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Chapter Text

"Dragon attack!"

Wakko bolted upright when he heard the cry of alarm, and ran to his window, his heart pounding. Outside, people were running to and fro, carrying buckets of water to put out the small fires that sprang up wherever a dragon attacked. He could even see Scratchy amongst the chaos, exhorting the townspeople to keep the fires from spreading. 

"Wakko? What's going on?"

He turned from the window to see Dot sitting up in bed, biting her lip. He ran over to her and took her hand. "'Nother dragon attack,"  he said, trying to sound reassuring. "But everyone's doin' their bit to stop the fires from spreadin'."

"I'm scared," Dot said in a small voice. "Why do they keep attacking every night?"

Wakko shivered. He had vague memories of fire and screams, and people running everywhere, and he bit his lip hard. He had to be brave for his sister; they were all the other had. "Dunno," he admitted. "But I've had enough of this!"

"Wakko, wait!" Dot cried, but he ignored her and ran out of the room, already summoning a giant slingshot. Outside, the townspeople were now using weapons of their own to repel the dragons, who dodged with enviable ease. Wakko weaved a steady path in and out, ignoring the shouts which followed. Some people even tried to grab him, but he managed to avoid their grasping hands, until he finally reached a small hill overlooking the town. 

He already knew the ringleader dragon by name, if not by sight. Black as night, it had a fire which was small and explosive, rather than the devastating flames most other dragons used. The only warning one had was a high-pitched whine, before one of those bright blue bolts struck their target. No one could put a name to the creature, for no one could ever remember seeing one before, and that alone suggested how dangerous it was. 

But Wakko wasn't scared. He was, on the contrary, getting sick and tired of having his hometown attacked every night. It wasn't as if the townspeople had anything that valuable. The dragons seemed to be causing this destruction for the fun of it, and Wakko had had it up to his eyeballs. He knew all too well what it was like to be attacked; unlike Dot, he remembered something of what had happened the night he and his siblings had been forced to run for their lives, and these nightly attacks were bringing those memories back. 

I'm gonna put a stop to it, he thought, readying his slingshot and listening for the whine which would give his prey away. Everyone tells me I'm a brave prince - well, I'm gonna prove it tonight!

He strained his ears, his eyes scanning the sky, and then, just as he was about to give up, he heard it. Seconds later, a blast of blue light hit the clocktower, and the silhouette of a dragon showed up black against the red-gold flames which sprang up. It was a short glimpse, but it was all Wakko needed, and he let fly. His aim was true, and the dragon roared in pain and distress as it was hit. A blacker shadow against the dark sky, it disappeared in the trees some distance away, and Wakko felt his heart lift in elation. He'd done it! "Yes!" he shouted exuberantly, jumping up and down. "I did it!"

A low, menacing grumble caught his ears, and he went pale, turning to see another dragon, this one red and ferocious, glaring at him, its body already starting to glow as it prepared to set itself on fire. Wakko backed away; he knew a Monstrous Nightmare when he saw it, and he fumbled frantically for something with which to send it running for the hills. But his hammerspace refused to cooperate, and Wakko let out a shriek as he turned and ran. 

"Wakko!" Scratchy came running at his cries, and the prince ran wailing past. The doctor turned to glare at the dragon which had dared to come so close to his ward, and he snapped his fingers. A bucket of sand was handed to him, and he threw it at the Nightmare. Water didn't work; but sand did the trick, and the dragon backed away, shrieking in its own turn as it took to the skies. Scratchy let out a long sigh. 

"Get the rest of these fires put out," he ordered, and the townspeople ran to obey. Scratchy left them to it as he ran back to the house where Wakko and Dot now lived, and as he came upstairs, he already heard sobbing coming from the kids' room. "Wakko?" he said, stepping inside. "It's okay, the dragon is gone, and it will not be coming back."

Wakko sniffled as the doctor came to his bedside. "It s-scared me," he sobbed. 

Scratchy held him close, gently stroking his fur. "I know," he said. "But I vanquished it. It shall not trouble you again. But what on earth were you doing outside in the first place?"

"I wanted t-to help," Wakko said in a muffled voice. "Everyone kept sayin' I'm a brave prince, and I wanted to prove how brave I really was."

Scratchy didn't know whether to praise the prince or shake him. In the end, he settled for a bit of both. "You were very brave," he agreed. "But you could have gotten yourself killed with your foolishness! You're Warnerstock's only hope of a peaceful restoration, now that Yakko is gone." His voice cracked a little at the end; Yakko had been missing for nine years, and Scratchy held very little hope that the crown prince was still alive. In fact, he knew it more likely that the heir to the throne was probably dead. "You cannot go risking yourself so foolishly," he added. "You are the heir to the throne, and you must stay alive if you are to take down King Salazar."

"He was bad, wasn't he?" Dot whispered. Only two at the time, she had even less memories of the attack than Wakko, but she'd heard enough in the last nine years to know just how bad things had been that night. She'd decided early on she was better off not knowing the full details. 

"Very bad," Scratchy agreed. "That's why you kidses have to stay alive." He gently ruffled Wakko's ears. "That is why you must no longer go in search of such foolishness as you did tonight, Wakko."

Wakko sniffled. "'M sorry," he said. 

Scratchy sighed. "Your heart was in the right place," he said gently. "But next time, you must not be so quick to follow it, ja?"

"Ja," Wakko and Dot said in unison.

"That's better." Scratchy gave them both a kiss on the head. "Now, it is very late. You kidses need sleepy times, ja? In the morning cool heads must prevail if we are to get to the bottom of these attacks."

The two siblings nodded, and Scratchy left them, closing the door behind him. 

"Wakko?" Dot whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Did you get the dragon?"

"I sure did." Despite his earlier fright, pride filled Wakko's voice. "I think I knew where he fell, too."

"Cool!" Dot said enthusiastically. "Can you take me to see him, please?"

"We'll sneak out after breakfast," Wakko promised, reaching across and squeezing her hand. 

"Love you, Wak," she said, squeezing back. 

"Love you more," he said, smiling in the darkness. "Now get some sleep, baby sister."

"I'm ten and a half, thank you very much." But the retort was short-lived, and Dot was soon fast asleep. It took Wakko a bit more time to follow her into dreamland, but he too fell asleep, feeling more confident despite nearly getting eaten alive and getting an epic dressing down from Scratchy. He didn't blame the guy, but sometimes a toon had to live a little.

Besides, it was worth getting that smackdown; in the morning, he'd be able to see his prize more clearly. He could hardly wait. 

Chapter Text

"Your Majesty, we've had word. Acme Falls had another dragon attack."

Salazar smiled as he sat on the throne he had stolen from its rightful owners nine years ago. It wasn't a very pleasant smile. "I see," he murmured. "Were there any casualties?"

Plotz didn't like that smile at all. "No, Your Majesty," he said. "Well, my spies reported that a dragon was brought down during the fight, but they weren't able to get much more information than that."

"It works well for my purposes," Salazar said, standing. "You've done well, Baron Plotz. Keep an eye on the situation, and report back to me if you hear anything more."

"I will do as you command," Plotz said, bowing deeply. But as he reached the door, the king called him back.

"Actually, I have a better idea," he said, and the Baron frowned as he obediently faced his monarch again. "You see," Salazar continued, "I know a few things about Acme Falls that even your spies couldn't pick up." He began ticking points off on his fingers. "One; they still revere Crown Prince Yakko, even though he's been dead for nine years. Two; I know that Prince Wakkaroti and Princess Angelina have been living there ever since their escape nine years ago. And three; the dragons seem more interested in creating a diversion than causing actual destruction." He smiled again. "What does that tell you, Baron?"

"It tells me they need to be brought to heel," Plotz said, anger and embarrassment sweeping across his face. "If they've been knowingly harbouring the Prince and Princess all this time, they're rebels, and they need to be punished accordingly." His smile was just as cruel as his king's. "I can hike up the taxes, for starters. Nothing brings a town to its knees faster than no money."

"You can certainly do that," Salazar agreed. "But I have a much better proposition."

Plotz frowned. "Like what?"

"Like ... bait," Salazar said silkily. "Follow me."

He led Plotz down to the dungeons, eventually coming to a cell where a toon sat, head bowed. Her fur was dirty and unkempt, and her face lacked any expression. "Who's that?" Plotz whispered. 

"My bait," Salazar replied. "I've got her drugged at the moment, and when I release her, she'll be as docile as a kitten."

Plotz shook his head. "There's something ... different about her," he said slowly. 

"There is indeed," Salazar said. "You see, she's actually a dragon in disguise."

"What?" Plotz was stunned. 

"They disguise themselves like toons to better fit in," Salazar explained. "I caught this one wandering the forests. She was in her true form at the time, but when I had her drugged, she was forced to revert to her disguise." He smirked. "And she is going to be the perfect bait to finally lure those children out of hiding."

Plotz's face lacked comprehension, so Salazar qualified. "The children will likely go in search of that dragon they downed last night," he said patiently. "When they go out, however, they're going to find this one waiting for them instead." He smirked. "And since they look so much like her, she should trust them enough to lead them to her home, and once she does..." He brought his hand down sharply. "I have them captured and brought back here. Then I can finally crush Acme Falls once and for all."

"But what if she doesn't trust them?" Plotz wondered. 

"She's docile enough to ensure she'll leap on the first sign of kindness shown her," the king said. "I'm sure she'll happily do whatever they ask of her." He smiled. "Besides, it's not as if she has a choice. I had her mother caught when she came in search of her daughter, and this little one here won't dare to go against me. I have the bargaining chip in my hand, and she'll do as I ask, or risk losing her mother for good."

Plotz shivered despite himself. But he was Salazar's man through and through; he'd obey without question. "When are you releasing her?"

"In an hour," Salazar replied. "It's still very early in Acme Falls; I don't think those children will be up at this hour of the morning. I'll have enough time to release our bait and leave her in the forest where the other dragon was brought down the other night. By the time the Prince and Princess are up and about, she'll be in position, and then everything else will follow."

"It sounds like a very good idea," Plotz said approvingly. 

"I thought you might agree," Salazar said. "Now go. You have your orders."

As Plotz bowed and departed, Salazar turned back to the toon. "Now, are we clear on what we are to do?"

The toon lifted her head, blue eyes blazing. "You can drug me all you want," she said, her voice thick, "but you will never induce me to betray my people!"

Salazar tutted. "Now now," he said. "You know the deal. If you want to see your mother alive, then you're going to do as I say. Otherwise, I'll kill her."

"Fine," the toon ground out. "You're a sick man. No wonder the people of Acme Falls want to bring you down."

"Such fire," Salazar remarked. "Well, you have no need of it, so I shall give you one last dose before you go. There's no sense in letting you get some of your spirit back. And my spies are everywhere; they have their orders to report to me the moment you deviate from the path."

The toon shivered but said nothing more, her eyes filling with tears as she forced down her obvious fear. "I go to the forest where they downed my friend," she said in a leaden voice. "I lead them to my home, and make friends with them. Then you come with your mean, kidnap the children, and presumably enslave us all so you can conquer other kingdoms just like you did Warnerstock." She gave a short, bitter laugh. "I know the drill, Your Majesty."

Salazar chuckled. "You have been very well taught," he complimented her. "Very well. I see no need to drug you further, in that case. Be ready to leave in an hour." So saying, he turned on his heel and left, but his mind was already ticking over as he made his way back upstairs. I'd best make sure my spies have plenty of vials, he mused. There's no sense having her break the rules before I have time to finish the rest of my plan!

'Lexi.'

Astra's weak voice penetrated Lexi's dark thoughts, and she scrambled over to the bars separating her from her mother. "Mom!" she said, heart pounding in relief. 

'It takes more than darts to bring me down,' Astra said, her mouth quirking in a dragon-style smile for her daughter. 'Now, you must listen carefully to me. I know what Salazar has planned. And he means no good for those children. You must do as he says. Our home is the only place where they can be safe from harm. You know the rules. Only those of our blood - and trusted allies - are allowed to pass the boundaries.'

Lexi wrinkled her nose. "But they're toons," she said.

'I know,' Astra said. 'But they need a refuge. Yes, they brought one of our own down, but believe me, it was for the greater good. We've finally got their attention, and now the time has come for them to learn the ways of our kind.'

"But Salazar will have you killed," Lexi protested. "You heard him. If I step one paw from the path he's set out for me, you'll die!"

Astra sighed. 'I am dying in any case,' she said. 'He gave me a more potent dose of the drug than he gave you. Whether it was purposeful or not, it does not matter. And I am not afraid to die. I've lived a full life; I've had a loving mate, and I've hatched a beautiful daughter.' She smiled again. 'Even if that daughter has been a paw-ful at times.'

Lexi had to smile at that. "Are you sure?" she asked slowly. "I can't lose you!"

'You are more than capable of leading our race,' Astra reminded her. 'And you have more help than you realise. I know this in my heart. Just as you know it in yours. You are strong, courageous, and more than a little reckless. Those are traits that will stand you in good stead.' She reached out with a forepaw and touched the bars. Lexi duplicated the gesture, her eyes filling with fresh tears as she rested her hand against the cold metal. 

"I'm gonna miss you, Mom," she said, sniffling. 

'As will I miss you,' Astra said tenderly. 'But you are stronger than you realise. And you do credit to your race. Never, ever forget that; you are a Light Fury, and your time to shine has come.' 

Lexi swallowed a sob as she rested her forehead against the bars. "Love you, Mom," she whispered. 

Astra smiled. 'I love you, my daughter.' Her eyes drifted close, and Lexi strained her ears, thankful when she could catch her mother's breathing. Even so, she felt as if a lead weight had replaced her heart; knowing her mother was close to death was a bitter pill.

And now she had to lead two strangers to her home! What on earth was her mother thinking? Very few non-dragons were allowed there, and now her mother was asking her to take two toons to her sacred sanctuary! 

Lexi chastised herself for foolishness. Those toons were the rightful heirs to the throne; if anyone could stand up to Salazar's cruelty, they could. And they'd have a whole tribe of dragons ready to defend them. Dragons as a whole despised cruelty and injustice, and Salazar had been a tyrant for nine years, displaying those very same despicable qualities. That was enough to still her remaining doubts, and she stiffened her spine. Let Salazar do as he wanted; Astra was ready to sacrifice herself to ensure her daughter had a fighting chance, and even though Lexi's heart was breaking at the thought of losing her mother, she knew Astra wouldn't want her to mourn needlessly. 

Taking a deep breath, Lexi reached deep inside for the fire which existed at the heart of all dragons, and unseen in the darkness, her eyes glowed a bright blue. You're about to get a dose of reality, you tyrant! she thought fiercely. You should never mess with dragons, and especially not with Light Furies! 'Cause you're about to learn why we have the word "fury" in our name!

Chapter Text

The very moment breakfast was over the next morning, Wakko and Dot scampered out of the house. Scratchy almost opened his mouth to ask them where they were going, but since it was a sunny day, and there was going to be quite a bit of talking going on about the ongoing dragon raids, he decided to let it go. Besides, he knew the kids would get bored, and fresh air would suit them a treat. 

The heirs to the throne, however, didn't care about talks. They were more interested in finding the dragon Wakko had downed the night before, and soon they were deep inside the forest. "I think it fell this way," Wakko said, peering about. 

Dot looked all around her with wide eyes. She'd never been out of Acme Falls before, and all this was new to her. There were so many amazing sights and sounds, and she breathed deeply, enjoying the smell of the trees and the damp ground underpaw. "I'd like to live here," she commented. 

"Really?" Wakko said, surprised. He'd always thought his sister enjoyed life in Acme Falls; to hear her talk of wanting to live in the forest was a revelation he hadn't been expecting. 

"I guess I don't really fit in all that well," Dot admitted, looking uncomfortable. "You get what I mean?"

Wakko squeezed her hand. "I do," he agreed. "They all treat us like, well, royalty, but I know they're not quite sure what to make of us."

Dot nodded. "I thought you'd get it," she said. 

"Hey, I might look like a wacky toon, but I've got a functioning brain," Wakko said, letting his tongue loll out in a happy grin, and Dot laughed. 

"You are a wacky toon," she teased, squealing when her brother leapt at her. Soon she was howling with laughter as he tickled her mercilessly, and before long she was shrieking for mercy. "Uncle, uncle!" she cried, squirming and giggling.

Wakko grinned as he let up. "Now, you were saying?" he teased, giving Dot a hand to help her up. A sudden sound caused him to freeze, however, and he tilted his head, ears perking up. Dot got to her paws unaided, her head also tilted to the side. "What's that?" she whispered. 

"The dragon," Wakko said, taking his sister's hand. "Let's go."

A breathless half-hour later, the siblings came to a scene of devastation; broken branches and a large gash in the earth told the tale of the dragon's fall. Hearts pounding, they  made their nervous way to a sharp incline, but Wakko paused before going any further. "Are you sure about this?" he whispered. 

Dot nodded. "Doubly sure," she said.

Wakko nodded and took a deep breath. Together, they crawled up the hill, taking it very slowly. When they reached the top, Wakko peered over the edge and gasped, dropping back down. Dot watched him, eyes wide, as he put a finger to his lips, before carefully poking his head over the top again. Dot joined him, and together, they stared in solemn silence at the scene before them.

Tied up with ropes from neck to tail, the dragon lay still, giving no sign that it was alive. The bolas had wrapped it up good and tight, and Wakko felt his heart seize up in remorse. "What did I do?" he whispered, horrified. 

Dot took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "I guess you were a better shot than you thought," she said softly.

This didn't make Wakko feel any better, and he made a swift decision. "C'mon," he said, jumping up and scrambling to the bottom of the hill. Dot followed, mimicking her brother's movements as he dashed from tree to tree, before they finally came to stand before the dragon. Night black scales glistened dully in the misty air, and up close, they could see scars on the side of its neck. Its eyes were still closed, but the siblings were relieved when they saw that the creature was breathing. "What is it?" Dot breathed. 

Wakko wasn't sure himself, but then he remembered the stories he'd heard growing up, about a particular species of dragon who was very fast, very agile, and who could fire bolts of plasma with deadly accuracy. He recalled the battle the night before, and it didn't take him long to put two and two together. "It must be a Night Fury," he said slowly. 

"A what now?" Dot said, confused. 

Wakko quickly filled her in on what he knew about this species. "I guess it was covering for the other dragons," he said. "Distractin' us."

Dot nodded. "I know every time it hit, someone would call out..." She wrinkled her nose as she tried to recall the warning, and Wakko filled in the gap. 

"'Night Fury, get down'," he said. He shivered. "I don't feel good about this. I..."

Dot gasped, cutting him off. "Look!" she cried. 

Wakko looked and gasped in his own turn. For the dragon's eyes had opened, and it was staring right at him. 

Its eyes were green, with slitted pupils. And there was a look of fear which cut right to Wakko's heart. He could almost sense the creature's thoughts; it was probably wondering why it had been brought down, why it was all tied up and helpless, and the prince shivered. He took a deep breath and looked at Dot. "I'm going to set it free."

Dot put a hand on his arm and nodded. Hardly daring to breathe, Wakko pulled a knife out of his hammerspace and began sawing at the ropes holding the dragon prisoner. After a few moments, Dot did the same, and together they worked breathlessly until finally the last of the ropes had been cut. "Now go, go!" Wakko urged. 

But instead of leaving, the dragon leapt up and pinned the prince to the ground.

"Wakko!" Dot screamed. 

Wakko froze, hardly daring to breathe as he stared into the enraged dragon's eyes. Its glare pinned him down, but while the anger was there, there was something else, and Wakko gasped as he saw ... understanding. 

The dragon was as frightened of him as he was of it!

But before he could get more than a glimpse, the dragon drew back, spreading its wings to their fullest extent, and Wakko braced himself, heart pounding, fully expecting to be roasted alive. Instead, the dragon roared loudly in his face, before turning and flying into the forest. There were enraged cries of frustration, and the sound of a heavy body crashing ungracefully into several trees on the way, but Wakko cared little for that as he staggered unsteadily to his paws, swaying from the aftermath of what had just happened. Dot ran to his side, sobbing and shaking as she clutched him in a near death grip, and he hugged her back automatically, heart pounding. 

"I thought it was going to kill you!" Dot sobbed, and Wakko finally snapped out of his stupor to stroke her head. She clung to him, crying, and he held her tight, reaction finally setting in as he too began to cry, burying his face against Dot's head, their tears soaking each other's fur. It took them both a good while to calm down, but when they did, Dot refused to let go, and Wakko didn't blame her. In fact, he didn't fancy letting go either, and he held his sister tightly. 

"We're going to get in a lot of trouble," he said philosophically. 

He was only half right. Scratchy did scold them for being away for so long, but his mind was only half on his task, and Wakko got the feeling they hadn't got a lot of talking done about the dragon problem. "You kidses are going to be the death of me yet," the doctor said finally, shaking his head as he gave them both a good ear-ruffle. "Now, what were you up to this time?"

"Oh, just taking a walk in the woods," Wakko said casually. He was still shaking from his brush with death, but he managed to keep it under control. "I guess we lost track of time."

Scratchy sighed and ruffled their ears again. "Well, be careful," he said, trying to sound stern and failing. "The dragons live nearby, and they would not be happy if strangers wandered into their territory."

Wakko's ears perked up. "They live near here?" he said, surprised. And strangely elated at the same time.

"Ja," the doctor said, thankfully not noticing the crown prince's excitement. "Well, it is only a small community. But there is another, larger place, hidden somewhere out in the ocean, from where all dragons come. We've been talking about trying to find that hidden world and sealing all the dragons up inside so they can never come out and trouble us again."

Wakko and Dot shared a look. Then the princess asked a careful question. "But what if the dragons don't want to be locked up?" she said. 

"Dear Dot, dragons are dangerous," Scratchy said firmly. "Trust me, you do not want to mess with them. They are very bad news, and the sooner this hidden world of theirs is found and sealed up, the better we all shall be." He smiled then, taking the sting from his words. "Now, you two need to go clean yourselves up. We've got a delegation coming and you two need to look your best so we can gain support for our campaign against King Salazar." Giving them a gentle push to get them going, he started off in the other direction, leaving the two heirs staring at each other in dismay. 

"This isn't right," Dot said finally. She folded her arms and glared in the direction Scratchy had gone. "I don't think dragons are as bad as Scratchy makes them out to be."

Wakko nodded. "That Night Fury we met was definitely not as ... well, Night Fury-ish as I thought. He actually looked as frightened as I was." Dot put a hand on his arm as he turned to look at her, his eyes wide and frightened, and strangely elated. "Dot, I looked at him, and I saw myself."

Dot gave his arm a squeeze. "So what are we gonna do?" she said. 

Wakko had never loved his sister more than he did in that moment. "We're gonna do something stupid," he said proudly, tongue lolling out again.

"We've already done that," Dot said, rolling her eyes, but smiling widely all the same. 

"Then we're gonna do something crazy," Wakko said, taking her hand. "C'mon, baby sister!" He took off down the hall, and their giggles filled the air as they began making their plans for their "something crazy".

Chapter Text

Wakko peered carefully around the corner, heart pounding. He could hear the clatter and rattle of cutlery as the kitchen staff got ready for another busy day, and he knew this was his one chance to get what he needed so he could put his crazy plan into motion. 

Looking across the corridor, he gave Dot a thumbs up. The little princess produced a mouse from her hammerspace and wound it up, before setting it on the floor. Dot being Dot, the mouse was much more lifelike than what would be expected from a toy mouse, and the kitchen erupted with cries of alarm. 

Wakko seized his chance and ran into the pantry. He located his prize - a nice fat fish  - and grabbed it, throwing it into his hammerspace. "Let's go!" he cried, and Dot ran after him, leaving quite a ruckus in their wake. 

Locating the Night Fury took quite a bit of doing, but after more than an hour of fruitless searching, the siblings found the dragon in a cove some distance from where he'd landed the night before last. Wakko held his breath as he watched the dragon. For some reason, it didn't seem to be able to fly, instead flapping desperately before landing in an ungraceful sprawl on the ground. 

Dot narrowed her eyes. "I think it's missing a part of its tail," she whispered  

Wakko muttered something under his breath. "He musta lost it after I shot him down the other night."

"Let's go talk to it," Dot suggested. "I don't think it'll hurt us too much." 

Dot was right - though the dragon snarled when it saw them, it was soon tamed by the lure of the fish Wakko had brought. But the prince noticed an oddity as the dragon stretched its head out for the fish. "Huh," he muttered. "Toothless. I could've sworn you had-"

Bored with waiting, the dragon produced a gleaming set of teeth before snatching the fish from Wakko's hands and gulping the offering down, licking its lips in glee. 

"-teeth," Wakko finished weakly 

The dragon turned back to the prince, and before Wakko quite knew what was going on, he had a lapful of half eaten fish. "Ew,"  Dot protested with a laugh. 

Wakko stared at the fish in his lap before shrugging. Mimicking the dragon's earlier gesture, he took the fish in his hands and gulped it down, grimacing at the taste. Nevertheless he managed a weak smile at the dragon, who frowned for a moment before stretching his lips in an approximation of Wakko's smile. It was a decidedly odd look, but the prince found it strangely endearing, and he got cautiously to his paws, carefully putting a hand out. 

Dot held her breath as she watched the dragon stare at Wakko's hand. Time seemed to freeze, suspended, until at last the dragon put its head forward into the palm of Wakko's hand. The tableau lasted for a moment before the dragon pulled back, giving itself a shake and letting out a small huff as it gave the siblings a suspicious look. 

"Right you are," Wakko agreed. "Mr Dragon, I'm sorry I shot you down. But I want to make it up to you."

The dragon tilted its head before giving another huff, this one annoyed. But it didn't seem to want to eat anyone yet, and after a moment of careful consideration, it nodded. 

Dot sighed in relief. "We want to make you a new tail," she said. "I know you lost a part of it, but we're going to give you a new one so you can fly again."

The dragon actually looked surprised before lowering its head and gently butting Dot in the stomach. Wakko was next to receive a butting, and he and Dot laughed as they both reached out to the dragon, who let them pat him on the head and neck. "By the way," Wakko said, once the outpouring of affection had stopped, "do you have a name?" He laughed again as the dragon gave him a withering look. 

Dot rolled her eyes. "Boys," she muttered. "Well, let's call you Toothless for now. Y'know, because of your teeth."

Toothless shrugged as if to say it didn't matter too much. He gave the siblings another gentle butt in the stomachs before taking off in a somewhat ungainly flight to the other side of the lake, indicating that today's interview was over. 

Wakko let out a long sigh. "That went well," he said. "But we'd better get back."

Dot nodded and took his hand. "We'll be back tomorrow!" she called over her shoulder. 

A warbling call was her response, and she shared a grin with her brother as they started their walk back. The morning had gone remarkably well; they'd made amends to Toothless, and it seemed as though they'd even made a friend of the Night Fury. That alone proved dragons weren't as bad as everyone made them out to be. 

"I think this is going to work out pretty well," Wakko agreed in response to his sister's unspoken thought. 

Dot nodded. "I can't wait to see how this turns out, " she said eagerly.

"It's gonna be faboo," Wakko said confidently. 

Chapter Text

Getting the materials for the new tail was a cinch.

Actually putting the tail together? Not so much.

Luckily, Dot had a plan. "Let's ask Brain for help," she suggested, as she and Wakko surveyed their gathered materials. "He's been studying dragons for a while now, and he'll probably have some good ideas on how to make it work so Toothless can fly properly without crashing into the nearest tree and undoing all our hard work."

Wakko nodded. "I like your thinking, baby sister," he approved, giving her an affectionate ear ruffle. 

Brain studied the materials thoughtfully. "None of this is really going to work, I'm afraid," he said. "You need something that's going to be durable, and if this dragon of yours is going to have any hope of flying, then we'll need to rethink your strategy." He pursed his lips, deep in thought. "Aha," he said at last. "Pinky, can you fetch me those dragon scales?"

"You got it!" Pinky ran off and before too long he was staggering back to where Brain and the children waited, almost dropping the stone container which looked to be almost as big as he was. Wakko quickly relieved him of his burden. "Thanks! Narf!" the mouse said gratefully. "I dunno what Brain needs all these scales for, but hey, all he has to do is ask, and I go fetch them."

Wakko examined one of the scales thoughtfully. "It's really tough," he said.

"Indeed," Brain said. "Dragons are very tough creatures by nature. So it stands to reason that their scales would be just as tough as they. And as you can tell, dragons shed a lot."

"These are black scales," Dot said. "D'you think Toothless hung around a lot?"

Brain shrugged as he gestured to Wakko, who lifted him up onto the table. "Perhaps," he said. "In any case, these are a godsend, because now you can construct something which will give Toothless his flight back." He frowned then. "But I do wonder. What will you do when he regains his ability?"

Wakko and Dot looked at each other. "I dunno," the former finally admitted. "I mean, he's kinda warmed to us, but that doesn't mean we can just climb on his back and have him fly away." He sighed and stared at the floor, ears drooping.

"Scratchy was real mean the other day," Dot added, frowning in her own turn. "He said something about a hidden world of dragons, and how he wants to go and seal it up so they can't bother people again."

"Dragons are... not the friendliest creatures," Brain allowed. "But then again, I've only known dragons to attack when they're provoked."

"Like that Terrible Terror who chased us all the way here one day!" Pinky chimed in excitedly. "Zort! I thought he was gonna eat us up!"

Brain closed his eyes, a long-suffering expression on his face. "Pinky," he said patiently, opening his eyes, "that dragon was chasing us because we interrupted her meal time."

Dot and Wakko shared a look. "It's a trait of ours to try and get as close to dragons as we can," Brain qualified. "Unfortunately, we happened upon this particular dragon at the wrong time." He shook his head. "But it does not matter. My point about dragons stands. Otto is not as wise on the matter as he would have us all believe. I've noticed that dragons are very social creatures, and though at times they step on one another's toes, they're always they're for each other when push comes to shove."

"Like us!" Pinky declared, giving his long-suffering best friend a bone-cracking hug that made poor Brain's eyes pop out for a moment. He sighed at the display, but there was still a small smile on his face. 

"Yes, like us." He gently pushed Pinky away before addressing the children. "Now, let's get back to the matter at hand. I'll get to work on a tail, and when it is done, I shall send for you. But be warned; you might not like how it turns out."

Wakko took a deep breath. "We'll be okay," he promised, but Dot could see the pain in his eyes. She knew how attached he'd grown to Toothless in such a short while, and she squeezed his shoulder. She didn't blame him; even she had taken a liking to the dragon, and the thought of having to say goodbye so soon was a heart-wrenching prospect. Nevertheless, she gave a firm nod. 

"Let's just get him back in the skies," she said steadfastly. "We can worry about the messy details later."

Two days later, the children trekked through the forest to the cove, heads high and hearts light. "Toothless!" Wakko called once they'd reached the cove's floor. "We got something for ya!"

The dragon lifted his head, and his ears perked up when he saw Wakko and Dot. He ambled over to them and gave them an affectionate butting, purring as they patted him. Dot smiled at the happiness in his eyes, even though she felt tears pricking the corners of hers. "I hope you like it," she said, as she began unwrapping the new tail Brain had made. Sleek black, covered in crushed dragon scales and heated by fire, the tail had a complicated system of gears which, in flight, would mimic the motions of the fin Toothless had lost. In essence, it would be as if he'd got a new fin back, and his flight would be almost one hundred percent steady.

Toothless sniffed curiously at the tail, and his eyes lit up. He gamboled eagerly around the siblings, who laughed as they watched his antics. "Okay, okay, settle down!" Wakko said, giggling. "C'mon, let's get this on you." The dragon huffed, but held still, and Dot helped her brother fasten the various straps, securing them as Brain had shown them. It took some doing, but Toothless sat patiently, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to see what the heirs were doing. Dot admitted to some trepidation as they got the last straps fastened, and her heart was in her mouth as she and Wakko stepped back, holding hands. 

The reaction was stunning, to say the least. Toothless turned, lifted his tail, and his eyes went wide as saucers as both the new fin and the old fin worked in tandem. He flexed both fins in wonder, and before either Wakko or Dot had a chance to react, he reached out, grabbed them in his forepaws, and held them tight, nuzzling them and purring. The siblings froze before hugging him back, their tears hidden against his warm scales, holding on for all they were worth. "We're gonna miss you," Wakko whispered.

Toothless hugged them tighter, and when he pulled back, his eyes were glistening with tears of his own. He leaned forward and gently, ever so gently, pressed his nose to theirs. There was understanding and sorrow in his eyes, but also immense gratitude. "You're welcome," Dot said, smiling through her tears as she gently booped him on the nose, laughing as he went cross-eyed for a moment, before shaking his head and giving her an amused stare. 

Wakko had to grin at the sight, but his amusement was short lived. "Thanks for trusting us," he said softly. "And thank you for showing us that dragons aren't that bad."

"And thank you for being ... well, you," Dot added. 

Toothless nodded. He then gave the siblings one last fierce hug before stepping back and spreading his wings. Even so, he hesitated, but Wakko and Dot gave him a nod and a thumbs up. That seemed to be all the encouragement the dragon needed, and with a joyful roar, he took off, scattering leaves everywhere. He circled the cove a few times, obviously testing his new fin, and when it met his requirements, he let out one last roar before taking off in a westerly direction. Soon he'd dwindled into the distance, and Wakko took a deep breath, scrubbing tears from his eyes. Dot hugged him tightly, pressing her head against his shoulder. 

"I miss him too," she said softly. 

Lexi could not believe her eyes. She'd taken her time in getting to the cove, because she didn't want to deny the children their chance to help Toothless. Having reached the cove only that morning, she'd then watched it all from the safety of a nearby stand of trees, and she wasn't sure which stunned her more; the fact that the two toons had let Toothless go so easily, or the fact of how much of a dead ringer they were for their parents. 

She shook her head as she stood, brushing the leaves from her pants. In the end, it was the fact that Wakko and Dot were unmistakably the heirs to their parents' throne which helped her make up her mind. Her mother had, as usual, been dead right when she'd asked her daughter to take the children under her wing, so to speak. And now that Lexi had seen the family resemblance for herself, she knew just what she had to do. 

But first, she had to find Toothless. Now that he was able to fly again, it would be easy to track him down. After that, it was a matter of showing him the Hidden World.

"It's time you saw the home of your ancestors," she whispered to herself. Once he'd seen it, she'd then arrange to have Wakko and Dot brought there.

After all, it was their home as well. 

Chapter Text

Toothless swooped and soared among the clouds, heart singing as he tested his new tail. He was flying again! To be sure, the new fin was a bit less responsive than the one he'd lost, but he was confident he'd get used to it. Besides, it didn't matter; all that mattered right then was the thrill of the air rushing past his wings.

Even so, there was a deep hurt hidden underneath his lightheartedness, and try though he might, he simply could not get those toons out of his head. Sure, the boy had shot him down, but he and his sister had been so kind to him afterwards, and leaving them had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. Still, he was glad he had the freedom of the skies at his wingtips again. Those days in the cove had been hard, even with the children helping him. 

He took a deep breath and forced the pain down. He'd go back one day and take them for a ride; he knew they'd like that, the boy especially. In fact, he wondered if maybe he could get away with taking them to his island. After all, with dragons able to take on a toon-like form, he was sure the children would be welcomed. Hey, they'd be more than welcomed, he thought, his heart aching again. Boy. I wish I could go back right now! 

'Toothless?'

He almost fell out of the sky in shock. 'Who's there?' he called, startled by the mental communication. He could see no other dragon nearby, so the contact had come as a complete surprise to him.

'I'm here,' the unseen dragon replied, a lilt of amusement in her voice. 'You just have to find me.'

Ha. Challenge accepted. 

Toothless took off, his ears perked up as he listened for any telltale signs of the other dragon. Sometimes he thought he'd spotted her, only to be disappointed when it turned out to just be his shadow. But as he was about to give up, he spied something on his right, and then she appeared, gliding effortlessly of a misty cloudbank. Toothless gaped. She was pretty! And she looked just like him, except she was all white, with blue eyes instead of green. Could he have grinned, he would have done so. 'Hello,' he greeted her. 

She smiled dragon fashion. 'Hello to you too,' she said, directing a look at his tail. 'I see you can fly again.'

Toothless beamed. 'You like it?' he said, giving the tail an experimental wiggle. 'Two toon children made it for me. I'm going to take them to my island one day.'

The female smiled again. 'They sound very kind,' she said. 'It's rare to meet anyone who isn't scared of us on sight.'

'Tell me about it,' Toothless said sourly. He perked up. 'Wait. How did you know my name?' 

'I've been watching you,' the female replied. 'I like those children. I think they'd fit in well in your home.'

Toothless swallowed an unexpected lump in his throat. 'Me too,' he agreed. 'Sooo, what's your name? And - what kind of dragon are you? You look a lot like me, but you're all white.'

'My name is Alexis, but you can call me Lexi for short,' she said. 'And I'm a Fury, same as you, but they call us Light Furies because of our colour.' She smirked. 'Someone tried to call us Bright Furies, but they got shot down in flames, pardon the pun.'

'Light Fury suits you better anyway,' Toothless said. 

Lexi nodded. 'I think so too,' she agreed. 'Now that we've gotten introductions out of the way, let's see what you've got. Try to keep up.' So saying, she took off, and Toothless beat his wings fast to keep up with her. His ears soon perked up when he saw they were heading right into a thunderstorm cell, and he could feel every nerve ending in his body tingling in anticipation. They passed through the thick grey cloud, and lightning crackled and danced around them as they played a madcap game of tag. Lexi proved to be very fast, but Toothless was easily able to keep up with her, and they danced and twirled around each other, tagging the other with a wing whenever they got close. 

Then Lexi introduced a new trick. 'Now you see me,' she said, before shooting a plasma blast and flying straight into it. Toothless pulled up short, gasping. 'Now you don't,' she added, sounding ever so slightly smug. 'Tag, you're it!' 

Toothless shrieked in surprise as she reappeared from behind him, tapping him lightly with her wing. 'Hey! Two can play at that game!' He immediately fired a plasma blast of his own, but try as he might, he couldn't replicate her trick. Growling, he tried again and again, before giving up in sour disappointment. 'Not. Fair.' 

But as he hovered, he got an idea. At that precise moment, lightning cracked around him again, and he drew it into his body, summoning more until he felt he might explode. Right at the breaking point, he released the pent up energy, and a bright bolt of lightning engulfed him, blinding him temporarily. When he recovered, he saw Lexi staring at him in surprise. 'What was that?' she exclaimed. 

But that trick had taken a lot of energy, and Toothless simply burped some leftover smoke before his wings gave out on him. Lexi dove to catch him, and he shook himself as he recovered. 'Note to self, don't do that again,' he said sheepishly, and Lexi let out a trilling laugh. 'That was pretty cool,' she said. 'Come on!'

They soared up, going higher and higher, until they broke through the cloudbank, with the moon shining brightly above. The surface of the clouds gleamed silver, and Lexi looked stunning. On an impulse, he leaned forward and licked her on the head. 'You're pretty,' he said. 

She smiled, and together they let themselves fall backwards, before swooping down and over the ocean. As they flew, Lexi moved in close, letting her wingtip touch his, and Toothless knew he was grinning like an idiot. But he didn't care. Lexi was pretty, and quite cute as well. And she hadn't minded at all. 'So where are we going now?' he asked. 

'Home,' Lexi said, and Toothless looked ahead, eyes going wide. Up ahead, a great mist was rising, and as they drew closer, he saw that it was in fact a waterfall, right in the middle of the ocean. The spray soaked him from ear to tail, but he was too enthralled by the unusual sight to care. 'This is your home?' he said. 

'It is,' Lexi said. 'This is where all dragons come from. So this makes it your home as well.'

Toothless stared in wonder as they hovered in the mist. 'Sooo, how do we get down there?'

In answer, Lexi grabbed him by the paws and let her wings close, causing them both to fall. Toothless shrieked in shock again. 'Lexi!' he wailed. 'What in the name of all that is good are you doing?'

She just laughed again, and Toothless resigned himself to his fate. He just hoped there was food at the end of it. 

Wakko jerked awake, heart pounding. "Dot!" he cried. 

A gasp emerged from the darkness, and then Dot came running, cannonballing into her brother and holding him tight. "Did you just have a crazy dream too?" she said into his chest. 

"Y-yeah," Wakko said, shivering as he put his arms around his sister and held her just as tightly. Outside, the moon was shining brightly, and Wakko focused on that, and the comforting warmth of Dot's fur as she nestled close, purring. Eventually, he felt his heart calming down and he took a deep breath as Dot pulled back. "So what happened, and was it real?" Wakko asked, still shaking a little.

"We dreamed about Toothless and another dragon," Dot said slowly. "Her name was Lexi and she was a ... Light Fury, I think?"

"Where on earth was she taking him?" Wakko said, puzzled. 

Dot shrugged. "Who knows?"

They sat in silence for a little while longer, before a sound from outside caught their attention. They jumped up and ran to the window, peering out nervously. A toon stood on the ground, looking up at them. In the moonlight, it was hard to make out features, but the toon looked almost like them. The only difference was the colour of her fur; it was as if she'd come from a rainbow, with shades of blue and green, and some yellow patches here and there. "You're a dragon!" Wakko gasped. 

"Be quiet!" the toon hissed. "Yes, I am a dragon, and for the love of all that is good, come down, quick!"

Wakko and Dot shared a look. "Let's go," the princess said without hesitation. 

They jumped out of the window, and the toon - a Deadly Nadder, as it turned out - changed into her dragon form. The siblings climbed on board, and the Nadder took off, immediately turning west. The heirs held on tightly, but it was soon apparent that their new friend wasn't going to let them fall, and they began to enjoy the ride. "This is so cool!" Dot cried. 

'We do this for a living,' the dragon said, sounding amused. 

Dot blinked. "Did you just talk inside my head?"

'Yes,' came the answer. 'All dragons came communicate this way. When we're in toon guise, we talk normally, of course.'

"Faboo," Wakko said. "What's your name?"

'You two can call me Stormfly,' she said. 'That's the closest translation of my name into English. You'd trip over your tongues if you tried to pronounce my name in Dragonese.'

"Nice to meet you," Dot said. "I'm Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca III. But you can call me Dot."

"And I'm Prince Wakkarotti," Wakko said. "You can just call me Wakko, so long as you don't call me later for dinner."

'It's nice to meet the two of you,' Stormfly said, and there was a smile in her voice. 'I must say, you're taking this very well.'

"We rescued one of your friends," Dot explained. She told the story of how they'd met Toothless, and when they were done, Wakko added the bit about their dream. "It was weird," he said. "I felt as if we were riding with Toothless and Lexi."

'Then her mother was right,' Stormfly said, almost to herself. 'You really are your parents' children.'

Dot and Wakko shared a look, but before they could say anything more, Stormfly slowed. 'We're here,' she said. 

The siblings peered ahead, and saw a great mist rising from the ocean. As they drew closer, they saw it was, in fact, a giant waterfall, and the spray soaked their fur as Stormfly flew over what appeared to be a hole. 'This is the home of all dragons,' she said. 'We call it the Hidden World. No non-dragon has ever come here.'

Wakko blinked. "What do you mean?" he said, confused. 

'It means that no non-dragon has ever come here,' Stormfly said, sounding as if it should be obvious. When the siblings still gave no sign of understanding, the Nadder sighed. 'Let's just go,' she said, sounding slightly exasperated. So saying, she folded her wings, and the heirs shrieked in surprise as she dove right into the hole. Darkness swallowed them for a second, but then lights bloomed everywhere, and shock was replaced by awe as Stormfly flew through a landscape of glowing mushrooms. Everywhere one looked, there was light, and Dot could scarcely believe her eyes. "How are they all glowing?" she whispered. 

"Bioluminescence," Wakko said. He blushed at Dot's raised eyebrow. "Brain taught me all about it."

"Well, it's pretty cool," Dot said, gazing around her in awe. Then she noticed that Stormfly was glowing, and she gasped again. 

'This is the Mushroom Forest,' Stormfly explained. 'And yes, Wakko is correct. Bioluminescence is what makes everything around here glow.' She flew on. 'And no, this isn't a hole either,' she added. 'This is a collasped volcano, and it's the only way into the Hidden World. Only dragons know the way in, even if they've never been here before.'

Again there was a note of knowing in her voice, but once more, Wakko and Dot missed her meaning. They were too busy staring in wonder at the sights around them, and Stormfly gave it up for the time being. Besides, she knew what was coming; when she'd gotten the call, she'd known there was to be a coronation. The two toons on her back would soon get her meaning. 

Eventually, they emerged into a massive cavern, and the heirs looked around them in awe. Hundreds upon hundreds of dragons were gathered, and they recognised many of the breeds; Nadders, Monstrous Nightmares, Terrible Terrors, Gronkles, and Zipplebacks to name a few. But there were even more species the siblings had never seen before, including a massive dragon with just one tusk. 'That's our Bewilderbeast,' Stormfly explained as she flew to a ledge. The children scrambled off her back, moving cautiously in case one of the dragons decided they'd make a tasty snack. Thankfully, no one felt inclined for a midnight snack. 'He was defeated in a fight by a... close friend of your family,' Stormfly added. 'He made his way here, and he soon settled in. We don't turn anyone away.' 

Wakko frowned. But just as he was about to open his mouth, he gasped. "Toothless!" he cried. 

Sure enough, Toothless and Lexi had appeared at the top of the cavern, and they soared down, with hundreds of dragons attending them. The flock swept past, but the two Furies soared up to the top of a massive, glowing chunk of crystal. There they landed, and Dot felt her heart slam to a stop in her chest. Several hints along the way suddenly all made sense, and she gripped Wakko's hand tightly, feeling him clasp her hand just as hard as he too put two and two together. "Stormfly," she whispered. "Who is that?"

'Finally,' the Nadder said. 'Wakko, Dot, say hello to your brother, Prince Yakkarotti of Warnerstock, also known as the heir to the Hidden World.'

Chapter Text

Dot's head was spinning, and she sat down hard, her heart pounding like a drum. Though she'd been only a baby when the attack had happened, she still recalled Yakko, if only dimly, so naturally, she'd felt a strong familiarity with his dragon-self. "How?" she gasped, shaking. 

Wakko wasn't doing much better; he looked poleaxed as his legs too gave way, and he thumped to the ground, staring appealingly at Stormfly. "I thought he was dead!" the prince said, his voice quavering on the edge of tears. 

'He can tell you himself,' Stormfly said gently. 'For now, just watch.'

Up on the ledge, Toothless - no, Yakko - spread his wings wide, and all the dragons - and two stunned toons - stilled, before bowing deeply. Even the Bewilderbeast lowered its head in respect, and Dot felt compelled to do likewise, scrambling to her feet and giving a deep curtsey. Beside her, Wakko bowed. 

Then Yakko roared. 

The sound echoed and re-echoed throughout the massive chamber, carrying with it an almost frightening power. This was, so legend said, the Call of the Alpha, and it had the power to command all dragons, no matter how far away they were. Even Wakko and Dot felt its pull, and before they quite knew what they were doing, they howled in response. This seemed to be the cue for the other dragons to join in, and as one, they all roared back, joining their voices to Yakko's. Dot could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks as the sound died away, and she closed her eyes, shaking like a leaf. "He's so majestic," she whispered. 

"He's a king," Wakko said, awestruck.

'And he's your brother,' Stormfly said gently. 'C'mon, I'll take you up there.' 

The siblings scrambled aboard, and Stormfly took off, flying up to the crystal block, where Yakko and Lexi sat, heads together. Clearly he was overwhelmed by what had just happened, and Dot's heart was in her mouth as she jumped off Stormfly's back, with Wakko right behind her. "Yakko?" she whispered. Even though Stormfly had said this was her brother, Dot was still unsure. But that sense of familiarity was too strong for to ignore, and by the tension in Wakko's body, he felt the same. 

Yakko's head lifted, and his eyes widened when he saw the toons standing nervously before him. He stood, taking a half-step towards them before stopping and looking at Lexi, who gave him an encouraging nod. 'Go on,' she said. 'It's okay. No one's going to harm you. You're the king of all dragons now.'

That seemed to be all the coaxing Yakko needed, and he closed his eyes, his whole form shimmering brightly. When the light cleared, a slightly unsteady toon stood in the dragon's place, and Dot's hands flew to her mouth. He looked just like them; white face, black fur, white paws. His eyes were black as well, but Dot thought she saw a shimmer of green somewhere. But it didn't matter. "Yakko!" she cried, breaking into a run. She cannonballed into him, and his arms locked tightly around her, holding her as though fearful she might disappear if he let her go. Dot clung to him, sobbing his name as she held on just as tightly, and she could feel his tears soaking her fur as he held her. "You're alive!" she sobbed. "You're alive!"

Then Wakko crashed into them, and they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs, tails wagging madly, rubbing noses and purring like mad. Dot felt slightly squashed between her brothers, but she didn't care, and she tightened her hold, reveling in the feel of having her family back in one piece. Well, minus their parents, of course, but Dot found the loss didn't sting as much; she was safely nestled in the arms of her brothers, and Yakko was alive, in her arms where he belonged. That was enough for her, and she let the feeling carry her above all the pain of the last nine years. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Yakko pulled back just enough so he could get a clear look at their faces. "Hey, sibs," he greeted, a sheepish smile on his face. "Long time no see."

Wakko burst out laughing. "That's the first thing you say after nine years?" he teased.

"Hey, I haven't had human or toon contact for that long," Yakko said defensively, also laughing. 

Dot rolled her eyes. "You're such a clown," she chided affectionately.

"I do my best," Yakko said, gently booping her on the nose. She giggled and booped him back, and Wakko, not to be outdone, booped the both of them, getting a double boop for his troubles. 

"So how did you survive?" the middle brother asked. 

Lexi - who'd changed into her toon form - now approached the reunited family. "There's a small cavern where we can talk privately," she suggested. 

Yakko nodded and stood, laughing again as his siblings categorically refused to leave his embrace. But he didn't mind, and he nuzzled them gently, another purr starting in his throat. "Sounds like a good idea," he said, before raising his voice to the assembled dragons. "Uh, dismissed!" he called, and the dragons, seemingly content with this order, dispersed to do dragon things elsewhere. Lexi rolled her eyes. 

"You're crazy," she said, smiling. "C'mon."

The cavern was actually a bit larger than Lexi had let on, but there were plenty of cushions scattered about. Lexi directed them to sit wherever they chose while she poured them tea. "I don't come here too often," she said, "but my family makes sure it's kept in good condition whenever I do visit."

Wakko made himself a small nest, but Dot still refused to let herself be parted from Yakko, who sat her in his lap, gently stroking her fur with one hand while he leaned over and ruffled his brother's ears. "Sorry for being so clingy," the princess apologised to both of them, shivering. 

"Hey, s'all good," Wakko assured her, giving her a thumbs up. "Don't blame you in the slightest."

"Oh, cling away," Yakko said, smiling, "Believe me, I'm feeling the same way as the both of you." He took a deep breath. "Nine years of living with dragons is fun, but you kinda start craving the company of someone who isn't a dragon. Uh, no offence," he added hastily to Lexi, who smiled. 

"None taken," she said. "It's worth it to see your smile."

"Flatterer," Yakko teased. 

Wakko laughed. "Someone's got a crush," he singsonged, and Dot giggled as her oldest brother blushed bright red. "Wakkoooo," he whined. 

Lexi smiled again as she sat down. "How are the three of you all feeling?" she asked. 

"Scared and relieved," Dot said. "I've found out that my oldest brother is alive, and he's a dragon. It's kind've a lot to take in all at once." She frowned. "Wait. Are we dragons?"

"You are," Lexi told her. "In fact, your whole family has dragon blood in them. Your parents were a Night Fury and Light Fury, and they fought a very long battle to have dragons accepted in society. Your father, in fact, was king of both Warnerstock and the Hidden World, and he created a treaty between the human/toon world and the dragon world."

She sighed. "Sadly, that treaty died the day Salazar attacked. He wanted the power of dragonkind for himself; more to the point, he wanted the power of the Alpha, and the ability to command that came along with it. William defeated him in a challenge, and Salazar went away to formulate a plan which culminated in the overrunning of Warnerstock and the deaths of your parents."

Dot shivered again. "Salazar is a dragon too?"

"Yes," Lexi said sadly. "He's a human on his mother's side, but his father was a Bewilderbeast. And they're natural Alphas. So of course he thought the power of the King Dragon should be his. But William had already taken the title of King of the HIdden World, which gave him the power to rule over all dragons. Salazar did not like that at all, and the rest you know."

"I ran away when he attacked," Yakko admitted, shame darkening his eyes. "I tried to find you two, but there was so much chaos going on that I just couldn't reach you in time." It was his turn to sigh, and Wakko climbed into his lap, whining as he and Dot held their brother tightly. "In the end, I had to flee or else I'd get killed as well. Eventually, I found Dragon Island, and once I showed them who I was, they took me in."

"My mother told me two of the three of you had survived," Lexi said. "She didn't tell me about Yakko, obviously, but hinted that he was still out there. So I went scouting for him, but got myself caught by Salazar, who drugged me and made me his captive. He's now got my mother hostage, and her continued survival rests on my 'obedience', so to speak. But she told me that she wasn't afraid to die, since she'd lived a full life, so I took my time searching for the three of you. I didn't want to give Salazar an easy win, so I dawdled. And it paid off; I got to watch the three of you interact, and when I saw Yakko for the first time, I recognised him as the missing crown prince."

"Now that Dad's dead, I'm the only Night Fury left," Yakko said, his voice bitter as he held his siblings tightly. "The line essentially dies with me, and any offspring I might have in the future will have mixed blood." 

"Then what does that make us?" Wakko asked, confused. 

"A mixture, I guess," Yakko admitted. "Dunno, baby bro. Now that you and Dot are here, you can probably find out for sure."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Dot said firmly, hugging both her brothers tightly. "We're all here together, and together we're gonna stay."

Yakko held them close. "Love you, sibs," he whispered. "And thank you. For everything."

"Love you more," the younger two chorused, and Lexi quietly tiptoed out, leaving them to it. Once she was outside, she let her uncertainty show. Not over the siblings; Yakko would be a good king, and his younger siblings would be an invaluable help. It was Salazar who worried her the most; if he hadn't already cottoned on to the fact that she hadn't gone along with his plan, then he'd be bound to find out soon. And then her mother would most likely die. 

Lexi shivered as she walked to a ledge which overlooked the main chamber, and she let her legs dangle over the edge, kicking them idly as she rested her chin in her hands. There was also the small matter of the younger siblings' guardians in Acme Falls. How would they react to learning of Yakko's survival? Would they be happy, or sad? Or would they react in outrage? 

With a sigh, Lexi stood. There was no sense driving herself crazy with wondering; right now, her duty was clear. She needed to focus her attention on getting Yakko and his siblings settled into life here in the Hidden World, and from there, everything else was bound to fall into place. Even so, as she started walking back towards her cavern, she couldn't help but feel as if something was bound to go wrong sooner or later. She just hoped they'd all have at least a few days before things inevitably went south. She didn't want anything to catch her new king and his siblings off guard before they had at least a small chance to learn the most basic of their abilities. 

Chapter Text

The next morning. Yakko woke to find himself practically smothered by his siblings. Dot was curled up on his chest, while Wakko was sprawled across his legs, occasionally twitching and yipping in his sleep. But Yakko didn’t mind in the slightest. He rather enjoyed being smothered, and after nine years of living with dragons, he was definitely going to ride the high of being reunited with his family for quite some time to come.

Soon there came a knock on the door, and Lexi put her head inside. “Breakfast is starting soon,” she said softly. “Wake the young ones, and we can go over some training after we’ve eaten.”

Yakko gave her a thumbs up. “Gotcha,” he whispered, and Lexi smiled as she withdrew. “Hey, thing one and thing two,” he whispered to his sleeping siblings. “Rise and shine.”

“Just five more minutes, please,” Dot complained.

“’M too comfy,” Wakko mumbled.

“Breakfast is on its way,” Yakko coaxed, and that was all it took to get his siblings up and moving. But as they hurried out, the young king let his smile slide. He knew that eventually the younger two would have to go back to Warnerstock to face Salazar and finally take him down. Just like they had a responsibility to their people, so did he have a responsibility to his. And he couldn’t very well force his siblings to stay in the Hidden World with him, as much as he wanted to have them by his side. Warnerstock needed a ruler, and the two youngsters would be the perfect fit; Wakko would make a good king, and Dot was bound to want to keep an eye on her younger brother to make sure he didn’t cause any international incidents.

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, Yakko decided, shelving his pain for the time being. No way was he going to waste this precious time with worrying; there’d be time enough for that after his siblings went home.

Breakfast was a very casual affair, with everyone arriving in no particular order, being served as they came. They also seemed more comfortable to use their toon forms while here in the Hidden World, and soon Dot and Wakko were getting a thorough education on dragon species based on the size, shape, and fur colour of each toon. The Nadders, like Stormfly, were easily identifiable by their brightly coloured fur, whilst the Gronkles could be spotted from a mile off thanks to their shorter, stouter stature and more subdued fur hues. The Terrible Terrors were just as easy to spot; the adults were no taller than Dot, while the hatchlings were about toddler size.

The Nightmares, on the other hand, were taller, and had fiery tempers that could spark at any time, and for any number of reasons. And true to their nature, the Zipplebacks had two heads, even in toon form, and those heads often got into quite fractious arguments that inevitably resulted in the body stalling completely while the heads sorted out their issues.

Then there was the Bewilderbeast. Despite his massive size and dull fur colour, he was as gentle as a kitten. He’d had no name before coming to the Hidden World, but some of the hatchlings had given him the name Gruff, and he’d taken to that name. Dot found herself getting on with him quite easily. “Dad seemed to make it a habit to regularly fight off Bewilderbeasts,” she said with a laugh.

“Indeed he did,” Gruff said, his voice sad. “Sorry. I don’t like really talking about my brother too much.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Dot said contritely.

Gruff waved it off. “You weren’t to know,” he said. “But since we’re on the subject, I might as well say that what I did, I did at the behest of my master. What my brother does, he does at the behest of no one but himself and his own cruel, selfish desires. In essence, he doesn’t care who he hurts, and he knows exactly what he’s doing. I had no choice; he does, and he should damn well know better.”

“The sooner he’s got rid of, the better,” Lexi said shortly.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Yakko agreed, his face showing a brief flash of pain before covering it up with a brilliant smile when he saw Dot looking at him. “All good, sister sibling?”

Dot nodded, smiling back, and Yakko gave her a thumbs up before wandering off. The princess frowned once her brother was out of sight, though. For some reason, that smile looked… well, like a mask to her, as if he’d donned it to stave off something heartbreaking. Dot decided then and there that a Talk with her older brother was due at some stage. Something was troubling him, and she needed to get to the bottom of it before it ate her up.

Wakko, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. He’d managed to gather a few Light Furies around him – white of fur and blue of eye like Lexi (and she’d said rather huffily that they were not albino) – and he was regaling them with stories of life in Acme Falls, culminating in their eventual first meeting with Yakko. Dot smiled, although she did notice that all the Furies were female. Boys, she thought in fond exasperation.

Then a thought occurred to her, and she frowned again. Had Scratchy known of their heritage?

Yakko provided the answer to that question after breakfast. “He did,” the young king said. “But he didn’t want to say anything because he was scared the two of you might run off and get into all sorts of trouble – which you did,” he added, winking at his siblings.

Wakko frowned around his thirteenth bagel. “He said some pretty unfriendly things about dragons the day we let you go,” he said, once his mouth was empty. Yakko frowned in his own turn as his younger brother told him what the good doctor had said about dragons and the Hidden World, but soon he sighed.

“His whole town was destroyed by fire,” the older brother said. “But it wasn’t my tribe who did it. Salazar wanted to cause some mayhem and instil distrust in dragons despite my father’s hard work, and he did that by sending his bullies out to destroy everything they could.” He held up a hand. “But Scratchy never once let that stop him from caring for us as deeply as he could, and I remember how kind he was to the three of us. In fact, he and Dad were best friends, and he kinda became like an uncle to us.”

“Then why did you keep attacking Acme Falls?” Dot said, puzzled.

Yakko looked embarrassed. “Some youngsters got bored one night and decided to engage in their favourite pastime of burning anything they could,” he said. “I tried to stop them, but you all know how sharp my accuracy is. So did the youngsters. They took advantage of it by luring me to a good spot, before dodging my shots at the last second, and the rest you know.” He chuckled. “They got the living daylights scared out of them the night you shot me down, Wak, and they decided that enough was enough. I think they got quite the chewing out when they returned to Dragon Island, and serves them right.”

Dot giggled. “Then I guess shooting you down was a good thing,” she said.

“You got it, sister sibling,” Yakko said, leaning over to give her ears an affectionate tug. Once again she saw a fleeting look of sadness cross his face before his smile came back. “Enough doom and gloom,” he said. “Let’s go out and test your wings, before Wakko eats us out of house and home.”

Wakko shrugged as he devoured the plate upon which his bagels – all seventeen of them – rested. “I was hungry,” he said, letting out a satisfying belch which caused the walls of their nook to rattle, and Yakko howled with laughter as he ruffled his brother’s ears. “You are definitely your father’s son,” he said, grinning. “Dad had a belch which could strip the paint from walls and fell any small animals within a five-mile radius.”

“Hey, that’s nothing,” Wakko said proudly. “I can belch the ABCs forwards and backwards. Wanna hear it?”

“Uhhhhh, maybe some other time,” Yakko demurred. “Lexi, you wanna come along to these rascals’ first flight?”

“Of course,” Lexi said, smiling. She’d rather enjoyed watching the small family interact, and she was very interested to see how Dot and Wakko would take to changing into their dragon forms for the first time.

Up on the surface, the sky was free of clouds, and the sun was shining brightly as the four made their way to some rocks close to the waterfall. Yakko and Lexi changed back to toon form the moment Dot and Wakko scrambled off their backs, and they all sat on the sunwarmed rocks. “Right, first lesson,” Lexi said, addressing the youngsters. “I want the two of you to reach inside and find your inner fire. Once you’ve done that, imagine it rising up and taking hold. The shift should occur after that, and it will feel disconcerting for the first time. Subsequent shifts should be much easier after that.”

Dot and Wakko closed their eyes, and for a long moment, nothing happened. Then their forms started shimmering with bright light, and when that light cleared, two young dragons sat in their place. Dot was the first to open her eyes, and she gasped when she saw her reflection in the water. “Woah!” she said, or tried to; the word instead came out as a trilling sound, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Wakko was next to see his changed form, and he looked suitably poleaxed before he grinned dragon style, letting his tongue loll out as he took a good look at his reflection. “Faboo,” he said, but, just like Dot, the word came out as a trill, and he blinked, puzzled.

Lexi laughed. “Try talking in our heads,” she suggested.

‘Like this?’ Dot asked, and the Light Fury nodded.

‘Faboo,’ Wakko said. ‘I can’t wait to start flying!’

Yakko and Lexi now took this time to change into their own dragon forms, but the young king had a question for his siblings. ‘Well, I can see you two definitely got mixed colouring,’ he remarked. ‘But I’ve still got no idea what you are. Dot, you’re mostly black with a bit of white and blue eyes. And Wakko’s all white with a bit of black and green eyes.’ He shook his head in wonder. ‘It’s like you’re a mixture of Night Fury and Light Fury.’

‘Well, why not call us Night Lights?’ Wakko suggested.

‘I like that name,’ Lexi said, nodding.

‘Me too,’ Dot agreed, grinning at her younger brother, and they high-fived – well, high-pawed, more accurately – looking very pleased with themselves.

Yakko felt his heart simulteanously melt and grow two sizes bigger at the same time. ‘Are you two ready to get flying?’ he asked.

‘Yeah!’ the Night Lights cried in unison.

‘Then let’s go!’ Yakko crouched and spread his wings. ‘Try to keep up!’

It took more than a few tries, and more than a few near-misses, but eventually Dot and Wakko got the hang of flying, and the two older dragons then took it upon themselves to loop and twirl around the younger ones. The Night Lights showed they were no slouches now that they’d found their wings, and they matched their brother and adopted sister easily, which spurred Yakko and Lexi to perform even more daring aerial feats.

Along the way, it came that Dot and Wakko could cloak themselves the same way Lexi did, and it wasn’t long before the three of them were playing a crazy game of tag. Since Yakko had no available storms to use (and he didn’t want to fry his brains like he’d done the night before) he instead ‘helped’ by revealing to any dragon within range where the others were. This eventually backfired, and he soon found the three of them ganging up on him, causing him to almost fall out of the sky several times. But he didn’t care; he was thrilled to have his family playing together, and to be honest, it was good to be carefree for a little while.

As lunchtime drew near, the foursome came upon Gruff, who was going for a swim, and the Bewilderbeast helpfully provided them with a hefty catch of fish, much to the delight of the children, who instantly declared him their new best friend. ‘Thank you!’ they said joyfully.

‘All part of the service,’ Gruff said kindly. ‘Don’t mention it.’

After lunch, they got back to the business of flying, but it didn’t take much longer before Dot and Wakko were ready to go back. ‘I need a nap,’ the prince complained.

‘Hop on our backs,’ Lexi suggested, as she and Yakko positioned themselves underneath the hatchlings. ‘Just imagine the fire dying down, and you should shift back to toon form.’

The shift happened relatively quickly, and the children lightly dropped the couple of feet needed to reach the older dragons’ backs. ‘Homeward bound,’ Yakko declared. ‘Please keep your hands and feet inside the Fury at all times, and no flash photography.’

Dot giggled as she settled on his back, but she picked up on the sadness lurking deep beneath her brother’s joviality, and decided that Enough was finally Enough. We’re talking when Wak and I have napped, the princess decided, making sure to shield her thoughts. Something’s going on, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it!

Nap she and Wakko did the moment they got home, and Yakko tucked them into his bed, smiling as he watched Wakko reach out to hold Dot in his sleep. He even heard a purr from his sister as she rested her head on her younger brother’s chest, and tears pricked his eyes as he leaned down and gently kissed their heads. “Love you, sibs,” he murmured, getting to his feet.

Lexi met him in the King’s Cavern, and she dropped down to sit cross-legged beside him atop the crystal block. “You’ve got a lot on your mind,” she guessed.

Yakko nodded. “They’ve got to go home eventually,” he said sadly. “I don’t want to be selfish and keep them here; that’s why I never approached them until those wiseasses decided to try torching Acme Falls for a laugh.” He sighed. “Warnerstock needs them, and the Hidden World needs me.”

“You know, you can rule the Hidden World and Warnerstock just as easily from your palace there,” Lexi said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Your father did that, and he commanded the loyalty of dragons and toons just as easily from his palace as he could have had he decided to make his permanent home here.”

“Really?” Yakko was surprised.

“Every king or queen dragon has ruled from the place that suits them best,” Lexi said. “And all dragonkind has respected them whether they ruled from their toon home, their nest, or here.”

Yakko smiled and rested his head on hers. “Thanks,” he said, unsurprised to feel a purr starting up. It grew louder when he heard her purr answer his, and he closed his eyes, noticing for the first time how soft her fur was. “I’m gonna make a boob of myself and confess that I’ve got the world’s biggest crush on you,” he admitted.

“I know,” Lexi said gently. She smiled and slid an arm around him, holding him close. “And since we’re on the subject, you’re not half bad yourself.”

“Your kindness is overwhelming,” Yakko quipped, but this didn’t stop him from returning her embrace. “Gotta say, though, this love stuff is new to me.”

Lexi nodded. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to figure it out,” she said. “And I’m happy to rule with you and your siblings wherever you choose to make your throne.” She tightened her grip. “And don’t be scared to ask for help. Your friend Scratchy will probably be eager to help you as he did your father.”

Yakko smiled. “Thanks,” he said. “You’re an amazing girl. Dragon. Toon. Whatever.”

“I’ll take amazing,” Lexi said, laughing as she hugged him closer, purring louder as his arms tightened around her.

They sat like that for a while, and while Yakko still wasn’t quite sure where he’d make his permanent throne, he was relieved to know that he wouldn’t have to be parted from his siblings or Lexi. He hugged her even tighter, purring happily as she nuzzled his shoulder and cheek, glad to know he’d have the rest of his life with this amazing girl who made everything better by just being there. How or why she’d become so meaningful in so short a time wasn’t important; what was important was that he liked her a lot, and it seemed very much on the cards she liked him just as much. “Wanna get something to eat later?” he asked, feeling a bit lame, but hopeful at the same time.

“There’s a cove a short flight away,” Lexi said. “We can go there tonight and I’ll show you how Furies express their feelings when they like another Fury.”

Yakko grinned. “Sounds like a date.”

Chapter Text

Salazar stormed into his throne room, his face dark with anger. For the last few days, he’d heard nothing about Lexi or her mission, and now the two young heirs had gone missing!

Plotz was already standing before his master’s throne, his face pale, and the king didn’t even bother with titles as he pointed a finger at his Baron.

“You have failed me,” he said coldly. “Your spies somehow managed to lose track of the girl, and now her, the heirs, and that Night Fury have all vanished. Care to tell me more?”

“We kept a diligent eye on the girl,” Plotz said, shaking like a leaf. “I swear, Your Majesty. I made sure they all knew their orders, and that their heads would roll if they let her slip out of their sight!”

Salazar glared at him, his eyes gleaming. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t have you killed on the spot,” he said.

Plotz took a deep breath. “We can lure the heirs back,” he said. “They have a deep, if misplaced loyalty to their adopted hometown. Give me leave, and they’ll come running back the moment they hear the news that their friends are in danger.”

“You’ve given me no reason to be confident in your abilities,” Salazar said. “Therefore, you are removed from your position. You’ve twenty-four hours to get out of my sight before I forget myself and give you the reward you so justly deserve for having served me so faithfully.” He practically spat those last words, and Plotz knew better than to fight this man.

“Very well,” he said, bowing deeply. “If that is what Your Majesty desires, then that is what Your Majesty gets.” So saying, he pulled his medallion of office over his head and let it fall to the floor. With that done, he bowed once more before turning and walking calmly out of the throne room. The moment the heavy doors closed behind him, however, he shed his false calm and ran for the dungeons.

Astra lifted her head when Plotz came running up to her cell, out of breath and red-faced from his exertion. ‘Well?’ she said, making sure to keep her communication to just the two of them.

Plotz gave her a thumbs up. “All is as it should be,” he said in a soft whisper. “Your daughter’s got a good head on her shoulders, and it seems as if everything has fallen quite neatly into place.”

‘That is good news,’ Astra said, letting her relief show at last. It’d been a few nerve-wracking days, and she was glad Lexi’s mission had met with success. ‘But if I may ask, why have you been helping me?’

Plotz took a deep breath, fully aware that what he was about to say was the basest sort of treason to the man he was supposed to have served faithfully for the last nine years. “I don’t like what he’s done,” he said crossly. “He’s a tyrant, and the sooner the rightful heirs come back, the better off we’re all going to be.” He crossed his arms and huffed out an angry breath. “I don’t like dragons, but it seems to me that having a dragon king would be a hell of a lot better than a human king.”

Astra was surprised, to say the least. ‘Well, I appreciate your honesty,’ she said dryly. ‘We dragons are not tyrants, though, save for the ones Salazar has under his control.’

“Look, I’m not going to debate semantics with you,” Plotz said. “My head’s already likely to end up on the chopping block, and you’re not far behind. The deed is done; Lexi’s found who she was looking for, and the children are safely out of the way.”

‘I understand this is hard for you,’ Astra said contritely. ‘But I thank you. Be well and go safe.’

“Thanks, I guess,” Plotz said, shaking his head in befuddled wonder as he turned to leave. “You dragons are crazy, but I can take this sort of crazy better than that man up there.”

Astra nodded her understanding. ‘He will soon receive his just desserts for all that he has done,’ she promised, and Plotz nodded. He gave her a wobbly smile before hurrying out of the dungeons, and Astra sighed as she let her head fall.

She knew better than Plotz that Salazar would have her marked for death after this latest turn of events. But she was content to die, knowing that her daughter had done all she could to make sure the rightful king was ready to assume the throne stolen from him nine years ago. She just hoped that Salazar would make hers a swift ending; he was more likely to prolong her suffering out of spite in hopes that it would make Lexi falter.

Lexi was stubborn, though; she’d never let something like her mother’s impending death stop her from doing what was right. Even so, Astra made a mental note to make sure the bond between her and her daughter was fuzzy the moment her death came. Lexi needed to be as strong as possible to help her king and her people; grief was only going to cause her step to falter.

But Astra had no chance to even begin the workings needed to mute the pain of her coming death; Salazar came storming to her cell only moments after Plotz had left, and his eyes showed it all; he was beyond enraged, and his face wore an expression of the most inhuman loathing Astra had ever seen on a person’s face. It was clear some of his dragon persona was leaking out; dragons normally never let this happen while disguised. But Salazar had clearly forgotten the rules.

“You are dead,” he hissed. “You have failed me, you misbegotten freak of nature.”

‘Oh, spare me your name-calling,’ Astra said dryly, hoping to stall him.

Salazar threw back his head and laughed. “I see what you’re doing,” he said, grinning madly at her. “Well, your daughter is about to get a very harsh lesson. And may it serve her right for crossing me!”

He thrust his hand out, and Astra screamed, pain blanking her senses in an instant. Mercifully, darkness soon engulfed the pain, but her last thought was of regret, not relief. Don’t give in, Lexi, she thought desperately, and then everything blanked out.

‘C’mon, you’ve almost got it,’ Lexi encouraged. ‘I’ll show you again.’ She pranced lightly on her pawtips, moving in a delicate circle as she gently flapped her wings. ‘You’ve just got to flap your wings a bit more gently when you do the prancing.’

‘That’s easy for you to say,’ Yakko said grumpily. Nevertheless, he tried to duplicate Lexi’s actions, but he flapped his wings too hard, causing him to spin in a dizzy circle which ended up spraying sand in Lexi’s face, making her sneeze. ‘Crap!’ Yakko cried. ‘I’m so sorry!’

Lexi brushed it off. ‘You’ll get there,’ she said, leaning forward to gently touch his nose with hers. ‘Just keep practicing and we can show everyone …’

Pain engulfed her sense and she screamed, her mind reeling. ‘MOM!’ she cried. ‘MOM! NO!'

The pain went on and on, seeming to last forever, but when it finally cleared, she was sobbing on the sand, curled up, clutching at her hears as she cried. “Mom!” she sobbed, shaking. “MOM!”

“Lexi!”

She looked up. Yakko was kneeling before her, holding his arms out. “C’mere.”

That was all it took to cause a fresh outcry; Lexi practically threw herself into his arms, sobbing into his fur, clutching at him like a lifeline as she rode the aftermath of her mother’s death. Pain and grief eclipsed everything, and she focused instead on the one sure thing keeping her from tipping over the edge entirely; Yakko, who held her tightly, gently rocking her, his purr a deep bass rumble in his chest. The sound was oddly comforting to Lexi, and, bit by bit, she felt her pain lessen, until it was a dull ache deep in her chest. “God,” she sobbed, as the last of her tears petered out. “I am going to murder Salazar for that!”

“Spare some for me,” Yakko quipped, and that was enough to startle a tearful laugh out of her. She pulled away slightly so she could wipe her eyes, feeling as if she’d been clubbed inside and out.

“That settles it,” she said firmly as she brought herself under control. “Salazar needs to be brought to heel, and fast.”

“I agree,” Yakko said. “But let’s not rush into things yet.” He held up a hand as she opened her mouth to protest. “I know you want to go off in a vengeful rush,” he said firmly. “But that’s just what he wants. And you’re not going to be functioning for a good while, which means you’re likely to make a few mistakes along the way. And we can’t afford mistakes. I’m still finding my paws, and the sibs have still got to adjust to their abilities before we go hell for leather on Salazar’s sorry butt.”

Lexi took a deep breath. She wanted to be angry at Yakko, but she knew he was right. “So what do we do?”

“We plan,” Yakko said. He gave her a lopsided smile, showing her he knew just how much she wanted to give him a good thumping for being right, and this, ironically, helped lessen that drive. “And we’ve also got to make sure Acme Falls is protected. Salazar’s likely to hit the sibs’ hometown to try and draw them out; I have to make sure they don’t go rushing off to protect Scratchy and co.”

“Bring them here,” Lexi suggested. “I know; non-dragons don’t often get a pass to come here unless we know we can trust them, but if you speak to them and tell them the situation, I’m sure the other dragons will understand.”

“Agreed,” Yakko said, rising and pulling Lexi to her feet. “And if they put up a protest, I can just roar at them.” He waggled his eyebrows as he said this, and Lexi had to laugh as she punched him lightly on the arm.

“That’s for being a clown,” she said primly, before leaning forward and kissing him lightly on the cheek. “And that’s for everything else.”

Yakko blinked, and then he smiled. It was a smile designed to calm and warm the heart, and Lexi certainly felt that way as he hugged her once more, letting her rest on his shoulder for a few moments as she gathered herself. “Ready to go home and do some wrangling?” he said, his breath warm against her ear.

Lexi nodded, feeling much closer to him than she had at the start of their relationship. “Ready,” she said, taking a deep breath as she pulled back. She gave him an arch smile despite the pain still burning deep in her heart. “And don’t think I’m going to give a second kiss that easily,” she added.

“I’ll work on that,” Yakko teased, winking. “C’mon, my lady. We’ve got work to do.”

The dragons didn’t mind at all when Yakko told them his plan the next morning. Lexi was sleeping in her chambers, having spent most of the night sobbing in Yakko’s arms; Wakko and Dot were currently with her, keeping a dedicated bedside vigil.

“Seriously, I think it’s past time Salazar got his comeuppance,” Stormfly said heatedly.

“Agreed,” Meatlug said. A Gronkle, she was normally possessed of an even-tempered countenance, but the news of Astra’s death had brought a slow-simmering temper to the surface.

Hookfang looked even madder than usual as he nodded. “I vote we go in and roast him alive,” he said. Hot-tempered even for a Monstrous Nightmare, he was simmering with rage. He’d gotten along with Astra, and had even hatchling-sat Lexi a few times. Therefore, Salazar was even more in his bad books for hurting a dragon he considered a little sister.

“Nah,” Barf said. “First we gas him, then we roast him.” Belch nodded agreement; it looked odd to see two heads on a toon body, but despite their fractious nature, the heads got along well, making Barf and Belch one of the more even tempered Zipplebacks.

Yakko sighed in relief. “Thank you,” he said.

“Hey, you’re our king,” Hookfang said. “What you say goes. And what you’ve said so far is pretty good.”

“Heh, I appreciate your confidence,” Yakko said, grinning. “But seriously, thank you. I know non-dragons are a bit of a stretch here, but if Salazar hurts any more people, my sibs are going to lose their ever-loving shit on the guy. I wouldn’t blame them, but right now, my mate is near-inconsolable over her mother.  I don’t want my sibs getting in the same state and doing something stupid before we’ve come up with an ironclad plan to make sure there’s no further collateral damage.”

The four dragons – who seemed to be spokespersons of a sort – nodded agreement. Yakko was glad he had such good advisors on side. “We’ll spread the word around the place,” Barf said. “Other dragons who come and go might not take too kindly to having non-dragons here, but once word of Astra’s death reaches them, they’ll count it a small loss in terms of the bigger picture.”
“Kicking Salazar’s butt from here to kingdom come,” Belch said, and Barf nodded.

 Yakko nodded. “Thanks,” he said. “I’ll leave that in your capable paws. Dismissed.”

The council – Yakko supposed he could call them that – bowed before leaving, and the young king took a deep breath as he trotted to Lexi’s chambers. He didn’t want the worst of his worries to show, but his siblings were quick to notice as he entered, his shoulders slumped. “You look like death warmed over,” Wakko exclaimed, getting up and dragging his brother to the cushions. Yakko soon found himself installed in what could be best described as a pillow-fort, and he had to smile. “How’s Lexi?”

“Sleeping,” Dot said, rubbing her eyes as she came out of the bedroom. “She’s wrecked, and I don’t blame her; I think it’s all finally sunk in, poor thing.”

Yakko sighed. “Well, we’re not going to rush her in her recovery,” he said. “She needs to take as long as she needs to be able to function again, and in any case, we’re not jumping paw-first into doing anything until we’ve got something more solid in place.”

He told them of the game plan; get Scratchy, Heloise, Pinky and Brain out of Acme Falls before Salazar came down on them like a ton of bricks. “You two know them best,” he wound up. “I’ll have you go along with the delegation.”

“Can do,” Wakko and Dot said, saluting him in unison, before running into his outstretched arms and hugging him tightly, purring gently as he let his head fall against theirs, the strain of the last twelve or so hours finally catching up to him as well. “You haven’t slept much, have you?” Dot surmised.

Her oldest brother shook his head. “Been worried sick about Lexi,” he admitted.

“Well, we can’t have you falling over from worrying to death about your mate,” Wakko said firmly. “I’ll stay with Lexi, and you can go with Dot to talk to Scratchy.”

Yakko blinked. “Seriously?”

“Scratchy’ll be over the moon to see you again,” Dot agreed, sharing a smile with her younger brother. “I think it’s a good idea.”

“Well, alright,” Yakko agreed, giving his siblings a fierce hug. “You’re a pair of terrors, but I love you.”

“We’re your terrors,” Wakko said, and Yakko had to laugh as he nuzzled them. “Now, seriously, Lexi’ll be okay,” the younger brother added. “I mean, she won’t be, but she will be, if you know what I mean.”

“She’ll take this and use it to strengthen herself to make sure she can really give Salazar what for,” Dot added. She looked sheepish. “Wak and I did the same for the last nine years.”

Yakko blinked again. “God, I’m so sorry,” he muttered, tears stinging his eyes as he held them closer. “I had no idea.”

Wakko shrugged as he booped his brother’s nose. “We thought you were dead,” he said frankly. “So we used that to help get us by, if you catch my drift. We knew – well, we thought we knew – that being strong was what you wanted us to do, so we took our pain and we made it a friend instead of an enemy. I think Lexi’s gonna do the same.”

“Wak, when’d you get so wise?” Yakko asked, astounded.

The younger brother shrugged. “Had no other choice, really,” he admitted. “Dot’n I learned early on that we had to grow up pretty darn fast if we were to have any chance of making it to the point where we would give Salazar what for.”

“But that means we’ve got tons of experience in learning,” Dot piped up proudly, taking her turn to boop Yakko on the nose. “So don’t fret about us or Lexi too much.”

Yakko didn’t know whether to be glad or sad that his siblings had grown up so much. So he settled for hugging them closer, purring softly as they snuggled close. This was how Lexi found them a few moments later, and she smiled, still sad deep down, but feeling much better after her nap. It was good to know she had family close by, even though she had known them for a short space of time. They did that to you, somehow, she mused, before speaking up. “Got room for one more?”

“Always,” the Warner trio chorused, and Lexi soon found herself all but smothered; Yakko wrapped his arms around her, while Dot and Wakko climbed into her lap, and she hugged them as best she could, purring in tandem with them. “Have we a game plan?” she asked.

“Shush,” Dot ordered, booping her on the nose and making her go cross-eyed temporarily. “Game plan for now is Serious Cuddle Time.”

“Is that a thing?” Yakko asked, amused.

“It is now,” the princess said primly. “Now hush. Cuddle now; talk later.”

“Yes ma’am,” Lexi, Yakko and Wakko said in unison.  

Chapter Text

Scratchy didn’t want to admit it, but when Dot and Wakko had disappeared two nights ago, old fears of Salazar’s assault nine years ago had come rushing back to the surface. So naturally, he threw himself into his work with a vengeance, determined not to let his grief show. He loved the two incorrigible heirs like his own children; to have them up and vanish like that was almost like losing Yakko all over again.

Naturally, on the morning of the third day after the siblings’ disappearance, Heloise finally noticed and stepped in. “Working yourself to death isn’t going to bring them back,” she said firmly, crossing her arms.

“But I have to do something to keep my mind occupied,” the doctor protested, shaking as he nursed his second cup of coffee for the day.

Heloise sighed and put a hand on his arm. “Listen, I’m as worried as you,” she said more gently. “But trust me; you working yourself to death is not the way to handle it. I’m sure they’ll turn up sooner or later.”

Scratchy sighed. “But the dragons…” he began.

“That happened a very long time ago,” Heloise reminded him. “And you know of the Warners’ heritage.”

“You are right,” Scratchy admitted. “But old fears and prejudices are hard to let go. That has not stopped me from serving the royal family well and faithfully, of course, but …”

“SCRATCHY! COME QUICK!”

Scratchy and Heloise stared at each other in shock. Then the doctor was on his feet and running for the door, the nurse hot on his heels. Together they rushed to the front of the house, and Scratchy skidded to a halt. “Dot!” he cried.

For the missing princess was just climbing off the back of a Night Fury, and the doctor stood rooted to the spot as she gave the fearsome creature a gentle pat on the nose. “Dot,” he said again, shaking as he took a hesitant step forward. “What in God’s name are you doing?”

She rolled her eyes. “Coming to save your sorry butt,” she said.

“Excuse me?” Scratchy wasn’t sure what to make of that, but there was a note of urgency in Dot’s voice which made him hard to be annoyed at her brusque tone. “What is going on?” he asked in a slightly milder voice.

“Salazar,” the princess said firmly. “Big brother, can you explain, please?”

The dragon shimmered, and when the light cleared, Scratchy received his second shock of the day. For standing there was the one boy he’d never thought to see again, and he felt his heart slam to a stop in his chest. “Yakko?”

The missing crown prince gave him a careless wave. “Long time no see,” he said casually. Less than half a second later he was sobbing like a baby in Scratchy’s arms, and to be fair, the doctor wasn’t doing much better; he tried and failed to say something, anything, but in the end, he settled for doing a good bit of crying himself.

Then it was Heloise’s turn to give the restored crown prince a hug, to which he wagged his eyebrows and said, “Hello, nurse!” before hugging her back with genuine warmth. Then Pinky and Brain came running, and Yakko hugged them as well, albeit a bit more carefully, but with plenty of affection. By the time the hugging was done, more than a few people had gathered to watch the reunion, and all of them were stunned.

“It’s the crown prince!” someone exclaimed.

“Have you come to take back your throne?” a hopeful matron asked, her heart in her eyes.

Yakko held up a hand to still the oncoming questions. “Not yet,” he said firmly. “But I promise you; before this winter is out, Salazar will be out as well.”

This seemed to calm the crowd, and they went away, leaving Yakko with both his immediate and extended family on the steps of the house. “Right,” the young king said. “Time to give you the rundown. But we gotta make it quick.”

Scratchy nodded and led the way back inside, his mind reeling with a thousand and one questions. It was clear the game had changed, but just how would the chips fall?

He got his answer soon enough; by the time Yakko had finished speaking, he felt as if he’d been better off not knowing. “We are to guest with you?” he exclaimed.

“It’s the only way to stop Salazar from hurting anyone else,” Dot explained. “My sister-in-law’s already had to suffer enough from the death of her mother, so we’re jumping the gun to make sure he can’t cause any more damage.”

Scratchy didn’t know what to say to that. It was all a bit much, but he understood time was short. “Then it is best we warn the townspeople,” he said. “I do not think you dragons’ tolerance will extend to crowds.”

“I’m pushing it enough as it is,” Yakko admitted. “They’ve only agreed to the four of you because my sibs know you, and since they are my sibs, they’ll take it because they’re worried I might come down on them like a ton of bricks.” He made a face. “Not that I would, of course, but I guess being the king of all dragons does have its perks.”

“It’s also all the more reason why we can’t let Salazar have that title,” Heloise said shrewdly.

“Indeed,” Brain said. “Yakko is possessed of enough good sense to know not to abuse his power needlessly. Salazar does not. Therefore, Salazar must be removed from the race entirely.”

Scratchy nodded. “Then we had best get going,” he said. “I do not like it, but at least now I can rest a bit easier knowing those dragon attacks were … pranks.”

Yakko laughed. “Yeah, that was interesting,” he agreed. “Right, I’ll get some locals over and … HEY!”

The room stilled at his shout, and he turned towards the window, his eyes wide. “Oh no.”

Dot was on her feet in an instant, her face going pale. “What is it?”

Yakko turned towards her, his face as white as hers. “Salazar’s got the jump on us,” he said, shaking as he turned to Scratchy. “Evacuate the town, now!” he ordered. “Send the people to Dragon Island; my friends will take them in, no hassle there.” He turned to Dot. “Get going home,” he said, holding up a hand as she started to protest. “I know, I know, but I’m not risking any more of the people I love. The dragons’ll follow you and Wakko.”

Dot bit her lip but nodded, throwing herself into his arms for a fierce hug which he fervently returned. Then she ran out of the room, returning with a brightly coloured toon who looked like he might’ve been born from a rainbow. “This is Flashleap,” she said. “He’s strong enough to carry two adults; I’ll take the mice.”

Heloise curtseyed to the dragon, and though Scratchy was still in two minds about it all, he nevertheless possessed enough manners to bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

Flashleap grinned. “I know, you’re scared stiff,” he said. “Don’t worry; the little lady gave me the rundown, and I promise I won’t bite. Dot, you ready?”

Dot detached herself from Yakko’s arms again, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. “I’m ready,” she said. Yakko gave her a sad smile, and Scratchy felt as though he might choke from all the suppressed emotions of the last nine years as he gave the prince – no, the king – a fierce hug of his own. Heloise and the mice did likewise, and Dot firmed her shoulders.

“Let’s go,” she said, and Scratchy swallowed something as the group hurried outside once more. Yakko took charge to address the townspeople, who looked aghast, but accepted his word without question. Several more dragons had come to take them to Dragon Island, and the fact that they were toons like Yakko helped ease the townspeople’s worries. Dot further assuaged their fears by turning into her Night Light form, and this elicited more than a few coos as Scratchy picked the mice up and set them on her back. Then he and Heloise hurried to climb on Flashleap’s back. ‘Ready for take off?’ he inquired.

Scratchy almost had a heart attack again, but he nodded. “We are ready.”

‘HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.’

The mental communication rendered all present nearly comatose, before a nightmare entered the town; Salazar as a man was terrifying, but as a Bewilderbeast, he was a hundred times even more overwhelming, and as he stormed towards the frightened townspeople, his eyes gleamed, fixed on the small group standing outside Scratchy’s house. A low, thrumming noise emanated from him, and any dragon within reach instantly felt the compulsion to remain where they were. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t their alpha; when a Bewilderbeast exerted their will, you damn well did as you were told.

Scratchy and Heloise stared at each other in dismay. The mice looked like they wanted to be sick; even Pinky’s bright nature was snuffed out in fear as he clung to Brain, who held him tightly, his face showing nothing, his eyes screaming.

Dot and Flash, however, ignored the overwhelming desire to obey. ‘Let’s go already!’ she shouted, suiting words to actions as she took off. Flash was quick to follow, and that seemed to loosen something in the townspeople; people began running and climbing on board the closest dragon they could find, and despite feeling as if they were doing something dreadfully wrong, the assembled dragons took off, beating their wings as powerfully as they could to get away.

Salazar roared with rage, before firing a blast of ice at the fleeing dragons. But Yakko wasn’t having it; in a split second he’d taken to the skies, and with a roar of his own, fired off a powerful plasma blast that shattered the ice into a thousand tiny bits. ‘You want them, you have to go through me!’ he shouted.

‘Very well!’ Salazar sneered. ‘But you will lose, Yakko, just as your dear father did the night I killed him!’

Scratchy took a deep breath. “Fly back,” he ordered Flash.

‘Huh?’ he and Dot said in unison.

“I said, fly back,” the doctor repeated. The other dragons had disappeared, having safely gotten away, but Flash and Dot had yet to make a clean break, and Scratchy knew why.

‘Doc, we’re not doing this,’ Flash said firmly, but nevertheless, he did as he was told, angling back towards the town. Dot did the same, the mice hanging on firmly. ‘Why?’ she asked.

“I love him too,” Scratchy said. “Dragon or no, the three of you are my family.’

‘Can’t argue with that,’ Flash agreed. ‘Hey, Yak Attack!’

Yakko turned, startled. ‘What the hell are you two still doing here?’ he said angrily.

‘Helping your sorry butt,’ Dot retorted as she got into position beside her annoyed brother.

Salazar laughed, a deep, rumbling sound which set everyone’s teeth on edge. ‘How cute,’ he jeered. ‘They want to stand by their “king”.’ He invested this word with as much scorn as he could muster, and Yakko growled as he turned to face his nemesis. ‘Pathetic,’ Salazar added. ‘You could do so much better.’

‘We are so talking about this,’ Yakko said in an undertone to his two rather disobedient subjects. ‘Listen, you got a problem with me,’ he said in a louder voice. ‘So let’s you and me duel, one on one.’

Salazar drew himself up to his full height. ‘I am a Bewilderbeast,’ he said. ‘I alone can command dragons. You are but a Night Fury; you are not yet full grown, and you are king by an accident of birth.’

“He is king because the dragons declared him so!” Scratchy shouted, enraged.

“Yeah!” Pinky called. “So you can shove it up your butt!”

“Pinky!” Brain said, scandalised. “At least have the courtesy to use the right term.”

“Oh yeah, narf!” Pinky grinned. “I meant to say, you can shove it up your ass!”

“Much better,” Brain approved.

‘Enough,’ Salazar said, bored. ‘If Yakko wishes to challenge me, then let him. He will not win. He is inexperienced, and he does not possess the ruthlessness necessary to command an entire race of dragons.’

‘Then it’s a good thing I came along,’ Gruff said, and his manner was not gentle as all as he stormed into the town, glaring at his brother.

‘Oh shit,’ Flash muttered. ‘Now we’re in for it.’

Yakko took this opportunity in both paws. ‘Get going!’ he ordered, and Dot gasped as she felt an overwhelming desire to do as she was told. But she held her ground, giving her brother glare for glare.

‘We’re staying,’ she insisted.

‘You’re going to get yourselves killed!’ Yakko said, getting angrier. ‘Seriously,Angie – you and Flash need to go!’

But it was too late; Gruff and Salazar had collided in an enraged display of aggression. Flash, Dot and Yakko were forced to land before they were caught in the crossfire, and Yakko was first to turn back to toon form, fists clenched. Scratchy reached out to gently touch his shoulder, but the young king flung his hand off, his face set. “Leave me alone,” he snapped.

Dot and Flash looked at each other, but said nothing, and Heloise wished herself a hundred miles away. But it was just as much for Yakko’s anger towards Dot and Flash as it was for the titanic battle going on before them. Gruff and Salazar were evenly matched, but despite having only one tusk, Gruff seemed to have a slight advantage over his brother, and he used every dirty trick he’d picked up during his service to his previous master. Salazar certainly wasn’t prepared for his brother’s unexpected innovations, but he was a quick learner, and he soon started giving back as good as he got. Now Gruff was being driven back, but he dug his heels in and came back with a roar, slamming into Salazar and knocking him to the ground. In short order, he had his one good tusk pressed against his brother’s throat. Scratchy held his breath.

‘Any last requests?’ Gruff snarled.

‘Yes,’ Salazar said, wheezing slightly. ‘Give William my regards!’

Heloise gasped as the usurper surged up, his tusks piercing Gruff’s throat, and Dot cried out in shock. “Gruff, no!” she screamed, running forward. But Yakko scruffed her and hauled her to stand beside him, his face like stone as he watched Gruff fall to the ground, dead. Dot thought she heard him mutter, “Damnit,” before he turned and pushed her to stand with the others. “Stay here,” he said through clenched teeth. “If any of you move, so help me God…”

Salazar roared, cutting off the rest of his threat, and another wave of dominance swept over the three remaining dragons. This time, though, it was ten times as powerful, and Brain went white. “He’s unstoppable now,” he warned the others. “He’s defeated a former alpha, and now he’s riding that high.”

“Like when a dam bursts and you get all the pent up water at once,” Pinky said, trying to sound cheery. “Narf!”

“Narf,” Brain agreed, giving him a brief smile. “And that is exactly it. No dragon will be able to resist his call, unless you can draw on something strong to… Yakko!”

For the young king had dropped to his knees, pulling his ears as if they hurt. “Yakko!” Scratchy cried, running to him and shaking him. “Yakko, snap out of it!”

Salazar roared again, and Dot screamed, falling to her knees. Flash howled in pain, clutching at his chest as the usurping king exerted his will on the three dragons. Heloise and the mice tried to snap them out of it, and just like that, Flash and Dot recovered their senses, trembling. Yakko, however, wasn’t doing as well, and when Salazar started thrumming again, he screamed, curling in on himself. Almost involuntarily he changed to dragon form, shaking his head as he tried fighting Salazar’s compulsion. But when he turned to the group, they froze in horror.

Yakko’s pupils had narrowed to mere slits against the green of his eyes, and his gaze focused on Dot and Flash, who stiffened as they felt his will – corrupted by Salazar – take hold of them once more. “Yakko,” Dot pleaded. “Yakko, NO!”

‘Do it,’ Salazar ordered, eyes gleaming. ‘Either corrupt them or kill them!’

Yakko began slowly advancing towards the two frozen toons, his ironclad will forcing them to obey. But still they fought the compulsion to turn into dragon form, instead remaining steadfastly on their feet. That, it seemed, did the trick; Yakko’s steady steps turned into a stalk, and he opened his mouth, a plasma blast ready to fire. Dot shoved Flash behind her, holding her arms out. “If you’re going to do it,” she said firmly, her heart pounding, “then you’re going to have to kill me to get to them.”

‘He’ll do so, and gladly,’ Salazar said. ‘He’s still angry with you, so I’d imagine he’d take great pleasure in the deed.’

Dot didn’t believe it for one moment. “Yakko, you have to snap out of it,” she said, focusing on her steadily advancing brother. “Salazar killed our parents, remember? And he might’ve killed us too! He’s the monster! Not you! You’re a good king, and you’re not going to let a bully overrule you, right? You’re the king of dragons! He’s just an upstart looking to bully and harass other dragons just to make himself feel better.”

Pinky ran to her and scrambled to sit on her shoulder. “Yeah!” he said. “He’s probably acting so big because he’s trying to make up for something he doesn’t have, poit!”

“I could not have put it better myself,” Brain agreed. “Yakko, you know better than to listen to him.”

Scratchy, Heloise and Flash then joined in, and, bit by bit, they could see Yakko’s pupils slowly expand. Salazar screeched in rage, but when Dot ran forward to throw her arms around her brother’s neck, the spell shattered like glass. Yakko stumbled back, eyes wide, his pupils returning to their normal size. In a flash he was back to his normal self, and Dot flung herself into his arms. “Yakko!” she sobbed.

“Dot! Good God!” Yakko wrapped his arms around her, breaking down in tears as he hugged her tightly, and the others crowded around the distraught king, all of them hugging him as he sobbed into Dot’s fur, clinging to her like a lifeline. She couldn’t quite breathe properly, but she didn’t care, and eventually, Yakko calmed down, though he still held her in a near death grip as he stood, holding her protectively in his arms as he turned to face a stunned Salazar. The usurper king actually looked scared as the rightful king focused him with a glare which would have killed him on the spot had it the power to do so. “Permission to use the f-word?” Yakko whispered.

“Permission granted,” Scratchy whispered back.

Yakko grinned briefly before drawing on all his power. “Two words,” he growled to the man who had caused so much strife to him and his loved ones. “FUCK OFF!”

Salazar recoiled, but the command was too powerful for him to ignore, and he fled, leaving one very stunned group behind.

Yakko groaned and dropped to his knees, curling his body protectively around Dot as he began to cry again. Flash put two fingers to his lips and whistled, and soon Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug and Barf and Belch came flying in. They stared at the scene in some dismay, but Flash took charge before they could start asking questions. “Situation,” he said curtly. “We need to get this lot home, now.” Though he was no alpha, he had the presence of one, and the dragons didn’t hesitate, allowing Heloise, Scratchy and the mice to board. Yakko had to be coaxed onto Hookfang’s back, and he actually snarled when Stormfly gently suggested letting someone else hold Dot so he could rest.

“Best not to separate them,” Flash suggested. “Dot’s probably the only one keeping him sane at the moment.

‘Fair enough,’ Stormfly agreed. ‘Home it is, then.’

‘What about Gruff?’ Barf demanded as they took off.

“We’ll get that sorted, don’t worry,” Flash promised, too emotionally drained to fly. “Let’s just get home; our king needs to be surrounded by his loved ones.”

Scratchy sighed, his heart going out to the young king, who still clung to Dot like a lifeline. She was holding on just as hard, and the doctor was relieved that he’d disobeyed Yakko’s initial order. Without the calming presence of his immediate and extended family, there was no telling what might have happened. Heloise nodded in agreement when she saw his face. “Sometimes breaking the rules is a good thing.”

“Let us hope we can have a favourable outcome next time it comes this close,” Scratchy said soberly, before letting silence claim him. He needed a good bath. And a good sleep.  

Chapter Text

The Hidden World was thrown into some considerable chaos when the group returned, but it wasn’t long before the council took action to mitigate the immediate chaos resulting from Salazar’s attack. Stormfly detailed some Crimson Goregutters to retrieve Gruff’s body, while Barf and Belch got to work assessing how many dragons could be called upon to help deal with Salazar. What he’d done had essentially amounted to a declaration of war; no one wanted to be caught with their pants down, so to speak.

A few hours later, Barf and Belch came back with the numbers. “There’s at least a third of all known dragons who’ve thrown their lot in with Salazar,” Belch said. “Another third are loyal to our side, and there’s the final third who are undecided.”

“Reasonably speaking, we can easily convince the fence-sitters that throwing their lot in with Salazar is not a good thing,” Barf added. “Of course, dragons do as dragons do, so really, the only thing that will decide the issue is if Yakko uses his Call of the Alpha.”

Stormfly sighed. “He’s going to dig his heels in,” she said.

“Yeah well, we don’t have that luxury,” Belch said firmly. “I know he’s your friend and all, but he has to be a king first. There’s no sense him taking the throne if he isn’t going to put his paw done and remind everyone he’s king of all dragons. Not just the ones here in the Hidden World; all of them, including Salazar’s bootlickers.”

“You’ve got a point,” Stormfly agreed, getting up. “Well, I’d best break the news then.”

Yakko was still asleep when Stormfly came to his chambers, and Lexi looked as if she’d run a ten mile race as she emerged from his bedroom. “He’s completely rattled,” the Light Fury said, her face haggard. “Dot and Wakko are with him now, but it’s going to take him a day or so to shake off the worst of it.”

“I wish we could allow him that chance, but we can’t,” Stormfly said grimly. She told the queen what Barf and Belch had reported, and Lexi sighed.

“Damnit,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t know how he’s going to respond. He took the throne because I felt it was the right time, but I never even explained to him how being an alpha works.”

“He seems to have a good grasp on his powers,” Stormfly admitted. “Dot told me how he tried to make her and Flash stand down, and it took her quite a bit of willpower to face up to that amount of domination.”

“That’s because he wasn’t too focused on complete obedience,” Lexi said. “He just wanted them safe and out of the way. Now, according to what Dot said, when he faced Salazar down, he was definitely using all the force he could muster, and it worked enough that the usurper had no choice but to run away. Next time, though, he’s going to come full force, and it’s not going to be pretty.”

“Which is why Yakko needs to snap out of it,” Stormfly said firmly. “I know he’s hurting right now, but we don’t have time to allow him to process it. He’s got to come out all guns blazing, or the two of you are going to face a rebellion. No one’s said anything yet because they’re all in too much shock, but Yakko needs to do something, and fast.”

Lexi nodded and firmed her shoulders. But then a bloodcurdling scream emerged from Yakko’s bedroom, and the two dragons stared at each other in shock. Lexi was first to move, with Stormfly right behind her, and they skidded to a halt when they saw the scene before them. Yakko was curled into a tight ball, with Dot and Wakko desperately trying to shake him awake. “Yakko!” they cried, over and over again. “Yakko!”

But the king was unresponsive, and Stormfly sucked in a shocked breath. “This is bad,” she muttered.

Lexi ignored her and ran to her mate’s side. “Let me try,” she said to the two distressed hatchlings, who obediently scrambled away to give their sister-in-law some space. Lexi then took Yakko by the shoulders and kissed him. The response was instant; Yakko recoiled in shock, his eyes flying open, and he fell back with a gasp, panting as if he’d run a marathon. “Whowhatwhenwherewhyhow?” he said in a rush, eyes wide as he took a proper look at his surroundings.

Dot and Wakko ran to his side and jumped into his arms, hugging him fiercely, and Lexi sat back with a smile as she watched her small in-laws snuggle the stuffing out of their brother. Yakko, still confused, managed to return their fervent hugs, and soon all three of them were purring as they nuzzled each other. “Are you okay?” Dot demanded. “You were having a nightmare, and we couldn’t wake you up.”

Yakko sighed, his face falling as he gently disengaged himself from his siblings’ arms. “It was bad,” he said, staring blankly at his hands. “I was back in Acme Falls, only this time, Salazar took complete control of me and he made me…” He shuddered and turned faintly green.

“Well, ol’ Saladbar’s on the run,” Wakko said heatedly. “And when he does come back, he’ll get his ass kicked.”

Stormfly took this moment to step in. “Which is why I’m here,” she said. “My king, you need to use your Call of the Alpha to remind all dragons that they’re under your rule. There are two thirds who’ve either sworn loyalty to Salazar or are undecided, and it’s time they remembered their place. You’re not just king of the dragons who live here in the Hidden World; you’re the king of all dragons, and it’s about time they remembered that.”

Surprisingly, Yakko didn’t protest, although he looked even more ready to be sick. “I guess that comes with the turf,” he said. “Fair enough. Since you asked me so nicely, I’ll do just that.” He couldn’t help a small grin to come to the surface, and he even summoned the energy for a cheeky eyebrow waggle. Stormfly couldn’t help but grin back, glad to see her king had recovered some semblance of his normal self. His eyes were still shadowed by guilt, however, and it would be some time before he’d stop recoiling from his siblings, Dot especially. But now he was starting on the road to recovery, and that was a good sign so far as Stormfly was concerned.

Lexi now took charge. “I can show you some tricks on how to better master your powers,” she said to her mate. “Stormfly told me about what you’d done in Acme Falls, but you need more instruction before you can reach the same level of formidable strength as Salazar. And he’s riding the high of killing Gruff. That’s going to be some bolster to his already overinflated ego.”

“Psh.” Yakko waved a dismissive hand as he got to his feet. He hesitated before gently stepping around his siblings, who shared a sad look, knowing full well the guilt their brother was wrestling. “I can run rings around that guy with both hands tied behind my back,” the king added, wincing just a little, as if he could sense his siblings’ pain. “Believe me, by the time I’m through with him, he’ll be nothing but a lonely old codger with no one and nothing to keep him company.”

Stormfly hesitated. “He’d be better off dead,” she suggested tactfully.

Yakko shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. “I know you think I’ve lost my mind, and maybe I have. But killing him would be too easy, and it’d allow him to escape the justice he’s owing for all the deaths he’s caused. He deserves to suffer for what he’s done, and I intend to make sure he pays it all in full measure.”

Lexi frowned. Then she gasped. “Wait,” she said slowly. “Just what are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting we lock him in ice, and let him stew there for the rest of time,” Yakko said grimly. “And I know just the dragon to talk to.”

Icebolt listened as Yakko explained his plan. ‘It’s dangerous,’ the Skrill said. ‘But workable. You’re going to need a miracle to actually ensure Salazar stays frozen there forever, but if enough firepower is exerted, it should do the trick.’

Yakko shook his head. ‘I want him to fire on himself and get himself iced up,’ he said. ‘His ice is the only type strong enough to hold him. There’s no other Bewilderbeasts around that I know of, which is a shame; I’d love to have an extra one on paw to lend a bit of extra reinforcement.’

‘There’s one still alive,’ Icebolt said. ‘I don’t know how much he’s willing to help, but try talking to him. You’ll find him swimming the waters close by Dragon Island, but if you can’t get him to surface, just use your call to bring him out.’

‘Thanks for your help,’ Yakko said sincerely. ‘And, uh, sorry if ice is a sensitive topic for you.’

Icebolt shrugged. ‘It was a long time ago,’ he said dismissively. ‘The people who did it are long gone, but I hold no grudge against them. Besides, the rest was nice.’

Yakko chuckled, but there was a grim note in his voice. ‘Well, Salazar’s rest won’t be as pleasant, I can promise you,’ he said. ‘He’s earned a lifetime of being forced to reflect on what he’s done, and I intend to make sure he stays awake for the entire performance.’

‘Boy, it makes me glad you’re on my side,’ Icebolt joked. He bowed deeply. ‘But I am glad to have been of service, my king. Good luck, and keep me posted.’

‘You can count on that,’ Yakko said, spreading his wings. ‘See ya!’

The flight to Dragon Island was a short one, but Yakko stayed hidden in the clouds. He didn’t want anyone seeing him, mainly because he didn’t have time to stop in, but also because he didn’t want Salazar attacking the place out of spite. The usurper had already caused enough trouble as it was; Yakko wasn’t in the mood for dealing with any more casualties close to home.

In any case, he soon spotted what he was looking for; a dark shadow swimming deep under the water. ‘Yo,’ he called, putting a tiny amount of dominance in his voice. ‘Got five minutes?’

‘I have all the time in the world for you, my king of dragons,’ a deep voice replied. ‘How may I serve you?’

Yakko sighed in relief. ‘You’ve heard about Salazar, haven’t you?’

‘No dragon has gone ignorant of all the atrocities he has accomplished,’ the Bewilderbeast said, his voice disgusted. ‘I should know. He sold my son into slavery, and years later, when I saw him again, he was wholly at the command of his master.’

‘Waitaminute.’ Yakko blinked. ‘You’re their dad?’

‘I am,’ the Bewilderbeast replied. ‘I was king until my son almost killed me, but, as you can see, I am still alive. And so is Salazar.’

Yakko sensed the bitterness in the old dragon’s voice, and he felt ashamed. ‘Listen, I don’t want to bring old wounds to the surface,’ he said delicately, ‘but, uh, if you want to help, I got a way of putting Salazar on ice for good, pardon the pun.’ Given how the Bewilderbeast had only referred to one son, Yakko refrained from using that term for Salazar; clearly he’d been disowned by his father for his many misdeeds.

‘You may ask of me what you will,’ the Bewilderbeast replied. ‘I welcome the chance to see Salazar suffer for what he has done.’

Yakko outlined his plan, and when he was finished, the old dragon sounded awed. And humbled. ‘You truly are a credit to your father’s line,’ he said. ‘I will gladly take part in whatever it is you require of me.’

‘Thank you,’ Yakko said sincerely. ‘Hey, does Salazar know you still live?’

‘He does not,’ the Bewilderbeast replied. ‘Perchance I should make him aware of that fact the day you do battle with him again?’

Yakko grinned wolfishly. ‘You and I are gonna get along just fine,’ he said. ‘Uh, not to be rude, but do you have a name?’

‘My old name was lost when I was attacked,’ the Bewilderbeast said sadly. ‘But if you wish to name me, then please. I will take it, and gladly.’

‘Then I dub you Will,’ Yakko said. ‘You remind me a lot of my father, and I think he’d be really pleased to know part of his name lives on.’

‘You are kind, and I thank you,’ Will said gratefully. ‘And I believe this might even – shall we say – give Salazar even more of a fright?’

Yakko grinned again. ‘I like your thinking,’ he said.

It was nightfall by the time he returned home, and Lexi greeted him when he returned to his chambers. “The youngsters are asleep,” she said. “I thought they could do with some rest, given the hours they spent watching over you.”

Yakko winced. “Shoot,” he muttered. “Now I do feel like a right boob.”

Lexi hugged him. “You’re not a boob,” she assured him. “They understand why you’re so hesitant around them, and they do not think any less of you. Besides, they know you’ll come around eventually.”

Yakko held her close. “Thanks,” he said gratefully. “Say, what did you do, by the way? To snap me out of it?”

“I kissed you,” Lexi admitted, blushing.

“And I wasn’t awake for the performance?” Yakko pulled back, aghast. “My first real kiss and I was asleep? That’s a travesty and you know it!”

Lexi laughed at his discomfited expression. “Well, you did wake up afterwards,” she said, smiling.

“That. Doesn’t. Count.” Yakko pointed an accusatory finger at her. “This needs to be rectified, stat.” He was about to say more when Lexi cut him off with another kiss, stretching up on her pawtips to do so, and Yakko was soon too busy kissing her back to continue his diatribe. In fact, the kiss was so pleasant that he was soon purring, his tail swishing happily as he tightened his hold on Lexi, who happily reciprocated. It was quite some time before he could pull away, and when he did, he was considerably out of breath, a bit lightheaded, and buzzing pleasurably all over. “Well?” Lexi teased.

“I give that a nine out of ten,” Yakko said, grinning.

Lexi raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” she challenged. “How can I make up the missing point?”

“Like this.” Yakko kissed her again, dipping her somewhat dramatically as he did so, and she had to throw her arms around his neck to keep from falling. But she was purring as she returned his kiss, so Yakko counted that a win, and he pulled away after yet another blissful few minutes. “You weren’t purring the first time,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at her. “But you were this time, so I’ll give you that point back.”

Lexi had to laugh again as she hugged him. “You’re incorrigible,” she said fondly, nuzzling his shoulder and winning a purr out of him. “I guess that’s why I like you so much.”

Fortunately, Yakko got her meaning, and he reached up to gently scratch behind her ears, making her purr in return. “I like you too,” he said. “You’re amazing.”

“I try,” Lexi said, cuddling closer.

They stood like that for some time before Yakko let go. “So I got some news,” he said, his face turning grim as he returned to the immediate subject at hand. He gave his mate the run down of his discussion with Icebolt and Will, and Lexi smiled in admiration.

“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders,” she complimented him. “Have you worked out the other bit yet?”

Yakko nodded. “I know exactly when I’m going to use the Call of the Alpha,” he said. He took a deep breath. “And it’s gonna be scary.”

Lexi felt her body go rigid. “What are you going to do?” she asked, frightened.

Yakko kissed her forehead. “Dad only accessed his full power after getting blasted by ice,” he said. “Once he got out, he kicked Salazar’s ass from one end of the continent to the other. I figured I’d do the same, but unlike Dad, I’m going to make sure all the dragons the world over hear my call. Dad only called the local dragons and most of Salazar’s toadies. I’m going to call every. Single. One.”

“It’s dangerous,” Lexi warned, hugging him tightly.

“I know,” Yakko admitted, hugging her just as tight. “But I’ve got my lineage to back me up, and a bit of good old-fashioned stubbornness. I’ll get through it okay.”

Lexi shivered. “I’m scared,” she said.

“Me too,” Yakko said, suddenly sounding every bit the uncertain fourteen-year-old. But he didn’t give in; Lexi could feel the moment his resolve hardened, determination wiping out a good chunk of his guilt from the day before. She held him tighter, purring as loudly as she could, and Yakko purred back, the vibrations of his body sending a pleasant thrill through Lexi’s. Of course, they were rather much too young for anything else at the present time, but the purring was enough to make Lexi happy, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of Yakko’s arms wrapped tightly around her, his body vibrating from the intensity of his purr.

This was home, she decided.

Chapter Text

It was a cold morning, and Yakko shivered as he surveyed his surroundings. Having woken up before anyone else, he’d snuck out to do some scouting. His travels had taken him to Will’s old lair, and his heart sank as he surveyed the ruins of the once great nest the former alpha had constructed out of ice. It had all been destroyed the day Gruff had come to attack his father, and Yakko decided he’d do something about it once Salazar had been dealt with.

Rubbing his arms, he was about to shift back to dragon form when he heard a faint whisper on the air. He shivered, his fur standing on end. It sounded like an alpha call, but it was different. This was alluring, rather than dominating, but there was something cruel just under the surface. Yakko’s eyes narrowed. He knew that call.

Oh jeez. Now I’ve gotta go deal with this, he thought crossly, shifting to dragon form. Just great.

He soon found the source of the call; a Green Death had taken up residence in an extinct volcano, and her alluring call was bringing in quite a lot of dragons. All of them were carrying spoils, and all had a glassy look in their eyes, as if being controlled by a will stronger than theirs. Could Yakko have done so, he’d have said something rude as he flew low over the ocean, making sure he couldn’t be seen. Yup. Head dragon in charge all right, he thought. Welp, better go put her in her place before she causes more mayhem. ‘Yo, lady!’ he called. ‘Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?’

‘Ah, my young alpha,’ the Green Death replied. ‘Such an honour.’

Yakko wasn’t in the mood for flattery. ‘You’re encroaching on my turf, lady,’ he said firmly but not unkindly. ‘So Imma have to ask you to move on and stop stealing my subjects.’

‘You’re such a fool,’ the queen chided. ‘You do realise you have no power over me?’

‘Uh, you’re the fool,’ Yakko corrected her. ‘So how’s about I show you?’

With a roar, the Green Death emerged from her volcano, eyes blazing. ‘Say that to my face!’ she challenged.

‘Gladly!’ With that, Yakko roared, putting a hefty dose of command in it. The dragons ignored him, however, but Yakko wasn’t deterred. He roared again, and this time they all paused, hovering in midair as they turned to survey him with those glassy eyes. ‘Yo!’ he called. ‘Just a heads up – you all are very nice dragons, I’m sure, and you wouldn’t normally go stealing from innocent towns, wouldya?’

‘It’s the young alpha,’ someone said.

‘What’s he doing here?’

‘Is he challenging our queen?’

The Green Death let loose a deep, rumbling laugh. ‘Such a fool,’ she chided. ‘Show him, my children!’

The enslaved dragons didn’t hesitate; they dropped their booty and attacked, swarming over Yakko in an instant. He fought with teeth and claws, not wanting to actually fire on any of them, but they were crowding too close. Damnit, me and my big mouth!

Overhead, lighting crackled in the sky, and Yakko’s eyes lit up. Taking a deep breath, he exerted all the effort he could to grab that lightning, much as he’d done the night he and Lexi had gone to the Hidden World. But the Green Death crooned, and the dragons pressed closer, hindering Yakko’s concentration. He twisted and clawed and bit, but without his most needed skill at hand, he was as helpless as a newborn hatchling, and he roared desperately, hoping that someone, anyone would hear him and come to his aid. But no one answered; at least no one friendly, and as the Green Death began crooning again, Yakko felt his senses start to fog over. He tried as hard as he could to fight the compulsion to give in to the queen’s trance, but the dragons pressing against him were simply too much, and he just couldn’t concentrate, not when they were nipping and clawing at him, breaking his concentration. Fog started to creep over his vision and, overwhelmed, he slipped listlessly into the void yawning up before him.

“This makes no sense,” Dot said crossly, as Lexi flew through the cloudy skies. “What was he doing this hour of the morning?”

‘Scouting,’ Lexi guessed, sounding as distressed as her sister-in-law. ‘Maybe he was trying to find a decent battleground? He wouldn’t want to bring the fight too near the Hidden World; not without letting Salazar know about its location.’

“Salazar having access to the Hidden World would be detrimental,” Brain agreed. “But I do not like this at all. Yakko is still too new to his power as King of Dragons. Should he be caught alone out here…”

A crooning sound started up right then, and the brainy mouse went pale. “Oh no,” he muttered. “Dot, cover your ears, and do the same for Lexi, now!”

Dot did as she was told, and Lexi twisted her head to stare at them. Then her eyes went wide in realisation. ‘Green Death?’ she asked.

‘Must be,’ Dot said, looking at Brain, who nodded. He frowned for a moment, before pulling a sign out of his hammerspace.

‘She must be descended from the original queen who caused so much strife in King William’s time,’ Brain ‘said’. ‘I guess she seeks revenge for the death of her mother, and if Yakko strayed this way…’

Pinky frowned. “Why call her the Green Death?” he asked. “I thought they were more mottled than green. Though I suppose Mottled Death doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it?”

Brain stared at him for a moment, before a smile crossed his face. “Indeed,” he said. “Do explain it to us, Pinky.” At the same time, he flashed another sign to Dot and Lexi. ‘I think Pinky’s nattering might remove the need for covering your ears,’ he ‘added’.

Pinky’s nattering indeed proved useful; as he happily rambled along, going from one subject to the other with seemingly no segue, Lexi flew over the nest, scanning for any signs of Yakko. ‘I can’t sense him anywhere,’ she finally said in frustration. ‘I don’t think he came here at all.’

“Well, we’ve gotta keep trying,” Dot said anxiously. “I’ve got a bad feeling in my gut.”

“Oh!” Pinky exclaimed. “That reminds me of the time I ate a pear! Well, I think it was a pear, but it was dark green and had a weird smell, narf! Brain told me it would probably give me nightmares, and let me tell you, it did! I had a terrible dream we were actually in a ‘TV show’, whatever that means.”

As he continued regaling them with more silly stories, the croon grew even stronger. Brain nudged his companion in the side. “Tell them about your journal,” he suggested.

Pinky changed topic once more, but Dot soon shivered, rubbing her arms, and Lexi shook her head from side to side. “I don’t think it’s going to work anymore,” the princess said anxiously.

‘Ah, Princess Angelina,’ a deep female voice greeted. ‘So nice of you to stop in.’ The Green Death emerged from the volcano, her eyes gleaming in the cloudy half-light. ‘I believe you’re looking for your brother? Well, I have him right here.’ She crooned once more, and Dot gasped as Yakko joined her. His eyes were glassy, as if in a trance, and worryingly, his pupils were as narrow as they’d been the day Salazar had attacked.

“What have you done?” Dot cried.

‘Yakko!’ Lexi exclaimed.

The Green Death chuckled. ‘Well, I’ve enslaved him, is what I’ve done,’ she said sweetly. ‘He came in all arrogant and full of himself, demanding I stop having my dragons bring me food. So I decided to teach him a lesson.’

‘Let him go!’ Lexi demanded. ‘You’re the one encroaching; King William outlawed the enslaving of dragons by any and all Green Deaths at the time he dealt with your mother, and you’re way out of line!’

‘Ahem.’

Heads turned and eyes went wide as Salazar emerged from the water. ‘I believe I am the one breaking this “law”,’ he said contemptuously. ‘But since I got what I came here for, I might as well let this dear girl go.’

“You bastard!” Dot screamed. She stood on Lexi’s back, eyes narrowed and before anyone could stop her, she shifted into dragon form and took off, straight as an arrow. Brain and Pinky – who’d had the good sense to jump off her shoulders – watched in horror, calling out for her, but she ignored them, already priming a plasma blast. ‘This is for my parents!’ she screamed, and Salazar actually recoiled as her blast hit him head on. But Dot wasn’t done; she landed another vicious blow with another devastating mental scream. ‘And this is for my brothers!’

Salazar reeled, but before Dot could land another hit, he recovered and thrummed. Dot nearly tumbled out of the air, but soon she realised that Salazar was instead focusing on her brother, who turned to her, his face expressionless, his pupils so narrow they were barely visible against the green of his eyes. ‘Kill her,’ Salazar ordered, his thrumming so deep that it caused the bones of all present to ache unpleasantly. ‘Do it!’

‘Yakko!’ Dot screamed. ‘Don’t!’

But Yakko was beyond reach; he was already priming a plasma blast, and Dot knew the only thing she could do was fire back. She didn’t want to hurt her brother, but it seemed she had no choice, and she readied a blast of her own. ‘Wakko, help!’ she cried, projecting her call as powerfully as she could.

And Wakko came, with Flash close behind. Scratchy and Heloise rose the Nadder, and Dot frowned. ‘They wanted to come,’ the prince said, getting into position beside his sister. ‘Let’s hope we can knock some sense into him!’

Dot thanked the fates there was no need for explanation, and as one, she and Wakko fired. Yakko took this time to fire back, and the plasma blasts sent all three dragons flying. Yakko recovered first, but his siblings soon got their spinning senses back under control, and this time, their double blow connected solidly with their older brother, who roared in anger. His next blast nearly took Wakko’s head off, and the prince muttered something so family-unfriendly that Scratchy almost fell off Flash. “Gott in Himmel!” he exclaimed. “Where did you learn such disgraceful language?”

‘You, in the car,’ Wakko replied unrepentantly. ‘Baby sister, do something!’

And Dot did. ‘Sorry, Yakko and Brain,’ she apologised, before aiming a blast at Yakko’s tail. It connected, and the young king shrieked as he tumbled out of the air, landing heavily on the black pebble beach, his tail a smoking ruin. He got to his feet, his spine glowing blue, and Brain went white.

“Princess, you’re forgiven,” he said in a strangled voice, “but …”

“You’ve made him mad!” Pinky shrieked.

Dot went pale. ‘Oh, shi-‘ was all she managed to say before Yakko’s first alpha-powered blast slammed into her, sending her careening out of the sky and causing her to lose her dragon form in the process. Wakko dived and caught his sister, but Yakko’s next hit took him out, and they both screamed as they fell. Flash and Lexi dove to catch them, and the two hatchlings held on to their rescuers, trembling.

“Dot, so help me, I am going to wash your mouth out when we get home,” Scratchy chided, but his heart wasn’t in it.

“Bite it,” the princess muttered, still shaking. “Now what?”

On the beach, Yakko growled, a low, rumbling sound, and time seemed to stop. Dot could sense the moment he gathered his full strength, and she clapped her hands over Flash’s ears, while Wakko did the same for Lexi. Scratchy then covered the princess’s ears, while Pinky and Brain did the same for Yakko.

And they were just in time as Yakko roared.

This time, his roar had all the power of the King of Dragons behind it, and Dot shivered, feeling that roar go through her. She felt Flash quivering under her, and she looked over to see Wakko and Lexi likewise struggling to obey their king. But their covered ears spared them the worst of it, for which Dot was relieved. But she wasn’t relieved when dragons of all species came flying to Yakko’s call, and she was even more horrified when she spotted the council likewise coming in response. All of them had narrowed pupils, and though Dot tried calling out, no one responded. Even Hookfang ignored her, focused instead on his king, and Dot felt her heart sink right to the pads of her paws. She was just thankful Gruff was dead.

But then the water rose in a great wave, and a Bewilderbeast emerged, roaring challenge. Yakko roared in response, and Dot felt the blood drain from her face. “Who’s that?” she cried, feeling an instant lessening of the terrible pressure Yakko’s first roar had put on her.

‘That is Will, Gruff and Salazar’s father,’ Lexi replied. ‘Well, he disowned Salazar, but that’s neither here nor there. And he is pissed.’

Will was indeed angry, but his glare seemed more for a suddenly stunned-witless Salazar. ‘Father!’ he exclaimed.

‘I am not your father!’ Will roared. ‘You betrayed me the day you turned my son against me! Now prepare to meet your end!’

Salazar recovered his nerve. ‘Never!’ he screamed. ‘You robbed me of my birthright! Now I’m going to take back what is mine! YAKKO! ATTACK HIM! KILL HIM!’

‘DO NOT DO THIS,’ Will rebutted.

‘DO IT!!!’ Salazar screamed.

Caught between two warring Bewilderbeasts, Yakko roared in distress. The blue light along his spine flickered as he fought to find a middle ground, and Dot saw her chance. She jumped off Flash’s back, transforming back into dragon form as she did so. The moment her paws hit the black pebble beach, she ran to her brother’s side and shifted form again, jumping on his back. “YAKKO!” she yelled. “WAKE UP! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WAKE UP!”

Yakko threw his head back and roared again, and the light blazing along his spine grew brighter. Lightning surged in response, and Dot yelped as she covered her head with her arms.

Then a brilliant blue bolt arced down from the heavens, and those still in the air shielded their eyes. When the light died down, Yakko and Dot were nowhere to be seen. ‘What the hell just happened?’ Flash demanded.

Another bolt of lightning then slammed headlong into Salazar, and he roared in pain. Will took that chance to collide with his former son, sending him staggering, and Salazar roared again, this time in anger as he turned on his father, battering the older Bewilderbeast with his tusks. But Will had years of experience, and a burning, righteous anger which fueled each blow he landed on Salazar. And he had the added benefit of remembering all of Gruff’s moves, which lent him the edge he needed to keep one step ahead of his one living son, who roared in outrage as he found his every dirty trick blocked. ‘You dare to challenge me again?’ he shouted. He drove his tusks hard against his father’s, but Will planted his feet and thrust his son back. ‘I will destroy you!’

Will didn’t waste any breath, instead focusing his attention on the fight. Bit by bit, he drove the younger Bewilderbeast back, but instead of goring him, he headbutted him hard enough to make him stagger. As Salazar struggled to get his balance back, Will fired a tremendous blast of ice at his son. But the usurper recovered with stunning ease, and his ice blast easily overpowered his father’s. Will had no chance to retaliate; ice covered him from head to toe in an instant, and those watching sucked in a shocked breath. “He musta known what was going on,” Wakko whispered, horrified. “He’s so damn sneaky!”

Salazar threw back his head and roared. ‘Come to me!’ he commanded. ‘I alone stand as King of Dragons! My father is dead! King Yakko is DEAD! I AM THE SUPREME RULER OF ALL DRAGONS! THERE IS NO ONE MIGHTIER THAN I!’

Every dragon present – barring Wakko, Flash and Lexi – roared in response. Salazar then turned his gaze to the three shocked dragons. ‘See now what rebellion will get you,’ he sneered. ‘Attack!’

‘Fly away!’ Lexi screamed. Flash needed no further urging; he took off at blazing speed, with Lexi right on his heels. The enslaved dragons gave chase, but Lexi led a dizzying course which soon confused their pursuers, and it wasn’t long before she and Flash were lost in the clouds. ‘Now what?’ the Nadder gasped, still fighting the compulsion to go back.

‘We go home and we plan,’ Lexi said firmly. ‘And then we try and find out where the hell Yakko and Dot got to. They can’t be dead!’

Wakko shivered as he held tightly to Lexi’s back. “I hope not,” he muttered.

“They will live,” Scratchy promised, but he didn’t sound as confident as he might, and Wakko shivered again.

‘They will live,’ Lexi repeated firmly. ‘I know they will.’

Wakko nodded and held onto that hope as strongly as he could. Yakko was smart; he’d work out a way out of this mess. And Dot was stubborn as all get out. The two of them would come up with a way to save the day, of that Wakko was certain.

And if not…

Salazar better start praying, the prince thought grimly. He’s got three more black marks against his name, not just for what he did to Will, but for what he did to my siblings!  

Chapter Text

Dot’s head was still ringing like an anvil when her vision cleared, and she sat up groggily, feeling sick. “Didja get the license of that car?” she mumbled, shaking her head to clear the fog from her brain.

But no answer was forthcoming, and she felt her fur stand on end when she sensed the complete emptiness around her. It was completely dark, which didn’t help matters any, but Dot didn’t care too much about that. What she cared about was finding her brother, and she got to her feet, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Yakko!” she called.

‘Yakko!’

But none of her calls – physical or mental – brought an answer, and Dot rubbed her arms, shivering. Now that she was more aware of her surroundings, she could sense a deep, penetrating cold, and she almost imagined she could see her breath in front of her. Luckily her fur was thick, but the cold seemed to penetrate even that, and Dot wondered if it was possible to get goosebumps under one’s fur.

“Yakko!” ‘Yakko!’

Again silence greeted her, and the princess felt a deep sense of dread form in the pit of her stomach. This isn’t good, she thought. But what happened? And why can’t I see a darn thing?

Rocks clattered nearby, halting her train of thought and she froze, her heart pounding. Instinctively she fluffed her fur up, making her look twice her normal size, though she doubted it would do much good in the darkness. “Come out and show yourself!” she cried, summoning the largest mallet she could think off. “I’ve got a mallet and I’m not afraid to use it!”

There was another clatter, and then a skittering, as of claws on rock. Dot strained her ears, and eventually the skittering died away. She let her mallet got but kept her fur fluffed up, just in case the intruder came back.

What I really need is some light.

She held up her hand, not really expecting anything to happen, but to her surprise, a pale flame came to life on her palm. She stared at it in wonder, her eyes wide. It was the exact same colour of her plasma blasts, and she felt a grin bloom to life on her face. Even better, she was finally able to get a better glimpse of her surroundings, but what she saw wiped the grin from her face. Above her there was only darkness, and below, also darkness. She herself was stood on a very narrow ledge, and she yelped, backing away until she felt solid rock pressing against her back. She unsheathed her back claws to give her better purchase on the ledge, and lifted her hand, trying to get a better view so she could orient herself. But the flame’s light was only bright enough to give her a small glimpse, and it wasn’t promising.

To her left, the ledge spiralled up and up, but to her right, it plunged sharply down before disappearing into the darkness below. Dot knew she ought not to go to her right, but she had a feeling that she’d get more answers if she followed the ledge down into the darkness. She couldn’t even sense Yakko, but she suspected that if he was lost like her, he’d see her light and come running.

Or someone else might, the princess added grimly to herself. But she wasn’t about to let her flame die out. There was no telling what else might be lurking in the darkness, and she didn’t believe for a moment they’d be as easily cowed as her previous adversary.

Heart hammering, she took a deep breath before turning and walking down the path, holding her hand up before her, eyes scanning the rock for any pitfalls or fallen boulders. The last thing she needed was to break any bones, or worse. I can’t help Yakko if I break my own stupid neck!

Yakko groaned as he came to, and he shook his head, feeling as if he might throw up. The events of the last few hours were groggy, but he remembered all too clearly the vicious fight up on the surface. Damnit, I have got to get a handle on my powers, he thought angrily. That’s twice – no, three times! – I’ve been duped by someone bigger than me! And both times I almost killed my baby sister! What sort of king am I if I’m going to let myself be ridden roughshod over?

There didn’t seem to be an answer to that question, and he got unsteadily to his feet. His tail ached like fury, and he knew it was a carry-over from when Dot had destroyed his automatic tailfin. He didn’t blame her in the slightest – he’d have done the same thing had their roles been reversed – but in truth, the tail didn’t matter. What mattered was where he was, and how the hell he was going to get out. Salazar would already have all the world’s known dragons under control, and Yakko could only hope that Wakko, Flash and Lexi were still free. If any of them had been enslaved by his enemy… he shut the thought off. The last thing he needed was to be working himself into a panic attack. He already had enough on his paws as it was; there was no sense adding anxiety to the mix.

And I already did a stupid thing by challenging that queen, he thought crossly. Jeez, Yak. Way to put your paw in your mouth! But what the hell was I supposed to do? Just let her run roughshod over those dragons, and the poor people she made them steal from?

Of course, it was likely Salazar had been responsible for that, and Yakko remembered a conversation he’d overheard as a child. Apparently the Green Death’s mother had been extra aggressive and greedy as well, and William had suspected that a force stronger than her had been controlling her and exacerbating those negative traits.

Makes sense old Salad Bar would be doing the same here, Yakko thought grimly. In fact, I think he might’ve been responsible for her mom being the way she was as well.  

But speculating wasn’t going to get him out of here, and he forced those extraneous thoughts aside. “Dot!” he called. ‘Dot!’ “Baby sister, where are you?”

There was no reply, however, and Yakko shivered. He wondered if it was just dread, but he soon realised it was actually quite cold, and he rubbed his arms. Need a light, he thought, raising his hand. A flame flickered to life on his palm, and he lifted his hand, trying to get a better glimpse of his surroundings. What he saw made his blood run cold.

Bones lay everywhere – every dragon ever conceived was represented, and Yakko shuddered. This is a graveyard! he thought, horrified. Of course, death was a natural thing, but Yakko didn’t really like seeing dead kin scattered everywhere. He felt even worse when he spotted bones that vaguely resembled Fury bones, and he fervently hoped they weren’t his parents. Forcing his gaze away from the gruesome sight, he looked up, and though his flame wasn’t as bright as he wanted, he was still able to see just where the cold was coming from.

This is an old Bewilderbeast nest.

It looked a little like Will’s, but it was much more desolate; huge chunks of ice lay on the ground, but the walls were still solid, and overhead, he could see tangled vines. The ground under his paws was solid rock, but still cold, and he shivered again, feeling as though goosebumps ought to be rising under his fur. As it was, his fur was standing on end enough as it was.

Damn. This was buried under that volcano? Or was it this which caused the volcano to go extinct?

Yakko shook his head in annoyance. He had no time for woolgathering. He had to find Dot fast and then find a way out of here. Salazar would soon be seeking out the Hidden World, and if Lexi and the others were caught…

“Yakko!”

He froze, his heart hammering. “Dot?”

“Yakko!”

He turned, and there, standing on a ledge a little above his head, was his missing baby sister. Yakko let out a whoop of delight and held his arms out; Dot jumped down, tackling him to the ground, purring so loudly faint echoes rebounded off the frozen walls. Yakko didn’t care too much and hugged her ferociously, rubbing his face against hers and purring equally as loudly, his tail wagging happily. Of course, both their lights had gone out in the first rush of reunion, but neither sibling didn’t care, and the hugging went on for quite some time.

Finally, Yakko rolled into a sitting position and cradled Dot protectively in his lap. He then remembered his missing flame and reconjured it so he could get a better look at his sister. “How’s the head?” he asked. “I didn’t fry your brains, did I?”

Dot shook her head. “I’m part Night Fury,” she reminded her brother. “I can take a lightning bolt to the head and not even feel it. I think it was more tumbling down God knows where and ending up here.”

Yakko winced. “I feel ya,” he agreed. “Listen, I’m sorry I almost turned on you again. I’m a shit.”

“No you’re not,” Dot said firmly, taking his face in her hands and rubbing noses with him. “If anyone’s the shit, it’s Salazar.”

“Good point,” Yakko agreed with a faint smile. “Just wanted to get the grovelling out of the way.”

“Now you are a shit,” Dot chided primly.

Yakko laughed and booped her on the nose. “Alright, Angie, you got away with saying it twice. Don’t catch me hearing you say that again, or Imma wash your mouth out with soap.”

“Hey, I heard you use worse for a lot less cause the other day,” Dot reminded her brother.

“That’s because I stubbed my toe,” Yakko said defensively.

Dot rolled her eyes, but her heart wasn’t really in their good-natured squabble. “Just where the hell are we?” she demanded.

“In an old Bewilderbeast nest,” Yakko said, raising his hand so she could see their surroundings a bit more clearly. “I’m guessing he or she took up residence here and put the volcano out, or it was long extinct by the time they got here. Either way, it’s in even worse shape than Will’s.”

Dot peered around her brother, shuddering when she saw the many dragon bones scattered in the faint light. “I don’t like this place.”

“Me neither.” Yakko got to his feet, settling her more comfortably on his hip. “Shall we make a break for it, sister sibling?”

“Let’s make a break for it,” Dot agreed.

Hours later, they were seemingly no closer to the surface, and the dragon bones had grown older and more gruesome as they went on. Dot also noticed something more disturbing. “These bones look different,” she said slowly from her perch atop Yakko’s shoulders.

The king stopped and frowned. “They do,” he agreed. “That looks like a Nadder over there, but it’s half the size it ought to be. And that Zippleback has three heads!”

Dot jumped down and wandered over to another skeleton. “This is a Fury of some sort,” she said, “but it’s twice the size of you or Lexi, and it’s got fangs.”

“Like a sabretooth tiger,” Yakko said, frowning. “Hey, d’you think we’ve somehow gone back in time? Or are we looking at our ancestors?”

“Ancestors,” Dot surmised, walking back over to her brother and holding her hands out. Yakko swung her atop his shoulders with his free hand, making sure the flame on his other palm didn’t die out. “If we keep going on,” the princess added, as her brother started walking again, “we’ll either come to a place where they’re really different, or a dead end.”

“Let’s hope it’s neither,” Yakko muttered. “Right now, I just need a drink and some fish.”

Dot nodded. “Then let’s hope we can find somewhere we can get both those things.”

As luck would have it, a mere half hour’s trek brought them to the end of the vast hall through which they’d been walking. Mercifully the dragon bones had petered out by the time they came to the exit, and the siblings were even more relieved to see a lake stretching out before them. Even better, there was actual, real daylight streaming from above, and Yakko gratefully let his flame die out before grabbing Dot by the ankles – eliciting a delighted shriek form her – and swung her down to the ground. She immediately ran to the lake and stuck her head in, shrieking again as she retreated, her tail stiff. “It’s cold!”

Yakko laughed as he joined her, though soon he was shivering as he splashed the frigid water on his face. “Hey, it’s water,” he said. “I just hope there’s some fish in here that can stand the cold.”

Fortunately there were, and Yakko used a small flame to roast the two salmon they eventually caught. It was a meal fit for royalty, and after another drink, the siblings felt ready to press on, encouraged by the daylight still streaming in. It was a little dimmer than before, but Yakko suspected that was probably just the sun moving across the sky. “Ready to go?” he asked Dot, holding his hand out.

“Ready,” she said, taking the proffered hand and squeezing tight.

There was a narrow pathway around the lake, and the siblings trekked around to the other side, feeling more lighthearted than they had for some time. Their mood improved when they saw a set of stairs carved into the rock, spiralling up and out of sight, and Yakko hoisted Dot atop his shoulders again. So eager was he to feel sunlight on his fur that he took the stairs two at a time, never even thinking to check for what might be at the top. As it was, he was far too relieved to be getting out of this horrible place to care, and so it was a shock when he reached the top of the stairs, only to be greeted with sharp spears pressing against his neck. He froze, heart pounding, and Dot hissed, tail fluffing out and fur bristling.

“Who goes there?” one of the spear-carriers demanded.

“King Yakko William Warner of both Warnerstock and the Hidden World,” Yakko answered, holding very, very still. Those spears were way too close to some major arteries for his liking. “And this is my sister, Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca III. Uhh, but we call her Dot for short.”

The spear-carrier frowned and said something to his companions. They shared a look and nodded, before peeling off, leaving just the three of them standing there. “We have not heard of this Warnerstock, or this Hidden World,” the man said slowly. “Nor have we ever seen such creatures as yourselves. What are you?”

“We’re toons,” Dot said brightly. “But in reality, we’re actually dragons.”

“Dragons?” the man exclaimed. “But you are nothing like a dragon!”

“That’s because we’re in our toon forms, silly,” Dot chided. “Wow. Dumber than advertised.”

“Dot, don’t,” Yakko warned. “You don’t wanna piss this guy off.”

But the man seemed more confused than angry. “This is unheard of,” he said slowly. “However, I can sense no falsehood from the two of you. That gives me reason to trust that you are, at the very least, not enemies.”

“Sooo, does that mean you’re gonna let us go?” Yakko asked hopefully. “Our family and friends are in kind’ve a sticky situation, and we needta get back, fast.”

The man shrugged. “It is not up to me,” he said, finally putting his spear away. “You must go before those who truly carry the power in this place. Be warned, though; they will ask hard questions of you. Should you fail in your answers, both you and your sister will die.”

Yakko shivered. That didn’t sound very pleasant. Yet there was something in the way the man spoke which hinted these people in charge were probably more bark than bite. “Then lead on, friend,” he said cheerfully. ‘I know,’ he added to Dot. ‘But I’ve got a feeling we might just have found ourselves some allies.’

As the man led them away from the stairs, Dot gave his ears a light tug. ‘You’d better hope so,’ she said, no small amount of trepidation in her voice. ‘I don’t wanna die, not least ‘till I’ve kicked Salazar’s ass around the place a few times!’

Yakko let this latest instance of family-unfriendly language go. Besides, he knew exactly how his sister felt. Me too, he thought grimly. Me too.  

Chapter Text

Their guide eventually brought them to what seemed to be a large hall, and Yakko watched in some fascination as the man walked over to join his companions. All of them – men and women alike – wore strange clothing in muted browns and greys, making it hard to spot them unless they moved suddenly. They also wore scarves around their necks, but upon closer glance, Yakko suddenly noticed the black veils hanging from these garments, and he remembered not being able to see any of his assailants’ faces during their confrontation at the stairs. All of them had removed their veils, but Yakko still felt his fur stand on end. It didn’t help when he saw that two thirds of the men and women carried spears, along with short bows and strange round shields, complete with quivers on their backs, bristling with arrows. What the hell did I get myself and Dot into?

After some talking with his companions, their guide – or was it captor? – came over to where the siblings waited. Two others came with him, and Yakko noticed that the other man had a tattoo on his left arm. It looked vaguely like a dragon, if a dragon could be red and gold, with a lion’s mane and four legs each tipped with five golden claws. “Yikes,” the king said faintly. Then he saw the other stranger – a woman – wearing a bulky skirt and loose white blouse. Her face was youthful, but her hair was white as snow, belying her young-seeming appearance, and Yakko couldn’t help but shiver. “Yikes,” he muttered again.

“We are way in over our heads,” Dot agreed, gripping his ears like a lifeline. She was perhaps holding on a bit too hard, but Yakko didn’t care, and he reached up to gently tickle her paw, winning a giggle from her.

“Welcome, strangers,” the man with the tattoo said. “I am Rhuarc, clan chief of the Taardad Aiel.” He indicated the siblings’ guide. “This is Heirn, chief of the Jindo sept of the Taardad Aiel.” Lastly, he indicated the woman. “This is my wife, Amys, of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel, and Wise One.”

“I’m King Yakko William Warner of Warnerstock and the Hidden World,” Yakko said, bowing deeply. Dot quickly scrambled off his shoulders to curtsey. “And I’m Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca III,” she said. “But you can call me Dot. Or Dot Warner, if you want to.”

The three humans – Aiel – took this in stride. Their faces showed they’d seen a lot already; this latest development seemed hardly new to them. “Be welcome,” Amys said. “Here you will find water and shade.”

That seemed to be an end to formalities, and the siblings were soon being treated to what amounted to a hefty lunch. “So, what brings you here?” Yakko asked tactfully.

“We are lost,” Rhuarc said, frowning at his food. “We were meant to travel to Arad Doman, at the command of Rand al’Thor, to restore order there. But the gateway brought us to this place instead.”

“Yikes,” Dot muttered.

“We have been trapped here for many weeks,” Heirn added. “Amys cannot sense saidar ­– it is as if she has been cut off from the True Source altogether.”

Yakko frowned. He didn’t understand half of what they were saying, but he knew enough to know it was a Big Problem for them. “Is there any way we can help?” he asked. “Dot’n I are in pretty hot water ourselves, but we’re not going to leave you floundering if there’s anything we can do to give you a helping paw.”

“Unless you can channel, there is nothing to be done,” Amys replied, her voice bitter.

“Channel?” Dot asked, furrowing her brow. “What’s that mean?”

It took a good while for Amys to explain how her world functioned, and by trial and error, Dot reasoned that the white-haired woman was talking about magic when talking about channelling and the True Source. “Okay,” the princess said, standing up. “I think I’ve got it. Yakko and I can do magic, but I’m still new to all of it, so I don’t know what good I can do. Yakko’s got more experience than I.”

“Yeesh, way to put me in the hot seat,” Yakko joked, also rising. “Right,” he said to the three Aiel, all of whom watched with expressionless faces. He hoped that wasn’t a sign they were about to do something nasty to him. “I only know what I was told by some friends of mine. But Night Furies – that’s my race – can open portals. No Night Fury has ever been able to do it in some time, though, so I’ve got no idea if it’ll take you back home, or drop you in the middle of the ocean.”

“Death comes to us all,” Rhuarc said calmly. “I am not afraid to die, Yakko Warner.”

Yakko tried his best not to react to that that casual statement. “Let’s have everyone stand back,” he said, lifting his hands. “I don’t want anyone falling through.”

The Aiel all moved aside, until Yakko had a clear space around him. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the space before him, and imagined a hole opening up. It wasn’t easy; his mind kept wandering off track, but he forced all extraneous thoughts down, and eventually, he got what he wanted.

It wasn’t perfect. It wobbled a bit, as if it didn’t really want to stay in place, but the hole was there, and he let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure what the Aiel’s world looked like, but he hoped it was a close match. “Rhuarc, can you come check this?” he called over his shoulder.

The clan chief stepped up beside him. He studied the landscape before him and nodded. “It is home,” he confirmed. “You’ve done it, Yakko Warner. We have great toh to you.”

“Toe?” Yakko said, confused.

Amys chuckled. “It means we are in your debt,” she told the confused king. To Rhuarc she added, “Shade of my heart, it has been many weeks since we were first cast into this place. We must go with caution.”

Rhuarc nodded, before turning to address Yakko. “If there is anything we can do for you and Angelina Warner, then tell us,” he said.

Yakko hesitated. The hole – the portal – had stopped wobbling, much to his relief, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted his new friends to go rushing heedlessly into danger. Nor did he want them to linger when they were so desperately needed in the other world.

Dot solved the problem. “We’d love your help,” she said, “but we know you have to go home,” she said.

“Angelina Warner, we have no need to rush into a trap,” Rhuarc said stoically. Then he smiled. “Besides, as Amys has pointed out, it has been some time since we first came here. I need to send scouts out in any case.”

“Well, we could use a bit of help,” Yakko finally admitted. “I’m just not sure how you’d go against actual dragons that aren’t snakes with lion’s manes.”

Rhuarc hefted his spear. “We can provide distraction,” he said.

Again Yakko hesitated, before nodding. “Alright,” he said. “You go do your scouting. When you’ve got the lay of the land, sing out, and we can sit down and nut out some strategies.”

The news that came back from the other side of the portal was astounding. According to the scouts, it had been only a moment since their mishap with the original gate. “It’s as if time has not passed at all,” one Aiel commented to his chief.

Rhuarc looked stunned. “You are sure?” he demanded.

The Aiel nodded, and the clan chief drew in a deep breath. “Then our original task can be completed,” he said. “Yakko Warner, I believe there is a way the both of us can benefit,” he added to the equally stunned king. “I will take as many spears as wish to go back,” he said, “but if there are any who wish to remain behind and assist you, then I give leave, and gladly.”

Heirn immediately spoke up. “I will stay,” he said. Some of his Jindo added their endorsement to their chief’s idea, and Rhuarc nodded.

“Then it is decided,” he said. He then offered his hands to Yakko, who took them. “May you always find water and shade, Yakko Warner,” the clan chief said formally.

Yakko nodded, feeling both relieved and sad. “And may you always find water and shade, Rhuarc of the Taardad Aiel,” he replied.

Then the Aiel were departing, and Yakko watched them go with a lump in his throat. He’d only known them for a short time, but in that time he felt as if they’d become his friends, and he sincerely hoped they’d be able to get their own task sorted on the other side of the portal. Dot took his hand and squeezed it; she knew just how he felt, and Yakko gently ruffled her ears, winning a small purr out of her.

All too soon the Aiel were gone, with just Heirn and his Jindo remaining. They were still a formidable force, and Yakko couldn’t help but feel a touch of feral glee. Human they might be, but these Aiel were definitely a force to be reckoned with, if what half of what Amys had told him was true. “So, new game plan,” he said, as he let the portal go. “We go home and assess the fallout, and then start planning. I’ve got no idea what the heck’s goin’ on, but Lexi and the others should be able to give us a more accurate rundown of the situation.”

“Then let us go,” Heirn said calmly.

Yakko nodded and opened another portal. He recognised it as the King’s Chamber, but he held himself back from rushing through. If Salazar had already reached the Hidden World, neither he nor Dot would receive a warm welcome. The thought of anyone being turned to Salazar’s will was painful enough, but if the jerk had gotten to Lexi or Wakko… Yakko shut that thought off quick smart.

“Dot, can you poke your head through real quick?” he asked.

The princess nodded and carefully put her head through the portal. The chamber was empty, and her heart sank. But she couldn’t sense anything amiss, so that seemed like a good sign to her. “It seems we’ve got the drop on Salazar for the moment,” she said, pulling her head back through. “I don’t think he’s got there yet.”

Yakko took a deep breath. “Heirn, would you be offended if we went through first?” he asked the sept chief. “I know, it’s your guys’ mission to be the scouts, but I don’t want to frighten anyone unnecessarily.”

“I do not take offence,” Heirn assured him. “I am, essentially, a stranger to you and your kind. We will wait here for your signal.”

“Thanks,” Yakko said gratefully. “I’ll whistle once if it’s all clear, twice if it’s not, and three times to say ‘get the hell out of here’. How’s that sound?”

Heirn nodded. “It is acceptable,” he said. “May you always find water and shade, Yakko Warner.”

“Same to you, my friend,” Yakko said with an offhand grin, before taking Dot’s hand. “Ready, sister sibling?”

“Ready!” she declared, and together, the two of them stepped through.

Barely half a minute later, Dot was getting the stuffing hugged out of her, but she didn’t care, and she hugged Wakko with equal ferocity, the two of them sobbing into each other’s fur, holding on as if fearful of losing the other should they let go for an instant. Yakko, in the meantime, was getting the living daylights kissed out of him, and judging by the iron grip she had around his neck, she wasn’t letting go of him any time soon either.

Eventually, though, Yakko finally had to detach himself from his ecstatic and relieved mate. “Listen, I’ve got some help, so don’t freak out, please?”

Lexi took a deep breath. “After everything I’ve been through in the last twenty-four to forty-eight hours, I don’t care if an army comes through that portal,” she said fervently.

Yakko blushed. “Actually, speaking of such,” he said, before turning back to the portal and whistling once. Lexi’s eyes went as round and wide as dinner plates, and though she felt her fur start to fluff at the sight of strangers coming into her home, she calmed down once Yakko introduced Heirn and explained just what had happened in the immediate aftermath of Salazar’s attack. “Heirn’s gonna help us out in any way he can,” the king said.

“Well, I can’t say I agree with it, but welcome,” Lexi said, bowing deeply to the Aiel chief.

“I see you, Alexis Warner,” Heirn replied formally. “May you always find water and shade.”

Lexi raised an eyebrow at her mate. ‘Alexis Warner?’ she said, more amused than anything else.

‘They’re pretty formal,’ Yakko said sheepishly. ‘Just go with it. Repeat what he said, and you’re good to go.’

Lexi shrugged it off and smiled at Heirn. “May you always find water and shade,” she said, and that seemed to do the trick. Once formalities were over, she then put her hands on her hips. “House rules,” she said sternly. “Always wipe your feet when you come in. And never ever let me catch you playing with those spears unless you’ve got darn good cause. I am not mopping up the blood.”

Yakko practically wet himself laughing, while Heirn took her chastising with admirable good grace. “I will do as you wish, roofmistress,” he replied. “It shall be as you say.”

“Good,” Lexi said. “Flash, go find Heirn and his folk somewhere to wash up. I need to talk with my mate.”

Flash was grinning as he introduced himself to Heirn, who, after getting a nod from Yakko, led his Aiel after the Nadder. Soon they were deep in conversation, and Lexi watched them go with a pensive look before turning back to her mate. Dot and Wakko took this time to go in search of Heloise, Scratchy and the mice, and Lexi blessed them for her tact. “Yakko, are you sure?” she said, biting her lip.

Yakko gently took her hands in his. “I’m not keen on it either,” he admitted. “Babe, we’ve got no other choice. I need something to distract Salazar so I can finally lay a good hit or three on him. Otherwise, I’m facing him naked again, and the third time’s always the charm, right?”

Lexi shivered. “I know,” she said softly. “I just … we’ve never needed humans before.”

“I know,” Yakko said. “And I’m sorry. I really am. If I hadn’t been so stupid as to challenge that Green Death on my own, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Well, we can thank Salazar for that,” Lexi said heatedly. “Which reminds me…” She then filled her mate in on what had happened between the time she and the others had found him, and the time that lightning bolt had struck Yakko and Dot. The king was shaking by the time his mate had finished.

“He got them all?” he said in a strangled voice. “Stormfly, Meatlug, Hookfang and Barf and Belch too?”

“All of them,” Lexi said sadly, hating herself for the pain in her mate’s eyes. “And yes, Will died. Well, he was frozen solid at any rate; I imagine he’s sunk to the bottom of the ocean by now.”

Yakko’s face hardened. “Not on my watch,” he said firmly. “I’m getting him back.”

“How?” Lexi demanded.

“I break his ice prison apart,” the king said, his eyes gleaming blue. Lexi took a step back, startled. Then she smiled. “I like that idea,” she said. “But you can’t fly right now.”

“You can,” Yakko said, gently booping her on the nose. She laughed and booped him back. “Besides,” the king added, “Will can give me some pointers on how to really make my presence known.”

Lexi frowned. “That reminds me,” she said. “Salazar got stronger after killing Gruff, right? But Will’s not dead, so if he was to be revived…”

“Salazar would lose that extra bit of illegal pull,” Yakko finished for her. “That’s why we’re getting him back.”

“Then let’s go,” Lexi said. She shifted to dragon form and Yakko hopped on her back. ‘Just let’s be careful,’ the queen added, as she took off. ‘I don’t know if that Green Death is still there, but if she is, she’s going to be rather sore.’

“I’ll deal with her later,” Yakko said. “Right now, we’ve got a king to save.”

Chapter Text

Dot was, naturally, a Little Peeved when she found out that Yakko and Lexi had gone to try and revive Will. Wakko tried to distract her by offering to teach her paddleball – Yakko was apparently a master of the toy, and the younger prince had been practicing diligently to distract himself after the disaster at the Green Death’s nest. “Lexi’ll keep him out of trouble,” he assured his fuming sister. “I think the queen went with the rest of the dragons when Salazar brainwashed them.”

“I’m not putting any money on that,” Dot said darkly. “We only just got him back, lost him, got him back, and lost him again! Now we’ve got him back again, and we seem to be on track to bloody losing him again!”

Wakko dropped the paddleball and hugged his sister, knowing full well just how much she was hurting. “I know,” he said, gently rubbing behind her ears as she finally broke down in tempestuous sobs. “I’m feelin’ the same, baby sister.”

“I don’t want to lose him again!” Dot sobbed, clinging to her immediate older brother like a lifeline. “We only just found him again! Why does he have to be so damn stupid?”

“I wish I knew,” Wakko admitted. “But Yakko’s stubborn. And he’s determined to get the best of Salazar one way or another.”

“He won’t if he keeps sticking his stupid neck out like this,” Dot muttered, as her tears began to peter out. “Damnit, Wakko!”

Wakko hugged her tighter, and eventually was rewarded when she mustered a purr. “Lexi’ll make sure he’s safe,” he said. “She’s got the good sense to fly them out of there if the Green Death is still lurking. Or if, God forbid, Salazar decides to drop by.”

Dot sighed as she pulled back. “I hope you’re right,” she said, still sniffling.

After Dot had washed her face, Wakko suggested the paddleball idea again, and this time, the princess accepted his offer. It turned out to be a lot harder than it looked, and soon cursing filled the air. Scratchy opened his mouth each time a family-unfriendly word dropped out of Dot’s mouth, took one look at her face, and wisely shut his mouth again. He’d had nine years of watching the princess grow up; he knew her moods better than anyone save Wakko, so he decided it was best to just let sleeping dragons lie.

An interesting development occurred later that afternoon. The Aiel had been given a thorough tour of the Hidden World by Flash, and they were incredibly fascinated by the many caverns, grottos and tunnels located throughout the place. “It is a place you could not easily overtake,” one Aiel woman commented. “There are so many hidden crevices where you could easily post scouts to watch for enemies.”

“We’ve avoided that as best we can,” Flash admitted. “But that doesn’t mean the idea isn’t at the forefront of our minds.”

The woman smiled. “It is always best to be prepared,” she said.

“Oh, I agree,” Flash said. “Trust me, we’re as peaceful as we can be, but now that Salazar’s decided he’s going to cause some trouble, we’ve got to be on our guard.”

Some other Aiel had wandered over during the conversation, and they were soon watching in some wonder as Wakko talked Dot through the intricacies of paddleball once again. An Aielman expressed an interest in wanting to learn. Soon others joined him, and before long, Wakko had a small class going. Even Heirn decided he wanted to give it a try, and Wakko produced several more paddleballs to accommodate the growing interest. The Aiel soon began challenging each other to greater feats with the strange toy, and this actually helped Dot in her lessons. Wakko was in awe at how well the little idea had gone off, and he grinned to himself. I wonder if this is going to take on when they go home?

‘I can’t see any sign of him,’ Lexi said, as she soared over the ocean close to the Green Death’s nest. ‘I think he might very well have sunk to the bottom of the ocean.’

“Damnit,” Yakko muttered, pounding his thigh in frustration. “I was really hoping we could get him on side to throw Salazar off. Not to mention I really need lessons in how to be an effective alpha when we meet again. And we will.”

‘I know,’ Lexi said soothingly. ‘Believe me, my love. I know. But maybe the strength you need is in you. Allow me to be blunt. Twice you’ve faced Salazar and called on the help of another Bewilderbeast to back you. Both times Salazar killed the other Bewilderbeast, and took control of you. Perhaps you need to stand on your own paws, rather than relying on the help of others. However, it is not a bad thing that you called for help. You believed that seeing other Bewilderbeasts – his own family, no less – would throw him off. It did, to a degree, but Salazar is too strong now for those ghosts to have any hold on him.’

Yakko winced. “Geez, way to land the low blows, babe,” he muttered. “You’ve got a point, though.” He sighed. “I’m still all new to this. That’s where my trouble lies. And I really don’t believe deep down I’ve got the pull necessary to slam this guy into the ground where he belongs.”

‘You had that “pull” the two times you tried to control us,’ Lexi reminded her mate. ‘I know you’re scared. So am I. But I believe in you. So do Dot, Wakko, the mice, Heloise, and Scratchy. And Heirn and his folk believe in you as well. He would not have chosen to stay and fight by your side if he didn’t believe you had the “pull” to give Salazar the kick in the ass he so richly deserves.’

“Fair point,” Yakko agreed. He took a deep breath. “Alright then. New plan of attack. We find some Scuttleclaws. They’re the only dragons who don’t listen to anyone, ‘cause they’re still babies. But they’re big enough to carry grown men, so they’ll be good for a start.”

‘I know just the place,’ Lexi said. ‘Will’s old nest.’

“Nope,” Yakko said firmly. “Salazar’s probably gone there to establish a base, and I am not going to put myself or anyone I love through the wringer a third time.”

Lexi frowned. ‘Then what do we do?’

Yakko grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Lexi stared as Yakko led her by the hand through the graveyard he and Dot had walked through during their brief stay. “This place gives me the creeps,” she muttered.

“Me too,” Yakko agreed. “But I did spy something which might take us to where we need to go. Just a little bit further.”

They soon emerged from the tunnel, and Lexi gasped when she saw the underground lake. “You could make an entire community here,” she said.

“That’s the eventual game plan,” Yakko agreed, as he led her around the lake and past the stairs. “That’s probably why Rhuarc and his clan made their home here. It’s the perfect place, and pretty well defended too. Fish are in plentiful supply here, and you could easily jury-rig a way to make crops grow.”

Lexi frowned in though as Yakko finally came to a halt in front of yet another tunnel. “What is this?” she asked.

“Like I said, I spied it as Dot and I got started on those stairs back there,” Yakko said, lifting his hand so his flame could illuminate a bit more of the tunnel. “I’m just going on a hunch here, but we might be able to find some Scuttleclaws down there.”

“You hope,” Lexi said dryly.

Yakko grinned. “Sounds like a challenge,” he teased, and Lexi had to laugh.

“Go on,” she said, giving him a gentle push. “Lead the way.”

Yakko’s hope was soon borne out when he and Lexi eventually emerged from the tunnel into what looked like a rainforest. “Woah,” they said in unison, staring in wonder at the lush greenery that surrounded them. In contrast to the cold caverns above, this place was lush and warm, and almost humid, but neither dragon minded, instead lost in awe at the incredible place.

“Okay, this is pretty cool,” Yakko said, turning in a complete circle so he could take it all in. “I was not expecting this.”

“So where do we find the Scuttleclaws?” Lexi asked, still staring at all the lush foliage before her eyes.

They got an answer when several brightly coloured dragons came flying down to play and flutter around them. Lexi laughed as they buffeted her with their wings, and even Yakko chuckled as he tried to get order. “Hey, hey!” he called, and finally, the Scuttleclaws settled. “Alright,” Yakko said, thankful that they’d actually stopped to listen for once. “I’m Yakko, and I need help. There’s a big dragon out there causin’ all kinds of strife. I’ve got friends who need a ride, and you guys are good at generally not listenin’ to anyone.”

‘Most times,’ one of the Scuttleclaws said. She seemed to be a leader amongst her people; the others all stilled in respect. ‘We’re definitely not happy about Salazar, and we’ll be more than happy to help you, my king.’

Yakko blinked. “Wait,” he said, frowning. “You’re not babies?”

‘We give that impression,’ the female said dryly. ‘But in truth, we’re as mature as you. No one outside of us knows the truth, and we’d like to keep it that way if we can.’

“You have our word,” Yakko said seriously. “No one shall ever know you’re not as, ah, immature as you appear to be.”

‘Then we have an agreement,’ the female Scuttleclaw replied. ‘We go wherever you lead, and do as you command. Then we’ll come here and live our lives in peace, as we’ve done for the last fourteen years, ever since our last king was killed. This place is a haven he created for us in his final moments before his death, and it still maintains its magic. We are told it will continue to be so for as long as time exists, and thus we are protected for the rest of time.’

Yakko and Lexi shared a look. “Then we’ll also make sure it stays untouched by the hand of man or dragon,” the queen said. “If you like, we can create a barrier around the place that is similar to the barrier around the Hidden World, attuned to only your kind, so that no other may enter or exit without your express say so.”

‘We accept,’ the female Scuttleclaw said. ‘My name is Pearl.’

“I’m Yakko,” the king said.

“And I’m Lexi,” the queen introduced herself.

Pearl nodded. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you,’ she said. ‘We are ready to come at your call, my king.’

“Would you be upset if I asked you to come now?” Yakko asked tentatively.

‘Not at all,’ Pearl replied. ‘In fact, I welcome the chance to dispose of Salazar as much as you. Time, therefore, seems to be of the essence.’

“Alright, then,” Yakko said, flexing his hands. “I’ll get us home right now, and then we can finally nut out a decent strategy that doesn’t get my stupid ass brainwashed a third time running.”

Heirn and his Aiel accepted the new turn of events with the unnerving calm that Yakko had gotten used to in the short time he’d known them. “We have never ridden these dragons before,” he said, not even stumbling over the word “dragon” now. “But we are ready to aid you in whatever way you require, Yakko Warner.”

Yakko grinned and clapped the Aiel chief on the shoulder. “That’s the kind of thing I like to hear,” he said. “Right then, next plan of attack; we teach you how to ride these dragons, and then we start putting out feelers to find out where the heck Salazar is.”

“Then we finally get to kick his butt once and for all?” Dot demanded, tugging imperiously on his pants.

“We finally get to kick his butt once and for all,” Yakko agreed, lifting her up. “That’s the eventual game plan, sister sibling.”

Wakko wandered over, paddleball in hand, and Yakko scooped him up, cradling each sibling protectively in his arms as he turned to face his small army. “Let’s all get some rest,” he said firmly. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow, and, God willing, we’ll have Salazar put to sleep before the day’s out.”

“Here’s hoping,” Scratchy said sincerely.

Brain nodded, looking tired. But there was still determination in his eyes as he looked up at the young king. “If you wish, I can fashion a new tail for you,” he suggested.

Yakko thought about it, then shook his head. “No time,” he disagreed.

“Then it is just as well I thought to bring this,” Brain said, looking ever so smug. Pinky waddled over with a large bundle, and Yakko’s eyebrows went up. “You didn’t,” he said, looking stunned.

“I did,” Brain confirmed. “I had a sneaking suspicion something was going to happen to the old tail, so I took the liberty of creating a second tail. It was, shall we say, something of a pain to carry, but then I remembered a folding technique that made it much more manageable.”

Pinky pulled on a leather strap holding the package together, and just like that, it unfolded into an exact replica of the tail Yakko had lost. “It looks just like the old one,” Pinky said cheerfully. “But Brain made some nifty new improvements, narf!”

Yakko opened his mouth, shut it again, and then left hugged the two mice fiercely. “Thank you,” he whispered. “That really means a lot to me.”

Brain hugged him back. “You are our friend,” he said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t plan for all contingencies.”

“Narf!” Pinky added, patting whatever part of Yakko he could reach. “And we don’t want you left helpless when you finally kick Salazar’s ass tomorrow!”

Yakko laughed and gave them one last hug before setting them down. “Alright, let’s get this fitted on me,” he said, but he paused. “Actually, I’ve got a new idea. I’ll fit it on, but when we go face Salazar tomorrow, I’ll stay in toon form.”

“You want him to think you still crippled?” Heloise guessed.

“Bingo,” Yakko said, giving her a friendly wink. “Then I’ll reveal myself in all my repaired glory, and watch him shit his pants.”

“Yakko,” Scratchy chided. “You should not say that. It is very unkind.”

“Oh zip it,” Yakko said crossly. “Scratchy, the guy’s an ass. You know what he did to Mom and Dad. And he’s a tyrant who needs to be put down once and for all before he goes and does some even more crazy shit. Him shitting his pants is the kindest thing I want happening to him.”
Scratchy chuckled. “I was going to say, it is very unkind of you to say you wish him to soil himself, as it would be quite undignified. Better to simply wish for his ending, as he has brought to countless others.”

Yakko laughed. “Fair point,” he said. Then he sobered as he looked at them all. “This isn’t going to be easy,” he said. “And some of us may die. But I just want you all to know that I appreciate all the help you’ve given me so far.”

“It has been a great honour to know you, Yakko Warner,” Heirn replied. “I will forever count you as a brother.”

“Likewise,” Yakko said, smiling at the Aiel chief. “Though you’re also going to have to count these scamps as your siblings as well.” Dot and Wakko both gave Heirn their most disarmingly cute looks, and he chuckled.

“Very well,” he said. Then it was his turn to sober. “We go to rest now. Sleep well and wake, Yakko Warner.”

Yakko nodded. “You too,” he said, and Heirn nodded before leading his Aiel to their temporary bedrooms. Yakko watched them go with a pensive look, and his siblings gently nuzzled him, winning a soft purr. “I’m gonna miss the guy,” he admitted.

“Maybe you can go visit when all this is over,” Lexi suggested.

“Maybe,” Yakko agreed. “Right, we’d better follow Heirn’s example. We’ve got a long day ahead, and I wanna be as well rested as I can.”

No argument was forthcoming, and the rest of the group scattered to get whatever sleep they could before the Big Day tomorrow. No one was quite prepared to admit how scared they were deep down, but everyone clung to whoever was closest as they settled down to sleep, and there wasn’t a complaint in sight for who was hogging the bed this time. Physical contact was desperately needed right now, and for once, bed-hogging and sticking-out-elbows could be ignored.

Chapter Text

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when the small army emerged from the Hidden World. Pearl and her Scuttleclaws fanned out on either size of Flash and Lexi, while Dot and Wakko took up a protective stance in front of their elder siblings. Yakko rode on Lexi’s back, with the two mice perched on his shoulders, while Flash carried Heloise and Scratchy, both of whom looked rather nervous, but determined. Heirn and his Aiel were stoic, but they were nevertheless battle-ready, and Yakko shivered as he ran the plan over in his mind again. He didn’t want to injure any of his kin, but Heirn had pointed out at breakfast that since his kin were under the control of Salazar, they’d be out for blood. It was, the Aiel chief said, a necessity of war, and Yakko had unhappily agreed.

He took a deep breath as he scanned the horizon. The plan was simple; the Aiel would take care of any attacking dragons, as well as providing a distraction. Dot and Wakko would deal with any dragons who came too close, as would Flash. Everyone’s priority was protecting the king and queen, and since Salazar had shown a frightening ease in being able to brainwash Yakko, his safety was paramount above all others. He didn’t like this part of the plan either, but Lexi had firmly said that it was their choice to protect him so he could give Salazar the hiding he so richly deserved. Yakko had taken the advice with ill grace, but deep down he knew Lexi was right. It still stung that they saw themselves as expendable, since he certainly didn’t, but he was in no mood for arguing. He was already on edge as it was, and he didn’t need further worries plaguing his mind.

In any case, he soon had no time for extraneous thoughts; he spotted a dark blur on the horizon, and his fur stood on end. “We’ve got company,” he said quietly.

‘Salazar?’ Lexi asked.

“Nope.” Yakko rubbed his arms, instinctively fluffing his fur to make himself look bigger. “Deathgrippers.”

Brain paled. “Deathgrippers are bad news,” he warned.

“Why?” Pinky asked nervously, for once abstaining from his usual humour.

“They have acid blasts which can melt almost anything,” Brain replied, putting an arm around his frightened best friend. “And they have a venom which is … well, let me just say that a quick death by falling rocks would be more merciful.” In clipped sentences, he explained how a Deathgripper’s venom worked; it first paralysed the victim, with a second jab killing him or her, and a third jab making the body poisonous to others, paralysing any who came in contact with the corpse. “It can also be used to force obedience if injected directly into a victim’s body,” he added.

Lexi shuddered. ‘He used that on me,’ she said, her voice bitter. ‘He was going to have his spies carry vials of the stuff to keep me compliant, but I managed to convince him I would be his good little slave without a further need for poisoning.’

Yakko gently stroked her back. “He’s gonna get his, babe,” he promised.

‘I know he will,’ Lexi said affectionately, but the warmth was soon cut short as the Deathgrippers approached. ‘Scatter!’ she yelled, and the dragons did as they were told. The Deathgrippers immediately focused on Yakko and Lexi, and the Light Fury swore as she was forced to take a dizzying course through the clouds to dodge them. ‘Has he suspected you might not fall for his wiles a third time?’ she asked breathlessly.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Yakko said shortly. “Brain, Pinky, hang on tight. I’m about to do something stupid. Again.”

The two mice dug their claws into his shoulders as he stood, balancing himself on Lexi’s back. As the Deathgrippers drew closer, lightning crackled amongst the clouds, and Yakko seized his chance. Taking a deep breath, he reached out and drew the lightning into his body, until he felt as if he might crack apart from the pressure. Still he held on, until the attacking dragons grew close enough that they could easily sting him or Lexi if they so choose.

Then he let go.

Lightning burst from his outstretched hands, and the Deathgrippers screamed as they were electrocuted. Charred bodies plummeted into the ocean, and Yakko let out a whoop. “That’s one batch taken care of,” he said gleefully.

‘Don’t get too cocky,’ Lexi warned. ‘He’s sending more.’

Yakko swore under his breath. “Okay, then we’re just gonna have to keep frying them till they get the message.”

But the Deathgrippers came on in even greater numbers, until Yakko felt as if his fur might just fall off from all the electricity he was channeling. The mice clung to him, terrified out of their wits, but determined to stay with their king until the end. Lexi was getting tired too, and her plasma blasts were starting to run out. ‘I can’t keep this up for much longer!’ she cried.

Then the Scuttleclaws came.

Arrows struck with devastating accuracy, and that was enough to finally turn the tide in favour of the good guys. Based on Yakko’s instructions, the Aiel aimed for wings and tails, and Yakko was able to then easily blast each crippled dragon from the sky, until finally, reprieve came in the form of a horizon free of Deathgrippers. But that didn’t mean they were out of danger yet.

Soon another dark blur appeared on the horizon, and Yakko felt the dread rise up in him even more. “I guess we got his attention,” he called.

Sure enough, a vast host of dragons came, and the group all collectively felt dread rise up. There were simply too many of them, but Heirn, surprisingly, showed little dismay. “It is of no matter to us,” he said calmly as he armed himself with spear in hand. “We are not afraid to die.”

Yakko wished he weren’t so casual about it. “I’m not having anyone die,” he said sternly. “I’m going to fight fire with fire for a change.”

‘Is that so?’ Salazar challenged, as he rose from the water with a great roar, rattling the skulls of all present. The host of dragons slowed, then stopped, hovering as they awaited instructions from their master. ‘The last two times you faced me, you barely had enough power to frighten small beasts,’ the usurper added mockingly. ‘And each time you thought to hide behind one of my kin. Joke’s on you, Yakko. By killing my father and my brother, I have gained their strength, and now I shall finally, finally, put an end to you once and for all.’

Yakko stared him down. “You say that so casually,” he said coldly, cracking his knuckles. “Yet I seem to recall that a Bewilderbeast is only as strong as its conquests. Will and Gruff were both battlescarred from their fight with each other. Their dominance had gone down greatly in the aftermath, and when my father defeated Gruff, he lost an even greater part of his influence. So really, you had bite-sized snacks, not full meals.”

‘How did you work that out?’ Lexi demanded.

‘Reading,’ Yakko said, smirking at the poleaxed look on Salazar’s face. “So I guess you’re really riding a placebo, pal,” he added.

Salazar roared, and as one, all the dragons roared, the noise deafening. ‘I am in command of them still!’ he said. ‘Your ridiculous claims have no base! They see me as their alpha; not you! I AM THE KING OF DRAGONS! I ALONE COMMAND THEIR LOYALTY! YOU ARE NOTHING, YAKKO WARNER!’

Yakko sighed, bored. “Are you done?” he said. “Seriously. You’re outdated and way out of the loop. I have been doing my homework. Shall I demonstrate?”

‘With pleasure,’ Salazar snarled.

Yakko closed his eyes, and a hush fell over all present. Even the brainwashed dragons stilled, as if not quite sure of what was going on. Then Yakko began singing.

It was a tune no dragon recognised, and the humans all gasped, stunned, as the beautiful sound rose up and washed over them. Even Salazar paused, and then his eyes narrowed in rage. He roared again, putting all his dominance and command in the sound, but the dragons ignored him, enthralled by Yakko’s singing. The king used no command, no dominance, and no influence. He simply sang, and the dragons all closed their eyes, feeling his voice reach out, Calling them. He didn’t demand; he simply asked, and, as if waking from a trance, the dragons shook themselves, staring around in shocked wonder as they recovered their senses. Meatlug was the first to come back to herself, and she growled in a very un-Gronkle-like fashion. ‘I’m going to tear you apart!’ she screamed, and promptly fired on Salazar, who recoiled in shock.

This seemed to be the cue for the other dragons, and Salazar roared in pain and outrage as his former slaves turned on him, firing indiscriminately. Salazar tried firing back, but the dragons bombarded him mercilessly, and he fell back, now trying to dive underwater and escape. But he got no respite; Seashockers and Submarippers attacked him from below the water’s surface, and he howled in desperation, trying to escape the barrage. But his struggles were getting weaker and weaker, and this time, Yakko knew it was no subterfuge. He waited until he felt the time was right, before putting two fingers to his lips and whistling. “That’s enough!” he called, and the dragons withdrew, until they were arrayed behind him and his siblings. Yakko then gave Salazar a cold look. “Any last words?”

Salazar glared at him, breathing heavily. ‘You will not win,’ he said, but his voice showed the strain, and Yakko rolled his eyes.

“Oh give it up,” he said. “You’re at the end of the line, Salazar. This time you’re out of luck.”

‘Says who?’ the usurper challenged. ‘I do have one last trick up my sleeve. Say goodnight, Alexis!’

Lexi screamed as Salazar fired his final salvo at her, and Yakko threw the mice to Scratchy seconds before the cold blast encased him and her. Frozen solid, the entwined couple fell towards the ocean, and Yakko seethed with rage as Lexi screamed in terror inside his mind. That does it! He’s gone way too far!

Blue fire ignited inside him, and, just as his father had done long ago, he reached out, seizing that fire and letting it wake inside him. He almost laughed as he realised that his original plan of letting himself get put on ice so he could awaken his inner alpha was now actually happening, and that gave him the impetus he needed. With a roar, he shattered the ice prison holding him and Lexi, just seconds before they hit the water, and Lexi roared in her own turn as she recovered, turning towards Salazar with murder in her eyes. Yakko blinked when he noticed that her spine was now glowing blue, and this time, he did laugh. ‘I love the colour scheme,’ he said.

Lexi blinked, and then she rolled her eyes. ‘Butt-kicking now, flattery later,’ she chided, but she wasn’t entirely unmoved by the comment, judging by the slight smile on her face. ‘Yours isn’t half bad either.’

Yakko preened. ‘I only get my colour scheme from Yakko’s Emporium of Hindquarter Kicking,’ he said, before anger took over his momentary clowning. ‘Right. Time to put an end to this!’

Together, the two alphas flew back up, roaring to the other dragons. This time, Yakko used all the power he had as an alpha, making sure no one mistook him for anything less than the true King of Dragons. Lexi backed him up, letting all and sundry know, for the first time in dragon history, that there was a second alpha, and she just so happened to be Head Female Dragon in Charge. The other dragons roared back, and Yakko felt elation. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Now, would you lot please join me and my mate in pummelling this guy?’

They needed no further urging, and Salazar roared again as Yakko and Lexi led the assault. Dot and Wakko were particularly vicious in their attacks, hitting the usurper where it hurt, whilst also spouting some very family-unfriendly language. Scratchy and Pinky also got in on the action; the good doctor screamed insults in German as Flash joined the bombardment, and Pinky screeched all the insults he could muster, most of them way too rude to be repeated in polite company.

And this time, when Yakko called time on the attack, Salazar was a bruised, burnt, bleeding mess, and all the fire had gone out. No one let their guard down, though. Salazar was way too tricky to be trusted to stay down when he was beaten, but as he cowered there, it seemed as if he truly had learned his lesson. Malice still glittered in his eyes, but he was a broken dragon, and he bowed his head in sullen acknowledgement. ‘Long live the king,’ he rasped. ‘It seems as if I am able to fight no longer. Well done, Yakko.’

Yakko took the “compliment” in the spirit it was intended. “You’re going to be spending the rest of your life paying for what you’ve done,” he said coldly, having shifted back to toon form. He placed his hands on his hips as he regarded his fallen adversary from Lexi’s back, his blood still boiling. “I ought to kill you, and good riddance. But you’ve never shown mercy to any of your victims, so why should I?”

‘Your father would be so proud to know his oldest son is a tyrant,’ Salazar said. ‘Truly, you do live up to your family’s reputation.’ He got no further; Dot fired right into his face, and he recoiled.

‘Watch your mouth, buster,’ the princess warned. ‘I’ve just about had all of your nonsense that I can stomach for today.’

Salazar glared at her, but that last salvo seemed to have sapped his last remaining shred of defiance. “Welp,” Yakko said, flexing his hands, “that seems to be the end of the matter. Hey, Griselda?”

The Green Death came forward. ‘My king wishes?’

Yakko pointed to Salazar. “Do your thing, please?”

‘Of course.’ Griselda closed her eyes and crooned, and Salazar blinked, before his own eyes became heavy, and he swayed unsteadily, looking as if he might drop below the ocean’s surface at any moment. Griselda continued to croon, and just as Salazar’s eyes slid all the way closed, Yakko called for her to stop.

“Right, my turn,” he said, flexing his hands. “Time to put you to sleep, but when you wake up, you’re gonna be at the bottom of the ocean.”

He then fired a blast of pure blue light at his adversary, and Lexi added a blast of her own, before Dot and Wakko joined in. No one could say if the younger two were alphas as well, or if they were just good at picking up the elder dragons’ skills; but in the end, it didn’t matter, and when the light cleared, Salazar was encased in ice. Yakko sat back, watching with satisfaction as his enemy finally slid below the surface, disappearing from sight. “He’s gonna wake up in about a week,” he said, “and he’s gonna be pissed.”

“He won’t be able to break that ice?” Scratchy asked uneasily.

“No more than Will can break his own ice prison,” Yakko said, sighing as old pain came back. He then brightened. “On the plus side, Will now gets to spend the rest of eternity chastising the living daylights out of his son, so Salazar’s gonna have a blast down there.”

Dot let out a long sigh of relief, before assuming her toon form and dropping into her older brother’s arms. Wakko did likewise, and Yakko hugged them close. “You two did great,” he said, ruffling their ears and causing them both to purr loudly. “Cuddle party after?”

“Yes please,” the younger two said fervently.

‘I too would like to join in the cuddle party,’ Lexi added.

Yakko grinned. “Sounds like a plan,” he said, before raising his voice to the assembled dragons. “Dismissed! Good job, all of you!”

The dragons gave an ear-shattering roar in response before dispersing to their respective homes. The bulk made their way back into the Hidden World, and Yakko let out a long sigh of relief. “Get us home, please,” he said to Lexi. “I need to get that cuddle party started, stat.”

‘Can do,’ Lexi said. ‘What’s the plan after that?’

Yakko shrugged, giving his siblings another fierce hug. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” He did have a lot of plans, but right now, he just wanted physical contact. There’d be time enough for planning their next move, but for now, he just wanted to hold his family in his arms for a little while, whilst being eternally grateful he could still do so.

In his unvarnished opinion, the world could wait for a little while longer.

Chapter Text

“So what are we all doing now that we’ve put the Big Bad away?” Yakko asked his family – immediate and extended – the next morning.

“I would like to go home to resume my research on dragons,” Brain said. “I’ve been away from my notes for far too long, and I have more material gathered in the last few days than I have ever accumulated in all my years of work.”

Pinky bounced up and down eagerly. “Ooh! Ooh! Are you going to tell everyone about the big scary fight and how we almost lost Yakko twice?”

Brain facepalmed. “Yes, Pinky,” he said, slightly exasperated. “I suppose I shall have to stay true to the events.” He then smiled slyly. “I promise I won’t make that account too demeaning.”

“Gee, thanks,” Yakko snarked, before smiling and giving the brainy mouse a gentle noogie. “I know you’ve got my best interests at heart.”

“I am keen on going home,” Scratchy admitted. “It is – nice – to know that those dragons who did that damage to my old home were not your people, but to be fair, I simply wish to put this all behind me. No offence, Yakko, but you’re a bit too … dragon-y for my liking. You’re a good toon, though, and you do credit to your parents’ line, but dragons are still, and always will be, a sensitive subject for me.”

“No offence taken,” Yakko said, taking the doctor’s hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze. “I totally get where you’re coming from. Heloise, are you going home as well?”

The nurse nodded. “Yes,” she said, giving the king a warm smile. “You’re a very lovely young man, but my loyalties – and my heart – lay elsewhere.”

Dot and Wakko whistled. “Ooooh,” they singsonged. “Someone’s got a crush~!” To her credit, Heloise actually didn’t blush, but she did look ever so slightly embarrassed, and Scratchy suddenly found the walls interesting. Yakko sniggered.

“Fair point,” he agreed, before his smile died. “As for me, well, I’ve been around dragons almost all my life, ever since I was a tyke. And to be fair, I don’t care for the human/toon world too much. Well, apart from being a toon myself, but you get what I mean.” He took a deep breath. “I know Warnerstock needs a king, but to be fair, I think humans and ‘real’ toons will always get each other better than dragons disguised as toons.” He pointedly did not look at his siblings, who shared a determined look. “So I guess I hafta ask; Scratchy, can you take the job? Heloise and the mice will be there to help you, and I’m sure the people will understand the reason why. I know they were keen to have me back, but let’s be fair; I’d be forever torn between two worlds, and I can’t see myself with one paw in the human/toon world, and one paw in the dragon world.”

Scratchy looked surprised, but he soon nodded understanding. “I do not know the first thing about being a ruler,” he admitted,” but I am honoured you would ask. I will take your offer, and gladly.”

Yakko grinned and shook hands with his now-successor. “You’re gonna do a great job,” he said. “I’ve got every confidence in you.”

“You will not regret it,” Scratchy promised. “I shall do my best to be a good king, and after Salazar’s rule, I am sure the people will be happy to have anyone who is not a tyrant.”

“Well, that makes our job easier,” Dot piped up. “We’re staying too.”

Yakko looked aghast. “What?”

Wakko rolled his eyes. “We’re dragons too,” he reminded his brother. “Not to mention, we’ve never really felt all that comfortable in Acme Falls. It’s a great place to live, but let’s be fair. No one really got used to toon dragons living amongst them, and even though they took great pains to hide it, there was always that little bit of fear lurking underneath the surface.”

“No offence, Scratchy,” Dot added, taking the doctor’s hand. “I know you looked after us the best you could, and you didn’t ever let your prejudices get in the way of raising us.”

“You two were, and always will be like kidses to me,” Scratchy promised. “That part of me will never change.”

Dot smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said. “But promise me you and Heloise will still come to visit?”

Scratchy nodded. “I can do that,” he said.

Yakko, meanwhile, was still getting used to the idea that his siblings actually wanted to give up their former lives to come live in the Hidden World. “Are you two sure?” he demanded. “I mean, it’d be great to have you two underpaw, but… you’ve gotta be sure this is what you really want.”

Dot nodded. “We’re sure,” she said. “Believe me, the moment we came to the Hidden World, we realised this was our home, and we belonged here. Even before we found out we were dragons too, we felt that we’d finally come home, and that there was nowhere else we’d rather be.”

“Besides,” Wakko added, “I need to learn those slick paddleball moves you’re still refusing to teach me. I can’t do that in Acme Falls, can I?”

Yakko shook his head before pulling his siblings into a rib-cracking hug. He tried to say how much he loved them, but the words refused to come out, so he settled for holding them tightly in his arms, purring softly as he nuzzled their heads. They clung to him as tightly as they had the day they’d been reunited, and Yakko thanked his lucky stars that he could have his two most precious treasures right here by his side – where they belonged.

Lexi smiled as she watched the family moment. “This does bring to mind a question,” she said. “Dragons the world over are feeling a bit out of sorts following Salazar’s defeat.”

“So let’s bring them home,” Yakko said, never lifting his head from his siblings’. “The Hidden World’s got room and more, and I promised Pearl we’d do something about sealing their home up to make sure only her and her kind can come and go at will.”

“A suggestion?” Brain offered. “You told me that you wished to set up a in that cavern near Pearl’s home. Perhaps you and your immediate family could move there and rule from there?”

Yakko thought about it. “I guess it couldn’t hurt,” he said. “Alright. We’ll go talk to Pearl and see what she thinks about the idea.”

Pearl was more than amenable to the suggestion. “It means protection for us,” she said, “and you have a home base, so to speak.”

“I do love the Hidden World,” Yakko said, “but that cavern just outside your home is amazing. Rhuarc and his Aiel managed to make a decent living upstairs, so there’s no reason why we can’t do the same.”

“You could make it a retreat for any dragon who wishes to get away from the Hidden World for a while,” Pearl suggested. “And as I said, it means protection for us, so we don’t have to seal ourselves away from the rest of dragonkind.”

Yakko smiled. “I think we’ve got ourselves a deal,” he said.

Pearl shook his proffered hand. “I think we do,” she agreed.  

Two days later, Dot and Wakko went with Scratchy and Heloise to Dragon Island, where the refugees from Acme Falls had been living ever since Salazar’s first rampage. “You’re free to go home!” Dot called from atop Flash’s back. “Salazar’s finished, and he won’t be troubling anyone else, promise!”

“What of our crown prince?” one resident asked anxiously.

“Aah, yes.” Dot nodded. “Yakko’s decided to abdicate. Buut, he’s leaving Scratchy in charge. And he’s gonna have tons of help from Brain and Heloise, plus loads of assistance from the people of Warnerstock, am I right?”

The displaced citizens hesitated, before raising a cheer. There was genuine happiness and relief in that cheer, and as Scratchy disembarked from Flash’s back to accept the accolades, Dot felt a moment’s sadness. Wakko’s assessment of the situation had been dead accurate, and the princess forced the pain down. It’s better this way, she reminded herself. Humans and toons get each other best. Besides, Wak and I get to be with Yakko and Lexi, and that’s our home.

‘Shall we get a move on?’ Flash asked.

Dot nodded. “Don’t be a stranger, Scratchy!” she called.

“I would not dream of it,” the good doctor – well, future king, rather – replied, smiling and waving at her and Wakko. “Be good kidses, ja?”

“Ja!” the two Night Lights replied, before hopping off Flash’s back to give their former foster father a big hug. He happily returned the gesture, and then Flash took to the air, with Dot and Wakko choosing to assume dragon form so they could feel the wind in their wings for a little while. ‘Should we tell them they’re all going to be going home soon?’ Dot mused.

‘They’ll get the message soon enough,’ Wakko surmised. ‘They’ve got a little while to get the residents home before Yakko does his big alpha thing.’

‘Let’s wait around for a bit, then,’ Flash suggested. ‘Or we can go to Acme Falls and wait there for the Call?’

‘Acme Falls it is,’ the hatchlings agreed. It seemed fitting to return home properly from the place where they’d grown up, to make the whole adventure come full circle, as it were. Flash nodded his agreement, and the three dragons took off, angling east for Acme Falls.

The sun was setting when the Call came. Dragons the world over froze when they heard the song, and though only their ancestors would have remembered, each dragon felt something in them respond to the beautiful melody. Come home, it sang. Come home. Your time on this world is done. Leave humans and toons to their own affairs. Your time to be with your own kind is now. Come home and you will be safe.

And the dragons responded.

In packs, droves, and whole flocks, they swam or flew, or hitched rides on the backs of their fellows. Old feuds and fights were forgotten, for they were all one, all a part of dragonkind. And, one by one, they reached the great sunken volcano in the centre of the ocean, and they dove in, or swam through a secret underwater passage, until they all emerged in the glowing labyrinth of caverns nearly all of them had only heard about from old tales passed down from generation to generation.

And when each dragon reached the King’s Chamber, they saw Yakko and Lexi atop the great crystal block, with Dot and Wakko standing either side of them. Some were confused at seeing a Night Fury standing on the block in the position of king, but others knew his family line, and they were greatly relieved that a Night Fury was continuing the tradition of ruling all dragonkind.

Eventually, the great exodus slowed to a trickle, before ceasing entirely. Every dragon – either in toon form or their own form – stilled, waiting for the moment when Yakko finally claimed dominance. All of them had heard how he’d defeated Salazar, and all were eager to see if he was ready to finally become the true king they’d been hoping for.

Taking a deep breath, Yakko walked to the edge of the block and spread his wings. All the dragons bowed, as did the two hatchlings, and then Yakko roared.

Unlike his previous roar, this one carried all the power of the king of dragons behind it, and when the two hatchlings – who were in toon form for this moment – threw back their heads and howled, all the dragons did the same, roaring and howling loudly in response, acknowledging Yakko as their true king at long last. The accolades went on for quite some time, and when it ended, Dot and Wakko turned and ran to hug their brother, in complete defiance of tradition. No one saw any ill, thankfully, and those dragons in toon form decided to add their own spin. “All hail King Yakko!” someone called, and soon thousands of dragons were chanting. “All hail King Yakko! Long live the king!” they shouted, over and over. Those dragons not in toon form roared in time to the chant, and Yakko looked stunned, before a huge smile came over his face. He transformed back to toon form and bowed deeply, eyes glistening with tears as he finally felt himself settle into his role as king.

“Thank you!” he called, once the chanting had finally died down. Lexi began a running mental commentary for those who were too far away from the block to hear his words. “I’m still a kid, and I’ve made a few mistakes,” he said, “but somehow, I’ve still managed to do enough good things to earn your loyalty.”

“You’re a good king!” Flash called back. “I don’t want to hear anyone say otherwise!”

Dot pointed at the young Nadder. “I’m gonna marry him,” she declared, and several dragons laughed. Flash looked poleaxed, before nodding and giving Dot a thumbs up. “Ask me again in five years,” he said, and the princess grinned.

Yakko sighed dramatically. “And this is what I have to put up with,” he sighed, putting a hand to his forehead theatrically. “Yeesh. Anyways, I promise to do my best by you, as my father did before me. I don’t promise to know everything, ‘cause I don’t, and to be fair, I’m still gettin’ used to being a dragon, despite having lived nine years among you. So please excuse the dust; I’m still a work in progress, and I’ve probably got a few rough edges around me still.”

“All hail King Yakko!” Dot shouted, and Wakko took up the cry. “All hail King Yakko!”

“ALL HAIL KING YAKKO!” ‘ALL HAIL KING YAKKO!’

“LONG LIVE THE KING!”

“And that,” Scratchy said, closing the book, “is how the dragons came to accept Yakko as their king. And he still rules well and wisely to this very day.”

Charlotte and Ernst sighed. They loved hearing tales about dragons; and since their father had actually seen dragons in his day, they knew they were getting the stories from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. “Can we see them one day?” Charlotte pleaded.

“Please?” Ernst added.

Scratchy tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps,” he said. “But you, know, legend says that when the ground quakes, or lava spews from the earth, it’s the dragons, letting us know they’re still here, waiting for us to figure out how to get along.”

Charlotte and Ernst digested this in silence. “Will that ever happen?” Ernst asked.

“One day,” Scratchy said, leaning over to gently ruffle their hair. “Now, it is very late, and you kidses need to get to bed. Your mother wishes to take you on a tour to Acme Falls, and if you don’t wish to do the oversleeping in the morning, then you will be doing the early sleeping tonight, ja?”

“Ja,” the children agreed, and Scratchy smiled as he hugged them close. “Goodnight, kidses.”

“Goodnight papa,” they said, kissing him on the cheek before running to their rooms. Scratchy smiled as he listened to them getting into a good-natured squabble over who would be using the bathroom first – not a real problem when you were a king and had ten bathrooms in your palace, but to his children, there was something fun about arguing over something so silly as a bathroom.

He got up and walked to the window. It wasn’t as late as he’d claimed – there was still a bit of light in the western sky – and he leaned on the sill, reflecting on the last ten years. They’d been good years, and he and Heloise had made a good home of the royal palace, along with their two adorable children, whom Scratchy loved dearly. Sometimes he felt a small pang when one or the other of them did or said something that reminded him of Wakko and Dot growing up, but the memories were still very comforting to the king. Sometimes he even liked to joke that he had four kids, and his two scamps had lapped the idea up.

Even so, as he watched the last of the light fade, he knew there’d likely never be a meeting. He’d burnt way too many bridges ten years ago, and he admitted to feeling a little foolish for having been so, well, overt about his deep-seated fear and distrust of dragons. Having lost his home to the creatures, it was still so hard to let go, never mind that Yakko had been more than gracious to him in their final meeting.

Still, there was a slight chance that maybe one day his natural born children would meet their honorary siblings. After all, they loved dragons, and they had no qualms talking about the adventures they would have should they ever met Yakko or his siblings. You couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks, Scratchy reflected with a small laugh, but you could avoid passing on bad habits to the next generation.

His mind made up, he started to turn away, then froze. He turned back to the window, eyes wide, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw two familiar figures standing in the snow. “Kidses!” he whispered, throwing the window open. “You’re back!”

“Duh!” Dot called up, with serious nineteen-year-old sass. “Get the kids out, will ya? Yakko’ll skin us if he finds out we snuck away.”

Scratchy did just that, and when Heloise came to enquire why her children were still up, she was treated to an amazing sight; Dot and Wakko in their Night Light forms, with a much younger Night Light beside them. All three dragons were getting thoroughly acquainted with Charlotte and Ernst, who seemed to be having the time of their lives. The queen smiled and joined her husband at the window. “Perhaps the time for reconciliation is a lot closer than you thought,” she suggested.

Scratchy shook his head. “Not for me,” he said. “But for them – yes.” He paused, nodded, and then called down to the excited quintet. “One quick flight, ja? My kidses have got an important engagement in the morning!”

Dot and Wakko trilled in response, and Scratchy felt a lump grow in his throat as his children climbed on board the now grown Night Lights. The hatchling – whom he later learned was called Ruffrunner – fluttered into the air beside his aunt and uncle, and in no time at all, they’d all three taken off. Scratchy watched them go, feeling a mixture of sadness and relief. Heloise put an arm around his waist.

“I think it’s time for them to learn about the dragons in person,” she said gently.

Scratchy nodded. “Ja,” he agreed, gently kissing his wife on the forehead. “Very well. Tomorrow, after their engagement, they go see Yakko.”

Heloise nodded. “Good idea,” she agreed.

But as they watched the dragons fly by at blistering speed, they heard two roars, and then two more dragons joined the race. Scratchy gasped when he saw how big Yakko had grown, and Lexi had only grown more beautiful over the years. ‘Hi Scratchy, bye Scratchy!’ Yakko called as he flew past. ‘Hey!’ he added to his recalcitrant family. ‘What’d I tell you about sneaking off? Don’t leave me and Lexi out of it!’

‘Sorry Yakko!’ Wakko and Dot called back, not sounding the slightest bit apologetic.

‘It was my idea, Dad!’ Ruffunner added.

Yakko rolled his eyes as he flew past the window again, delivering one very ironic last piece of advice which caused Scratchy and Heloise to almost wet themselves laughing.

‘Scratchy, never have kids!’

END