Hello readers! I hope you are enjoying the story so far.
WrongfulRanger00: I am still seeing how everything falls in place, meaning that I don't know if I can get more Galactic and Waterfall scenes. Still, thank you for asking about it. I want to make sure I get the best story for the readers out there. The puns were pretty good, by the way.
InsertNameHere: If you see any problem in my chapter, please let me know immediately; it is a coincidence, because there are so many people that come up with the same name for a OC.
Random Guest: Since I don't want you to get triggered too much and for you to complain, I am not going to have clothes in the story anymore. This is the only thing I am changing and stop whining like a baby. Also, the story does take place in a futuristic Pyrrhia, in case you didn't know.
(Celsius's POV)
It was a nice, windy day to walk to the arena for another practice. Since coach wanted practice early, he announced that it would start at around 8 A.M. I wasn't happy for the late announcement at around 9:00 last night, but I needed to be there in order to be a starting player.
I walked into the arena and went over to my locker in the locker room. As I set my stuff down, I saw Winter in the corner of my. He nodded to me, and I just nodded back. He probably wanted to talk to me about something. I got my hockey gear on quickly so I could have a chat with him before practice started.
"What do you want, your highness," I said, bowing in a sarcastic manner. I forgot that he was a IceWing prince yesterday, so I thought to myself that I should apologize. "Sorry for the bad language yesterday."
"It's fine," he responded. "But I have to tell something important to you, something that endangers your NightWing friend."
"And what is it?" I asked him, curious.
"There was dead IceWing at a warehouse south of Ice Kingdom," Winter explained. "They said he was dead for a couple days, but what really shocked dragons was that they found neon green and black scales."
"Woah, woah, woah, back it up a little," I told him. "Your telling me that Galactic murdered a IceWing."
He nodded.
"That's impossible," I said, panicking a little. "He wouldn't kill a dragon for no reason. Besides, he said he was unconscious for week. That murder took place while he disappeared."
"I know, and I believe you," he said sincerely. "But there was never a story on what happened to Galactic during that week."
I growled in frustration. He had a point, no one knew where he went besides Starflight, Freakwave, and I. Why didn't he tell Waterfall, though? I frowned at the sudden thought, but quickly got rid of it.
"So that's why your parents want to know about NightWings," I suddenly realized, and he nodded glumly. "This is not good, and Galactic has a gun now."
"Queen Glacier sent out a the Royal IceWing guard to find full evidence that he did it," Winter explained further. "Once they do, then they have every right to take Galactic under custody."
"I got to go warn Galactic," I told him. I took off my gear and put it back in my bag. Grabbing it, I bolted to the arena exit.
"Hey!" my coach called out. "Get back here!" I ignored him and kept on running, soon leaving the building. I sprinted past multiple dragons, each one giving me a skeptic look. As I ran, I almost went past Waterfall, but stopped myself and gave her a slight bow.
"Is there a reason why you're running?" she asked me.
"I got to tell Galactic something important," I answered. "Something that you might want to hear, too."
She raised an eyebrow at me, and I didn't bother to wait for an answer. I started running to the Gold Winglet building, and I heard footsteps behind me. I turned my head slightly, and I saw Waterfall running with me, her pearl necklaces bouncing off her chest. We were at the dorm in no time, and I opened it with ease.
Galactic was still sleeping on the couch, his gun no where to be found. Phew, I thought as I shook him, but he didn't wake. I then punched him slightly on the shoulder, and he drowsily woke up. He got up from his seat and saw Waterfall, making both of their faces light up as they smiled at each other. Oh dear, I thought as I shook my head, chuckling. I immediately dropped when I thought of the recent information Galactic gave me.
"Winter told me about something the news doesn't know about, yet," I immediately started, getting the attention of the NightWing and SeaWing. "Something that involves another framed murder on you, Galactic."
"Why am I not surprised," Galactic sighed and he put his claws on the back of his head. "I can never get a break."
"Wait, who is framing Galactic and why?" Waterfall demanded. She turned to look at him in the eye, and he returned the gaze.
"That's the only problem," I answered sheepishly. "I don't know who is behind it or the motive they're trying to show."
"So who thinks I did it?" Galactic asked.
"The IceWings, including Queen Glacier," I responded bluntly. "They found a dead IceWing at the warehouse just south of their kingdom. Winter told me all of the information, including that the IceWing Queen doesn't plan to be diplomatic."
"Why do they think it's me?"
"There were neon green and black scales at the murder scene, meaning that you were the only one who fitted the position of murdering the IceWing."
"Well... I'm screwed," he said to us, and I just looked at him with a frowned. "There is going to be no way I can get out of this one. I can't talk to the queen and I am going to be hunted starting in a few days."
"The hunting part we can't do anything about, but since you can't talk with the queen, maybe I could," I started. I explained to them the whole plan I was unraveling in my mind. If things went right, then Galactic would be off the hook and the IceWings could hunt down the real murderer.
"That might work," Waterfall agreed, "but what if she doesn't believe you?"
"She has to," I answered. "I will tell her the story of what happened to Galactic."
"But still," Waterfall interjected, "why should she believe that you are telling the truth."
"I-I'll think of the plan," I stuttered, which I mentally slapped myself for. I had to look confident so my friends could believe that I would figure out a way to get everything back to normal. "Waterfall, can you ask the Royal IceWing Family, as a princess, to set up a trial for me to defend Galactic."
"It doesn't work like that," Waterfall replied, shaking her head. "I have to get my aunt to ask for a trial. Only the Queen of the tribe or her brothers and sisters can ask for one."
"Can you try? Please?"
She sighed, "I'll see what I can do."
She started for the exit, but Galactic caught her wrist. "Be careful," he murmured to her with a worried expression. "You might be in danger if they knew what's going on between us."
She put her other claw on the claw he grabbed her wirst and looked back at him. "I can handle myself." She put on a smile and hugged him, and he responded by hugging back. She then left the room, leaving me, Galactic, and a sleeping Starflight. I sat on the couch, knowing that coach wasn't going to be happy if I returned. I turned on the TV and decided to watch random documentary show.
"So do you think this will work?" Galactic asked me as he sat down on the couch.
"I promise you that it will," I answered, giving him a grin. He grinned back before looking at the TV and started to watch the show.
(A few hours later...)
Galactic, Starflight (who woke half an hour ago), and I just finished a game of "Rise to Action" when the phone rang.
"I got it," Galactic said before we had time to register the ringing. He moved around his recording equipment with ease and got to the phone on the kitchen counter in no time. "Hello?"
There was instantly noises coming from the phon, but they were too low to hear. Galactic was listening, nodding every now and then. After a few minutes, he said goodbye to the dragon on the other side and took his place back on the couch.
"It was Waterfall," he told us, with a smile forming on his face. I shook my head, grinning. Those two need a room for the night, I thought as he explained the news. "She got you a trial for me, even though I shouldn't need one. Also, she said that the queen will only agree to this if I come, too, in handcuffs from the SeaWing guard." He then stopped and thought for a minute, frowning. "Yeah, Waterfall wasn't too happy with that, but she agreed to it."
"You can survive," I told him. "Anyways, when is the trial?"
"Tonight," was all he said to us. I jumped from my seat in shock.
"Why tonight," I demanded, making both of them jump.
"I don't know!" the NightWing responded, exasperated. "I don't always have the answers!"
There was a knock on the door, and I went to open. I didn't bother to look in the peephole, but that was a huge mistake. As soon as I opened the door, four SeaWing guards with M4s rushed into the room and pointed their guns at Galactic, who just had his hands up in surrender with wide eyes.
The first SeaWing, who had teal scales, started talking. "You are under arrest for committing murder." Galactic was about to protest that this was all unnecessary, but I cleared my throat. He looked at me for a moment as I sent a silent message to just go with it. "Hands behind your back."
Galactic did was he told, and put his hands behind his back. One of the SeaWings, seaweed green color, came around and cuffed Galactic. After he did that, he shoved Galactic to the ground. Galactic yelped in pain as he hit the ground decently hard. Another SeaWing, sky blue color, walked next to his comrade and searched the NightWing for any weapons. The blue SeaWing shook his head and he helped Galactic up, only to start pushing him towards the door.
"Celsius the IceWing," the purple SeaWing said as she walked over to me with her M4 across his chest. "You will be escorted in a SeaWing police cruiser to Ice Palace, where the trial is going to take place." She beckoned me to walk to the door, out of the room. I went exited the room with her in front of me and another SeaWing guard, a deep blue color, behind me.
As I walked out the room, I already saw all the dragons in my winglet coming out of their dorms to see all the commotion. There were about six more guards, but they just made sure everything was in line and escorted us to the vehicles. We walked from the building and one of the guards opened the shotgun side of a police SUV cruiser. I got in quickly and waited for the vehicle to start moving. In front of me, I saw the back of Galactic's head through the police car's rear window. I really hope this is all worth it, I thought as the SUV started to move. We went from the parking lot, crowded with dragons wondering what was going on, to the open road, which was partially blocked off so we could to the Ice Kingdom quickly.
(Arriving at Ice Kingdom Palace)
The temperature inside the car was below normal. The SeaWing driver was shivering from the sudden temperature drop as he got out of the car. He went around the front of the vehicle and opened the door for me. I thanked him for getting the door for me as I went into the main room of the palace, where I was to wait until a messenger called for me to go to the throne room.
As I waited, I looked around the main room to see what was going on. IceWings in with polished scales were wondering about, minding their own business. Some were in small conversations as others exited the palace as more walked in. I looked at the palace entrance and still saw the police convoy outside, parked in the drop off area. I guess they're gonna be there until the trial is over.
As I looked at the vehicles outside, I got a feeling that I was being watched. I turned my head around, only to see two IceWing dragonesses walk towards the throne room. The only thing that got my brain going is that these weren't normal IceWings. They had weird features that I've never seen before, as if they were hybrids of some sort. I've never seen hybrids like that.
One looked like an IceWing, but she had a extra feature I could make out. The feature was the silver star-like on the underside of her wings. She had pale blue eyes and a golden heart shaped locket around her neck. She glanced at me for a moment, looking slightly worried expression on her face.
The other IceWing looked very little like an IceWing at all. The first thing I saw to realize that she had a brownish scales on her wings. Another feature was that her wings were oversized with her body, which was strange to see on any dragon besides a SkyWing. So I guess she's a IceWing/SkyWing hybrid? I thought to myself as they walked past me. I glanced at them, and saw the one with the brownish scales had bright, yellow eyes. The sight of looking at those eyes made my body spark with heat. I frowned at the sudden heat. That's strange, I thought, but shrugged off what just happened. I need to focus on helping Galactic.
It wasn't until half an hour later that the messenger dragon came. He beckoned me to follow him to the throne room. I walked behind him in a long, fancy hall that had sculptures of different IceWings. I walked slowly to look at each one for a few seconds, before I had to keep going. The hallway was also silent with dragons, seeing that it was just the messenger and I walking to the room.
Calm down, Cel, you got this, I thought as we entered through the doorway, going into the room filled with dragons. The crowd of dragons were on the left and right as I walked in. I scanned the group of dragons, and got a slight glimpse of the IceWinge/SkyWing hybrid.
I continued to go forward, and saw before me the Queen's Royal Family. The queen, herself, was stationed on her throne, looming over the crowd of dragons in a dominating figure. On the right side of her, were four IceWing dragonesses smaller than the queen, but had smiliar looks: they had to be the queen's daughters. On the otherside of the IceWing Queen's throne, sat three male dragons: the queen's sons. All the siblings, sons and daughters, had polished scales and stood in a formal positions. I frowned at one of the IceWing princesses, which was the dragoness with the golden locket.
Walking up a column between rows of desks and seats, I walked to the bench Galactic was sitting in. I looked at him for a second, seeing if anything happened to him. The handcuffs on him were gone, but so was his robotic claw. Galactic didn't seem to have a friendly mood when he gazed at the stump on his wirst. I looked at the stump, before I got to the task at hand. I sat down by him and waited for the trial to start.
Galactic leaned into me as I watched the queen. "This is all still really unnecessary," he told me.
"Just go with it," I whispered to him. "There's no way you're going to jail for false murder." He shrugged, muttering something that sounded like doubt, but I decided to ignore it.
Queen Glacier stood from her throne, signaling the start of the trial for Galactic's freedom or his detention. She gazed upon the crowd of the different dragons. It was mostly IceWings, but the other queens sent representatives to hear the decision at the end. I was going to make it a good one.
"Celsius the IceWing," the IceWing Queen announced to me. All eyes in the throne room went to me, and I shivered a little. The last time I had this many eyes on me was when I embarrassed myself at high school. "You will be the defendant for Galactic the NightWing, the dragon charged for murdering an IceWing." I bowed to Queen Glacier in gratitude and she nodded. I then headed to the podium in front of her and put my claws on it. "You may began."
"Your honor," I started with another bow. "I am here to defend Galactic the NightWing for being falsely accused of murder." The crowd murmured to one another. The children of the queen were also murmuring to one another.
"How so?" the queen asked with great curiosity.
"He never moved from where he was that entire week," I answered. "He wasn't even awake, to be exact."
Queen Glacier gave a surprised look for a fraction of a second, but it was soon replaced with a calm expression. "If that's is true, then why were his scales found at the crime scene?"
"Excellent question, your honor," I said to her. "I can answer that question in one way to say that he was unconscious for an entire, due to a car crash incident last Saturday."
"And the other?"
"Of course, your honor," I started, stepping from the podium. The guards were about to attack, but Queen Glacier held her talons up, making them go back to their positions. "I was thinking of how some dragon could've gotten my friends scales. After some careful thinking, I figured out the answer: the framer never got my friend scales." The crowd gasped in shock, but then started to yell outraged things.
"SILENCE," Glacier bellowed, and the crowd went very still. She then looked at me for evidence of this hypothesis.
"If I could see the scales from the crime scene?" I asked, bowing. Queen Glacier to one of her advisors, who whispered to a palace servant, who flew off for the scales. She came back within minutes and gave them to me. I nodded and thanked her quickly before I showed the scales to the crowd.
"As you can see," I announced to the crowd. "These are the scales of my friend, the painted scales." And with that, I scratched the neon green scale, which scratched off the neon green paint that was painted on it. Underneath the paint was the color brown. I smiled in pride as the crowd for the trial gasped in surprised. "This MudWing scale was painted neon green to frame Galactic the NightWing!" Queen Glacier looked at me, surprised. Everyone else was stunned in shock.
After a moment of dead silence, Queen Glacier stood up. She looked at me with a pleased expression. "Since you have proven the evidence, Galactic is proven not guilty in this trial and is free to go."
A guard beside the queen came up with Galactic's metal claw and gave it to the NightWing, who accepted the claw immediately. Attaching the metal claw to the stump, Galactic came to me and gave me a pat on the back.
"I believed in you the entire time," he told me, and I rolled my eyes. He stepped from out of the row and we made our way to exit the throne room, along with the crowd of dragons. As we got out of the throne and into the main room, I felt a claw on my shoulder. I turned around, only to be face to face with the IceWing with the golden heart locket, and her IceWing/SkyWing hybrid friend.
"You were very brave to defend your friend," she complimented me. "Most of the dragons are too afraid to even look at my mother."
"Uh, thanks?" I responded. "Who are you?"
"Oh! Sorry," she realized, then introduced herself and her friend. "My name is Snowdrop, but call me Snow for short." She then looked at her friend. "This is my friend Owl."
"Hello," she said.
"Well, nice to meet the both of you," I told them as I looked at Owl. She had her scales polished, making her look even more beautiful up close. My heart jumped when she looked at me with her eyes. I then looked at Galactic, who was already to the police cruiser that was to take us home. "Well, I wish I could stay and talk, but I have to get going. Is there any chance that you go to Jade Moutain?"
Snow shrugged, and I saw a glimpse of her star-light scales on the underside of her wings. "We aren't in college, yet, but we'll going there next year."
"Oh," I mumbled. "Well, I guess I'll see you two next year."
I then ran for the car, leaving the two dragonesses standing there, alone. Galactic was sitting in the back seat, so I decided to join him. I opened the car door and got in swiftly. The car started going as I got my seatbelt on.
As the car drove on the highway, the cabin in the car was silent. It was only broken when I decided to tell Galactic something.
"Galactic."
"What, Cel?"
"I think I might be in love."
There you go guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will see you in the next one! Cya in a couple days or so!
All credit goes to Ghostpelt of ThunderClan for the two characters Snowdrop and Owl.