"It is truly odd for you to be awake, John."

"I can be conscious when I choose to."

"..."

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"He's yours, isn't he?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"You know who I'm talking about. Max. First day your arm is healed and your back in the ring, the boy comes to your cell. The night before, he breaks into a secret facility and steals the dragon egg. You know, the egg we retrieved after we made you fight the mother."

"I hear it was a major disappointment when she didn't kill me."

"It was, but that's not the point. You told about the egg, didn't you."

"No, that was not my doing. You wouldn't believe me, but Saphira is more powerful than you could imagine. She will someday have the great strength of her kind, sure, but what is astounding is her aura. It is by far stronger than any I have ever encountered. She is the one who called Max."

"In other words?"

"Neither of us has control anymore. All the fighting in the world can't bring that back. You have waited to long to repair the damage."

"I am not going to lose. Your children are already a part of the white fang, and every passing day they become one of mine."

A laugh broke the conversation. "That's where you are wrong. Ever since you stole his mother, he hated me from the bottom of his heart. Even the truth won't fill that hole again and trust me, he knows. I am willing to bet that when the smoke clears, neither one of us will be walking away from this."

"If you think so, then you will love today's match."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Saphira! Please let me back on the ground! Please!" Max cried in fear as he rode on Saphira's scaly back. He shrieked in terror as the young dragon dropped a about ten feet out of the air. Over the month and a half they had joined the white fang, Saphira had doubled in size every few days. She now was about 15 feet long and 10 feet tall. She had recently learned to fly a few weeks back, but apparently it a whole lot harder to keep air born with passengers.

"But you said you needed to learn to ride and she needs to learn how to carry passengers!" Max didn't dare look up from the spike on Saphira's back when Kyra swooped in over his head. The little black scales on the hatchlings back had spread out as she grew and had grown into spikes, giving him something to hold onto when he was with her.

Suck it up, you big baby! Saphira crowed gleefully. Your girlfriend isn't afraid of heights. She did a sharp turn and he nearly fell off.

"Well she has wings. If I fall I die." Saphira sent a mental image of her doing a barrel roll and dropping him into the water. He heard laughs from Saphira and Kyra as he cowered closer to the spike. "And we're not dating!" He cried pointlessly.

"Maybe you should give him a gentler flight, Saphira." Kyra swooped in again and landed on her back, grabbing onto one of the spikes. "Our poor kitty's fur is standing on end." She crept forward and wrapped her arms around him and his spike, petting him with a teasing grin.

Saphira slowed down from her racing speed to a simple flight, no longer trying to out ru. Her imaginary pursuers. Max regretted having her practice for the big escape they were planing in a few days. She now took it very seriously.

"Thank you, Saphira." Max said, rubbing her back. The scales beneath him vibrated as she hummed. "You can let go of me now, Kyra."

Kyra held onto him for a moment longer before letting go. She pet his ears one more time before she took flight, spiraling under Saphira's wing before she slowed and kept pace near her head. Max couldn't help but grin at the sight of the girls flying together. These two are so close I am almost jealous.

They flew around the island a few more times before Saphira spotted something of interest on the ground. Adams signaling us. She sent over an image of a metallic glint from down bellow. It flashed twice every three seconds.

Ok. Let's go, slower than what your thinking. Saphira was planning on doing a nose dive before pulling up and using her wings to slow her descent. That would definitely kill me. Saphira just chuckled and circled own, landing heavily and jarring him off. Max sprung back to his feet and brushed the dirt off, not letting anyone around think that was an accident.

Angela was waiting next to Adam, her arms crossed and a look of annoyance on her face. "Took you guys long enough." She said bossily. Max pretended not to hear her and greeted Adam.

"You call?" Max asked, his hands in his pockets. He had learned from experience that Adam didn't appreciate people bowing to him soon after Saphira hatched and stopped, personally glad he didn't have to bend over for the man.

"I did." Adam said, nodding to him and Saphira in turn. "Come. It is time to test your training." He turned on his heels and walked away, leaving them to follow. He led the way to town, stopping briefly at the armory to pick up a sword. Max didn't ask any questions as they made their way through town (Saphira flying above because she couldn't walk through town very well), but as soon as they were led out of town and down a familiar dirt road he started to get an uneasy feeling.

"Sir, where are we going?" Max asked, knowing perfectly well where they were going.

"To the arena." Adam said, not turning around.

"Why?"

"Too see your parents."

The three teens came to an abrupt halt. Weapons appeared out of shadows for the siblings, while Kyra clutched her gun nervously. Saphira prepared to dive, ready to fight and kill Adam if the need arose. Adam stopped at the entrance to the tunnel and turned his head, not a hint of surprise on his face. "How long?" Max asked. "How long have you known?"

"Long enough." Adam said. "I would suggest you come quietly. Your father didn't stand down out of laziness, did he?" The man rested his hand on his sword, making it clear he knew how to use it.

Max on the other hand, was an idiot. "Like I care what that asshole thinks!" He shouted. He dashed forward while drawing his sword and throwing a powerful strike in one move. His skill and strength was waisted. The red haired man showed faster speed and reflexes than most faunus, easily blocking his weapon. He didn't even have to draw his weapon.

"You should have come quietly." And with that the world went black.

"Ah man. And I thought that Angela was brutal." Max said as he rose from the pile of hay he awoke on. "I didn't even see his hand hit me."

"That's because your sister is the one that hit you." Max stopped rubbing the back of his head and looked past the bars of the cell. Sitting against the wall on top of a pile of covers was the man he had hated for so long and had recently come to free. "You truly are a bloody idiot to try to fight that man Max."

"Hey dad. How's mom?" Max couldn't help but grin at their current situation. His father grinned back.

"Happiest she has been in a while. She just passed out." He chuckled slightly. "Listen closely." They fell silent, the smile widening on their face as they could hear a hearty purr rising from Blake's throat. "You can relax. I broke into her head a while before you came in, so she doesn't know your here."

"Why did you do this?" Max asked, feeling a little hurt.

"I broke into her head when Adam dropped by. She has no idea of what we have to do." His voice had a sad ring to it.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you know? Adam found out, and it looks like he's not to happy." John shook his head. "I'm sorry, Harry. Only one can live, when both shall fall."

Dear public, please tell me I'm not the only one who feels down when no one laughs at my jokes. I spend a lot of effort putting them in the story seamlessly.