Author's notes:So sorry for those who waited for this. I've been having some life situations as of late. But things are getting better and I'll be trying to get back into both writing and reading stuff when I can. Thanks for you wonderful peoples' patience.

Second Dragon

They had traveled through the night and only once the sun began to rise did any of them consider resting. Strong Bad was particularly quiet through the night. He couldn't help noticing Marzipan's unease. Homestar on the other hand, chatted up the princess with his own version of what had happened the last week to so. Everything from him defeating the dreaded 'Stwong Bad knee of doooom', to Bubs being the crazy looking 'Wishin-Shop-Man'. She listened, and tried to laugh or smile when appropriate, but the news given to her earlier sat deep in her stomach.

Finally she stopped, looking over to the sunrise. "Well we made it back into the forest of dreams. How about we take a break before continuing?"

"I'll go find us some food!" Homestar chirped before scampering off into the brush.

There was a moment of silence before Strong Bad looked over to Marzipan. "Ok, what the crap is your problem? You've been all passive and non grouchy-witch since we left you with Bubs last night."

She turned sharply. "Would you get off my case, Strong Bad!" She seethed for a moment, at least to figure out what she was going to tell him. After all she couldn't just up and say 'well you're a monster, for real'. She finally took a deep breath. "I'm leaving the safety of my kingdom to go a deadly quest with two hero wannabe's, to take down the king of the dragons. I'm just a bit scared, alright? I'm a little worried of what the dragons will do to us. I'm a druid of peace, not a warrior of bloodshed."

"What, do you want us to just walk over into the forbidden zone and say 'Yo, Troggy, would you mind lending us for kingdom for the rest of your known life? Well gee I'm sorry you won't, dragon-man, please don't eat us.'" Strong Bad sarcastically put on a toothy grin and swung a fist in feigned disappointment. Then he pointed at her. "You know what we have to do, and if you hesitate, even for a second, this'll be what he'll do to you."

What that he pulled out a chuck of dried meat and tore off a piece with his teeth. She shuttered and pulled back as he chewed down the piece before eating the rest of it. Then she glared.

"Do you have to be such a savage?" She turned away from him. "I hope Homestar gets back soon."

Happily Homestar gathered some fruit and berries. He was pleasantly surprised at how much he could eat now, as he snacked on nectarines, blue berries, even a few strawberries. Then he spotted a melon plant, ripe with dark green fruit. Normally a single melon could feed his whole family, all three generations of it, but snapping on off its vine he found its size could be split by two, maybe three hungry humans.

He was about to head back to the camp with his treasures when the ground began to shake. He steadied himself, then slowly looked over his shoulder as a shadow loomed up from the ground over him.

"This... Does not look good fow the Homestaw Wunnew." The fairy meeped as he found himself staring eye to giant ugly eye with a massive serpent like dragon, who had popped out of the earth. It stared back for a second before it opened its wide toothy maw and roared out at Homestar, spraying thick sticky saliva in his general direction.

The fairy dropped his spoiled and did the first thing to come to mind. He jumped in the air and fluttered back towards the camp.

"Stwong Bad! Mawzipan! Wun! Wun fow youw lives!" He cried out as he darted towards where he left, zipping back and forth in the forest, just barely dodging trees as though he was still small.

Marzipan and Strong Bad felt the rumble as well, but they headed towards where Homestar left. When they finally spotted him both stopped.

"Get behind me, Idiot!" Strong Bad called to the fairy as he summoned up two fists full of fire.

"We'll protect you, Homestar." Marzipan also called, about the same time as the fire prince, pulling out her guitar. This made Strong Bad glare at her.

"What are you planning to do? Sing the threat into submission?" He growled as Homestar landed behind him and clung to the back of his cape.

"Hewe it comes, guys!" Homestar cried as the ground shook again.

The dragon burst from the ground again, dirt, branches and debris shooting off in all directions. Homestar just barely put up a shield around in time.

"It... A dragon!" Marzipan gasped.

"Duh, what'd you think it would be, a grass rabbit? Some sort of ugly ground bird?" Strong Bad snorted, keeping an eye on the beast.

"What's it doing all the way out here? This is the forest of dreams, not the forbidden zone!" The princess continued with a growl, pointing the head of her guitar at it, but turning her attention to the prince.

The dragon grumbled at the chatting snacks as they wasted her time. Finally she spoke in low voice. "Hand over the abomination."

Marzipan turned back to the dragon, surprised to hear her speak. She blinked. "Which one?" She finally asked.

"What the crap! What do you mean, which one? Neither, Marzipan!" Strong Bad hissed, shocked at the princess. She ignored him and stepped foreward, taking the barrier and the boys with her.

"Why are you so far from your home, mighty dragon? And for who?" The princess calmly spoke up to the giant creature, giving her a half bow.

"Mawzipan, it wants to kill me!" Homestar whined, clinging tighter to Strong Bad. The fire prince released the magic in one hand so he could push Homestar away from his personal space.

"Clingy McFairyson has a point, princess!" Strong Bad agreed, interrupting the quickly irritated dragon.

Marzipan glared over both the boys. "She's a noble living creature. She deserves our respect and admiration. So shut up."

The dragon chuckled. "Thank you princess." She hissed, bowing back to the young druid. "The man creature with the fairy wings. He does not belong, but he will make a tasty snack."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you eat Homestar. He's my companion." Maripan bowed again, smiling up to the dragon. "But we are traveling to your lands, perhaps you can escort us?"

"Marzipan." Strong Bad whispered towards her. "Are you crazy?"

This got the dragon's attention. "Then perhaps the blue haired creature? He seems to be annoying you."

"Uh." Marzipan glanced over to the fire prince, giggling nervously. She couldn't help thinking, that maybe if she did they'd be rid of him and his threat. But she knew the fairy still trying to cling to him would never go for it. When Strong Bad glared at her for her reluctance she frowned. "No... We're traveling together. All of us."

"How could you even suggest feeding Stwon--" Homestar was about to question, but he quickly got a gauntlet covered hand over his mouth. Strong Bad remembered the last time Homestar spoke his name in front of a dragon. It only made things worse.

The dragon was quickly getting tired of this. While all the arguing was going on she slipped back under the ground. Again the ground shook and before any of the three realized the dragon came up directly under them.

More specifically directly under Marzipan. She had just enough time to look down before the teeth were around her, on the inside of the barrier. She closed her eyes, expecting a snap and the end, but neither came. Instead she hit the ground.

Strong Bad just barely pushed her out the way and caught the jaws open with quivering arms. He tried to light the dragon on fire from the inside, but her thick saliva quentched his flames.

"Stwong Bad!" Homestar too was pushed back at the last second by the prince.

"What are you doing?!" Marzipan called to him as soon as she caught her breath.

"D-d-don't just s-stand there!" Strong Bad stuttered, his arms half buckling as the dragon bit harder. "A-attack it!"

"Right."

"Wight."

Both Homestar and Marzipan quickly got to their feet, one positioning her guitar to play, the other summoning wind.

"W-w-work to-together!" Strong Bad screamed out before they attacked, his foot slipping against the dragon's tongue. He could swear he hear his arms creaking under the pressure.

Marzipan, who was facing the struggling prince, nodded, side stepped and began to play a boosting song on Homestar. Even in this desparate situation she wouldn't dare use such magic on Strong Bad.

Homestar's cheek gems glowed as the boosting magic took effect. Quickly he sent his wind magic down to his feet, charging and kicking at the dragon in a low sweep. The wind sliced into the dragon's cheek like a hot blade. She screamed out, attempting to retreat and take her snack with her. Homestar released a second wing sweep with his other foot, and got Strong Bad across the back instead. His blue haired companion gasped out as pain whipped open his lower back, then grunted to keep his hold on the open maw.

Marzipan gasped as her plan failed, then dropped her guitar so she could cast a quick spell. "Life of the earth..." She muttered as her fingers glowed.

Homestar hiccuped, startled that he accidentally hurt his dearest friend. The sight of blood, both from beast and man, sent his whole form to be paralyzed for a second. He watched as vines and roots came up from the earth around the dragon, wrapping around both the beast's neck and mouth and sucking the whole into the ground.

Then there was silence.

"Stwong Bad?" Slowly Homestar regained control over his limbs. His chin quivered and tears filled his lower eye lids. He waited a moment for Strong Bad to pop out of the ground, but nothing came. Then he looked over to a shocked Marzipan, who was on the ground again, hugging her guitar. "What did you do?!"

"I'm sorry," She looked up at the fairy as he cried over to her. "I didn't mean to kill Strong Bad too, just the dragon. I panicked."

Slowly he walked over to her, and it seemed to get darker with each step. His eyes shadowed over, and his shadow itself twisted, grew, and seemed to reach out for her. She slowly pulled herself back, terror slowly rising in her. Then he whispered down at her, speaking and moving like he was in a trance.

"He was the mass of my wowld... He was my best fwiend... And I loved Stwong Bad."