"Whoa..." Lucy breathed out as she looked up at the night sky, the stars fully visible as well as the bright moon.
"This is amazing," Jason added, he looked back to Atticus, Sofi in his lap as the two of them shared a rope together.
"It's been a while since I've done this...So long..." Atticus felt the wind rush past his hair and he gave a soft laugh. He looked up front, passed his children where Ben and Sorrel were, Ben was still as he took in the night sky as everyone else did, Sorrel seemed to be happily munching on a mushroom, being careful not to lose it in the wind.
"Amazing isn't it?" Firedrake commented as he flapped his wings once.
"Pretty!" Sofi yelled and Atticus felt a sudden joy rush through him as he started to laugh,
"Oh! She does say other words, look at that!"
"The sun is starting to rise!" Sorrel yelled to Firedrake who nodded as they saw the edge of the sky start to turn pink.
"Very well."
Slowly the dragon's altitude dropped and eventually they landed in a grassy area surrounded by trees. Atticus took Sofi and held her as he dropped from Firedrake's back.
"Brrrrr." Atticus commented as Sofi rubbed her tiny hands together.
"Here..." Ben spoke as he grabbed both of her hands with his own.
Sofi allowed this but still rested her head on Atticus's shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Sorrel asked him as Ben breathed softly on Sofi's cold hands.
"Warming her hands. Seeing how he's dead, I'm assuming his hands aren't warm."
"Good assumption." Atticus smiled at Ben who smiled back at him with that damned smile again.
Everyone pretty much sat down in a pile as they huddled together to try and shake the slight chill in the air.
"So I've been thinking..." Ben started, it was too good of an opportunity for Atticus to pass up,
"That's never a good sign."
"Shut-up." Ben laughed as he gave Atticus a playful shove. "Anyway, I think I remember where the witch lives. Maybe when everything gets settled down we could go where she operates...Hopefully, no one finds her corpse..."
"Dust, if she died she'd be dust."
Ben felt his blood run cold as the memory of the clone stabbing Celeste in the neck. Opening his mouth he closed it again and chewed on his lip.
"You didn't see her turn to dust?" Atticus asked noting Ben's expression.
"I was a little busy kicking the clone in the face to take note of her turning into dust. She bled. If that counts."
Atticus sighed softly and sat down, Sofi in his lap.
"I guess we'll see. But, as for your question. I'm up for another small adventure. I've been meaning to pay that stupid Biiiii-Witch...A visit."
"Nice save." Lucy laughed and Jason giggled at him. Firedrake then let out a mighty yawn and curled up, Ben followed suit and yawned as well. Atticus snickered,
"Go get some rest, I can stay up with these guys."
"You-" Ben started but Atticus cut him off,
"Yes, I'm sure. Go."
"Alright then."
Ben sauntered over to Firedrake and rested neatly on the dragon's stomach, Atticus watched as Firedrake looked over at Ben and slowly pulled Ben closer to him before resting his head on Ben's stomach.
Atticus hummed softly and looked up at the sun slowly rising up. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his sunglasses and jacket.
"Here, I'm sure you know how bug some the sun can be," Atticus told Lucy as he pulled out a blanket from his bag. She nodded and took it, he watched as She covered her whole body up with the blanket and laid under it making it look like she was a dead body under a sheet.
Looking down at Sofi, the smiling child now peacefully asleep, her thumb in her mouth, Jason rested next to Atticus and he chuckled softly as he allowed the boy to sleep. Turning back to Ben, Atticus chuckled as Sorrel joined in and was now resting peacefully against Ben. It looked like they were shielding him.
Atticus shut his eyes and smiled softly.
Hearing a twig snap, Atticus opened his eyes and held Sofi closer to him. Breathing heavily, he looked to the left then the right. Frowning, he shrugged and passed it off as an animal, shutting his eyes once more, Atticus relaxed a bit more. Then he heard it again, another snap.
Opening his eyes, he felt them widen as a teen stood in front of him wide eyed. The moved his red hair out of his eyes to take it all in.
"Go," Atticus whispered bitterly to the boy. The teen took a deep breath in, focusing solely on Firedrake.
"Don't make me put this child down. I will chase you don't think I won't." Atticus threatened, the teen focused on Atticus, finally.
"Get. Forget what you saw. This has nothing to do with you...Do you speak English?"
"...Yeah."
Atticus practically stood, this guy was American, it was clear.
"Well. Leave." Atticus snarled showing his fangs, the boy took a startled step back.
"...Yeah...Leave..." Without another word the teen left, running scared. Turning back to the group, nobody even stirred, good. Getting cozy again, Atticus let out a sigh of content. Hopefully, that boy will keep things quiet.
"Ok! This should be the place!" Ben yelled to Firedrake, the dragon nodded and slowly lowered to the ground. When close enough, Atticus could see a familiar looking car parked off in the distance, lights off. Finally, Firedrake landed, Everyone jumped down from the dragon. Atticus looked around and saw nothing but trees for miles, say for the dirt road.
"BEN!"
Hearing Guinevere, Atticus watched as she ran out of the car, door wide up as she rushed towards her brother arms open. She practically tackled him to the ground.
"Oof! I missed you too." Ben laughed as he hugged her back. Then with no warning, she struck him on the shoulder.
"DON'T. EVER. DO. THAT. AGAIN! YOU DUMBASS!" She roared hitting him with each word.
"OW! OW! Feelin' the love..." Ben mumbled once she stopped. Before he could recover Vita had run up and hugged him as well. Guinevere sniffled and hugged him again.
They stood like that for a few minute before finally Barnabas and Twigleg approached them.
"Well, Well, Ben isn't the only one who got older." Firedrake chuckled as he nuzzled Guinevere's stomach.
"We only do that naturally." Guinevere chuckled softly, she turned to Atticus and her smiled dropped as she finally noticed the new trio.
"Guinevere, This is, Lucy, Jason, and Sofi." Atticus introduced them, she gave them a smile and soon everyone was chatting happily to one another, the adventure, Ben explain what happened to him to his mom and sister, Guinevere quickly clung to him the moment he mentioned being stabbed. She then let him go and punched her open hand with her fist,
"Where is this fucker."
"Guinevere! Language!" Vita exclaimed Ben laughed along with the others,
"No need to worry, he's gone now, thanks to Firedrake."
Firedrake looked up at the sky and nuzzled Ben again.
"If I wish to make it back to the rim at a reasonable time then I should leave."
Ben turned and bumped heads with the large dragon.
"Until next time." Ben smiled.
"Until next time," Firedrake repeated and Sorrel approached Ben and gave him a sloppy punch to the shoulder,
"Don't go getting kidnapped again."
"I'll try." He smiled, Sorrel nodded, she then jumped on Firedrake's back, everyone said their goodbyes as they watched the dragon take off and away he went. Once they were gone and out of sight, everyone hurriedly packed into the car, everyone spoke excitedly, then, Guinevere said something that made everything quiet.
"Oh! Ben! I almost forgot! Your friend dropped by! Uh...God, what was his name."
"Who? Ted?"
"No, not him..."
"Justin?..."
"No."
Everyone turned and looked at Atticus, noticing their stares, he made a confused face before shrugging,
"Well, it obviously wasn't me."
"...I think his name started with an I...I...I...IVAN! Ivan! His name's Ivan!" She laughed and Ben frowned,
"I don't know an Ivan."
"...Really? The American bloke?"
"Guin...I don't know an American boy named Ivan."
"...Really? He seemed really concerned that you weren't in school."
Everyone went quiet as Ben thought.
"Maybe he's in your class and you just don't know him?" Lucy piped up and Ben shrugged,
"I guess. I mean I don't remember an Ivan...I'd figure if he's American that I'd know about him at least."
"Odd." The professor mumbled from the driver's seat.
"Well, he might drop by again," Guinevere reassured everyone and soon the subject dropped, Ben felt his eyes slowly drop as the car ride continued, he shut them slowly and slipped into a light sleep.
"Young master?" Twigleg whispered as he gently tapped Ben's dropping head as the boy slept.
"Let him sleep. It's been a rough two weeks." Vita told Twigleg as she looked through the rearview mirror at Ben.
"I have a sharpie." Jason giggled as he pulled out the black marker.
"Ohhh!" Guinevere reached for it and Atticus was quick to slap her hand.
"Nah-uh...Later...at home. The road is too bumpy."
Guinevere giggled and the two of them high-fived.
The ride wasn't too long after that, thirty minutes later they were in the Greenbloom's driveway. Turning off the car, Barnabas smiled at everyone. Twigleg shook Ben awake. Opening his eyes Ben stretched and slowly exited the car. Everyone slowly left the car, all the neighboring lights off showing that everyone was asleep. The lights turned on and nearly everyone sighed.
"Nice house," Lucy mumbled and the professor looked at all of them.
"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do about these guys?" He asked Atticus he smiled,
"Well...There are two options we can do...Live here in my small home or...to not risk Jason or Sofi getting out and eating people..." Everyone looked at him as he paused in his thought. "We could...Move to Ireland. I still have my dad's old farm. It's a big house and we aren't surrounded by people."
"Ireland? You don't sound Irish." Jason commented and Atticus smiled before speaking with an Irish accent.
"Ah, ye children don't understand, I've perfected my British accent over these many years, yes I have, and I think me father's old farm home would do just perfect for ye rascally lot." Everyone got a chuckle out of that and Ben smiled.
"Well, I gotta say, I'll miss you then." He told Atticus as he extended his hand for a handshake.
"Yeah, I'll miss ye too," Atticus spoke his Irish accent still strong, he then took Ben's hand and they shook, however, he quickly dragged Ben into a half-hearted hug.
"I'm not leaving yet, don't forget you said something about that witch. I say we all rest up, Ben you shower, and tomorrow we can do one final adventure together." Atticus ruffled Ben's hair and Ben laughed.
"C'mon Kiddo's, let me show you my home, we'll stay there for the night. Say goodbye to the Greenblooms." Atticus smiled as he ushered his kids towards the door, they all waved and soon he was standing in the doorway he gave Ben one last wave,
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah...See you."
WHEEEEWWWWW One more chapter to go and probably a chapter full of triva and then this story is done!