Friends! Apologies again. I know it's Saturday, but my life has been no less crazy this week, which means that I've had very little time to make progress, which is a problem, especially because I'm trying to write longer chapters. So, thank you for waiting. Second, some of you seemed to think that the last chapter was the end of the story. Definitely not. When I said, "This has been 56 chapters in the making, people. Not to mention the end of OtN" I meant the original story. If you care to recall/revisit the last couple of chapters of that business, you'll know what I meant. So, not the end. There are still some major unresolved issues, as you all well know. I wouldn't stop just because I finally got around to making one of the big-ticket items come up.
Anyways! Reviews!
The Lightning Phoenix
Spartan10007
Colinou
MoonbornWalker
Ty-ten
Harkonnen28
Sousuke Tenki
QuiteARandomFan (To address the Typhoomerang issue... Terrible Terrors are 'terrible' gossips. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if they had a tendency to strike up conversations with other dragons, unwittingly sharing information that could be used against certain other dragons...)
offender (The sequel is still a ways off. Got to finish this story first, then do some planning, then go from there with new adventures and excitement.)
Sag1ttar1us
Vvarden
yesboss21 (You're not banned yet, but please in the future be more mindful of the language you use.)
thetatooedrose
There's also something else, that yesboss21 mentioned in their review. I would like to respectfully request that no one use my characters or story for any reason. That includes lemons. If you want to write something for your own personal satisfaction, I certainly can't stop you, but I would very much appreciate it if you did not share it with anyone else.
That being said... There is a very slight possibility that a (brief) lemon taking place after the end of the last chapter already exists. I hadn't really planned on making its existence known, but since someone did ask... If you have any interest in reading this short, relatively tame lemon, I could be persuaded to share it. I won't post it, but again, if you are interested in reading it... PM me.
Okay! To the story. I left you last week with a warning that 'happily ever after' wasn't really my style, now you get to see exactly what I meant by that! (If this is upsetting to you, well... I can't say I'm sorry, because I fully intended for this to be a part of the story, but hopefully you will keep reading to find out how things turn out in the end.) Cheers!
Aeri yawned as she got out of bed, mindlessly going through the routine of dressing and making her hair less of a bird's nest. She could hear movement below, and figured it was probably James, since her grandmother and Cloudjumper were very early risers, and seldom slept in to a reasonable hour.
Deciding she probably wasn't going to be able to make herself any more presentable, she opened her bedroom door and went down the stairs.
James was standing by the fire with his back to her, stirring the pot. She'd taught him how to make porridge, and he now prepared it almost every day. I should probably teach him how to make other breakfast items, she thought with a smile. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, causing him to jump violently.
"What the- Aeri?"
She grinned and allowed him to turn around to face her. "The one and only."
"I thought you were gone."
"Why would I be gone?"
He glanced over to the dragons' side of the house, and she realized with a start that Shade was not there.
"Now that I think about it, though," he frowned. "He didn't come back last night."
Aeri wasn't immediately worried. She figured he was probably with the other dragons and would be back sooner or later. He'd never stayed out overnight, though.
"Well, I suppose I won't be going on a morning flight, then."
James smiled. "You could always join me on my morning flight."
"I like the sound of that," she said. Then, "Is something burning?"
His eyes widened and he spun around, and Aeri could see that there was smoke coming out of the pot.
"I didn't think this stuff could burn!" he cried as he wrapped his hands in the thick mittens to lift the pot away from the fire.
"I'm pretty sure it can't," she replied, trying not to laugh.
"Of course it would burn when I make it," he groaned helplessly. "But... I think everything that's not touching the edge is still fine."
"I think I'll get breakfast in the Great Hall..."
"Oh no you don't!" He whirled on her, and the sight of him waving a goopy spoon at her, wearing big padded mitts, sent her into a fit of giggles.
"Don't laugh at me! You distracted me, therefore you are responsible for it burning, and as the responsible party you are going to eat some of it whether you like it or not!" He accented that with a flick of the spoon, and a chunk of porridge flew free of it and stuck to his cheek.
Her giggles turned into gales of laughter, and he looked tremendously put out by the turn of events. Finally taking pity on him, she picked up a cloth and used it to get the porridge off his face, then kissed his cheek, which seemed to cheer him up.
She even allowed him to serve her a generous portion of the blackened goop.
"See? Perfectly fine," he told her, taking a heaping spoonful and putting it in his mouth.
His face was carefully blank as he began to chew on it, for quite some time, until he swallowed audibly. Aeri just waited for the verdict.
"My best work yet," he intoned. "So good, that we probably should save it for another time. Let's go to the Great Hall."
This time, they both laughed, until tears threatened to spill onto their cheeks.
His dreams were vivid, bright and wonderful and full of promise. She was always there, at his side, for they were inseparable. Their love was a wild, beautiful thing, altering everything he ever thought he knew about himself and his world. Until…
"Isn't this a pretty picture."
Shade stirred at the ugly sneer, blinking in the dappled light of the midmorning sun, gleaming on the snow. He realized with a pleasant start that he was curled around someone smaller- Ash. His heart seemed to skip a beat at the sight of her. What was far less pleasant was the expression on Svar's face as he stood watching them.
Shade couldn't stop his growl. "What are you doing here, Svar?"
"I'm looking for her," he gestured at Ash, who was just waking up.
"Well, you found her. Now leave," Shade suggested, not bothering to be polite as he got to his feet.
"I don't think so."
"What's going on?" Ash's sleepy voice interrupted their stare off.
"I should ask you the same question," Svar said with disdain. "Your unimpeachable facade has fallen, Ash, revealing just how easy you are. I should have made my move weeks ago," he laughed meanly. "You obviously don't care who you spend the night with. How do I know that you haven't been with half the other dragons wandering around these woods?"
"How dare you speak to her that way!" Shade snarled.
"How dare you!" Svar shouted. "We had an agreement, Ash!"
"An agreement?" Confused, Shade looked down at Ash, who rolled to her feet, clearly angry.
"I agreed to nothing, Svar!"
"Oh? My brother and your Alpha seemed to be quite clear on the matter. You were supposed to be mine," he yelled at her.
"What is he talking about?" Shade asked her, but her eyes were filled with rage.
"You want me? Well, you can't have me! So get lost!"
"I don't think I will." Svar dropped into a predatory stance. "Face me, Shade."
"Stop it, Svar!" Ash cried out as he leapt at Shade, jumping in between them. With a paw, Svar swiped hard and slashed her across her face, the strength of the blow sending her tumbling back.
Shade froze, willing her to get up. But she didn't. A red haze clouded his vision and snarling, he leapt at Svar, who stumbled backwards as though shocked that he had struck her. Shade took one paw, careful to retract his own claws, and smashed it hard into the side of Svar's head. The smaller dragon didn't get back up, and Shade turned, darting over to where Ash lay. She was breathing heavily, claw marks running across her face. Fortunately, they didn't look too deep, and when she opened her eyes, Shade breathed a sigh of relief.
"You won't get away with this!" He turned to see Svar taking off, holding a paw against the side of his head as he crashed into the forest, running off. Probably to tattle. Shade found he didn't care much, until he realized…
He helped Ash get back on her feet, taking her into the water and rinsing off her face. They didn't speak, until Ash turned to him, her silvery green eyes searching his face. Once again, his expression was inscrutable.
"Did you know?" he asked her quietly, and she felt cold even with the sun shining on her scales. She looked down, and Shade asked her again, more urgently. "Did you know, Ash?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"But you didn't agree."
"No."
"You let him think you were going to be his mate." It wasn't a question.
"I didn't mean to!"
"I'm sure you didn't." But his voice was cool, and she shivered. "Do you know where Svar is going right now?" he asked her.
"No."
"I'll tell you. He's going to find my father, possibly your brother, and tell them that I forced you to be with me. He's going to challenge me, and if my father and your brother don't kill me first, Svar will do his very best to finish what he started here."
"I never wanted this to happen," Ash said defensively.
"Well, it happened, Ash!" his voice rose, and he looked away from her, frustrated. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did this all have to be some big secret? Am I still not good enough for you?"
"What?" she cried. "No! That's not it-"
"Then what is it?"
"I didn't think he was serious-"
"He's been hanging around you for years, Ash! You didn't think he was serious? I hate to think of what you must have thought of me the first time I tried telling you how I felt."
"Stop it, Shade!"
"Why should I? After everything, after finally making a place for myself again here on Berk, my home, I'll either be killed or forced off the island. All because you couldn't tell the truth."
"I never lied! I love you, Shade!"
"Sometimes love isn't enough, Ash," he said darkly.
"I know I've made a mess of it, but-"
His face lost all of its expression, frightening her, and the words she had spoken to him so long ago suddenly echoed in her mind.
"You have. And I don't think that anyone is ever going to be able to fix it."
With that, he backed away and took off, leaving her alone with her regrets and her shattered dreams and her broken heart.
"Ash rejected me!"
The angry voice caused Toothless to turn from his conversation with Lightning as they walked up the hill to their shelter. It was later in the evening, and the sun had set, so most of the dragons and humans had retired for the night. "Go on," he told his mate as he saw the look on Svar's face. "I'll be up soon." She nodded and quickly took her leave.
"Now," he said, turning to face the younger dragon. "What were you saying?"
"Ash," he ground out. "Rejected. Me."
A look of irritation passed over Toothless's face. "What do you want me to do about it?"
"Change her mind!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Toothless snapped.
"You think I'm being ridiculous? How would you feel if your mate was snatched right up from under you?"
Toothless snarled, a dangerous sound. "You know that I am perfectly aware of what that feels like, Svar. But Ash is not your mate. And if she said no, then you will accept her answer and move on. End of story."
A desperate gleam flashed in Svar's eyes. "You must let me challenge the one who persuaded her to deny me. It's only fair."
Toothless didn't like the sound of that, but it was often the way dragons handled things. "Very well. But be warned," The Alpha's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. "Even if you win, you will still have to abide by Ash's decision. But should you lose, you shall never again be welcome on Berk, nor will you be allowed to ever communicate with Ash again." He began to turn away, before looking back at a still-angry Svar. "Who are you challenging?"
An ugly smirk twisted Svar's features. "Your son."
Toothless was frustrated beyond belief. Just when things were getting back to normal, maybe even better than normal…
Last night, he had waited for Shade to return to Valka's, but when his son didn't show up, he searched around a bit and found him up on the mountain, staring out at the moon.
"Damn it, Shade, she's like your sister!"
His son just looked at him, not speaking.
"Damn it! You're to be at the old boar pen tomorrow morning. Thanks to Svar, every dragon on the island will likely be present." He paused, his scowl deepening. "Well? Do you have anything to say?"
"No."
"Then let me tell you what I told Svar. If you lose, you will be forever banished from this island. Unless she happens to follow you to the end of the world, you will not be permitted to speak to Ash ever again. Even if you win, I'm tempted to keep you away from her."
"She made a choice. If you think she chose wrong, join the club."
Toothless growled his frustration, before his anger subsided somewhat. "Why, Shade?"
"I've been asking myself the same question."
Now, Toothless sat on the frozen ground, presiding over the fenced pen, which stood in a clearing that had been swept free of snow by many wings and tails. The dragons had all gathered in a cacophony of color, and were talking excitedly to one another. Earlier, noticing the mass movement of dragons into the forest, Hiccup had asked Toothless what was going on, and if the Vikings should follow. He had shaken his head. No. This was a matter for dragons. Hiccup understood, but told his dragon that he was coming no matter what, before instructing everyone in the village to go into their houses and not come out until he returned. Astrid wanted to go with him, but he asked her to do the same as the others.
"Please, Astrid. I don't know what's going on. I need you to look after our children." Frustrated, she had nonetheless agreed, heading back up the streets to their home. Maara and Winter had followed them, invited with a pleading glance from Astrid. Valka came along with her son instead, and they hurried after the trail of dragons. Now they stood behind Toothless's family, looking around warily.
Toothless looked to his side where Lightning sat solemnly, waiting. Storm was next to her mother, but her younger sisters were back at the shelter, watching little Soren. Soturi had wanted to come, but Lightning and Storm convinced her that it would be best if she stayed behind with Skali and their brother.
His mate glanced up and he could see the deep worry in her eyes, despite the absolute calm of her demeanor. He couldn't help but be worried, too. Comparing his conversation with Svar to the one he'd had with Shade last night, he wondered if his son was really interested in fighting at all. He didn't want to banish anyone, let alone his own child, but Svar had given him no choice. This sort of thing sometimes went to the death, though he had no intention of allowing matters to escalate that far.
Cinder sat at his other side, next to a grim Holly and Palo. He turned to speak in Toothless's ear. "You know what?"
"What, Cinder?"
"I've never liked Svar. Damn son of a-"
"It's a little late for that."
"I'll say it for the rest of my life if I have to."
Toothless hadn't seen Cinder so vehement in a long time, and it made him pause. Ash was closest to her brother, at least, she had been. If Cinder was this upset, it meant that things had gotten a lot more complicated. Especially because it was Cinder's mate's brother who had challenged Shade.
What a mess.
Cloudjumper, behind Cinder, looked over at Toothless. It was too late to change it. He nodded. The Stormcutter drew himself to his full height, and called for silence. The dragons quickly quieted, listening carefully.
"The Night Fury Svar-" at this, some hisses sounded in the crowd, which was somewhat surprising to Toothless. Apparently Cinder wasn't alone in his judgment.
"-has challenged the Night Fury Shade-" a strange noise filled the clearing, and Toothless struggled to interpret it. "-on the grounds that his honor has been impinged upon."
More hissing.
"Shade!" The dragons on one side parted, and the blue-eyed Night Fury appeared, easily leaping over the fence and slowly walking into the center of the pen, not looking up. The dragons began making that noise again, a strange humming sound… and Toothless was finally able to understand it. Solidarity. The dragons of Berk were standing behind their own, who had returned from what many believed to be the grave as a more mature, more responsible, more likable dragon. They believed in him, and they took his side, as rumors of what really happened circulated among the crowd. Shade reached the middle of the circle and sat on his haunches, staring straight at some point in the trees across from him.
"Svar!" The smaller male strode out confidently, looking around for support, and finding none.
"This will be a battle of tooth and claw. Neither shall use his fire. The fight will be over when one submits." The clearing was eerily quiet, until Cloudjumper said,
"Begin."
It wasn't long before the crowd of dragons began making noise again, and the volume of their calls steadily increased. Shade just sat there, not looking at Svar, who circled him, taunting him, yelling insults and dares. What was his son doing?
"Toothless!"
He looked up at the sound of his name being called.
"Toothless!" Ash. He was going to have a word with her. Before them, Svar was still circling Shade, who refused to look at his opponent.
Ash pushed her way past the last few dragons to get next to him, many of them looking at her curiously, and some with hostility.
Toothless was preparing to lecture her when he noticed the gashes along her face. "What happened to you?" he asked, alarmed by her appearance.
"Svar attacked Shade yesterday, and when I tried to stop him he knocked me out of the way!"
"What?" Toothless snarled. That little liar. Jumping to his feet, he shouted, "Stop the fight!"
Shade heard his father's voice, as he finally leapt out of the way of an increasingly frustrated Svar. The smaller dragon's rage was clearly building.
"Fight!" the other male growled.
Looking up, Shade saw his father standing upright against the fence of the boar pen, shouting at them. Obeying without question, he stopped moving.
Svar took the opportunity to leap at him, claws slashing at his throat. The dragons watching were outraged as he defied a direct order from the Alpha. Shade barely got out of the way in time, but couldn't completely avoid Svar's body as it slammed into his. He held the smaller male at bay, standing on his hind legs. "I don't want to fight you, Svar!"
"That's too bad, because I want to fight you!" he jumped up and kicked Shade hard in the abdomen, and winded, the larger Night Fury knew he had no choice.
"Don't make me do this, Svar!" But the forest-eyed dragon was beyond reason. Around them, dragons were screeching furiously, striking the fence in anger at Svar's disobedience.
"And when I'm done with you, I'm going to tell everyone what a lying bitch Ash is!"
A red haze descended upon his vision. Barely containing his rage, Shade dropped to the ground as if wounded, and outside the pen, his mother, sister, and Ash gasped in alarm. But Toothless knew what he was doing. "Svar! Stop!" But his voice was lost among the shrieks of the other dragons.
As he came in for another attack, Shade quickly leapt up, his larger body smashing into Svar's chest, and they tumbled over, until finally Shade pinned him to the ground, his foreleg pressed against the smaller dragon's throat.
Svar gasped for air, struggling against Shade's weight to no avail. "Give up, Svar," Shade said quietly, even as chaos reigned around them.
"Not… a… chance!" Svar tried to bite down on Shade's leg, but Shade simply drew back with his other paw and, claws extended, slashed it across the other dragon's face. Svar had gone too far.
"Give up." Svar's eyes widened, blood streaming from the gashes on his face. There was something deeply authoritative in Shade's voice, but the smaller dragon shook it off.
"Fine," he hissed, and Shade released him, turning his back on the smaller dragon as the crowd of dragons began to cheer.
"Or not," and Shade heard the screams of the dragons in time to turn and see Svar's mouth wide open, and the glow of plasma as it shot from his throat. Almost as though time slowed, Shade instinctively shot back, and leapt away as the two blasts collided, resulting in a massive explosion.
Aeri had seen Shade that morning, briefly. She'd been worried sick about him, fearing that he might have been hurt, or somehow captured, but his appearance hadn't alleviated her concern. The dragons were moving en masse into the forest, but he'd insisted that she stay away in his dragon language, showing real emotion as he flapped his wings and pushed her towards her grandmother's house. So she went inside, sneaking out the back door and following the trail into the forest before doubling back, trekking up to the ridge overlooking the clearing with the old boar pen, and staying out of sight as she watched with confusion.
She saw her father and grandmother follow Toothless to one side of the pen, just outside the fence. There were other Night Furies near them, and even Sahko was there. When all of the dragons had quieted, and Cloudjumper began rumbling at them, she watched with dawning horror as she saw her dragon enter the pen, soon followed by a different Night Fury.
Aeri wanted to cry out, to scream for them to stop, but there was nothing she could do. Frozen, she waited for the outcome of the fight.
When Shade had pinned the other dragon, she breathed a sigh of relief. But as soon as he got up and started walking away, she gasped in horror as the gathered dragons erupted with noise when the defeated dragon opened his mouth and shot a plasma blast right at Shade.
All she saw was Shade turning in a split second and firing back before a bright flash of light seared her vision, followed by a tremendous boom.
"Shade!" she screamed, jumping to her feet. "SHADE!"
The scene faded in and out, smoke and debris filling his vision. His hearing was muffled, as though everything were far away. A terrible roar washed over him and he shuddered, before the world went black.
As soon as the light from the explosion faded, Toothless let out a furious roar. Svar was going to pay for this.
Ash couldn't see through the smoke that billowed forth from the site. Parts of the fence had been vaporized, others left charred and broken. The dragons were screeching and shrieking as they searched through the smoke for anyone who might be injured. No one seemed to be hurt, but everyone had been knocked back from the force of the explosion.
Hiccup and Valka were holding onto each other, frozen in shock. Cloudjumper had covered them with his wings just in time, protecting them from the worst of the blast.
Toothless let off a skyward plasma blast of his own, accompanied with such a loud roar that everyone fell silent. As he jumped into the smoke, Lightning quickly got over her shock and leapt in after him. Ash could hear their voices as they called for their son, and she moved to follow them when a paw landed on her shoulder.
It was Cinder. "I think," he said softly, "that you've done enough for one day."
Pain blossomed in her chest, and backing away, she pushed through the reassembling dragons, who were shouting for someone to get in there and do something. Choking on her agony, she ran from the clearing and vanished into the forest.
Cinder was sorry that his sister was so torn up, but he had work to do. "All right!" he shouted, looking over at a concerned Cloudjumper. "Everyone calm down…"
Hiccup held onto his mother as the gathering of dragons erupted into chaos. He had witnessed fights like this before, but they oftentimes went to the death, as unfortunate and upsetting as that could be. Before he could even wonder why Shade had chosen to spare his opponent, or why they had even been fighting in the first place, Cloudjumper quickly made his way to them, lowering his back so that they could climb on him. As soon as they were up, he took off, leaving the chaos of the smoking boar pen far behind. Hiccup met his mother's gaze in shock, before something caught his eye. A figure was running along the steep path leading from the high ridge to the clearing. Aeri.
"Cloudjumper!" he called, and the large dragon nodded, banking to the right. They came up to her as she was about to make a particularly precarious leap. "Aeri!" he yelled. "Get on!"
She looked up at him, and his heart wrenched as he took in the tear stains on her cheeks. He hadn't seen her this upset since… before she left. Not even Haku's cruel words had moved her so.
"Aeri!" he called again, holding out a hand.
"I have to get down there!"
"It's too dangerous right now! We have to wait until more of the dragons leave!" Even now, many dragons had taken to the skies, spiraling around above the clearing.
She didn't answer. Instead, she crouched and leapt, aiming for a narrow foothold lower down where the path continued. In mid-air, Cloudjumper swooped in and grabbed her, careful not to touch her with his large claws, and quickly flew off in the direction of the village as even more dragons flocked around them, screeching madly.
"No!" she screamed, beating her fists against his foot. "Please! Take me down there! Shade!" she cried. "SHADE!"
They landed in the village, where Aeri immediately scrambled to her feet and tried to run back. "I have to- SHADE!" At her cries her family rushed out of the house, and James grabbed her, holding her as she pounded on his shoulders with her fists, raging at him. Hiccup watched the younger man's helpless expression as his daughter collapsed into tears in his arms, her face pressed into his chest.
"Take her inside," Hiccup told James quietly, and he nodded, scooping Aeri into his arms and carrying her through the door, past her alarmed looking mother and siblings.
"What happened?" Astrid asked incredulously, seeing her husband looking more weary than he had in a long time.
"Shade and another Night Fury were fighting for some reason. Shade appeared to win, but instead of killing the other dragon he let him go. But when he turned his back, the loser shot a plasma blast at him, and Shade shot back, and the blasts collided, and… I don't even know. Dragons are so complicated," he sighed, rubbing his face. Astrid came up next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him.
"Alright, everyone," she said to her children and Maara. "Go around and tell everyone they can come out, but to stay out of the forest."
Valka patted Cloudjumper's shoulder, telling him without words he was free to return to the clearing. Without hesitating the large Stormcutter took off, weaving between the dragons beginning to return to the village. With a sigh of her own, she went over to where Hiccup was being quietly murmured to by Astrid.
"Son," she said, and he looked up. "Someone needs to go back over there. Dragons could be hurt. I'll find Gobber, you and Astrid get a head start. Toothless probably can't do this alone. Hopefully only Shade and the other Fury will need attention, but in any case we'll be ready by the time you bring them back."
Hiccup nodded. His mother was right.
"What about Aeri?" Astrid asked him.
"James will take care of her." A strange smile passed over his face at the words and Astrid wondered what he might be thinking, but before she could ask he turned away and began jogging towards the forest. "Coming?" he called back to her, and she ran after him.
Cinder felt that he could have handled the situation better, but he wasn't feeling patient enough to do much more than shoo the crowd of dragons away, shouting at them to leave even as they continued to panic, wondering what was going on, and what was happening in the ruins of the pen. Holly had approached him, clearly upset, but Cinder asked her as calmly as possible to go back to the village and wait for him. Nodding, she and Palo gathered the other colony Furies and flew off.
As the smoke inside the pen cleared, Cinder glanced over to see Storm frozen where she stood next to Sahko, with a look of complete and utter horror on her face.
"Come on, Storm," he called over to her, and after a moment she looked at him, then at the Skrill.
"Go on," the purple and black dragon urged her, so she followed Cinder over the ashes of what had once been the fence. Toothless and Lightning were leaning over a motionless black form, and a terrible anxiety threatened to overwhelm him. He had to take a deep breath to steady himself.
"Shade," Lightning was saying, with an urgent look on her face. "Shade, get up."
He didn't move, and Cinder's heart sank.
"Shade?" It was Storm, and she passed Cinder to stand with her parents. Lifting a paw she gently pushed on her brother's shoulder. "Shade, please. It's me, Storm. You need to wake up." A low groan emanated from the downed dragon's chest, but he remained motionless.
The beating of wings alerted them to Cloudjumper's presence as the large dragon landed nearby, clearing the last traces of smoke with his arrival.
"I took Hiccup and Valka back to the village."
Toothless looked up then, his eyes filled with emotion. "Thank you."
"Aeri was coming down from the ridge. She had been watching-"
The Alpha sighed heavily. Humans were a very emotional bunch.
"I carried her back as well. She was actually kicking and screaming the whole way, and the humans had to restrain her to get her inside."
"Damn her." Surprised, they all looked down to see that the words had come from Shade, though his eyes were still closed.
"Shade?" his mother whispered. "Shade?" But he said nothing else.
Cloudjumper spoke again. "What do you want to do with him?" They all looked over to see Svar, unconscious but breathing not far from them. Cinder scowled, anger rising in his throat.
"Leave him to me," he growled.
"No, Cinder," Toothless said. "You're too close to this."
"You're his father!" Cinder shouted incredulously. "You think I'm too close to this?!"
"I'm not about to lose my head and kill someone," the Alpha said quietly.
Cinder deflated. Toothless was right. As usual.
"Don't worry," Toothless said, his expression darkening. "He'll get what's coming to him."
"Toothless? Bud?"
At the sound of Hiccup's voice all of the dragons turned to see the human Chief and his wife running back into the clearing. Toothless warbled in response, and within moments the two humans were coming up next to Shade.
"Oh, Shade." Hiccup said softly as he kneeled next to his daughter's unconscious dragon.
"I think it's just Shade and that one, Hiccup," Astrid said, looking around. "Can we move him?"
Hiccup quickly checked over Shade, and determined that he wasn't in dire condition. Hopefully. "Yes. Alright, Cloudjumper, can you lift him? Take him back to my mother's house, she and Gobber will be waiting." They all got out of the way as the Stormcutter carefully took hold of Shade, and with a few mighty beats of his wings, was airborne. Lightning, Cinder, Storm, and Sahko followed, leaving Hiccup and Astrid with Toothless and the rest of the dragons that had stayed behind.
Hiccup felt strangely touched that his friends' dragons had chosen to remain, even though it was more of a show of support for Toothless than for anyone else. They all seemed agitated and tense, though they responded to his and Astrid's affection. With one hand on Meatlug, he tried to work through their predicament.
There was still a hostile dragon that needed to be taken care of, though thankfully he was unconscious. But for how long? It's not like he will stay put, or even stay calm, once he awakens. Toothless will probably want to deal with him, but until he does, he's a danger to everyone on Berk.
An idea struck him, and he turned to Toothless, who was staring at the unconscious Night Fury with a foreboding expression.
"Toothless, how about we put him in one of the old dragon pens? They're all being used for storage, but we can clear one out and keep him there until you deal with him."
His dragon nodded once, and let out a commanding bark. Hookfang immediately made his way over to the Night Fury, and none too gently grabbed him with his taloned feet, lifting him up and flying off in the direction of the Academy. Toothless barked again, and Barf and Belch, Meatlug, and Stormfly all took off as well, presumably to assist Hookfang in guarding the hostile dragon.
"Okay. Let's get back to the village, so we can send some people to clear out one of the pens and gather some more dragons for guard duty." He hopped onto Toothless, pulling up Astrid behind him, and they left the scorched remains of the boar pen behind. Clouds were rolling in, signaling the end of their respite from the worst of the cold, but Hiccup was strangely glad that the sun would soon be hidden from sight. It was just too damned cheerful for the dark turn the day had taken.
Ash stared out at the rough seas, feeling desolate and lifeless. The beach and ocean beyond were sapped of color by the return of the clouds, and with every wave that broke on the shore, she felt a little more of herself being washed away.
She heard the beating of wings, but was too upset to be properly surprised by who had followed her.
Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, but her friend had never been the most patient of dragons.
"So..."
"So." Ash was too tired to feel awkward, and she met Kiva's eyes with a heavy weariness.
Her friend's expression was cautiously neutral. "You... and Shade."
Ash sighed. "Yeah."
For a moment, neither knew what to say.
"I'm sorry," they both said simultaneously, looking at each other in bewilderment, then laughing helplessly.
"You first," Kiva said.
"Okay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I never meant for it to turn out like this."
Her friend cracked a smile. "It's okay. I never stood a chance. For him, it was always you, I guess." She paused, looking thoughtful, before grinning devilishly. "I expect to hear all about it. And when I say all about it, I mean all the dirty details."
Ash couldn't help but laugh at her friend's expression. "Well, I'll tell you what you want to know, but that's all you're ever gonna get. I've made a huge mess of things," she added sadly, her brief amusement fading.
Kiva came around next to her and placed a comforting wing on her shoulder. "Oh, it's not that bad..." Ash gave her an are-you-serious look, and she laughed. "Okay, it's pretty bad-"
"It's horrible! I almost got him killed! He'll never forgive me," she whispered.
"Never say never," Kiva said firmly, surprising Ash. "He doesn't strike me as the type of dragon to do something for no reason. He wasn't with you because he doesn't care."
"I love him," Ash said softly, wishing fervently that she could see Shade, that she could be by his side when he awoke. But his family would probably never allow it, and it broke her heart realizing she might have lost more than just Shade with her actions. Toothless and Lightning weren't her parents, but they had practically raised her, even risked their lives for her, and how did she repay them? By nearly getting their oldest son brutally murdered in front of their very eyes. Not to mention the fact that she was a significant part of the reason he had left Berk in the first place. Well, when you put it that way... The voice in her head wasn't being particularly forgiving. But she didn't deserve forgiveness. Not now, not ever.
James felt exhaustion gnawing at him. It had been a very long day.
Aeri was asleep, curled up next to him with her head on his shoulder. He'd put his arm around her in a wordless attempt to console her, and she'd finally worn herself out.
It was brutal, seeing her so upset. He'd seen her cry before, but that was generally because Haku was being an asshole. Never had he spent an extended period of time attempting to soothe her after having to physically restrain her. They'd stayed in her family's home for a while, left alone while the rest of them went off and did damage control. He hadn't had a very good idea of what was going on, but he figured it was probably big, since even Sahko had gone off with the other dragons. It wasn't until later, when Valka came to get them, that he had heard the full story of what had gone down in the forest.
Of course, the question still remained as to why Shade had been fighting the other dragon in the first place, but no one seemed to be certain on that point yet, so he figured he'd have to wait to find out. Valka had led them back to her house, which was crowded with dragons and people, but soon they had all cleared out. Even Sahko had left with them, following Shade's family, presumably to get food. It was just him and Aeri with Shade's unconscious body and Cinder, who according to Aeri was Toothless's second-in-command.
For a long time, he'd given her space so that she could be with her dragon, kneeling beside him as she gently stroked his neck. Then Hiccup, Valka, and Gobber had returned, and she'd been forced to move out of the way so that they could finish treating the burns on Shade's hide. Aeri had silently come to sit next to him by the fire, prompting him to put his arm around her even though other people were present. Despite her best efforts, she fell into an uneasy sleep, and because he didn't want to wake her, he left her where she was, curled up against him. Soon, the crackling of the fire and the low murmuring of the others as they worked on Shade had lulled him into weariness as well, and sleep stole over him before he could even begin to resist.
"Nnnngh…" He groaned, a spasm of pain shooting through his entire body. When he opened his eyes, the room spun wildly around. With another groan he squeezed his eyes shut, breathing hard until the spinning stopped.
Cautiously, Shade peered out of one eye, taking in the dim atmosphere. What had happened? His entire being hurt, and there was a persistent ringing in one of his ears. He gazed into the low fire in the center of the room, wondering for a moment if he was in the town hall on Heimme. No, that was destroyed. He was in Valka's house. Then, across the room, a pair of silvery green eyes turned to face him, and his heart sped up as everything came crashing back. Ash. Then… Svar. That slithering, yellow-bellied bastard.
"Ash?" His voice was no more than a croak, but the eyes appeared to frown.
"No," a male voice responded. "Not Ash."
Cinder. "Oh." Shade closed his eyes, fighting off a wave of nausea. He supposed it was for the best that Ash wasn't with him. He didn't have the slightest idea as to what he would say or do. Something stupid like, "Hey, I almost died for you. Am I good enough now?" She'd probably smack him in the face and walk away.
"Shade?" It was Cinder.
"Yyyes?" The word was slurred, indistinct.
"Drink some water." The sound of something scraping along the floor reached him, and Shade glanced up to see Cinder pushing a large bucket in his direction. He tried to sit up, but fell back down, hissing with discomfort.
"Hey, take it easy." Cinder's voice was emotionless, and for the first time Shade wondered if the other male wanted to kill him as much as Svar did. After all, Cinder actually had a legitimate claim on Ash, his sister. Dragons didn't place so much emphasis on virtue as humans did, but for Night Furies, there was something to be said about individuals that only mated with their life partners. And Ash is most definitely not your life partner, the voice in his head helpfully pointed out. She probably never would be.
"I'm… sorry, Cinder," Shade tried to meet the other dragon's gaze, but the room was moving around again, so he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.
"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" The surprise in Cinder's voice was real.
"Ash…"
"Made her own choice. As did Svar. And out of the three of you, I'd say with confidence that you're the last one who should be apologizing."
The dizziness passed, and Shade breathed a sigh of relief. Before he could try to respond, though, Cinder kept talking.
"I was so worried, Shade. When Svar shot that plasma blast at you, we all thought the worst…" he gave a small huff of laughter. "I don't want to be Alpha. So you better not die."
Interesting, Shade thought. "Where is everyone?"
"Your mother is with your siblings, but she'll probably be back soon. Your father is dealing with Svar…" Shade could hear Cinder's distaste. "…and Aeri is asleep, by the fire, with James. She finally wore herself out."
"Was she there?"
"Apparently she was watching from the ridge above. Saw everything."
"Well. I bet that wasn't pretty."
"Cloudjumper carried her kicking and screaming from the cliffside to the Chief's house. You don't remember us talking about this?"
"I wasn't aware that I had been awake."
"Well, you weren't really, but we were all in the pen and when Cloudjumper returned you said, "Damn her." At that point we started hoping that you'd be okay, but you still didn't wake up. Valka and Gobber looked you over and said not to expect you to come to for at least a few days."
"It's been a few days?"
Cinder laughed. "Not even. The whole thing happened this morning, it's night now."
Relief coursed through him. Shade felt that he'd had his fair share of knockout blows, and it was nice to know that this one hadn't cost him as much time as say, battling the Queen.
"What are you thinking?" Cinder asked, and Shade pondered how to answer him. Before he could, though, the front door opened.
"Ah! He's awake." Valka's cheerful voice carried through the space.
"Wha— Aeri, wake up, apparently he's awake." Shade heard James wake his human, until four sets of footsteps were converging on him.
Shade felt soft hands on his neck, then Aeri's face appeared in his vision. She looked like she'd had a rough time of it. Her eyes were red, and her features were tight with worry. "Oh, Shade. I'm so glad you're okay." She sniffled and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm fine, see?" he tried to tell her halfheartedly, but his weak reassurance only seemed to upset her more, because he could feel her begin to tremble before hot tears spilled onto his hide.
Hiccup came around in front of him and crouched down low, reaching out to place a hand on Aeri's shoulder. "Hey, bud," the human Chief said. "You had us worried there. How are you feeling?"
Shade gave him a small shrug. He still couldn't lift his head off the ground, both because he was too weak, and because Aeri was on his neck.
"Your hide is burned, and we're pretty sure you have some manner of head injury, but nothing is broken, and since you're awake now, we can safely assume that you'll pull through." Aeri's father was smiling kindly at him, but Shade found that he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open.
"No, don't go back to sleep. Not tonight. Hang in there, Shade. If you can stay awake until morning, we'll all feel a lot better about your recovery. With head injuries, it's best to avoid sleep initially. I have the utmost faith that if you were to fall asleep now, we could wake you up, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Okay?"
Shade understood, but he didn't have to be happy about it. Unsurprisingly, his head hurt, and he just wanted to sleep off the aching of his body. Hiccup seemed to be waiting for him to agree, so he rolled his eyes and gave a low growl.
"Excellent. You have visitors, so I'll excuse myself and let them keep an eye on you. I'll come by later, though, just to check in." He ran a gentle hand over Shade's jaw before pushing himself back to his feet and disappearing from sight. Behind him, he heard the door open, and icy air blew into the room, serving to stave off his sleepiness and make the flames dance. Cinder was in the corner, watching with a guarded expression, and Valka and James had moved back to sit by the hearth. A few moments later, his younger siblings marched into view, followed by his parents. All wore identical expressions of concern, and despite his overwhelming emotional turmoil, he had to smile. Sahko and Cloudjumper had returned as well, but they joined Cinder instead of approaching him.
"How are you feeling?" his mother asked quietly.
"Like I lost a fight," he tried to joke, but only his father and Storm seemed to find it even remotely amusing.
Soren was staring at him fearfully, prompting him to ask, "What's the matter, Soren?"
"Are you going to die?"
"What? No," he chuckled. "I'll be just fine."
"Is Aeri okay?" Soturi gestured to Aeri, who was still holding onto him, though her breathing had slowed and her arms had relaxed.
"Yeah, she was just worried."
"Why did you have to fight him, Shade?" Skali asked miserably, and immediately his parents intervened.
"He can tell you about that another time, Skali—"
"It was a misunderstanding—"
"No." He frowned at them, his tone taking them all aback. "Yes, there was something of a misunderstanding. But Svar has always had a problem with me, and I with him. It was bound to happen eventually. Regardless of the misunderstanding, he finally took his aggression too far, and I couldn't let him get away with it. Okay? I know it's kind of hard to understand now, but when you're older it will make more sense."
Soturi, Skali, and Soren nodded, but Storm and his parents were watching him with indecipherable expressions. His father glanced at his mother, who spoke up.
"Alright, you three. Let's head home. You can come back to see Shade tomorrow, when he's got more energy. Say goodnight."
"Goodnight, Shade," they chorused, with Skali adding, "We love you."
"I love you too," he responded with a smile, despite the sharp pain that tore through him at the memory of the last time he'd said those words to someone else.
His mother nuzzled his cheek, before leading his youngest siblings out into the night. Then it was just him, his father, and Storm.
"Storm is going to stay with you for a while, to make sure you stay awake. Storm, could we have a moment?"
His sister nodded, making her way over to where Cinder, Cloudjumper, and Sahko lounged against the wall.
Toothless got right to the point. "Svar is being held in the Academy, in one of the old dragon pens. He's well guarded, so even if he could figure out a way to escape, he wouldn't get far. But I'm not concerned about that, because the humans have him sedated, with his wings and jaws tied. It seemed wisest, as he probably wouldn't be particularly submissive if he were fully aware."
Shade just nodded. He found he didn't care as much as he should about Svar. If the vicious male hadn't acquiesced during their fight, Shade probably would have killed him without a second thought. After all, he'd had no trouble killing those Typhoomerangs, or even the Queen. But his anger had subsided, leaving a horrible emptiness that threatened to drive him over the edge in a different way.
"Once you're feeling a bit better, you can decide what you want to do with him."
This was somewhat surprising. His father always made those judgements. He was the Alpha, that's how things were done.
"Why me? Why not you?"
"I'm not the one he tried to kill."
"But since when does that matter? If you let dragons dispense their own justice, there would be chaos."
"Well, you're not just any dragon. If you're going to make these decisions for others someday, you should be able to make them for yourself first."
Shade's eyes widened. Was he talking about…
Toothless gave him a half-smile. "We can have that discussion sometime in the near future, but for now, think about how you want Svar dealt with. I generally advocate mercy, but no one would blame you for finishing what he started. Even I'm tempted to deliver the ultimate punishment for his deceit and disobedience, not to mention his attempt on your life. Correct me if I'm wrong, though, in thinking that you might not be interested in further bloodshed. There are other punishments, some arguably worse than death… Anyways. Think it over, carefully, and when you're ready, let me know what you've decided. I will not question your judgment, or try to persuade you to change your mind." He paused, then continued. "This isn't a test, just so you know. If I wanted to test you, I wouldn't put another's fate on the line just to see how you'd approach it. You've already passed any tests that I could think to give you, and you did that on your own. I'm giving the decision over to you because I trust your judgment, not just in this matter but in all matters."
Shade didn't know what to say. He and his father enjoyed a stable and respectful relationship now, and this was just further proof of how far they'd both come.
"I won't let you down, Dad."
"You won't, Shade. I'm proud of you, for so many reasons, and that will not change. Listen to your heart, and use your head to think about the potential consequences for each possible choice. Who will be affected by your decision? How will this set the standard for future decisions? Ultimately, though, will you be able to live with what you decide? Will you regret being too lenient, or too harsh? Don't feel pressure to act before you're ready, or to act in a way that doesn't seem entirely right to you. You have a good sense for what is right and wrong, though there are many moments in life that challenge our perception of those labels. It's all a learning process, one that we all go through in some way or another from the day we hatch to the day our wings and fire fail us. I'm just sorry that you had to learn the things you have in the way you did. I failed you then. I don't want to fail you now. I'll say it again; I couldn't be prouder of you. While I might not have fully understood at first, I'm beginning to grasp why events played out as they did. I don't blame you or judge you, because you've proven your honor both in this situation and in the past. I wish I could help you through this, but this is unfortunately a circumstance in which you must rely on your own strength. It's your heart, and your future."
His father stood, stretching his back. "I don't say it often enough, but I love you, son. Your mother and I are always here for you, whenever you might need us."
"I love you too, Dad."
With one last smile, Toothless padded over to his second-in-command, murmuring something in his ear. Immediately Cinder stood, nodding in farewell to Sahko and Storm, before heading out. Shade wondered where he was going, then decided he didn't want to know. His father was telling his sister that he'd be back later, then he, too, took his leave.
Shade watched his sister with Sahko. Theirs was an interesting relationship, to be sure. Sahko was not a sociable dragon by any stretch of the imagination, but somehow Storm had gotten through to him. Neither of them ever spoke about the other, but Shade knew that they had grown close, closer than anyone else would assume by just looking at them. He wasn't sure how old the Skrill was, definitely older than him, but it was nearly impossible to tell for certain. Sahko acted like a grumpy old codger, but physically he was fit and agile. He also had a number of scars, some of which could be identified as the work of another dragon. The only thing that really meant was that he had some fighting experience. It could signify that he was older, but there were plenty of young dragons that had received similar wounds. Either way, it was still perplexing to see them together. Shade was familiar enough with Sahko, and knew his sister well enough to be able to say confidently that neither were the type to get particularly friendly with other dragons. To an outsider, their interactions would seem strictly cordial, and entirely normal, but Shade knew that there was more going on. Was it romantic? It would hardly be the first time two different types of dragons found that sort of companionship with one another, though that would never result in offspring. The thought probably should have disturbed him, but he realized that Storm was old enough to make her own decisions, and she could do worse than Sahko, if that was her prerogative. It truly didn't matter what kind of relationship they had, so long as it was mutually respectful and fulfilling.
Storm got up and made her way over to where he lay, and he didn't fail to notice Sahko's gaze following her movement, until the Skrill saw that he was watching, and promptly laid his head down and closed his eyes.
She sat down close to him, and wasted no time in speaking her mind.
"Why didn't you kill him?"
The question didn't surprise him, but he really didn't have an answer for her, at least, not one that would be satisfactory. "I didn't see the point."
"Well, it would have spared you a fair bit of pain, and prevented the entire dragon population of Berk from collectively losing the ability to behave rationally and calmly."
"How was I supposed to know that he'd be a sore loser?"
She snorted quietly. "Please. He's always been a prideful worm. And you took from him the thing he's been after for so long. Somehow he didn't see that coming, which is crazy, but then again, he's a little crazy, too."
"How is that crazy?"
"Are you really asking that? Anyone with half a brain could have foreseen this."
"And yet, only you seem unsurprised."
She rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I'm the only one with half a brain around here."
"I feel that some might take offense at that."
"Well, they can kiss my—"
"Storm," he chided, and she sighed.
"I'm sorry. I just think that out of all the ways your and Ash's inevitable mating could have gone, this is probably the stupidest."
It hurt to hear her name, but he tried to shake it off. "Inevitable mating? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Like I said. Again, anyone with half a brain could have figured out that you're in love, and that it's developed over your years of close friendship. Even though she wasn't on the same page as you before you left, she pretty quickly caught up once you came back. Who could get in the way of that? Svar and Kiva? They're probably the dumbest Night Furies I've ever met, and the most misguided. No, the issue isn't that there were other dragons involved. The issue is that you and Ash both made stupid mistakes that contributed to the situation you're in now."
"Please, enlighten me to my own stupidity," he said drily.
"She should have told you about Svar, and you should have made more of an effort to properly court her. Instead, you both shuffled around it with your eyes closed, offering each other random clues as to how to find each other without knowing where you were in the first place."
He sighed. "Storm, I think I've been attacked enough for one day."
"I'm not attacking you. Okay, maybe I'm being a little aggressive, but can you blame me? This has been going on for ages. And here is yet another obstacle on your path to happiness."
"It's not an obstacle," he said, irritated. "It's the conclusion."
His sister snorted again. "Who says?"
"You're crazy if you think that something comes after this."
"Did we not just establish that I'm the only one with half a brain around here? Why is that so crazy to you?"
He just stared at her for a moment. "I almost died today, in case you forgot. And it was a direct result of her choice to hide the truth from me. All she had to do was tell me that Svar had finally voiced his intentions to have her as his mate, and then tell him to fly off the edge of the world. What's so difficult about that?"
"How well do you think he would have taken it if she'd told him to go mate with himself?"
"He would have accepted her refusal, or he would have had to deal with me."
"Please. He had no problem dealing with you today, even though he was hopelessly outmatched. Could you have put the fear of the Alpha in him with any number of intimidation tactics? Probably, but he'd still hate your guts and want you dead. Maybe it seems like this could have been prevented, but really, it would have happened either way. Instead of feeling like you were lied to, maybe consider that Ash really hadn't taken Svar seriously enough to think that she needed to bother you with it."
His irritation was threatening to escalate into something far darker. "See, that's what she tried to tell me. That she didn't think he was serious. How could she not think he was serious? He's been after her for years—"
"But what about her has he been after? He's a pompous ass, Shade. Far too arrogant and conceited for his own good. He doesn't love her, he just wants to possess her. She knows that, and that's why she didn't treat his intentions with more sincerity. Her feelings for you are real and based on more than just wanting to have you. That's far more serious, in my opinion."
"But—"
"You haven't heard him talk about her, Shade. You think you know what you're upset about, but you have no idea. He's a selfish creep. I've had to restrain myself so many times from calling him on his disrespect and teaching him a lesson… But Ash saw Kiva as a bigger problem than Svar. Maybe that was a mistake. If she'd asked me, I could have reassured her that you had no interest in any other females. But she didn't. Instead, she spent all her time terrified that Kiva was going to make her move and you wouldn't resist."
"That's ridiculous," he scowled. "How could she think that?"
"Because she knows that she's hurt you before. Kiva hasn't. And when you got back, you certainly weren't showing any signs that you'd forgiven or forgotten. You're very hard to read, Shade, unless you're angry. No one has any trouble figuring that out."
"She knows me better than anyone else besides you and Mom and Dad. I've made it perfectly clear that the past is the past. She knows that, and she knows that I love her." Suddenly, his anger was gone, replaced by a bitter sadness. "Not that it matters anymore."
"Of course it matters, Shade," Storm said gently. "I don't know for sure what went down after Erik's graduation, but I do know that Kiva pulled you away from our siblings and led you into the forest. I know that Ash showed up not long after, panicked, and Soturi sent her after you to try and stop what was going to happen. I don't know if she interfered, or if she was too late, but either way, you ended up with her instead of Kiva that night. I'd be willing to bet that she didn't anticipate that, and that she wasn't sure of your feelings until then. Sure, some unpleasantness went down. But that doesn't change the fact that you chose each other, and that you are in love. Who says this is the end? I'm pretty sure Dad didn't expressly forbid it, and Cinder didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest, so who else is there? Kiva's not an issue and soon, Svar won't be either. I know you're hurt and upset with her, but you shouldn't give up."
Shade didn't know what to think. He loved Ash, obviously, and that hadn't changed, but he didn't think he could get up and face her just yet. His chest hurt, and he knew it wasn't because of his fight with Svar. The emotions he had done away with for so long were now eating away at him, tearing him to pieces every time he thought of her.
She would have been my mate. Finally, she would have been mine, and I hers, and we could have been happy together. If what Storm was saying was true, which he hesitantly acknowledged that it might be, the future that he had envisioned for himself and Ash had not been entirely eradicated.
Perhaps there was still hope for them. But the trust they had shared would not recover in a day. As stupid as it was, his pride was wounded. He couldn't help second-guessing his worth, wondering if she truly saw him as he saw her. As his best friend, his life partner, his first and only love.
Baby steps. I've got to recuperate first, then deal with Svar. Then I can try to fix things between us.
Storm had watched his rapidly shifting emotions play out across his face, hoping that he would see reason. So when he offered her a small, crooked smile, his eyes shining with trepidation and hope, she nearly jumped for joy.
Everything was going to be okay.
Everything is going to work out. Right? RIGHT?! ;) I'm sure something will come along to make things a little less simple, not that things aren't already extremely complicated.
Next week, there'll be some more stuff (surprise!) and an appearance by a familiar canonical friend.
Reminders: Review (because it makes my life 100000000000000x better), remember the lemon-that-might-exist-but-I-won't-say-for-sure, and stay tuned for next week's update. You're the best! :)