A/N - I'm still here!

I'm sorry for the long wait, I haven't abandoned this story, I just lost the drive to write this one.

And on that note, I'm sorry because I've also broken my promise not to post multiple stories at once. I'm sorry but I was just going so long without writing anything and ideas for other stuff just kept popping into my head.

So yah, I will keep writing this story but from now on I'm also going to be doing a KH x Destiny crossover, along with whatever oneshots might pop into my head.

Anyway, that's it, Happy Reading.

Wings of Freedom

Chapter 33

Roy peeked around the side of the building as he look up at the window into Erwin's office, that's domino number two. Now let's see which one he knocks down next, Roy thought before turning and making his way back to where Thalia was hidden.

It took a while, but Roy eventually made it out to the cave, his Dragon was hidden in. On his way there, he couldn't help but reminisce on the current state of things. It had been ten days since he'd told his story to the kids and he was actually feeling pretty good after getting it off his chest. It felt good having people around that he could rely on.

Roy shook those thoughts from his head though as he made his way into the cave and used magic to shift a bolder out of the way, revealing his Dragon, curled up and napping on the other side "so, how did it go?" she asked, while opening a single eye to look at Roy.

The Rider sighed as he walked into their makeshift hideout and shifted the bolder back into place, before lightning a candle next to his bedroll and sitting down "better then expected but also with a new complication" he replied and Thalia lifted her head up off her paws "problems with the Scout Commander or something else?" she asked as Roy pulled out a small, spare journal and stated penning down the day's events in English while pulling out a small mirror and casting a scrying spell, showing him the inside of Erwin's office "it's the Commander. He's…not as devoted to the cause as Pyxis…" Roy trailed off as he watched a red haired individual wearing glasses, look over the diagram and instructions he'd given them.

The Rider had to take a moment to compose himself though, as the redhead began foaming at the mouth, while going over the document and then had to be restrained until she calmed down. It was at times like this that Roy really wished he could hear with the Scrying spell, but alas, he would have to make do with visual only.

Thalia shifted a little where she lay "will this Commander be a problem?" she asked and Roy tapped his chin with the pen in his hand as he hummed "perhaps, but it could work to our advantage if we play this right" he said.

Thalia narrowed her eyes as she sensed some confliction in her Rider "what is troubling you?" she asked and Roy paused in his writhing for a moment. Roy took few more minutes to think before sighing and cutting the flow of magic to the mirror and looking at his own reflection "it troubles me how easily I fall into this role Thalia…spying and manipulating others. Inciting rebellion, when we've only just escaped our own" he explained.

Thalia hummed sadly in understanding "it is indeed disturbing what we are forced to do to accomplish our goals" she agreed and Roy simply grunted in response, not taking his eyes from the mirror "it's been forty seven days since we arrived here…a little over a month and yet the world won't stop changing. First the Order falls, then we get dragged into this strange land and then even what little we learn and adapt to here gets turned on it's head" he laments before setting his book aside and looking to the roof of the cave "Erwin…what I saw in his mind…the lengths he's willing to go, to achieve his goal…perhaps after he's actually been a Commander for a while, he'll change but as he is now…it was a bitter remember of what I could have easily become had we not fond those kids…and what I still might become if I'm not careful" Roy explained.

Thalia hummed as she watched her Rider, before setting her head down next to him "I do not know if I am the best one to council you in this. I am a Dragon, my very blood demands vengeance against the traitors…but I do not think you need worry so much. So long as you have your students to teach, I believe you will remain grounded" she said.

Roy smiled a little as he stroked the scales on Thalia's head "thanks Thalia" he said and she gave an encouraging hum.

Roy then looked back to his mirror and bit his lip as he pondered. Even if he trusted the kids to take care of themselves, he still worried about them, but he had promised not to scry inside the treehouse while he was gone…

He hadn't promised not to scry, OUTSIDE the tree though…

A devious smirk appeared on his face as he cast the spell and watched the area outside the treehouse come into view and promptly busted out laughing after struggling to contain it for a short moment.

"Aaaaahhhhhh!" Armin screamed at the top of his lounges as his Dragon did a barrel-roll, nosedive with him strapped to the Dragon's back.

This was not the first time Armin had rode his Dragon, he had gotten old enough for that, three days prior and Roy and Eren had both flown out right beside him. This was however, the first time he'd practiced high speed maneuvers with his partner though, and unlike the wonder filled experience of his first flight, he was now learning how much hights could terrify him.

Armin's screaming eases off as his Dragon leveled out "ok, maybe you could ease up a littiiIILLLLLLLL!!!" his words trailed off into another scream as his Dragon picked up speed with something almost passable for a smirk on his reptilian face.

Meanwhile, Eren was riding on Scarlett, up above, laughing his butt off along with his Dragon as they watched over Armin, just in case something went wrong.

Scarlett was having trouble staying airborne though, as laughter racked her body along with her Rider "who knew that little puff ball had such a mean streak?" Eren thought to his Dragon.

"I know, but I guess we all have a little evil in us somewhere" she replied as they continued to watch the spectacle.

Poor Armin looked like he was starting to turn a little green as his Dragon pulled off some fancy moves while threading his way in-between the trees.

Eventually, another voice, also filled with mirth, filled Eren's head, like ice water dripping into his brain. It didn't feel quite as cold as it had the other times he'd felt this particular presence before though. "Alright, I think Armin's about had enough" Mikasa thought to him, from where she stood on the balcony of the treehouse.

Eren felt a ping of guilt that Mikasa couldn't come up into the sky with them yet, but it was downplayed a little by the slightly warmer presence her mind now gave off, as opposed to before bonding with her Dragons. Eren couldn't quite put his finger on it, but Mikasa just felt different ever since then, and not just her mind, but the way she acted. She didn't seam to be attached at the hip to Eren as much as she used to and she was definitely showing more emotion then before. She was still the deadly and powerful girl he'd known all this time, but she just seamed more…her. Eren couldn't help but wonder if this was closer to how she used to be before they met.

Ether way though, Eren definitely liked the new, or perhaps old, Mikasa, and he even seamed to open up to her more himself now, and was less likely to push her away when she offered help.

Eren managed to get his laughter under control before casting his mind down to the treehouse"alright, we'll be down soon" he thought back to Mikasa and Scarlett gave a roar, signaling her fellow Dragon to come back in as she made her way back as well.

The green Dragon stopped his barrel roll and gave a disappointed hum as he stated making his way back, and Amin's eyes seamed to almost spin in his head as he moaned incoherently with a green face.

The two Dragons landed with a thump and Eren unstrapped himself before running over to Armin, who was still in his Dragon's saddle, swaying in circles while babbling in a daze.

Eren chuckled a little as he helped un-strap his friend "ok, come on brainiac, before you puke your guts up" he said as he helped Armin down.

Armin's only response was more incoherent babbling as he was set on the floor and his Dragon settled down behind him, letting his Rider lean against him.

More chuckling rang out and Eren looked up to see Mikasa walking up with a glass of water and her Dragons trailing behind her at ether side.

At first glance, nothing would seam out of the ordinary, but upon closer scrutiny, Eren noticed that the two would toss discreet glares at each other but quickly hide it as soon as Mikasa looked their way.

It would seam that the Dragons' rivalry over Mikasa was far from over, it had merely taken a new form, if their scrambling to be the first to help her at every turn was any indication.

Eren shook his head in amusement at the antics of the twin Dragons. At least they weren't targeting him as bad now.

Eren turned his attention back to Armin though as Mikasa kneeled down next to them "here" she said as she offer Armin the water with a kind smile that Eren still wasn't quite used to.

Armin accepted the water gratefully and took slow sips as his head stopped spinning and his face returned to a normal color "thanks…I needed that" he said as he got ahold of himself.

Eren chuckled as he stood up and offered a hand to Armin "I know you don't have the beast constitution, but still, I didn't expect you to handle high speed flying so poorly" he said good naturely as he pulled Armin to his feet.

"As I recall, you did not fare much better with Scarlett".

Everyone except Armin, froze solid as those words filled their minds with a presence of supremacy and terrifying intelligence. And that was to say nothing of the voice it's self.

The voice was deep and otherworldly, like an eldrich beast from the abyss.

It was without a doubt the most terrifying voice that any of them had ever heard before, and they all slowly turned and looked up slight behind an oblivious Armin, to the green, stone scaled Dragon behind him.

Armin shook his head as he finally cleared it "ok, I think I'm good now" he said as he looked to his friends.

The young Rider then blinked innocently with confusion though as he noticed his friends' petrified states. Even Mikasa was frozen as Eren trembled ever so slightly.

"Hay guys, what's wrong?" Armin asked with an innocent tilt of his head, while his previously innocent looking Dragon, stood up behind him, with the light hitting just right to cast a looming shadow over them all.

"They're probably still in shock over my voice" the green Dragon answered for them with an amused hum.

Armin looked up at his Dragon with confusion for a moment before realization flashed over his face and he turned back to his friends with a wide smile "wait, you heard him?" he asked hopefully and received numb nods of conformation from his friends, which caused Armin to smile even more widely.

The sight of Armin's innocent appearances and demeanor, standing in contrast to his Dragon's all powerful and terrifying voice, nearly shorted out Eren and Mikasa's brains, as they just stood their with their own Dragons, staring in shock.

It was already hard enough to accept that the adorable ball of cuteness had grown into what stood before them now.

Armin seamed to finally catch on to what his friends were thinking and sheepishly scratched his cheek, inadvertently making the contrast worse "look, I know it's pretty off putting. I know it sure surprised me when I first heard him speak, but inside he's still the same Dragon we've know since he hatched" he tried to explain.

The others thought on those words as they looked between the pair, and after watching for a moment, they could indeed see that the Dragon was still his playful and curious self, behind it all.

Eren and Mikasa shook their heads as they snapped themselves out of it, feeling a little silly for getting so worked up. Of corse it was still the same Dragon under it all.

Still didn't make the voice any less terrifying.

Eren wiped the cold sweat he hadn't realized was there, from his brow with a sigh "well, that's gonna take some getting used to" he muttered but then smiled up at the green Dragon "but I do pity the idiots that think they could ever intimidate you and stony here" he said.

Eren found himself involuntary tense up again, but forced himself to relax, as Armin's Dragon moved his head down right in front of him and stared into his eyes for a long moment.

"Irving" he suddenly spoke.

Eren blinked a few times in confusion "what?" he asked.

The Dragon pulled his head back up and held it proudly "my name is Irving" he said and everyone stared up at him for a moment before smiling. None more then Armin, who hugged his, now named Dragon around the neck.

"Irving it is then" Mikasa said as they smiled at the pair.

Scarlett padded up next to her Rider and batted her head against him lightly "things are moving forward" she said in a tone that Eren had since dubbed as the "wise Dragon" tone, that they used when saying something cryptic or profound.

Eren looked to her for a moment before looking around him and reflecting on everything that had transpired in the short time they had all lived there and before.

"Yah…we've come a long way haven't we" Eren said as he watched Armin smiling and laughing with his Dragon and Mikasa standing there with her's. A serene smile on her face.

Eren suddenly found his attention focused solely on Mikasa has her smile always been that bright he thought to himself as he took in her features as if for the first time.

He couldn't remember ever seeing her in such a warm light or this kind or dare he say cu-

Slap!

Eren suddenly slapped himself over the face lightly and shook his head what the heck!? Where did all of that come from!? he thought in shock.

Eren blinked a few times before he looked back to his friends. He knew he was seeing Mikasa in a new light since she bonded with her Dragons but he didn't realize how drastic that change would be.

Eren quickly shook off his concerns though as he took in the happy atmosphere. It's probably nothing. I just need to get used to how things are now he thought dismissively as he enjoined the moment with his friends and missing Scarlett's glancing over at one of Mikasa's Dragons.