah-Zoo-L. After shaking his hand, I got swept back to reality and after a sec, the spires all just... left. Might be a creep, but he keeps to his word at least. Still wanted to go down and smash those stupid statues in though. Or his face. Preferably his face into the statues. Make a nice Loony Toons imprint. Just... pop!
 
Well, Either way! Leads me to the third good thing today. That frustration? Got to take it out a bit. You know how I asked Socrates if he had any help or instruction set for a body like mine? Well, digging in some of the old forms, he had a basic setup for some rudimentary stuff that I've been practicing in the danger room.
 
Today, got to go to semi-live sparring! I didn't do too hot, but... mhmm. Just imagining that dude's face on the dummies? Just... Mhmm! Felt nice~ Sure, that's probably a problem, but there's enough going on, I'm gonna say stress relief by powdering a dummy's face in ain't a priority problem right now. Got other issues on my plate.
 
So, yeah. Ominous calm but sorta scary dragon dream, more concerning slimeball dream devil, and now sparring practice.
 
But hey! No dreams tonight, and got orientation in two days! Hopefully looking up.