Not having the book, Bastian finally managed to print out the information he's been meaning to print, only to get to school and it meaning nothing to Lucas and Marley. They've also decided to do the project themselves due to his lack of engagement.
Meanwhile Michael is walking through the town line, usually where most around the area walk through to get places. He came to a stop at a shop window when he saw the first edition of "The Moonchild Trilogy," "The Gift of the Name." It was Illustrated by none other than Laura Bux, or Laura Mackenzie as she changed it after the divorce. He had a few minutes to spare before work, so he went inside.
"It's for my son." Michael comments as he is about to check out the book. "A real collector's item. It won't come cheap." The man says. "Actually I was married to the artist who did the illustrations." Michael states. "Laura McKenzie? Oh it was a sad day for the world of imagination when she crossed on.." Michael nods silently as Coriander starts to ring it up for him.
Coriander then points to a book behind Michael. "Find a look at that there, he might find that interesting." Coriander suggests. Michael picks up the book of flying machine designs. "He's going a project on those, this is perfect. How did you know?" Michael asks. "Oh just a hunch, I'll wrap it up for you." Coriander gestures. As the man puts the two books into a bag, he secretly slides "The Neverending Story" in as well, knowing that Bastian will get it, and Fantasian time will be working again like nothing happened, like it never stopped.
Michele makes his way back home, however he came in the door to foam bubbles all through the kitchen floor. "Bastian!" Michael calls out as he falls. Bastian then comes in with a mop, frantically trying to clean the mess. "Dad! It was an accident!" He says as starts mopping. "I don't know where your mind is at these days." Michael says as he puts the bag on the counter and starts walking out of the kitchen. "There, those are for you." He says before heading upstairs to change.
Bastian then curiously peaks in the bag and pulls out the first book, which was the one Laura illustrated. He examined it in awe of his mother's art. "This is so good.." He says as he puts that one down and looks at the one of Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machine designs. He then takes a look at the last book in the bag, causing him to frown at the same book he wanted to get rid of. The book he wanted to get rid of.
"Dad!" He calls out as he runs to the stairs. "What have you done now Bastian?" Michael asks tiredly. "Where did you get those books..?" He asks. "This little store near the bridge." Michael responds. "Corianders Curiosities?" Bastian Validates. "Yeah that's right. How did you know?"Michael responds. "Well, I walk by there, why'd you get this one?" Bastian asks.
"I didn't." Michael says. "Well it was in the bag." Bastian states. "The bookseller must've given it to me by accident." Michael assures. Bastian looks down for a minute and back up at Michael. "You said there was no such thing as accidents, dad." Michael realizes he's right. He does say that a lot, but instead of saying anything he just goes back upstairs.
Later that night, Bastian attempts to go back to sleep, but a bright light shines up ahead. It was none other than the Neverending Story. He hesitantly walks over to his desk and picks it up, knowing that it wasn't an "accident" that he got this book back. He knew very well Coriander put it in that bag purposely.
Little did he know he couldn't get rid of it, he knew that his actions would cause Fantasia's people to suffer, even if they didn't know time had froze. Bastian slowly opened the book to where he had left off. "Not this again.." He mumbles to himself as he rereads the same scene again, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He shuts the book again.
Before school the next day Bastian stops by the book store again and marches over to the ring-up table. "Bastian?" Mr C asks as he turns around and watches Bastian slam the book onto the counter. "You said I didn't have to read it if I didn't want to." Bastian asserts. "I told you there would be consequences." Coriander states. "What do you mean?" Bastian asks. "When you quit reading the Neverending Story, you doomed the inhabitants of Fantasia to be forever stuck at the point where you stopped."
"But Atreyu had to finish his quest!" Bastian exclaims. "And he never will if don't keep readin." Coriander explains. "How can that be true? In a regular book you can just skip over the bad parts and you still get to the end." Bastian argues. "If it's a regular book you want, take your pick, but you chose the Neverending Story, and like Atreyu, you're on a quest. And you can't just quit when the going gets tough." Coriander explains. Bastian then nods in understanding and picks up the book again hesitantly. "Thank you.."
As Bastian heads off to school. Conner and Fallon are trying stupid things to make a complete project for the science fair. For example, Conner is in the parking lot requesting a tooth from the lower classman. Of course, they have no luck. Since Marley and Lucas cut Bastian out of their project, Bastian has been finding ways to avoid them all day. At the end of the day, Bastian goes up to the school attic and starts reading where he left off, but this time he wasn't backing down.
He reads as Atreyu cried and bade farewell to his horse. Atreyu continued his journey on foot. He heard a familiar sound overhead, he looks up and sees what he and all the Fantasians believed was the luck dragon. He watched in amazement before watching it crash into a heavily snowed in hill. He hears shoveling as he walks closer, passing an abandoned ship buried in as well. "Hey watch it!" He exclaims as the snow the girl was shoveling starts to fling in his direction.
She just scoffs and walks around the machine. "So I'll just assume you're useless and have to do it all by myself?" She asks sarcastically. "I'd like to help, but I'm looking for the luckdragon." Atreyu states. "Ditto." The girl replies. "So what is this?" Atreyu asks. "It's a long story, but right now I'm pressed for time." Atreyu looked back at the dragon-like machinery. "You know, when I saw this thing flying I thought it was the luckdragon." The girl looks around and stops shoveling. "You hear that nasty hissing sound?"
"Yeah what is that?" Atreyu asks as it gets louder. "You afraid of snakes?" Fly girl asks. "No more than the next guy." He says. Soon enough a snow snake jumps from the ground. The fly girl grabs a second shovel from inside the machine and hands it to Atreyu as they start to shovel the machine out together.
In the real world, Bastian is coincidently examining a book on the same "snow snakes" as he starts his first ever working shift helping Coriander around the shop. Of course, he's skipping school, but everyone was too focused on their science projects to care. "You know, you were right." Bastian says. "Of course I'm right, you think I don't know how to set up a book by now?" Coriander asks as he finishes displaying the last one in the window.
"No, I meant about the neverending story. Once I got past the sad parts, cool stuff started to happen." He explains. "Well, sometimes you have to get through things to get to the other side." Coriander notions. "…or else, you'll be frozen forever." Bastian notions as well, finding the sentence. "Wise words Bastian Bux." Bastian looks up at him proudly as he sees his the impressed look in his eyes. "I read it in a book." Bastian implies.
"I met a man the other day, who seemed a bit left out in the cold. He meant to buy a book for his son." Coriander informs. Bastian looks down, a little more sadly as he knows exactly who he's taking about. "My dad. Yeah um, I guess he's having a hard time. Everything's changed since fast…for the both of us.." He says sadly. "Well, you both have a lot to talk about." Coriander says before changing the subject. "Perfecto! Now all we have to do, is wait for the crowds of herpetologists to come slithering in!" He exclaims. Bastian laughs and holds up a plastic crocodile. "I wouldn't count on it."