Parker Dooley sat on a wooden chair, complete with its own fluffy red pillow serving as the chair's cushion. He gazed out the window, lost in his imagination, wondering when he and his family, his descendants, might travel to the Land of Merfolk and Sirens.
They had to catch Andalas, before the gentle-hobbit did something foolish.
.
Parker was a dragonoid with a thin, muscular frame, a lizard-like, humanoid body, and a dragon-like head. He had smooth, scaly light red skin, a short snout with a tipped end pointed up towards the sky, yellow cat-like eyes, three-fingered frills, with black tips at the ends, on either side of his head, long furry red ears, and a pair of short, grey, wavy, curvy horns. He had black claws, resembling fingernails and toenails, that were retracted, due to him not fighting in any battles. His black spikes ran from his back down to his medium-sized tail, which curled around his feet. His chest was yellow and covered up by a white shirt, while he also wore dark brown breeches and a long grey cloak.
As Maranguan, when Parker was in his evil/grey/neutral dragonoid form, his eyes were red, while the whites in his eyes had a pinkish hue. He had bruises, burns, and long jagged cuts all over his body, tail, head, and face. When he returned to the light side, becoming good again, these burns, bruises, and cuts vanished, while the whites in his eyes did return, but there was a twist to his eyes: as he regained the yellow in his cat-like eyes, swirling red mist enveloped the yellow in his irises, reminding him that he was neither from the light nor the darkness. He just was himself and that was all there was to it.
As for his human-hobbit form, as it was mentioned earlier, Parker resembled the hobbit and his descendant Frodo Baggins, but also his hobbit brother-in-law Tobias, Parker's great-grandson Terrence Dooley, and his other descendants Delphi, Dalpha, Andalis, and Andalas. It was Tobias himself who claimed that he would come back to Parker in many forms throughout the Ages. Parker just didn't realize what that meant until he started seeing his descendants, who all looked a lot like him in his human-hobbit form, even though they were hobbits, for the most part.
As more creatures entered his family tree, Parker wondered how Frodo would react to this and what he would become. Maybe Frodo could shapeshift into different forms. Maybe he couldn't. Or maybe Frodo would shapeshift into only one form. Either way, Parker couldn't wait to hear news from him, if there was anything to tell!
.
Parker returned his gaze to Frodo, Andalis, and Melissa. Melissa, a fair young lass in her late twenties with brunette hair, green eyes, pale skin, and donned in a blue dress, arrived at a crucial time in the second Seven Realms. The fact that Melissa was now wed to Andalis meant that Parker's bloodline could continue. Parker had a good feeling that what she brought with her, to revolutionize the Land of Talking Animals and make it the most advanced society yet, was quite the feat! He couldn't wait to see what new changes awaited the Land of Talking Animals, now that Melissa and Andalis were ruling over the land, making it their own kingdom at that!
Still, Parker feared the merfolk bloodline would continue long after Andalis was gone. The mermaid Sera, with her flowing silver hair and donned in a grey, tattered dress, was his mother and princess of the Land of Merfolk and Sirens. What child would Andalis and Melissa bring to these three families, united by the couple's marriage? What future awaited them, now that the merfolk had claims to the throne at the Land of Talking Animals, too, besides Parker's bloodline?
With the golden house cat, Prince Lockslear, gone, a distant descendant of the cream-colored Oriental Cat Jine and her brown Burmese Cat husband Tracker, as well as being a direct descendant of the golden house cat Alindor, who helped restore the Land of Talking Animals after resuming his rightful place as King of the realm, there was no telling what the future held for Parker and his descendants.
Parker just hoped that Lockslear would come to his senses and return to the Land of Talking Animals, if not in that realm, then at least Parker hoped that Lockslear would send a message to the new King and Queen of the Land of Talking Animals that he made it out okay… or so Parker hoped was the case.
.
Parker continued staring out the window, watching a few songbirds fly by. He jumped upon seeing six doves—three white doves, two brown, spotted doves, and one mourning dove—fly towards the castle window. He let out a soft scream as the six doves landed on the stone window sill, staring at him and letting out cooing sounds to him.
Parker was enthralled by these doves, wondering if they could talk, too!
"Hullo," Parker said to the doves, adapting to Frodo's way of saying 'hello'. He asked the doves, curiously, "Can you sing for me? Or do you have a message you want to deliver to me?"
The doves looked at him in interest, flying away except for the mourning dove. The mourning dove delivered to him a scroll, before she flew away, too. He took the scroll, opening it, and discovering a note inside.
Parker,
It's been too long since we last spoke! The other spirits would have us meet in person, but this is too important not to send a note by doves to you! I miss you. I hope you can find love one day. If you cannot, and I know that dragonoids are mated to their soulmates for life, but I just want you to know that it's fine. You can date again. Just don't forget about me. If you do, I fear you won't last before you pass on from the world, entering my own as Aslan predicted.
Aslan's keeping you alive for a reason. So, I hope you're doing okay in the Land of Talking Animals.
We'll speak more soon!
Your darling human wife,
Eliza Bowler-Dooley
Parker smirked, loving Eliza's message to him. He sighed, knowing her words were correct about dragonoids. Even with his human wife now in spirit form, they shared a bond, a connection, that could never break. If it did break, then he would surely die! Aslan made sure to keep him alive through. But still, Parker would keep his vow to Eliza. He wouldn't forget her, but he would let her know if he did start dating again… or she would find out about his activities either way, since she was a spirit.
Still, he would make sure that she was happy, and so was he. That's all that mattered. Parker hoped he didn't lose his wife, if he ever decided to date again. He sighed in longing. Maybe the Third Age would do him better, if he found a stable home and someone to spend the rest of his life with.
Only time would tell how that would work out. He just hoped that neither he nor Eliza would be hurt in the process.
.
"Parker," Frodo asked, approaching the light red dragonoid, "are you okay? Do you need to talk?"
Let me out to play! Maranguan's sinister voice slithered in and out of Parker's head, nearly making the light red dragonoid panic. Parker relaxed, nearly finding his eyes turned red. The red in his irises soon left him, restoring to their natural yellow color, but the swirling red mist in his irises stayed that way for a couple of seconds, before vanishing from sight.
"Whoa!" Frodo said, stunned by Parker's eye transformation. "Does that… happen when you go evil?"
Parker nodded, doing his best to relax. "It's Maranguan. He wants to come out to play, but I'm not letting him. Not yet. I don't know what he'll do, but I just want you to find a way to bring me back, if you must. I don't want to lose. Maranguan's growing stronger. I need to keep better watch of him."
"So, that's why your eyes went red," Frodo said, astonished.
Parker nodded again. "Yes, so it would seem." He looked up at Frodo, noticing the poor gentle-hobbit was shuffling his feet. Something was on Frodo's mind. "Do you have something on your mind? It's all right. You can tell me anything. I'll listen."
"I learned how to shapeshift," Frodo said, concerned, "at Pixie Hollow. The realm—Pixie Hollow—is connected to the Land of Elves and Fairies! I didn't know I could do that! I already shapeshifted twice, knowing it would leave an imprint on my mind, should Aslan make me forget again, before the Third Age comes to pass!" He sighed, announcing bluntly, "Parker, what should I do? I don't know what'll happen to me, if Aslan does make me forget. It's not easy having your mind wiped all over again. I know I've been going through a lot. I mean, you started it after all, didn't you?"
"Frodo, I don't know if your mind was wiped before we met the first time at the Chesapeake Manor. I didn't know that because I didn't witness it!" Parker said, speaking the truth. He added, "Frodo, if you know your mind was wiped before you met me the first time, then you probably experienced a double mind wipe." He shrugged. "It's the only way to explain it."
"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Frodo apologized, his bright blue eyes filled with compassion.
"It's all right," Parker said, calmly. "I'm stating this because I'm not sure what you're suffering."
"It's mind wiping, of course," Frodo said, serious.
"Right, but still I'm not the one experiencing it. But I know it must be painful, losing your memories. They will come back to you. I promise you that," Parker said, reassuring him.
Frodo sighed in relief. He embraced the light red dragonoid, stunning Parker and making him hug him right back.
"You've been so good to me. You're like the father I wish I had back in the Shire," Frodo said, a few tears streaming down his face. "I only wish we met sooner. Then I could have helped you fight the darkness."
"Even you cannot prevent things from happening, not all of them," Parker released him, telling him in a calm manner, "What's done is done. I know, if you had every opportunity to prevent what was going on in the past, who knows what timeline we would be in right now. Just be grateful you're in this one now."
"Sometimes I wonder that myself," Frodo said, wiping tears from his eyes.
Parker grinned, reminding him, "Well, we should go back to Andalis and Melissa. Tell them we're ready to go, if you are."
Frodo nodded several times. "Yeah. I'm ready."
"Good. Let's go," Parker said, following Frodo towards the two wooden thrones in the throne room, where Andalis and Melissa awaited them.
.
Parker stopped by the two wooden thrones, watching Andalis and Melissa embrace each other and kiss for a couple of minutes. Parker sighed, wishing he could have something like this again. Suddenly, it made sense. He hoped by the Third Age he might pull off dating.
But now, it was not that time.
Parker cleared his throat, getting Andalis and Melissa's attentions. He turned to Frodo, who couldn't help chuckling over the scene. The light red dragonoid shook his head. All seemed well with the world. At least, it was in the Land of Talking Animals.
"We need to get going. Andalas might be in the throne room right now, or off somewhere in Crystal City," Parker said, worriedly.
"Right. We need to go… now!" Frodo said, trying to be serious, but failing at it.
"Right. We're coming," Melissa said, calmly. She added, stunning Parker, Frodo, and Andalis, "I mean, I'm allowed to come, too, aren't I?"
Andalis sighed. He held Melissa in his arms, telling her, "Oh, I wish you could come, but someone has to stay here, keep watch of the castle and this kingdom. You did want a third secondary school, didn't you?"
"A middle school. Yes, I did—I mean, that's what I want after all," Melissa said, staring into his bright blue eyes.
"Then you must let the builders know," Andalis kissed her on the lips, enjoying her fragrant scent. "Hmm. This is your project after all."
"Come home to me, please?" Melissa said, not liking being left out of their mission.
"Hey, don't worry. We'll go on other missions together. This is something I have to do alone," Andalis said, kissing her again and wrapping her tighter in his arms. "I'll see you soon. Alright?"
Melissa nodded. "Okay. Just don't forget about me."
Andalis smirked, releasing her. "I won't be gone long. I promise. I'll be back in a day or two." He turned to Parker and Frodo, watching Parker use his grey device to open a blue-rimmed portal, revealing a sparkling crystal city with rounded rooftops. It was Crystal City. Andalis waved to Melissa, smiling at her, "I'll be back. I promise."
"I know. Go," Melissa said, sighing in longing as Parker, Frodo, and Andalis fled via portal to their next destination. Melissa sighed a second time, hoping they knew what they were doing. "Good luck!" She told them, as the portal closed. "You'll need it."
.
Andalas sat in his bed chamber, sitting on the bed stool with his hands cupped to his clefted chin. He shook his head several times, not knowing what he was getting himself into.
Sera didn't send any typical knight. What did a knight mean in the Land of Merfolk and Sirens? Did it mean that any king could become a knight? Did it mean they could become a princess' champion?
Either way, Andalas didn't like where this bloodbath would take him, or if there was going to be bloodshed on the battlefield. Where was this ring Orm spoke? So many thoughts raced through Andalas' mind. He wasn't sure he was ready to face this trial, wherever it would take him.
"What am I doing? I can't face him alone," Andalas croaked softly, not knowing what to do, let alone say on his behalf. It was hopeless. He was hopeless. Why was he doing this?
He remembered his training from the dwarves, at least—sword fighting and axe-throwing—but knew, deep down, that Orm might be a stronger, bolder opponent, maybe enough to overpower him. Would Andalas be any match for him? He wondered that as he sat on the bed stool, pondering over his future, if he had a future here in Crystal City.
This was what Andalas feared. He just hoped he could do this, or else risk getting killed in the ring.
He turned his gaze to the centermost part of the room. A blue-rimmed portal opened up. One by one, Parker Dooley, Andalis, and Frodo Baggins came out of the portal, arriving into the room before the portal vanished. Andalas gasped upon seeing them.
What were they doing here?
"You're—You're here? I cannot believe this! No!" Andalas lowered his head in astonishment. He rushed towards the trio, hugging each of them. He smirked, delighted to see them. "I thought I wouldn't see you again! What brings you here?"
"We came to help," Frodo said, getting Andalas' attention. "I thought Aslan was coming."
"Aslan's been here two hours ago. Time must work differently after leaving Fairyland," Andalas admitted freely.
A horn blew, catching them off-guard. Andalas breathed deeply. It was time to go.
"Listen, we'll speak soon," Parker said, getting Andalas' attention. "We'll be cheering you on. Hopefully, Aslan will find good seats for us."
"What do you know?" Andalas asked, stunned.
"I read your mind," Parker said, casually. "Don't worry. I have a knack for doing that. It's one of my powers. I'm used to it."
"Well, stop. It's kind of… annoying," Andalas said, softly. He looked at the doors to his bed chamber, knowing it was time to head into the ring, where his battle would take place. "I have to go," he told the trio. "I'll see you out in the ring."
"What's the ring?" Frodo asked, confused.
"Come on! It's this way!" Parker said, spotting Aslan and following him through the opposite doors.
Frodo looked at Andalas for a moment, before looking back at Andalis, who followed Parker towards the opposite doors. Frodo knew he couldn't stop what was about to happen. All he could do was hope that Andalas did well during the match, or die trying at the hands of the sea creatures.
*.*.*
References:
The reason Frodo tells Parker he's like a father to him in this fanfic is because this is paying homage to my Epic Struggles series, my series after my Origin Series, where Frodo admits this to Parker, but he doesn't remember he already said this to the light red dragonoid. So, hopefully, this will all be explained later on why Frodo doesn't remember he said this to Parker in my Epic Struggles series. :)
