Night Furies: the Next Generation Chapter 13

A/N

To the guest reviewer known only as "Z" who sent me the charming review of "The Courtship of Toothless," chapter 14, informing me that the dragons did an aileron roll and not a barrel roll: I humbly point out that (1) I am quite familiar with both kinds of rolls, and a lot of other aerial maneuvers as well; (2) a barrel roll is exactly what the dragons did at that point in the story; and (3) dragons don't have ailerons. Aside from that, I hope you're enjoying the story.

o

It took no time at all to set up a school for new Night Furies. Surprisingly, Newest-boy turned out to be the best teacher. Thanks to his father's instruction, he knew as much about being a Night Fury as the dragon twins who were a year older than him; and thanks to his father's example, he had a remarkable patience with the newly-transformed dragons that made learning from him a pleasure. The three former Asian dragons were already familiar with the sensation of being in the air; they just had to learn how to use their wings and tails, and to rein in their boundless enthusiasm at being able to fly again. They actually had more trouble learning to glide than learning to fly, because they had never glided before. They all took their first flights before the sun went down that day.

Off to the side, Bang and Smallest-girl were taking part in an impromptu cultural exchange. They were explaining their history and culture to Pan-long, Chi-long, and Tao-tie, and learning about the ancient Asian dragon culture in return. The three Grounded were trying to balance their traditional desire to be calm and serene with their excitement at finding dragons who would willingly talk to them without reserve. Smallest-girl was striving mightily to rein in her own enthusiasm and act like an adult in front of the other adults. Bang watched her and tried not to smile.

In a more remote section of the shoreline, Six, Agmundr, and Agnarr sat together, mostly in silence. All three of them were in shock at what had happened. They were all natural problem-solvers, each in his or her own way, and all of them were completely at a loss over how to deal with this.

"I wish Mom was here," Six said quietly. "She could help you get through this. She would understand how you feel." Agmundr nodded mutely.

A minute later, Agnarr said, "Gobber isn't going to like it when we tell him the Night Furies have taken another apprentice away from him." Six almost smiled at that.

After a few more minutes, Agmundr said, "I feel like I am still 'me' on inside, but how could I be sure? If my thinking has changed, there is no way I could recognize that from inside me."

"It's still you in there," Agnarr replied, with the barest trace of a smile. "Nobody but you can think in circles like that."

The next day, thirty-three Asian dragons returned to Fu-cang-long. They flew through the air the way snakes move on the ground – gracefully, sinuously, every body part in continuous motion. Some weaved from side to side, some went up and down, and a few spiraled through the sky like corkscrews. They presented a picture of complete serenity... which was shattered the moment they cleared the lip of the crater. When they had set out on their fishing expedition, they had left six Grounded behind. They came home to three Grounded, eight Night Furies, and a sick human. The fact that some of their cliffs had turned into a flying school for excited young Night Furies didn't help.

They asked the remaining Grounded what had happened; their story seemed impossible. They asked the strange dragons from the west, and their tales seemed even more unlikely. They finally resorted to sharing TrueSight (or "feeling eye to eye," as they called it) with each of the dragons in turn. At last, they understood and believed.

"Do you all intend to return to this place, what is its name... Berk?" the chief of the nest asked the juveniles. Tian-long had seen and heard many things in his long life, but nothing had prepared him for the earthquake that had descended on Fu-cang-long in his absence.

"That is where Night Furies belong," Chi-wen answered respectfully. "If we stay here, we will still be numbered among the Grounded because our chi is gone, even though we can fly. We have no place here."

Pu-lao added, "The western dragons tell us that, in Berk, dragons like us are honored and loved above all other dragons. There are unlimited fish to eat and many exciting places to visit. We can even befriend the humans if we wish."

"And," Bi-xi added shyly, "because there are more Night Furies there... it will be to our advantage when we wish to take a mate. We could never do that here."

Tian-long nodded. "Our realm has little to offer you, in comparison with these wonders. You may go. But do not forget the wisdom you have learned here, for I suspect that learning it again there will be a much more painful process."

"You've spoken the truth," Bang nodded. "Berk holds many delights for dragons, but it is a harsh place for the foolish. May I ask when you might be willing to heal my human friend?"

"Now would be a good time. Please bring him," Tian-long said. Agnarr stumbled forward, leaning on Smallest-girl to keep from falling over. His skin was getting blotchy like Agmundr's had done; his illness was beginning to accelerate. He hesitated as he approached Tian-long, who was the biggest dragon he had ever seen, by a considerable margin.

"You do not wish to become a Night Fury like the others?" the chief asked. Bang served as interpreter between the two, translating Tian-long's dragon speech into Forge and Agnarr's Norse into dragon.

"My brother will learn to thrive in his new form," Agnarr said. "He's a thinker, a dreamer, and he can still be himself in spite of these changes. I can't say that about myself. I'm an inventor, a tinkerer, a fixer of things that are broken; if I couldn't work with my hands, I would fear for my own sanity. I can't become a dragon."

"So be it," Tian-long answered. "You must understand that I cannot simply remove your sickness from you; it has progressed too far. All I can do is transform the dragon's venom into some other aspect of dragonhood in you. Your healing will be complete, but I must warn you – we have healed others in this way, and most have come to regret it."

"I don't understand," Agnarr said. "Why would an aspect of dragonhood be a bad thing?"

"Most humans in your position ask for a dragon's wings," the chief replied. "They do not understand that, without a tail and some special muscles, wings are useless. Others choose fiery breath. This only makes them feared among their own kind. All such requests bring little benefit, and they will mark you among humans as 'different' in an unpleasant way."

"I would have no use for wings or fiery breath," Agnarr said firmly. "And I've always been different. There's only one aspect of dragonhood that I want anyway. I choose... long life."

The chief dragon shook his huge head. "That might be the most unwise request of all. You will bury your children, and your grandchildren, and your descendants to the twentieth generation, before your own life finally ends. You will take a mate, and in thirty short years, you will say an eternal goodbye to her. You will take another, and be forced to say goodbye to her as well. Your life will be one of sadness and mourning as you outlive everyone you have ever loved."

Agnarr forced himself to look the dragon in the eye. "With respect, sir, that isn't true. There are two whom I love but won't outlive – Night-fury-makes-one-heck-of-a-bang, and my brother. Maybe I'll add Night-fury-smallest-girl to that short list. If I have those friends beside me, I can endure anything else that happens. Without those three, nothing else matters. I choose long life."

"Very well." He glanced at Smallest-girl. "Step back, little one." She did so. Agnarr struggled to stay on his feet. Tian-long closed his eyes and seemed to go into a trance for a few seconds.

Then a cloudy mass of light surrounded the slender human. It rippled with pale colors, like a huge soap bubble filled with smoke. It swirled around him for the time it took Agnarr to draw three breaths; then it was gone. That was all.

Agnarr stood straight and drew in a deep breath. There were no more black blotches on his skin. He looked at himself in wonder, and felt for the place where his leg wound had been. "The pain... is gone!" he exclaimed. "Thank you, sir. Thank you!"

"We do not intervene in the lives of every sick human," Tian-long smiled, "but all the dragons speak well of you, and that is why we have given you these gifts." He smiled a huge, toothy dragon smile. "Always remember, Agnarr – the key to understanding is clear communication. Surrounded by dragons as you are, I think you will soon learn some interesting lessons in this. Enjoy your long life, and may you never regret the choice you made today."

"Even if I do, I think it will be worth it," he replied. "Again, thank you." He turned, saw Bang standing about twenty feet away, and ran to him, throwing his arms around the thick black neck. "I'm all better, Bang! All better! It's like it never even happened."

"I am happy for you, my life-long friend."