A.N: Another flashback!

Chapter Five: Lend Me Your Voice

The day was warm, the bright circle shinning down over the Valley. Rising, a young Chomper and Ruby woke to stretch and face the day. Ruby went to munch on some greens, Chomper sniffing around to find creepy crawlies to fill his stomach. They were slightly bigger, being around the age of fourteen and ten, Chomper being the youngest, a four years difference between him and Ruby, while the gang were only a couple years younger, around the age of twelve. Still, they all got along well, spending countless days together.

"So, what do you think we'll do today, Ruby?" Chomper asked, finishing his meal and going to Ruby's side.

"We won't know till we know." Ruby answered, covering her full mouth to speak between chewing.

"Hopefully, it's something different. I don't know why, but I've been feeling on edge."

This got Ruby's attention, concerned he might be getting sick. "Illness? Did you eat something bad?"

"No, I don't think so." He shuffled his foot, unable to meet her gaze.

"Where does it feel weird?"

"My stomach is off, not in an upset way." Unsure how to explain it, Chomper shuffled his foot. "More like fluttery. And I'm anxious, nervous."

"Is there something I can do to help?" Ruby asked, worried for him.

The moment he felt her touch, the odd sense swept over him. Getting all the courage he could muster, his heart was heavy for he needed to tell her the truth, the source of such feelings. "Ruby."

Facing her, Ruby saw him take her a hand tenderly. "Chomper, everything okay?"

He turned red, meeting her eyes and finding they were so lovely. The way the light hit her, it was breath taking, the most prettiest thing he'd ever seen. "I umm, I don't know how to say this, but I really like you."

"I like you too, Chomper, you're my very best friend."

With a sigh, he swallowed hard. "No, I mean, yes, I see you as a friend, but you're very dear to me. I'd be lost whiteout you in my life. What I'm trying to say is-"

Chomper couldn't finish, for Ducky's voice called out to them. "Ruby, Chomper, we're going to play, you ready?" With the mood lost, both stepped back quickly.

"Our friends are here, here are our friends come." Ruby took Chomper's hand, not noticing how his face lit up, or that he grew red. "Come on, I'm sure you're feel better once we start playing."

"Can I have a moment?"

Ruby nodded, rubbing his hand before releasing it. "Okay, catch up when your ready."

Chomper stood and saw Ruby go to Ducky, Spike and Cera. The girls spoke and he simply lowered his head, kicking rock for not be able to confess his truth to her. Little Foot and Petrie made their way to Chomper, Little Foot smiling warmly. "Hey Chomper, why aren't you with Ruby?"

"Because we're too different!" Chomper stated aloud.

"Whoa, easy Chomper, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Sorry, Little Foot, it's just, I have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Ruby. Gah, I mean, I umm.."

"Okay, you act weird, why Chomper act strange?" Petrie flapped over the pair, looking to Chomper with an arched brow.

"No reason!"

Little Foot picked up on Chomper's odd behavior and looked to see Ruby with the girls and Spike. Then he saw how Chomper gazed to the direction Ruby was. "Chomper, does it involve Ruby?"

"Yes, no!" Lowering his voice, he tried to talk calmly. "I mean, no, it's doesn't have anything to do with her."

"Oh, Petrie see. Chomper have stuff for Ruby."

"I think you mean things, Petrie. Chomper has a thing for Ruby, isn't that right, Chomper?"

Knowing Little Foot was right, Chomper nodded. "What's the point, she's never going to reciprocate them."

"How do you know, Ruby might like Chomper back."

"Yeah, you can't chose who you like. I mean, in truth, I think Cera's kind of cool. She's strong, her skin is like the bright circle, lighting up my world." Little Foot stated without shame.

"Petri like Duck, take flowers to her. Get her tree stars, show her Petri care."

"Wait, so, you're all kind of together?"

"Yes." Both replied, Little Foot continuing. "Only time will tell, till then, be hopeful."

The pair of girls spoke, walking to the Caverns, waiting for Ruby to join them. From the opening, Ruby made her way to them, leaving Chomper behind, which was odd, for they always seemed to be together. Cera saw Ruby was lit up, smiling and flushed. "So, what has you all bothered Ruby?"

Rubbing her face, Ruby calmed herself. "Nothing, just woke up feeling happy."

"Oh, yes, I feel the same way after Petri leave a nice gift for me, yes, yes yes. Did Chomper do something nice for you, Ruby?" Ducky asked, sitting atop Spike, who nibbled on the grass.

"Wait, Petri brings you food?" Cera piped up, looking to Ducky, who blushed.

"Yup, yup, yup, Petri and I are very close, we are, we are."

"Good for you, I don't even think Little Foot looks my way unless he needs some extra muscle to move something heavy."

"Oh, no Cera, Petri said Little Foot just doesn't know how to impress you. After all, he figured you always go for some strong guy."

"No way, I can't stand threehorn boys, their so push and stubborn."

"Maybe, we should meet up with the others." Ruby said, noticing Little Foot and Petri with Chomper.

"Yes, got to get you back to your little armed boyfriend." Cera teased.

"That's not very nice Cera, you know Chomper is sensitive about his arms." Ruby scolded.

"He should be, why'd I'd be embarrassed about having arms that small and weak."

"There is nothing wrong with Chomper!"

Cera, for once in her life once taken back by Ruby's tone, smiling and laughing. "I don't believe it, you like him."

"Of course I like him, he's my friend."

"What Cera means is, you like him, like him, yup, yup, yup."

"He only sees me as a friend and caretaker. Which is fine, I value it greatly."

Before Cera could push to find out more, the boys joined them, Chomper seeming nervous. To ease the silence, Little Foot held a wide grin. "Okay, I have an idea for a new game."

"I hope it's better than watching grass grow, that was a really dumb idea."

"I'll give you that one Cera, but this one you might like. Right, so, here's what we're going to do. We'll go into the Mysterious Beyond."

"Petrie no like this game and haven't even started."

"Don't worry Petrie, if we don't want to play, we don't have to go, no, no, no." Ducky said to assure him of their safety.

"Well, go on flathead, what's the game?"

"So, we each take a turn guessing what kind of sharptooth we think we'll see, then wait to spot the said one. If we do, then we guess again and repeat. Sound like fun?"

"Yeah!" They agreed.

Once they left the Valley, all spoke which they think they'd see. Cera said a typical sharptooth, Little Foot chose a feathered on, while Ducky, Petrie and Spike agreed on a pack of fast-bitters. "So, Chomper, what do you think?" Little asked, turning to find Chomper's gaze focused on Ruby. "Chomper?"

"Chomper!" Cera said loudly, making him jump, yet got his attention.

He looked to her; eyes wide. "What's wrong, what happened?"

"Quite gawking at Ruby like food and answer what type of sharptooth you think we'll see." She said impatiently.

Growing red in the face and twiddling his clawed fingers, Chomper lowered his face so Ruby wouldn't notice how flushed he was. "I-I wasn't looking at Ruby, I was lost in thought. That's it, yeah, I was thinking deeply on what Little Foot said."

"You're such a liar, we all saw you, right?"

Given Cera looked her way, Ducky wasn't one to lie, and on a few occasions, opened her big mouth when she shouldn't have. "You were really eyeing her up, yup, yup, yup."

"Petrie see, Chomper fixate on Ruby." He flew around the pair, Chomper backing into Ruby, only to draw away shyly while she only smiled at him.

"You guys are overreacting and only teasing, Chomper, was probably doing as he said, thinking and nothing more." Ruby said, placing her hand to his shoulder, finding he was warm to touch. "Chomper, you're warm, are you feeling all right?"

"Fine, pretty girl, I umm, oh!" Panicking, Chomper shook his head and spoke quickly. "I mean, pretty good, I'm good."

"Smooth." Petrie said with a grin.

"We should continue, don't want the adults to catch us and stop us." Ruby gestured for them to go, flushing herself.

"Right, Chomper, Ruby, what do you two think?" Little Foot asked, changing the subject to help the pair out.

Chomper and Ruby said their answer aloud. "Red Claw!" This gained the gangs surprised eyes.

"That funny, you two must think alike."

"Oh, will you look at that, we reach the Mysterious Beyond." Chomper went to Ruby, the gang climbing down the rock.

They found what they thought was a safe place to hunker down and wait, talking to pass the time or nibbling some grass or leaves that were within their reach. Chomper of course, rubbed his stomach, finding it wasn't hungry, feeling fluttery, different than usual.

"I'm hungry." Chomper spoke suddenly.

"Why is it you always look at me when you say that?" Cera asked, looking him over. "Was it because I was the first leaf-eater you dung your fang into?"

"In all fairness, I thought we were playing, I was only a hatchling after all." Chomper said defensively.

"Indeed, Chomper is too nice to ever harm us." Ruby added, being protective of Chomper's feelings, never wanting him to be ashamed of who he was.

"Geez, defensive of your little bitter, aren't you Ruby?" Now that Cera knew teasing the pair about being a possible couple got them on edge, made joking around even more fun.

"Lay off Cera." Little Foot nudged her, looking to Chomper. "You go eat Chomper, we'll keep watch."

He gave a nod and walked off, Ruby waiting for a moment, only to go after him. She didn't follow him too closely, hearing him growl and kick a rock with his foot. With a heavy sigh, he stood, taking a few breaths, sniffing slightly. If she didn't know any better, she figured he was crying.

Out of the brush she went, going to him. "Chomper, you, okay?"

"I know she's joking. I know Cera doesn't mean what she says, it's only for fun. But I-I…" Chomper trailed off, wiping his eyes. "I'm a monster, aren't I?"

"No, you're not Chomper, you're our friend, I trust you and would never be afraid of you, ever."

"What about when I'm bigger, scarier, the size of Red Claw?" He turned to her with a serious expression, eyes moist. "Will you still stay, or will you run?"

It was rare Chomper spoke with strong words, asked her such a thing. Why would he think she'd fear him, run from him? Yes, he was a sharptooth, a meat-eater, but there was more to him, least from where she stood. He was kind, gentle, despite such sharp features, eyes so pure and innocent, an image she'd save in her mind. There was only one way to convince, the only way she'd know how, by singing to him.

Ruby:
"It's easy to,
Push me away from you,
Easy to say, you want to be left on your own,
Yet somehow, I can't help but see,
How your eyes shy away,
Your hands seal the entrance and path to your heart,
Anger kept fear and the sadness your feel,
Under the surface for so long,
Locked that room, you keep it inside,

Lend me your voice,
Words you try so hard to forget,
They'll break through the silence,
Bring me close,
Let me see the past your regrets,
Deep down below, show it all,

It's not so hard, living all by yourself,
It isn't hard, yes, I know that's what you'll say,
It's what you've told yourself, over and over again, in darkness,
You try to hold, back all the thoughts,

"But you know." Ruby spoke suddenly, going to stand by him and run her knuckles to his cheek.

"I just want you as you are,
Just the you I see right before me,
It's all that has been on my mind,

Lend me your voice,
Let me see your face, let me start,
To show you what I see,
Bring me close,
Let me feel the beat of your heart,
The secrets you bury,
Lend me your voice,
Anything you what to say, I'll be right here,
I'll listen so tell me,
Open your heart,
Let me come and sit by your side,
Just let me come close,
To your heart."

She took his hands in hers, spinning him and smiling, seeing him grin back. When his face held a happy expression, it made her stomach flip, unable to understand where or why she felt the new sensation. For so long she saw him as a friend, yet she wondered if he might turn into more. However, she didn't even know if he felt the same toward her. After all, he probably viewed her as his caregiver and nothing more. For she was the one he turned to for advice, questions she'd always answer. While she wanted more, she settled on being his friend, treasuring that over all else.