Author's Note: So the 'past' stuff is over, though I do apologize if I sped through the good stuff again (it's a bad habit of mine). Now we see how Blake and Gambol end their time in this world.
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"Good evening, Remnant, I'm Lana Lavender. And tonight I'll be giving you a primer on the Awakening, in preparation for the actual celebration tomorrow.
"Tomorrow marks a monumental anniversary for the Five Kingdoms – the anniversary of a day that almost ended in tragedy. Two hundred years ago, a new war was threatening to start, one that had the potential to wipe out hundreds of lives, both Rider and civilian. Former Army Lieutenant Adam Taurus had begun an uprising to, as he put it, 'free the Faunus from the chains of bondage.' Riders from all over the world gathered to take part in what would have been the largest battle in the history of Remnant.
"But then the dragons spoke… and the Awakening occurred."
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It had been many, many years since Blake felt like getting up and running around, although a day like this provided a major temptation for her to do just that. The air was lovely and cool, blowing by in the occasional breeze as the clouds drifted along. She sat on her favorite chair, on the porch of her old home, watching the world pass on by her. Blake often sat out here, just… watching. Waiting. As the oldest woman in the world, she didn't have much else to do these days.
A distant roar echoed through the air. Gambol was on her way.
Of course, Blake already knew she was coming, and why.
It was hard to believe that it had been so long since that fateful day when Blake's little dragon transformed into something out of a fairy tale: mottled red scales with patches of random colors suddenly gave way to shimmering silver plates that looked like polished mirrors, torn and broken wings became huge spans of flesh capable of unmatched flight, and silver eyes like nothing else in this world… that was her Gambol.
And somehow… she also managed to change the world. The light that engulfed them both somehow made its way into the hearts and minds of every other dragon on the planet, causing them to stop and question their role in the war.
The flapping noise of great leathery wings came next. She was getting closer.
Blake sat forward in her rocking chair, groaning with the effort. Considering she was almost 217 years old now, she moved pretty well. She grimaced as the old pain in her knees returned, but forced herself to stand in the presence of her oldest and dearest friend. Yang would have done the same for Weiss, were she still around.
Finally, there came a grand roar, followed by the bright reflection of silvery scales in the sunlight and the forceful impact of a massive, glorious creature landing on her front lawn. Blake smiled warmly at the sight, her white hair moving slightly in the breeze.
(ARE YOU WELL, LITTLE ONE?) Gambol asked in her unique way, speaking directly into Blake's mind as she always did.
"As well as can be expected," Blake replied with a slight rasp in her voice. "But I'm not as young as I used to be."
(AND ARE YOU… READY TO GO?)
Blake paused at that, considering her answer. She turned back to the house, the only home she'd ever known, and gave a tired sigh that carried far too many years with it. Her golden eyes gazed around the property, sweeping over the land her father had purchased for the family a long time ago. Land that had no true purpose anymore. A home that gave shelter to nobody.
They both knew Gambol was not asking if she was ready for a simple flight into town, nor a trip to some other Kingdom. The journey they were taking today was one-way. She'd known it was coming for a long time now, which gave her plenty of time to think. And to prepare.
She looked back at her dragon, eyes slightly damp with tears, and said, "I'm ready."
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Chapter 42:
Dragon Rider (part 3)
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"Blake Belladonna and Gambol the dragon were credited with causing the disturbance that was felt by every other dragon in the world at the same time, which, of course, led to the end of the war, and as such have been honored as heroes. But that was only the first page of their legacy.
"As Blake was a Faunus herself, she set out to first finish her Rider training – which she did, graduating at the top of her class, actually becoming the second highest-ranking Faunus Rider in the world after her father, the venerable Commander Ghira Belladonna, who disappeared around one year before the event that came to be known as the Awakening.
"Once she achieved her rank and set out as a full-fledged Rider, Blake soon moved into the realm of politics. She made it her mission to improve social and living conditions for Faunus all over Remnant, enacting small-scale treaties that soon led to full rights as citizens bestowed on all Faunus, without exception. Miss Belladonna was inducted into the Riders Hall of Fame at the age of 30, the youngest inductee ever, as a result of her efforts on this front.
"And then there's the matter of her unique and magnificent Silver Dragon called Gambol…"
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"I've been doing a lot of thinking…"
(ABOUT WHAT?)
"About you, mostly. Did I ever tell you that I see your dreams sometimes?"
(YOU'VE MENTIONED IT 48 TIMES NOW.)
"Oh. …sometimes I forget how good your memory is."
(NOT MINE… ALL OF MY KIN SHARE IN THE MEMORIES. WHAT I REMEMBER, THEY REMEMBER.)
"So they know about Ruby Rose too?"
(…)
"I've been seeing her in your dreams for a long time, Gambol. I know you see her, too. Our bond is strong."
(YES – A POWERFUL BOND, INDEED. FEW HUMANS CAN ACHIEVE THE YEARS THAT THE DOVAH CAN LIVE, YET HERE WE ARE.)
"That's beside the point. I wanted to tell you that I know of the card you see in those dreams – the one named 'The Rose.' ...I've actually had it for most of my life."
(IS THAT SO?)
"Yes, it is… I keep it in my nightstand. See?"
(…! ! !)
"Gambol…?"
(SO IT IS TRUE… ALL OF IT…)
"Are you alright?"
(LITTLE ONE, WHEN WE DEPART… BRING THAT WITH YOU. PLEASE)
"Of course. *sigh*, if only Yang could be here… I wish her bond with Weiss was strong enough to outlast the decades like ours did. I miss her a lot, Gambol."
(AS DO I.)
"…Is Weiss doing well?"
(SHE IS SET TO HATCH MORE EGGS WITHIN DAYS. NEW LIVES TO NURTURE. SHE HAS THE MAKINGS OF A GREAT DEN MOTHER.)
"So many years have passed… where does the time go?"
(NO ONE KNOWS FOR CERTAIN… BUT WE MUST GO SOON. YOUR TIME IN THIS WORLD GROWS SHORT, BLAKE. MY LIFE FORCE CANNOT KEEP YOU ALIVE ANY LONGER.)
"Yes, I know. But I must ask… what will you do when I'm gone?"
(WHAT DO YOU MEAN?)
"After I die, you'll be left alone here. What will you do without me?"
(…YOU MISUNDERSTAND, LITTLE ONE.)
"Gambol…?"
(I DO NOT FLY TO SEND YOU ALONE TO THE BEYOND…WE GO TOGETHER.)
"You mean…?"
(COME, BLAKE BELLADONNA…OUR FINAL DESTINY AWAITS US.)
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"When she first registered at Beacon Academy, Gambol was a mixed-breed with no clear distinction of heritage. Overall she was seen as both 'ugly' and a 'runt' by her peers, according to reports. However, even in this state Gambol proved herself as one of the top fliers of the decade, if not the history of the school itself.
"And then… tragedy struck. Blake became a victim of local anti-Faunus bullying as a result of one particular student named Emerald Sustrai. Gambol was badly injured from the bullying, but once the Awakening happened, she underwent a miraculous transformation. She became the brand-new Silver breed of dragon, the first of her kind.
"As for their attacker… once she served her punishment for her part in the bullying, Emerald Sustrai completely turned herself around and started openly supporting the push to legalize Faunus' rights. She became one of Blake's biggest supporting voices during the years that followed the Awakening, but some sources claim that she went slightly mad at witnessing Gambol's transformation first-hand. I suppose no one will ever know the truth. In her later years, Emerald was credited with helping start the youngest of the Five Kingdoms, the island Kingdom of Menagerie, as a haven for Faunus all over the world. Regardless of her state of mental health, Emerald was awarded the World Peace Prize just a few years before her death at age 40."
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It's been said that the true sign of an experienced Dragon Rider is not the spark in their eyes, nor the confidence in their steps – but how messy their hair is at all times. The wind is, naturally, a major factor in flying atop a dragon, and no Rider is safe from its ravages for very long. Riders either had permanent hat hair or a lifelong 'windblown' look.
Though her hair was snowy white with age, Blake's hair fell squarely into the latter category. She never once thought to tie it back or keep it covered, as there was nothing like the feel of the wind blowing through her hair and around her Faunus ears.
Nothing, that is, except the view.
Blake and Gambol sailed high over the clouds, gazing upon the wonders of nature that few humans had ever seen. Brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows painted the sky as the sun began its daily descent past the horizon. Blake paid the heavy winds no heed as she drank in the view from Gambol's back, not even bothering with a saddle anymore.
And there was no queasiness, either. That little problem disappeared immediately after they properly bonded. As it turned out, a dragon and Rider shared more than simple feelings – during flight, the Rider knew the dragon's moves at the same time the dragon itself did. They moved in perfect synchronization. After that fateful day, Blake never got airsick again.
(WE'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY ADVENTURES, HAVEN'T WE?)
Blake didn't need to yell for Gambol to hear her reply, even with the wind blasting by their heads, "Yes, we have."
(ALL MY LIFE… I'VE HAD BLAKE TO GUIDE ME… TO HELP ME GROW.)
"And I, you. I can't imagine how my life would have turned out if you hadn't been born."
(AND NOW, AFTER ALL THIS TIME… OUR JOURNEY HAS COME TO IT'S END.)
Blake's throat locked up, heedless of how much she had tried to prepare herself for this moment. She knew it was coming… her strength had been fading day by day until she could barely stand on her own two feet. Climbing up on Gambol's back tonight took everything she had.
(JUST AS I CAME INTO THIS WORLD, SO TOO SHALL I LEAVE IT… WITH YOU AT MY SIDE.)
The tears flowed freely as Blake bent down and wrapped her arms around the massive neck of her dragon. "I- *sniff* -wouldn't have it…a-any other w-w-way…! *sniff*!"
(I LOVE YOU… MOM.)
Blake closed her eyes one last time, her face wearing a final, joyous smile.
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Gambol felt the life fade from Blake and gave a mighty bellow, surging forward as her wings flapped with all her might. The light within her, that gift from the mysterious Ruby Rose erupted forth from her eyes and engulfed the pair once again as the dragon activated her semblance…and flashed away into the sky.
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"As the preparations continue at the grounds, sources close to both Blake and Gambol regretfully informed us that neither of the pair is expected to make an appearance tomorrow. Though they would not explain why, they assured us that all was well and wished for a grand day during the celebration.
"This has been Lana Lavender, and I'll see you all tomorrow. Goodnight."
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THE HEART OF GOLD SHALL NEVER FALL
TAMING THE BEAST TO WIELD ITS MIGHT
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Darkness. Cold and wet. She couldn't see anything.
She tried to look around… but her neck and head were tiny, almost as small as a hatchling's. What was going on? Why were her eyes so weak?
She then tried to walk, but her legs… both of her hind legs were long and spindly, and her feet could not support her weight any longer. They also felt like they were bent the wrong way.
Her arms moved freely, but they were far too light… and to her horror, she realized why. Her wings were gone.
Gods preserve us, what happened?
Acting on a hunch, she tried to stand upright… and it turned out to be far harder than she expected; along with her wings, her tail had also vanished. Did the light strip her of her gifts? Gods help her if any of her kin saw her now… in a state like this, she'd simply die of embarrassment. A joke of a Dovah.
She took two shaky steps, then fell back down to her hands and knees. The cold water at her feet splashed into her face. This helped her realize that in place of her magnificent horns was now… hair. Human hair. It clung to her face in a wet mass, trying to climb into her insignificantly small mouth.
…no, it couldn't be.
Crawling slowly, she soon found a wall and worked her way up it, feebly clutching the damp stone in the darkness as she struggled to regain her balance. Over and over she fell back down, growing more and more soaked. How did she ever walk like this?
Did she… ever walk like this? It was hard to focus in here.
As she struggled, her other senses began to kick in – starting with the smell. Her tiny nose was suddenly bombarded with powerful smells akin to the foulest waste dump you could think of. She could almost feel the hairs in her nose curling.
Wherever she was, she needed to get out before she choked to death.
With a suppressed growl, hands clutching the walls with a stubborn will, she inched her way along the watery path. One step at a time, then another, then another… and after several minutes, she began to move in a manner more like a human. At least a little.
After an unknown amount of time, a light… tiny, but most definitely there. An exit.
Forcing her legs to move slightly faster, she hobbled forward with purpose. The light awaited her. She needed to reach it. She needed to get out of this wet space. She needed…
Finally outside, and she threw one arm over her face to shield her eyes. Blazing light. Sunshine.
Then she tripped again, no longer able to balance herself.
As her eyes adjusted, she beheld a gleaming city of glass. There were no clouds to mar the sky, so the countless buildings all appeared as an endless expanse of blue. It was beautiful… and hideous… all at once.
Where the hell was she now?!
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Remnant-1984
(World of Ruins)
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Dr. Rose leaned back in her seat and stretched her arms over her head, wincing as her spine popped in several places, finally done with this stupid report. First thing tomorrow morning they were set to begin the autopsy on the legendary Queen of Crows, the near-perfectly preserved body she and the young assistant Blake uncovered a few weeks ago.
A few of the lab workers with her also roused as Dr. Rose stood up, ready to go at last. "Alright, you guys, sorry for the wait. I don't know about you, but I'm starving…" the young doctor said.
One of the workers chuckled, "When are you not starving, Doc?"
"When she's ankle-deep in old ruins, of course!" another added.
Dr. Rose gave the group an exaggerated pout and said, "In that case, you can buy your meals yourself!"
"I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU…"
Everyone in the room froze as a voice of doom echoed all around them, deep and penetrating. There was a palpable fear in the air. Dr. Rose shivered as she felt the temperature of the room suddenly plummet.
"BUT I'M STARVING."
The lights in the lab began to flicker, one by one going out. The gathered group was left in pitch darkness for a few minutes before the emergency lights would come on.
"D-D-Don't p-panic!" Dr. Rose stuttered, "P-Probably just a minor p-p-power glitch…"
The screams came first, followed by loud crunching sounds and the sharp smell of blood. Something was in the room with them.
Something hungry.
As she felt an unknown presence move past her, Dr. Rose stumbled to the floor in stark terror, very nearly wetting herself when she felt something hot splash across her face. The screams didn't last very long, did they?
When the lights finally kicked back on, she saw who was responsible.
The mummy… the ancient body of the Queen of Crows… was alive and eating the corpses of her lab workers.
No… not eating them; it was drinking the blood from the body parts, sucking it out like a desert wanderer sucks down fresh water. It was practically licking the blood from the floor.
Dr. Rose couldn't stop herself from throwing up.
The noise drew the creature's attention. It turned its head, eyes sunken and hollow, then rapidly crawled over to the terrified scientist. Dr. Rose screamed and tried to get up, but the thing pinned her arms down and stared into her face.
But it didn't strike. It only stared, tilting its head a few times.
"SILVER EYES…?"
Somehow the thing was able to vocalize without a working throat (Dr. Rose had done a preliminary examination already, so she knew that much about the body). It slowly released her arms, then backed up carefully and, in the single most surreal moment of Dr. Rose's life it took a kneeling position before her.
"WHAT IS YOUR BIDDING, MY MASTER?" it growled in it's deep, unearthly voice.
Dr. Rose reached up with trembling fingers and adjusted her small pair of glasses… then passed out.
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Remnant-2319
(Zombie World)
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Rue had been in a bad mood all week. No surprise, considering what she had tried to do to that Yang girl. Kid had a strong kick, though… left the woman with a headache for three days.
Her bad mood was a combination of guilt over her lack of control… and anger at her lack of progress. It looked like these zombies would never go away.
As she replaced the bottle of booze in her fridge, Rue took a sip from her glass and winced as it went down. This stuff kept pretty well, but it wouldn't last. Maybe she could turn her attention to wine-making once the truth of the matter finally fucking sank in. This world was finished. Why delay the inevitable?
She barely noticed the flash of light from her lab, just down the narrow hall from her kitchen. It looked a bit like the light that brought Yang here, but… whatever. Nothing mattered anymore.
"I'd rather not speak with you from far away," a new voice called from the room ahead. "If you don't mind…"
Yep, someone just arrived alright, but that voice did not belong to Yang. Or if it did, it was from a fully-grown version. Rue grabbed her glass and made her way back… only to find herself face-to-face with… herself.
Other than the eye patch, this woman looked exactly like her.
Son of a bitch…!
"The fuck d'you want?" Rue growled as she walked over to her desk and sat at her chair. Maybe if she looked like she was working, this clone would just leave her alone…?
"I'm looking for a Ruby Rose who goes by the nickname Rue," the woman replied in a surprisingly deep voice. It was rather… pleasant to listen to, honestly. "Am I speaking to her?"
"You are speaking at her," Rue replied as she took another swig, then turned to face her cluttered workspace and pretended to start reading something. "But she is not speaking to you at the moment. She is very busy. So unless you and she have specific business, then kindly go fuck yourself."
"Fair enough," came the response, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps coming up behind her. "I'll cut right to the chase… I need your help. More accurately, I need you, Rue."
The seated redhead sighed loudly through her nose, "What you need is to get the fuck out of my home before I puncture your hide with a shotgun."
"And what you need is better lab equipment. I have it. In fact, I have a whole storeroom full of equipment so advanced that even I don't know what it all does…but I'm willing to let you play with it."
This got her attention. Rue finally stopped acting busy, sighed again and turned around to face the stranger. "Start talking."
The woman was quite tall, and that eye patch certainly made her stand out. This was, of course, after the initial shock of her face looking exactly like Rue's face.
Maybe that 'other world' shit Yang was talking about wasn't so crazy after all…
"I need your skills," the one-eyed copy of Rue stated. "I need the abilities of a talented biological weapons expert."
"I'm no expert."
"The walking corpses outside would suggest otherwise…"
"THOSE WERE A MISTAKE, OKAY? I never wanted to… to…"
"Yet the fact remains that your work produced the virus that caused this world's downfall."
"I just… I just… I…"
"I read your personal reports, Rue. The only thing you considered a 'mistake' was letting the virus loose."
"…! How the fuck do you know that…?"
"You wanted to make the zombies… didn't you?"
Rue could not respond to that one. This tall stranger hit the nail square on the head. It was true – she had been working on developing a real zombie virus, but she never wanted it to actually break loose and cause the end of the fucking world; no sane person would want that!
"Work for me, and you will undoubtedly find a way to cure these diseases… as well as to cause them. I'm sure you'd like that for a… certain someone…"
Rue was on her feet before she could stop herself, already reaching for her handgun at her hip. She only held herself back by sheer force of will. The taller woman simply grinned, knowing that she'd touched a nerve.
This was getting old – Rue always got too defensive when it came to Xiao-Long, even after all this time. One of these days it would be the death of her, she just knew it. That was why she spent night after night, day after day, cooped up in this coffin of a bunker; she was trying to find a cure for her own virus… one that could, hopefully, restore her old girlfriend to life. And Rue was ready to stay here until either that goal was reached… or she was dead.
Still, this woman's offer was almost too good to pass up.
"I don't like working for military types, babe. Too many rules. If I work for you, I do it on my schedule, got it?"
The rough, angular face beneath that eye patch gave a softer smile than expected. "I think you'll find my timetable to be more than adequate for your needs. Welcome aboard, Doctor!" She held out her right hand, the only one made of flesh as far as Rue could tell. They shared an awkward handshake.
"Just call me Rue, please. And you are…?"
"General Vermilion, at your service."
"A General, eh? Whoop-Dee-Shit. When do I start?"
"As soon as you're able. But first, I want to see what you can do. A small test, if you will. There's a world I've got my eye on that is currently in the middle of a purge – I've set death machines loose there to kill off all the inhabitants, but they need a bit of help to speed up the process. I want to give them a …retrovirus to use. One that only targets a select group of individuals… called Faunus."
"…the fuck is a…'Faunus'?"
"They're an invasive species of animal-human hybrids that have already taken over several different worlds. I'm doing what I can to exterminate them, but it's not an easy job."
"Human-animal hybrid? Hmm…I think I can handle that. All I need is a way to determine any sort of unique gene sequence so I can… and… yeah, that shouldn't be a problem."
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What About Roman and Neo…?
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Yang Scarlatina-Long was a very heavy sleeper most of the time. She was notoriously hard to awaken in the mornings without coffee, and ever since getting married to Velvet, their…enthusiastic lovemaking often made caffeine a necessity to reawaken upon the dawn, if their twin children didn't make a fuss during the night.
Still, there were a couple of things that could rouse her, one of which was the sounds of her Faunus children in distress.
"…hey, babe? I think there's someone sneaking around the house…"
Her beautiful Faunus wife was the other.
Yang groaned, turning over to groggily face Velvet, "…S'probably just Ruby or Blake…or something…" She tossed her mechanical right arm over her wife, tugging her closer. "Let's jus' cuddle su'more, kay?-"
Whap!
"I'm serious! Please just go check it out, would you? I'd rather be safe than sorry about this…"
"Okay, okay… I'll go check it out." Yang rubbed her shoulder where Velvet hit her as she slid out of bed and grabbed Ember Celica from her nightstand, affixing the weapons to her wrists before heading out into the hallway.
The first thing she noticed was the door to the Twins' room – it was open; she specifically remembered closing it after kissing them goodnight.
The second thing was the light in the room – it was on; Velvet always turned it off at bedtime.
The third thing was the sound of voices coming from the Babies' room, and last she remembered, neither twin could form words yet, being that they were still under a year old.
She crept closer to the opening, listening as the whispering voices – or rather, just a single voice – became clearer.
"…NO, we are not taking these little buggers with us. You wanted a parasol, not a child, remember?"
"…"
"Because I'm not going to feed and change them when you forget to, that's why! Honestly, it was bad enough dealing with Cinder's brats and I'm not eager for a repeat of that."
"…?"
"NO, YOU CAN'T KEEP JUST ONE OF THEM, EITHER! ! !
"…"
"Because whoever owns them is gonna notice one's missing! Look, just put it back with the other one and cue up the next world before someone finds us, okay?"
There was a silence for a few more seconds, then the sound of a crying baby erupted from the room.
"…Nope!" Yang had heard enough; throwing stealth out the window, she activated Ember Celica and burst into the room, hoping to take the trespassers by surprise before they… could… escape…?
Of all things, what she found was Roman-Goddamn-Torchwick and his mute murder-dwarf both holding her crying son, Crimson, between them; her daughter, Opal, was still in the crib, but she was awake and trying to reach through the bars for her brother, crying out in panic.
Yang's eyes flashed red as her hair lit up with her fiery Aura.
"…Um…uh…this one…needed a change…?" Roman lied as Neo nodded vigorously, prying Crimson free and quickly setting him on the ground.
Yang cracked her neck and gave an evil smirk.
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"…I blame you for this," Roman growled as they sailed through the air together.
Neo pouted.
"Oh, don't give me that; I wasn't the one who just tried to kidnap a baby rabbit!"
An exaggerated sigh was her only response.
"How was I supposed to know they were Blondie's kids? Look…I promised I'd find you another parasol, didn't I? When have I ever not come through for you?"
This time she gave a reluctant shrug, which was not easy while they continued tumbling into the stratosphere.
"Now could you please send us to the next world BEFORE we hit the ground? And could you maybe, I dunno, try for a normal one this time?"
Neo nodded, her face finally looking a bit regretful of her previous actions.
"Thank you."
It was tricky, but the midget managed to reach Roman just as they began their downward arc. They just passed the upper cloud layer when she finally entered the next four-digit combination and sent them on their way in yet another flash of light.
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A/N: And that's the end of Round 3. This part of the story was fun for me since it let me write from a non-human POV for a bit. Gambol was still Ruby on the inside, but obviously having a shared memory between all dragons led to more than a little confusion after a few years. But it also led to the prevention of war, didn't it? And yes, being a big-bad dragon for a couple hundred years will very much have an effect on Ruby for the rest of the story.
As for the next few parts, buckle up…I'm about to turn it up a notch.
(Credits: I cheated a bit on this one... Roman & Neo segment guest written by The Layman, based on an original concept used in a Twitter RP session. Big thank you to him for continuing to beta read for me. You rock, my man! And if you guys are interested, he just put out a new fic called Resurrection - go check it out!)
=^..^=