Note: Credit to Tyroth Darkstorm for his help in writing this chapter! As all characters here belong to him.
Chapter Three
Meanwhile, deep under the city of Chicago Illinois, in the huge underground sanctuary known as Mutopia, grunts and shouts could be heard in the Dojo area as two young mutants fought each other in hand to hand combat.
Both were red and green crossbreed Gecko/dragons, a boy and a girl.
The girl had her red/brown hair tied up in a bun and wore a brown ninja suit with a black dragon detail on it as she fought the male, who looked very much like her except he had no hair and wore a blood red ninja suit with flame details.
Watching the two children were a tall male red Dragon and a female intense green Gecko. Both were looking proud but couldn't help the bittersweet feelings within.
Tyroth and Sephie were indeed happy that their Geckoling twins were showing strength and determination to be great warriors like them but were feeling slightly sad there were growing up so fast.
Since the day they could walk, both children wanted to show their protentional as strong mutants as well as learn to harness their powers which they inherited from their father.
The oldest of the children, Freya idolised her father and was keen to learn and take in all his tricks and abilities she had inherited, the boy, Loki, as much as he too idolised his father, was showing an interest in being a ninja very much like his Uncles and Auntie back in New York.
Both parents were glad both were so willing to learn and couldn't help but smile proudly if not flinch a little as the children got more aggressive than usual.
"Come on, little brother! Step it up!" Freya said as she stabbed at her brother with a long wooden stick.
"I just want to give you a fighting chance, sis!" Loki retorted as he parried his sister's attack with his two shorter sticks and countered with a few slashes, forcing her to parry in return.
"Then I guess I don't have to go easy on you any longer!"
"Come on then!" Freya taunted "I might be a girl! But it doesn't mean you can go easy on me!"
"Who said I should go easy on you?" Loki retorted "I'm saving my energy so I can really trounce you!"
"Well come on then!" Freya replied, "Put some effort in!"
As the twins continued to spar, Tyroth and Sephie, watched from the entrance of the training room.
"They are really working hard." said Sephie.
"They sure are." Tyroth agreed. "Not only are they competing, but they are also pushing each other to do even better."
"I just hope that this 'sibling rivalry' doesn't cause them to start quarrelling." Sephie replied "they are the best of friends, most of the time, but they do fight, not just in sparring but as siblings too!"
"I don't think you have to worry about that, love." Tyroth said as he put an arm around his mate and pulled her close. "We both know that those two are as close as siblings can get. They just want to prove to us that they are ready to take to the surface like we do."
"I guess you're right, Hun." Sephie said as she leaned on Tyroth's shoulder and looked back at her children again.
"It's strange, you know. It feels like just yesterday that I held those two in my arms, so tiny and vulnerable. Having to feed them, change their diapers, bathe them, dress them and all those things, it was a lot of work, but it was so worth it, and now… they are almost teenagers, almost all grown up. Where did all the time go?"
"Who knows, love, who knows" Tyroth sighed "… But you are right, it feels like time have just gone by in a flash."
Flashback
Sephie sat in a chair holding Loki on her lap, holding his ankles in her hands and covering her eyes with his feet before pulling them apart and showing her face.
"Where's Loki? There he is!" she cooed before kissing his feet "Whose a handsome boy? You are!"
Loki giggled and waved his hands as he looked at his mother as well as gurgled happily.
Meanwhile Tyroth was kneeling on the floor with Freya laying on her back, she kicked her feet and waved her arms as she looked at her father.
"You're my little Valkyrie!" Tyroth laughed as he tickled Freya's belly "My little Warrior Viking Princess! That's you!"
Freya giggled and continued to kick her feet and wave her arms up at her father.
Tyroth smiled softly as he leaned down and nuzzled Freya.
"You know what sweetheart?" he said to which Freya just gurgled in response "Right now, I don't feel I'm on Earth, but rather Valhalla! You are my Viking Heaven! You and your brother! As long as you're here, I'm always in Heaven, in Valhalla!"
"I'm in Heaven too hun." Sephie said getting Tyroth's attention and the Dragon looked over at his wife.
"Every-time I look at them, I think I'm the luckiest girl alive, not just because I have you as my husband, but because I have two beautiful children!"
Tyroth smiled softly.
"We're both lucky!" he smiled "We're both very much blessed!"
"So true hun." Sephie said "I count my lucky stars every-day! I have to admit, since Mona had Pandora, I hoped to share her good fortune in being blessed with a child, and we were blessed twice with Freya and Loki! I'll be forever grateful for sure!"
"Me too baby!" Tyroth smiled as he picked up Freya and walked over to his wife before nuzzling her "Me too!"
End Flashback
"Oh, if only I could have stopped time when they were younger." Sephie lamented "Five or six years old. I think that was when it was the best time. Old enough to not needing care all the time, but still small and adorable."
"Heh, I bet our own parents thought the same way as we were growing up." Tyroth chuckled.
"You're probably right. It would explain why I have so many siblings." Sephie said, and they both laughed for a short moment.
"As much as I agree with you, Sephie," Tyroth said "None of us can stop time from passing, or our children from growing up."
"No, I know." Sephie sighed. "Still, seeing how much they've grown and changed, it's almost spooky. Loki used to be the most energetic of them, while Freya was much calmer, but as they grew up, it's like they swapped those traits with each other."
"Trust me, I've noticed it too." Tyroth agreed "But it's natural to change as you grow and evolve. Heck, you and I have changed far more than most."
"Well, I can't argue with that." Sephie chuckled. "It wasn't the life I thought we would have, but aside from a few things, after we had Freya and Loki, I wouldn't change it even if I could. It's just…" she trailed off.
"Just what?" Tyroth asked looking down at Sephie and seeing some tears in her eyes.
"I guess that I'm not just worried that they're growing up and we're somehow missing it, but are we really able to prepare them for the future?"
"Honestly, I don't know. Our lives are far from normal, and they would never be able to get the same lives as other kids their age regardless of what we do. All we can do is try our best." Tyroth comforted stroking his wife's cheek.
Sephie was about to say something, but she was interrupted when they both heard a thud followed by laughter from the middle of the dojo.
Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...
Slipping through my fingers all the time
As the twin Geckolings had continued to spar, they somehow managed to trip each other at the same time, and they were currently on the floor laughing.
"Some ninja you are, you klutz!" Freya teased.
"You're no ballerina yourself, sis!" Loki responded.
While it might seem like they were bickering, it was all in good fun between them, and they quickly helped each other back on their feet again and continued to train.
"That's the kids we've been raising all these years, Hun." Tyroth chuckled. "While I share your concerns for the future, seeing them get along this well, makes me certain that they will always be there for one another, even after we might no longer be around for them."
"Yeah, I see what you mean. Guess we have no other choice but to take one day at a time. But as long as it can be with our wonderful children, and you, my beloved, I think I can handle it."
Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
Tyroth looked back at the Geckolings then he heard a beeping and looked at his wrist realising his watch was beeping.
"Ah," he said, "Looks like it's time for lunch." He turned to the children and clapped his paws to which both Freya and Loki looked up.
"Okay kids!" he said, "That's enough training for now!"
"Aww dad!" both twins said, "Can't we keep going for a bit longer?"
"Sorry." Tyroth laughed "But it's lunchtime now."
"Lunch?" Loki grinned "Yummy! I wonder what Louie has prepared?"
"I hope it's roasted vegetables!" Freya said hopefully.
"I hope it's chilli!" Loki said, "Come on sis!" and he lead the way out the Dojo passing Tyroth and Sephie before they made it to the door.
"You just have to mention food and they're off like little rockets!" Sephie laughed.
"True that!" Tyroth smiled as he wrapped his arm around Sephie and walked with her to the canteen "I have to say I feel pretty peckish too! And from here I can smell something good!"
"You can rely on that cockroach to whip up something good!" Sephie grinned as she and Tyroth walked together to the Canteen.
Both mutants smiled, even though they knew their kids were no longer little children anymore, as long as they lived they would always be their babies, and no matter what happened, no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would always be there for their precious offspring, because they loved and treasured them so much!
And that was 'Slipping Through My Fingers' I hope you enjoyed it!
Hope you're all staying safe as we're slowly easing out of lockdown in some parts of the world, and I hope we all return to normal soon! Look after yourselves and I'll see you again soon! Bye! xxx