"FAFNIR!" Jon cried. "Where the hell were you? They thought you deserted! Crews are out searching for you as we speak!"

"Wha?" Fafnir asked. "I...I've been here?" He thought he had only been gone a night. But when he popped back into his barracks, nobody was there, so he started to wander until he found Jon outside.

"Here? Where?!" Jon exclaimed with a flourish.

"How...how long do you think I've been gone?" Fafnir asked.

"A fucking WEEK!"

Fafnir gasped. The Japan-to-Castle Black time change was way more than he'd anticipated. He'd have to avoid that trip from now on. Ugh, and he'd only grabbed the latest Boruto! Why hadn't he splurged on the Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia too? Boruto...bah! He took the volume and chucked it into the woods in disgust. "Was it...was it really that long? Sometimes I get carried away. I do love being alone. Whenever I find a good...alone spot...I just completely lose track of time."

"Well, you missed your group's departure time," said Jon.

Fafnir gasped again. "You mean the fighting expedition where I was going to kill scary winterland creatures?!"

"Yes," said Jon. "You're going to be in a whole heap of trouble. We'll have to come up with a much better explanation than...alone for a week?! What is wrong with you?!"

"Perhaps we could say I was praying to a face I found in the snow," said Fafnir.

Jon glared. "I do not appreciate you mocking my religion," he said. "But, I am relieved to see you. It has been rather boring since the ranger squads left."

A horse came out of the woods. Fafnir drew Hrotti. "Is this one of the beasties? Can I kill it?" Fafnir asked.

"No," said Jon with an eye-roll. "It's just a regular horse." He approached the horse tentatively. "Where is your rider?" he asked the horse. The horse neighed as if in response. Jon observed the horse's features and saddle. "This is my Uncle Benjen's horse!" he gasped. "Where is Benjen?" he asked the horse. The horse chuffed. "Fafnir," said Jon, "go hide until we can figure out a story for you. I need to tell the Lord Commander about this."

"No problem, Lord Maid Snow," said Fafnir. "I'll go look for your Uncle Benjen."

"No, don't leave!" Jon ordered. "At least not alone. I'll be right back."

Once Jon left, Fafnir wandered into the woods to look for his Boruto manga. For a world that was supposedly so riddled with danger, it had been painfully boring so far. He considered simply going back home, but he'd miss Lord Maid Snow. Like Tohru, Fafnir had developed a need for human companionship.

He found his manga and sat down to read. The snow beneath him melted instantly as warmth radiated from his dragon body. The sun began to set, and Fafnir had fell asleep. When he awoke, Ghost's face was in his face.

Fafnir heard Jon's voice. "What is it, Ghost?" Jon had his sword drawn, and then lowered it when he saw it was only Fafnir. "Oh, Fafnir, thank goodness. We are looking for my Uncle Benjen."

"Oh, so now do you want my help?" Fafnir asked.

"Yes," said Jon. "We can say that you got lost in the woods, and I found you."

"Right," said Fafnir. "Jon, if we're going to be friends, there is something you must know about me."

"Okay," said Jon. There were all sorts of theories about Fafnir's origins around the castle, and most of them not very nice. Finally, Jon was going to learn something about this strange person. Fafnir took a deep breath. His black wings and tail unfurled behind him. Jon gasped. "You are a demon!"

"No," said Fafnir, his transformation continuing, "I am a dragon."

Fafnir was towering above Jon and Ghost. Ghost yelped and started to run, but Jon commanded him to stay. Dragon Fafnir lowered his mighty head to look eye-to-eye with Jon.

"You are not afraid," said Fafnir.

"I am very afraid," said Jon.

"But you are more curious than afraid," Fafnir pressed.

"I am," said Jon. "I thought dragons had disappeared from this land ages ago. I also didn't know they had the ability to change into humans."

"Dragons possess multitudes of magic unknown to humans," said Fafnir. "But, I am not from your world."

"What world are you from, then?" asked Jon.

"There are an infinite number of universes, Jon. I come from a world where dragons reign supreme. It is much like your world, but your world is much more boring," said Fafnir.

"Why did you come here?" asked Jon.

"It is just as I said. I came looking for gold," said Fafnir.

"Then why did you stay here, where there is none?" asked Jon.

Fafnir considered. "You remind me of myself," said Fafnir.

"What?" Jon asked.

"Yes, that's it," said Fafnir. "In a world of dull and boring humans, you remind me of a dragon."

"That's ridiculous," said Jon.

"Perhaps," said Fafnir. "But we're wasting time, Lord Maid Snow. Do you want to find your Uncle Benjen are not?"

"I do," said Jon.

"Then hop on," said Fafnir.

"Wha-no! You can't be seen like this!" Jon protested.

"I can cast a Perception Block. Nobody will notice me," said Fafnir. "Come on, before I change my mind."

Jon climbed on and nestled at the base of Fafnir's neck. Fafnir and Jon rose above the trees. Jon gasped at the sight. They were level with The Wall, and Jon could see the watchmen looking straight at and past them. He looked to his other side, and he could see the Frostfangs. Fafnir flew.

"A little bit lower, Fafnir," Jon suggested. "I can't make out anything on the ground from here."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I forget you don't have my heightened eyesight," said Fafnir.

"You've got heightened eyesight too?" Jon asked. "My gods, man! Is there anything you can't do?"

Fafnir thought. "I don't like spicy food," he said.

Jon laughed. "Oh, that must be rough for you," he teased.

"You would be surprised how much Asian faire contains spice," said Fafnir.

"Well I don't know what an Asian is, but there's not much spice to be found in this neck of the woods," Jon said. A faint howl came from below them. "Ghost!" Jon said. "Fafnir, land here!"

Fafnir did as he was told, gently lowering them below the trees. Fafnir popped back into human form when he landed. Ghost was hovering over a couple of bodies, apparently dead in the snow. From their attire, they seemed to be members of the Night's Watch. Fafnir laid a hand on Jon's shoulder. "I'm so sorry," he said. "Is it...?"

"These are Benjen's men," said Jon. He was holding his composure, but Fafnir could see the tears welling up in his eyes. "Come on," said Jon. "We need to report this to the Lord Commander."

"But your uncle!" Fafnir exclaimed.

"Is most likely dead," Jon said. "His body will be recovered, same as these. Let's go," said Jon. "I'll take one, you take the other."

"Ugh," said Fafnir.

"What, you're afraid to handle a dead body?" Jon asked. "Dragons are apparently nothing like I'd expect."

"I can handle it," said Fafnir. "I've seen some terrifying things happen to dead bodies, is all."

"Not in this world," said Jon. "Bodies are bodies. Come on."

"Lord Snow!" Ser Alliser Thorne exclaimed. "And...what's this? The Insatiable Shit? Where the bloody hell-"

"Lost in the woods," said Jon. "We've already cleared it with the Lord Commander."

"Ehhh, and they made you a ranger, eh? Lost in the woods!" Ser Alliser taunted.

"I'm afraid my sense of direction is a little wanting," said Fafnir, seething beneath the surface. I could take out this man in one breath if I wanted to.

"Well, Lord Snow, I just got a very interesting letter from King's Landing regarding your father," said Alliser. "It seems he's been declared a traitor." He pushed a letter into Jon's hands.

"Lies!" Jon exclaimed. "My father is and always will be an honorable man!"

Alliser laughed. "Not according to King's Landing. It seems Ned conspired to overthrow the crown and place Stannis Baratheon on the Iron Throne. I especially love the part where he accuses the Queen of being in love with her twin brother! Check it out, Lord Snow! You are now not only a bastard, you are an insane traitor's bastard!"

In rage, Jon tore the letter apart. "It can't be true!"

"It is true, you spawn of scum! I can't wait to get the news that he's been executed!"

Jon drew his sword on Alliser. Fafnir tackled Jon. "Don't do anything stupid!" Fafnir whispered.

"The Shit has some sense," said Alliser. "Jon, you are out of line! Once the Lord Commander hears of this-"

Fafnir took Jon's sword and ran it through Alliser's foot. Alliser fell to the ground in pain. "I think Jon did nothing," said Fafnir. "It was me who drew the sword, yes? And also dropped it on your foot. So sorry!"

"Fafnir...what?" Jon mumbled.

"LORD COMMANDER!" Alliser shouted, pulling the sword out of his foot. He hobbled down the hall away from them.

"What the hell?!" Jon cried.

"Look, if they want to execute me, worst thing that happens is I just pop back home and never come back. You, however, actually die," said Fafnir.

"They wouldn't execute me for simply drawing my sword," said Jon. "I'd just be-"

"CONFINED TO THEIR BARRACKS!" an officer cried. "Both of you, for this insubordination!"

"What? Why Jon? I'm the one who stabbed the man!" Fafnir protested.

"An offense usually punishable by much more, but the Lord Commander recognizes that Ser Alliser is kind of a jerk," said the officer.

"Hm," said Fafnir. "This place just keeps surprising me."

So Jon and Fafnir were confined to the barracks. Fafnir lay in the top bunk and Jon on the bottom. "Well, since we're here, mind explaining what happened back there?" Fafnir asked.

"My father is a real lord," Jon said. "Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark. Ned for short. While he was away at war, he hooked up with a woman who was not the Lady of Winterfell, and she had me."

"A pretty textbook occurrence," said Fafnir, "if humans here are anything like humans back where I'm from."

"Oh yes, every lord has bastards," said Jon. "When he had me, yes, he was technically married to the Lady of Winterfell, but he hardly knew her. And he has had no other bastards since. My father is an honorable man."

"Yes, you mentioned that," said Fafnir. "So, is it a dishonor to be a bastard around here? Because last I heard, we had rapists and murderers in our midst. Why was Alliser giving you such a hard time about being a bastard?"

"He doesn't like me because I grew up the son of a lord is all," said Jon. "That's why he calls me Lord Snow. He just resents highborn people."

"I understand that," said Fafnir. "And you are far too easy to piss off, by the way."

"Well," said Jon. "My family is fiercely loyal. I don't care if he digs at me, but to dig at my father, that I cannot permit."

"What was this about a queen and her twin?"

"It's complicated," said Jon. "The royal family. The King is my dad's best friend. He asked my dad to become his Hand."

"What," said Fafnir.

"Hand of the King. It's like, the King's personal assistant."

"Oh, your dad's a maid, too!"

"NO, not like a maid, like...he councils the king and carries out orders," said Jon. "He was appointed right before I left to come here. I don't know what's going on in King's Landing, but my dad is not a traitor. If he really did what that letter said he did, then he must have a good reason. He must believe it is in the best interests of the country."

"In my experience," said Fafnir, "few people are that pure."

"My dad is," said Jon. "And I hope to be just like him."

"Well, you can probably start with not drawing swords on people. Even if they really piss you off," said Fafnir.

There was a knock at the door, and Lord Commander Mormont entered the barracks. "Jon Snow? Fafnir...what's your last name?"

"I don't have one," said Fafnir.

"Okay," said the Lord Commander. "So, I just wanted to follow up with your behavior today. You see..."

Fafnir and Jon stopped paying attention, because the corpse of Othor, one of the deceased rangers Jon found, was standing behind the Lord Commander.

"Uhhh...Jon?" Fafnir whispered. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"Ummm...no," said Jon.

Othor placed his finger on his lips as if to say "shhhh." Then, he drew a sword.

"LORD COMMANDER!" Jon cried. Jon drew his sword and pulled the Lord Commander back. Jon lodged his sword into the wight, but it was completely ineffective.

"Jon, DUCK!" Fafnir cried.

Jon ducked. Fafnir inhaled and released a stream of fire at the wight. The wight crumbled.

"How'd you know to do that?" Jon asked.

"I didn't," said Fafnir. "It's just my go-to."

"Oh, my!" the Lord Commander gasped. "So the rumors are true!"

"Wait, what rumors?" asked Jon.

"It has been a long time since I saw something like this," said Mormont. "I might have been younger even than you two."

"Oh, that's impossible," said Fafnir.

"Hm?" asked Mormont.

"I'm just...older than I look," said Fafnir.

"Ah," said Mormont. "Well, when I was young, there was an outbreak of reanimated corpses just north of the wall. We were able to destroy the creatures with fire. This, Jon, is why I sent the rangers North. Fafnir, I thank you, I...hold on...what exactly did you even use just there?"

"Uhhh, I'm sorry?" asked Fafnir.

Mormont looked around. "All of the torches are..."

"Oh, I had one on my lap. Didn't you notice?" Fafnir asked.

"Ummm, no, I suppose not. And why...?"

"I enjoy the light and the warmth."

Mormont nodded and seemed to dismiss Fafnir as being a little weird. "Well, thanks to your quick thinking, I am still alive. I release you from your punishment. Jon, come with me. I have something I'd like to give you."

Fafnir fell asleep. Finally, some action in this barren wasteland of petty human drama! He dreamt of more wights attacking the Wall, and he and Jon flew over them all, incinerating them.

When he woke up, Jon was back in the barracks, and Sam was with him. Jon was showing Sam a sword. Sam shot Fafnir a nervous look. "I told you the Lord Commander thought highly of you. Valyrian steel!" Sam gushed.

"That's a nice sword," said Fafnir.

"It's Valyrian steel," Sam repeated.

"Cool," Fafnir said, uninterested.

"So, I heard about your dad. I'm really sorry," Sam said to Jon.

"Yeah, thanks," said Jon. "Sam, Fafnir, I need to ask you something," said Jon. "My brother Robb is leading an army south to King's Landing to demand the release of my father. I'm thinking about joining him."

"You can't leave the Watch!" Sam exclaimed. "You'd be a deserter! It's dishonorable, it's..."

"Probably a better use of your time," said Fafnir.

"You think so?" Jon asked.

"The Queen sounds like a psycho bitch, and her son sounds like twat waffle," said Fafnir. "I don't know if that bitch is really fucking her brother or not, but either way, good riddance. You'd be doing the realm a favor."

"But what about the zombie that attacked the Lord Commander!" Sam protested.

"I can handle that," said Fafnir.

"Really?" Sam said in disbelief. "You alone are going to take on the wights?"

"Yep," said Fafnir.

"Jon, are you hearing this nonsense?" Sam asked.

"I believe him," said Jon.

"Jon!" Sam cried. "I don't believe you! You've changed ever since he popped onto the Wall. Where did you even come from, Fafnir?"

"I came from an alternate universe," said Fafnir.

"That's...not...a thing!" Sam shouted in frustration.

"Is too a thing," said Fafnir.

"Is not," said Sam.

"Is too!"

"IS NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

"QUIET!" Jon shouted. "I'm going to go talk to Master Aemon. You guys...try to get along?"

Jon shut the door behind him. Fafnir reached under his pillow and grabbed his manga. Once Sam left, he would pop back home and grab something else. Not back to Japan, unfortunately. He couldn't risk that time discrepancy again. He opened the Boruto volume. Unfortunately it wasn't a very interesting volume. More unfortunately, Sam spoke.

"Oh, you like to read?" he asked like an excited puppy.

Fafnir peered over the book. "Yes," he said shortly.

Sam moved to the bed across from Fafnir. "I like to read too! What are you reading?" Sam squinted and gasped. "What language is that?"

Fafnir smiled. "It's Japanese."

"Is that where you're from? The Free City of Japan?"

Fafnir put down the book. "Does that exist in this universe?"

"I don't know, honestly. There are lots of Free Cities. I don't know about all of them. Are you from the Free Cities?"

"Sure, why not. I'm from the Free Cities."

"What brought you here?"

"Gold. Just like I said."

Sam got closer. He was staring at the front of the book. "Is that what Japan looks like?"

"Yeah, that's what Japan looks like," said Fafnir.

"Very interesting clothing your people wear," said Sam. "Is this a historical volume? Or are they myths?"

"It's...it's a manga," said Fafnir. "It's a story told in pictures."

"Oh, like cave paintings of the First Men," said Sam.

"Sure, yeah, kinda like that," said Fafnir. "But much more sophisticated. And of course, there is writing too. Here." Fafnir handed Sam the volume. Sam flipped through it eagerly.

"Japan looks...do all your people have superpowers?!" Sam gasped.

"Yes," said Fafnir. "Everyone in Japan uses ninjutsu."

"Amazing!" Sam said. "And these buildings and...what is this?!" He flipped the book around, pointing to the train.

"That's...the steel dragon," said Fafnir.

"The steel dragon?"

"It moves people from one side of the city to the other."

"How?"

"Magic," said Fafnir. "Of course."

"Why didn't you say so? Oh, can I show this to Maester Aemon?"

"NO! He...wouldn't be interested in that."

"Of course he would! All the men have been taking bets on where you're from, you know!" Before Fafnir could say anything else, Sam was out the door.

"Well, fuck," said Fafnir. "It was fun while it lasted."