Chapter Eleven:
Disagreement
After Magnificent finished his speech, Chomper stood with group of friends he made that day. There was the swimmer, Damper, the male three-horn, Horner and the flier, Glider. Saying goodbye to his new friends, Chomper couldn't keep himself from smiling, humming a merry tune as he went to find Ruby. She was back at their nesting spot, pacing back and forth, Chomper knowing something was bothering her.
"Ruby, you, okay?"
"Magnificent asked me to join him and the others on patrol tomorrow."
"That's great! Several said they wanted to join, but only a few get chosen to join his patrol. You must be so excited!" Chomper went to give her a congratulations hug, only to notice her expression was anything but happy.
"If only I were excited, for I am anything but excited." Ruby responded with a bit of concern.
"What do you mean?" Chomper took her hand and looked at her worried face. "Magnificent is a great leader, is doing what he can to keep all of Sanctuary safe."
"Yeah, but everyone seems a bit on edge."
"What? No, everyone here is happy. I talked to so many who were grateful to have a place like this. I mean, let's face it, not once since we've been here, has there been any sighting of a sharptooth. Can't even say that for the Great Valley. I couldn't count the times sharpteeth invaded the supposed impenetrable Great Walls."
"Yes but, if someone doesn't agree with him, he'll banish them. What sort of leader does that?"
"The Great Valley members banished Pterano."
"Yes, but Pterano led a group to their death and flew off. He wasn't a good leader and deserved to be excluded. And what's even stranger, what's odder, is they don't even believe in the Great Valley. It's like they're scared to ask questions, scared of something bad happening to them. It's like Magnificent has some hold, some power over them."
"Yeah, but all leaders do. And so, what if they don't believe in the Great Valley. If I grew up here, I wouldn't believe in it either."
Ruby arched a brow. "Chomper, you're starting to sound like the herd of the Sanctuary, acting like the Sanctuary herd you're behaving."
"What's wrong with that. This is a wonderful place, and I was thinking, what if we move here- "
"-We, as in all of us?"
"Yeah, bring our whole family here. They'd be safe from the sharpteeth who might threaten to kill them."
"Chomper, it'll never work."
Chomper smiled brightly and took Ruby's hands. "It will Ruby, now that I'm able to blend in, we can have all we ever wanted. A place where we don't live in fear, where we can watch our children grow. We can grow old together here. Isn't that what you want too?"
Ruby shook her head and stood back, drawing her hands from his grasp. "No, no, we can't stay here, Chomper."
His bright smile fell. "Why not?"
"Well, your parents wouldn't be able to just drop in. Screech and Thud wouldn't be allowed in. Fang would not be welcomed. Magnificent hates sharpteeth, unless you haven't noticed?"
"Yeah, but he's magnificent, I'm sure he can be reasoned with. You could talk to him, you're better at negotiating than I am."
"That's the thing there is no negotiating with him, negotiating with him is out of the question. It's Magnificent's way or the pathway."
"I-I thought you'd do anything to keep our family safe?"
"Yes, that is what I'm doing, unlike you!" Ruby shouted. "You're so caught up with how nice it is. 'Oh, it's safe here, of Magnificent is so cool.' How can you be so blind that you don't see what is right in front of you, what's right before you? Chomper, wake up, this is all an illusion, a dream, and nothing more. We're only staying here temporarily, that's all."
"Dreams can come true. You and I are together, that was my first dream. We are now a family, that was my second dream. We're married and an official mated pair, that was third dream." Chomper said softly. "I thought this was what you wanted, that I was what you wanted. I'm this way for you in some way."
"That's the thing, Chomper, I never asked you to change, to change who you are. I chose you, choosing you was the best thing I ever did. I grew in love with you, Chomper, the friendly sharptooth, not whoever this is."
"So, you don't love me like this?" Chomper gestured toward himself.
"I didn't mean it like that. It's just you're so caught up in how great this place is. But it's not perfect, there is no such thing as the perfect or safest place, the perfect place doesn't exist. Chomper, if it's too good to be true, it most likely isn't true!"
"Maybe not true for you, but it's real to me. Besides, I've made new friends, who insist we stay here. They like me, listen to me, don't ignore me."
"If they were really your friends, you wouldn't have to ware that fastrunner mask around them. They would accept you as you are, as the sharptooth you were hatched as."
"Yeah, maybe..." Chomper trailed off, feeling his eyes well with tears. "Maybe you're just jealous."
"Chomper, no, never."
"Yes, you are. Because for one in our lives, I'm accepted, welcomed among the herd, not the outcast. It bugs you, to be viewed as the weird one between us, to be seen as less then. Believe me, I know better than anyone exactly what it's like to be ostracized by all around you. And to be powerless to stop or change their opinion of you. We're safe here, you don't need to fight or be a warrior."
"I am proud of who I am and will not hide behind a mask to receive validation from strangers. Your sky-being mother trained and made me the warrior I've become; I have no shame in it and wished you didn't either."
"That's the thing Ruby, I've never been ashamed of you, ever!" Chomper took a shaky breath. "I feel no shame in standing back to let you shine like the star you. Like the star I've always seen you as. You were the light in the dark, the beacon that guided my weary soul. But now, you're shooting in a direction I don't know if I can follow."
"So, if I chose to go back to the island you will stay here?"
"If I do?"
"You'll be letting your family down. Not to mention the sharpteeth you rule over."
Chomper scoffed. "That's a joke, they will never see me as their leader, as their Alpha. All the sharpteeth ever did, was laugh at me, mock me, hated me for befriending leafeaters. I realize now, each Alpha had a darkness they couldn't escape. Red Claw knew I would kill him and became lost in his desire to change his fate. Stephany, could not kill enough, could not fill the void in her empty heart. And me, the Alpha, who never wanted to be Alpha, for he knew he could never live up to any of those who came before him."
"You can change that, don't forget what we came out here for. Innocents are being killed…"
"It won't change their minds, won't make a difference, Ruby."
"You don't know that if you don't try."
"Maybe you should be Alpha."
Ruby stood back and looked him over. "What's happened to you, Chomper. Since we've got here, you've changed. You lost something."
"Everyone changes Ruby. And if you want to be Alpha over the sharpteeth, take it, I never ever wanted that title to begin with. You'd be doing me a favor, a huge favor."
"So, that's it? You're going to give up and stay here? What happens when they learn you can't produce young, begin to question you?"
"You think I'd ever want to be with another besides you?" Ruby froze. "Ruby, I will be true to you, even if we're apart. I love you, but right now, I need some space."
"Chomper?"
He walked away, leaving Ruby alone. Sniffing, Chomper wiped his tear-filled eyes. He couldn't understand Ruby, didn't know why she was so ill at ease in a such a wonderful place. She was among her own kind; he was able to be among them without causing any hard feelings. For once in their lives, he thought they could be happy, could have all they ever dreamed of. It seemed for a moment, Chomper had all he wanted, only for it to slip through his clawed fingers. Why was it ever time he thought he was close to having it all, something took it away. He found himself sitting by a pound, seeing his reflections, though the image wasn't who really, truly was. As usual, Ruby was right. He would never belong in the beautiful Sanctuary, no matter where he went, he would never belong. Shutting his eyes, he focused to seek advice from those he knew would be able to help him. As the day became night, Chomper found himself teleported to the space between worlds. It was there, he saw the, his sky-being parents.
"Son, it's been a while, is all well?" Nancy asked, walking over to hug him.
Chomper shook his head and leaned into. "No, no, all is not well."
"What happened, are the grandchildren all right?" Johnathan asked with worry.
"Yes, but I think Ruby doesn't love anymore?" Chomper admitted. "I thought if we were the same species and we found a peaceful place, we'd leave the dangerous life behind us for good."
"Oh, I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Ruby loves you more than you could ever imagine. You must remember, Ruby, is a little older than you, and has seen things in her life that perhaps you did not. She is moved by her deep primitive instinct, while you rely on your feelings to make decisions." Nancy brushed Chomper's cheek to wipe the tears away. "During our time together, I learned Ruby is very smart and wants nothing more than to be able to protect the family she built with you. I doubt she'd throw it all away over an argument."
"Besides, all couples have disagreements. But if the love is true and strong, it'll make it." Johnathan added. "Your mother and I had fights. But we always made up, came back to each other."
"So, what do I do? I want to stay in the Sanctuary, but Ruby doesn't trust Magnificent."
"Well, the only way to know for sure, is to ask questions for yourself and get to know him. Till, then, maybe trust in Ruby instincts, she may see something you're overlooking."
"But what if she's wrong and Magnificent is harmless."
"Well, don't forget Chomper, all great answers start with great questions." Johnathan said warmly. "It's how we achieved greatness on our home world."
Chomper gave a nod, knowing giving up wasn't the way to a good relationship. The three hugged and Chomper leaned into them, feeling he wasn't alone, as though somehow, his other parents were there too.
