Revenge
Chapter 2: Reunion
"26!"
Karl Scott sighed as his saurian friend ignored his call and continued to race out of the Hatchery. Workers moved out of the way as the now large Chasmosaurus ploughed through the crowd of people standing in the corridor of the Hatchery. Karl easily made his way to 26.
"What's going on?" he asked Samantha, Marion's younger sister.
"You don't know?" she asked looking at him surprised.
26 honked and hooted and tried to run away again but Karl gently gripped her tail.
Karl shook his head.
"I don't."
Samantha giggled, she mumbled something but Karl couldn't hear her.
"What's that?" he asked again.
Samantha caught her breath and began explaining.
"Marion is coming back!" Samantha began laughing again, "How come you don't know?"
Karl merely shrugged his broad shoulders and turned to 26 who was trying to escape again.
"Stop that," he told her firmly.
26 honked at him. Over the last year and a half, Karl had learnt to understand some of what 26 was saying,
"I know she's coming," Karl informed 26.
26 honked again and managed to wriggle her way through the crowd. Karl sighed and ran after her.
~*~*~
Marion wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. She had been walking in the heat and she was feeling hot and bothered.
"How long to go?" she asked the green dinosaur, who picked his way through the rocky road beside her.
"Hmm judging by the... hmm... I'll say about... another mile or so?" Zippo stroked his chin, "I can't wait to see the Matriarch again!"
Marion nodded absently. Her mind was clearly somewhere else.
'I wonder if Karl is still there,' she thought smiling slightly.
Right after the sunstone crisis she had been sent to different parts of Dinotopia to survey the damage done by the T-rex and the pterandons. She was only supposed to be gone for two months but for various reasons she had been away from home for one year. She had visited David in Canyon City and she was looking forward to seeing Karl again.
Zippo opened his mouth to speak but was stopped when a loud honking filled the air.
"26!" a familiar voice yelled.
Zippo was knocked over as a large Chasmosaurus charged past him. Marion was surprised to see the familiar dinosaur and was also shocked to see how much she had grown. At first Marion could carry 26 in her arms but now 26 was about the same height as her knees. 26 lunged into her and began butting her head gently against Marion's knees. Marion laughed and knelt down. 26 honked loudly.
"Need help?" the familiar voice asked.
Marion looked over and smiled slightly as he saw Karl help Zippo up.
"Hello, Karl."
Karl glanced over at Marion and grinned at her.
"Welcome back," he said cheerfully, "Sorry about 26."
26 honked back at him rather angrily.
"Some welcome," Karl retorted sarcastically back at his friend.
Marion looked puzzled as she stared questioningly at Karl. Karl smiled at her and explained.
"I can understand some of what she's saying."
"That is very interesting considering 26 is still pretty young," Zippo commented,
"How long did it take you?"
"Zippo, I don't think this is the best place to question Karl," Marion got up as 26 ran back to Karl.
"It is good to see you again," Marion said smiling as she hugged Karl gently.
Awkwardly Karl hugged her back. They stood like that for a while until Zippo cleared his throat loudly. Both of them blushed as they sprang apart. Marion turned around without a word and walked away. Zippo immediately ran after her yelling at her to slow down. Karl rubbed his head sheepishly and turned to 26.
"What was that?" he asked.
26 honked and hooted with laughter.
"I was not blushing!"
The dinosaur's face contorted into what could have been called a smirk. Karl sighed.
"There's no arguing with you," he informed.
Another honk met his comment.
"You're right. We'd better catch up."
~*~*~
"Welcome home, daughter," the Matriarch of the Earth Farm smiled softly as her daughter hugged, "I've missed you."
"I miss you too," Marion whispered.
"How's your father?" Rosemary asked.
"He's fine. When I left, he was preparing the Springtime Festival."
Rosemary arched one of her brow elegantly.
"I guess you'll be going to the ball?"
Marion flushed.
"You have to go with a boy," she explained, "Nobody is going to ask me to go."
"Is that so?" Rosemary hid a knowing smile, "I personally know two young men who would be delighted to take you."
Marion looked worried.
"Yes, but I can only go with one. I don't want to hurt the other."
Rosemary looked at her daughter.
"Eventually you'll have to choose and no matter who you choose one will be hurt," Rosemary said mysteriously, "Breathe deep, Marion."
"Seek peace."
~*~*~
Marion still had a worried look on her face as she exited her mother's room and went off to find Zippo and Karl.
~*~*~
Zippo sighed and started from the top again. It was no use. It was just too loud!
"Stop it!" he muttered crankily.
26 barely looked up from her bowl and honked right back at him. Karl watched with an amused look on his face as 26 demolished the rest of her food.
"No more," Karl said firmly as 26 opened her mouth.
26 hooted at him and stamped her foot.
Karl laughed.
"You weren't going to ask for more?" he said sceptically.
Zippo watched the friendly exchanged between Karl Scott and 26. It never ceased to amaze him, that Karl, who use to hate Dinotopia and wanted to leave, would befriend a baby dinosaur and come to love Dinotopia and its ways. Zippo sighed and looked down at his book, the world worked in strange ways.
Marion walked in and Karl and Zippo exchanged looks as they saw Marion's face.
"Marion, what's wrong?" Zippo hopped off his chair and walked to her fluttering his hands anxiously, "Is something wrong?"
"Yeah, you looks like your best friend just died," Karl, said looking at her concerned.
Marion shook her head and smiled, the worried look disappearing.
"Why should I be sad?" she said smiling, "It's great to be back!"
Karl and Zippo didn't believe her for a moment.
"Come on! Let's see the Hatchery!" Marion said cheerfully as she walked out.
After she had left 26 began honking and butting Karl's leg.
"I know she's hiding something."
26 hooted questioningly.
"I don't know what but she's hiding."
~*~*~
About two miles from the Earth Farm a huge flying dinosaur took to the air. The majestic pteradon flapped its wings as the rider on its back hanged onto the saddle tightly. David Scott, the only rider in memory to have ridden a pteradon relaxed slightly allowing his albino partner to take him to where he wanted to go. David smiled as he remembered the reason he was heading back to the Earth Farm. Marion and Karl were there; he hadn't seen Karl for a year. Right. He wanted to go to the Earth Farm to visit his half brother; right... he didn't want to go there so he could see a certain brunette. Marion. She was so beautiful and friendly... she was so... David shook his head and scowled.
"Jeez, I sound like a lovesick poet," he muttered.
Freefall cawed and David shook his head.
"Don't worry. It's nothing."
Freefall nodded slightly and continued to fly as its partner continued to dream about Marion.
~*~*~
Karl and Marion were sitting in one of the rooms inside the Hatchery finally giving Zippo some much needed peace. Karl knelt down and put his ear to one of the eggs. He smiled as he heard a tiny squeak coming from the hard eggshell.
"This one is almost ready to hatch," Karl commented softly.
He quickly checked the egg and seeing no cracks he moved on. Marion sat back watching him as 26 with her head on her knees, napped. Karl checked the last egg in the room and turned to Marion.
"You must be getting bored back there," he said softly trying not to wake 26.
"It was pretty interesting seeing you with the eggs," Marion commented.
Karl glanced down at his friend. 26 began moving. She sniffed the air and suddenly sprang up. Karl was too quick for her and held onto her gently before she decided to run.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
26 honked excitedly and tried to run away but Karl stopped her.
"What's wrong?" Marion asked.
Karl opened his mouth to reply and was stopped when a huge shout was heard.
"Pterandon!"
Marion jumped to the window and stared outside. Suddenly she burst into happy laughter.
"What is it?" Karl yelled over 26's overjoyed honking.
"It's David!"
An albino pterandon flapped its wings causing small gusts of wind as it steadied itself.
Marion spotted the familiar figure perched on the flying dinosaur's back.
"Guess we better go out and meet him," Karl turned back to 26, "Stop it!"
~*~*~
David dismounted from Freefall and turned to speak to one of the humans standing around. He glanced over the man's shoulder and spotted two familiar figures.
"Marion!" he cried.
Marion laughed as David approached her. They hugged each other tightly.
"Jeez, nice to see you too..." Karl muttered hotly, "Where's my welcome?"
David and Marion backed away from each other.
"Sorry," David smiled and moved to Karl.
He stumbled as 26 ran excitedly between his legs.
"Come here 26," Karl sighed rolling his eyes. 26 calmed down a bit and trotted to Karl. Absently Karl put his hand on 26's back.
Marion smiled at the two brothers as they hugged each other. She sighed.
'Together at last.'