This is Part III of the My Gift To You Brithday Special. Last time, Brainiac finally decided its time to make his move after analyzing the data from the past few years. Though he's about to get another variable to compute, as soon Black Diamond arrived in this universe, hunting Vermillion. But, more on him later. Today, I'm doing another thing I haven't done in a while. We're taking this back to the present. What exactly are we going to see in the modern day? Read on to discover... (Fair warning, this chapter may be a little shorter than usual. There just wasn't much text necessary to get my point across)

(Our story resumes not where we left it, but instead back in the present day, where Dracia is reading over her mother's journal. It is now four days until she takes over the Neutral Interdimensional Legionnaires. But as she reads the journal, Dracia lets out a yawn, as her mother, Blaze walks in)

Blaze: Getting a bit tired, eh?

Dracia: (Looks at the stars out her window to get the time) I probably should get some sleep. But your story's been too good to put down.

Blaze: How far into it are you?

Dracia: Just about into the fifth year.

Blaze: Then you're just about at the climax of everything. From here, things really started going down.

Dracia: Please, don't spoil it for me.

(Dracia hasn't even said anything, but Blaze picks up on something in her voice, in her mannerisms. Something's up with her daughter. Call it a mother's intuition or whatever you like.)

Blaze: Dracia, what's wrong?

Dracia: (A little caught off guard that she noticed) Nothing...

Blaze: Dracia, your father and I taught you a lot over the years, but we never taught you to lie.

Dracia: (Rolls her eyes) So that's why I'm so bad at it.

Blaze: It was true with Thanos, and it's true with you too.

Dracia: How the heck did we end up on good terms with the Mad Titan anyhow?

Blaze: I guess Eternal gave him a change of heart. He almost joined the NIL, but opted to return to his farm instead.

Dracia: Honestly, not sure how to feel about that.

Blaze: But enough about an old ally, what's going on with you?

Dracia: It's Sulfur...

Blaze: Isn't your relationship going incredibly well?

Dracia: It's not our relationship. It's... it's probably just me, but...

Blaze: (Laying down next to her daughter, throwing a comforting wing over her) You don't want him worrying about you while you're apart?

Dracia: Exactly. (Brushing a tear from her eyes) How'd you do it?

Blaze: Do what?

Dracia: How'd you keep up hope during the war? Considering it would be another five or six years at this point until Dad got restored, what kept you from losing hope in ever seeing him again?

(Blaze can only respond with a chuckle, as she starts turning back pages of the journal)

Blaze: Fitting that you're at the point you're at in my journal. Because it holds the answer.

(Now we see the page Blaze is heading towards, the list from Dick Grayson)

Blaze: This list. That's what did it. Knowing that if we could find out what these items were, and if we got them together in the right place at the right time, we'd be able to pull Dragnarok out of the darkness that consumed him. Seeing for the first time since I'd lost him that there was a way to bring him back, that's what did it. I know you're worried about seeing Sulfur again. And I know he's worried about you too, he always has been. But I will tell you this, so long as you keep that hope in your heart, you two will never be parted.

(Dracia wipes a tear from her eye at her mother's words)

Blaze: Don't you ever forget it.

Dracia: That was honestly beautiful. Thanks, Mom. You've put my mind at... pretty relative ease.

Blaze: Yeah, the worry will always be there, that's beyond doubt. But so long as there is hope, and love, everything will work out. (Kisses her forehead) Now get some rest. Year Five can wait until morning.

(With that, Blaze leaves her daughter's quarters, and once she leaves, Dracia bookmarks her page and soon drifts off to sleep, as our tale ends for today)

This concludes Part III of the My Gift To You Birthday Special. For the Finale, head on over to Ashes of Midnight. Admittedly a shorter chapter for the special, just a bonding moment between mother and daughter. I really don't think there's much else left to say for this one. I'll just let it speak for itself. Though I will give this note, we're not done in the present day yet. What do I mean by that? Tune in next time to for sure find out! Same time... same channel!