2. (Chapter 30)

30

Brother Z’s Wangs

Playlist: Derek Life Learning—don’t touch Derek!

Atrix: Derek Richard Agons

The next day, the train screeched to a halt. 

“Destination arrival!” An old and crusty armadillo, barely two feet long with stubby tail and a set of scarfs wrapped around his body, poked his head through an opening in the roof. Spit dribbled over his leathery lips as smiled. “The Wildband Express Track Company thanks you on behalf of the Council for using services rendered for world saving help. We are as close to the Death Zone as we dare, so this is our stop. Either way, we welcome you to Tennessee!” 

“We thank you, Grub,” Tella said. “You have done us a great service. And to you, Hub.” She smiled towards the coatimundi, now working in his garden behind the abandoned bar. “We would not have gotten here so fast without you.” 

“It’s the job,” Hub said, poking his head out behind a growing patch of tomato. 

“Of course,” Tella said with a smile. “Either way, we appreciate it.” 

Hub stared. “Why?” 

“Finally!” Derek leapt over a bench, landing with a thud. Tennis shoes tied, ripped jeans at the ready, black hoodie unzipped, and backpack strapped over his shoulders, he held out his arm. 

The dark blue dragon flipped through the air, her wings bursting out to catch herself. She floated down and landed on Derek’s shoulder as she wrapped her tail around his arm.  

“Youtube!” She roared in excitement. 

Tella stopped, turning to stare. “What did she just say?” 

“Youtube!” the dragon sang proudly. She blinked, electricity sparkling in her eyes. “Telll..uhhh. Tella.” The dragon bowed her in reverence. “Youtube, Tella.” 

Derek curtsied. “Youtube, Tella!” 

Tella stared. Her body flashed through a spectrum of colors, the light vibrant and proud. “You are...speaking. This is unprecedented, dragon heir!” 

The dragon stood tall on Derek’s shoulders, beating on her chest. “I…am…drrraaaaagon!” 

“Hell yeah you are,” Derek said, holding his fist out. 

Scale to skin, she bumped his fist back.  

“As fun as this is, we need to get a move on,” the cat said, walking to the open wall of the train. “The Void’s not waiting for us to learn words.” With a flick of his tail a dilapidated book floated over to him, covered in a roaring blue flame. He’d been on book duty ever since the Battle at Dragon Mountain. After everything he’d done, it was the least he could do. 

Derek stared at him. His stomach twisted as the cat caught his gaze. Derek looked away immediately. 

The dragon growled softly as Derek’s sudden stress washed over their connection. The stronger the emotion, the easier it was for her to feel it. 

Caaaat, she thought. Behind the word was a fury, a rumbling like thunder deep in the distance. 

Her claws tightened on his shoulder as she shook in rage. 

I know, Derek thought. But he’s better where we can see him. 

Cat, she agreed coolly, her intentions flooding beyond the word. Ever since the day they’d bonded, the dragon wanted a confrontation, some acknowledgement of what the cat had done. He deserved to be held accountable. 

Derek dug his nails into his palm. I can’t. Not yet.  

Wheeeeeeeen? 

Never. 

Wheen? 

I don’t know. 

She poked him in the face. When? 

Derek sighed. Wow, you’re on, like, word seven and already I need you to shush. 

“Me first I guess.” The cat leapt out of the train cart, landing soundlessly on the leaf filled forest floor. 

Everyone followed behind. The underbrush crunched as Derek landed on it, stomping as hard as he could. The dragon leapt off Derek’s shoulder, following his lead. Tella floated through the trees, letting the sunlight wash through her. 

The cat walked to the nearest tree and sniffed the air, his tail twisting as he tried the elements. Golden threads wove through the atmosphere, the wind twisting around his will.  

The air shimmered. 

The air folded. 

Dere squinted at it. 

Something was...there. Something more. Something unseen. 

Derek blinked. 

For a moment, he swore he could see hovering black beads. 

Books? The dragon pushed at it his shins. She cocked an eyebrow at him in question, head nodding towards the group. Everyone was staring at him. 

“Sorry, what?” he said, gasping for air. He grabbed his chest, blinking rapidly as he searched his thoughts. 

“I said we have a four hour walk ahead of us,” Tella said, floating to the tree line. “We better get going.” 

Derek scoffed.  “Four hours? That doesn’t sound like adventure, that sounds like walking.” 

“Walking is adventure, kid,” the cat said. “You ready?” 

Derek breathed in deeply and stepped to the nearest tree, staring down at a green-brown mesh of hill and forest below. “Not really.” 

With a slap of the bark, he raced down the hill and as far away from the conversation as possible. 

     As the harsh green-brown forest faded behind them, a city skyline glistened on the horizon. Tall metal buildings scraped the sky, poking through a low level of billowing clouds. Sunlight sparkled along the building’s edges, the tallest building fashioned with two pointing towers. They looked like the ears of a superhero mask. 

Derek ran forward and stopped at an old playground carved into an overlooking hill, high enough to get a grasp of the city limits. Gravel stretched in a circle around the playground, three derelict benches lining the edges. Below and beyond, highways buzzed along in a constant stream of vehicles, accompanied by the constant sounds of squealing breaks and revving engines. 

Nashville. 

Derek was actually back. He’d never seen his hometown from this angle. Most of his life he’d spent at home huddled away in the dark garage that once held so much mystery. Now, the mystery was gone. 

A gunshot rang through his memories. White scales, skull bits, and blood splashed in his mind. 

Now I’m just the reason Caelus is dead. 

The dragon landed on top of the old metal jungle gym beside him, head outstretched as she stared in awe. “Nash…villllleee,” the dragon said. 

Tella floated into the air, hovering next to the dragon. “Magnificent.” 

Derek pushed the memories away. He turned to Tella. “Is this really your first time seeing a human city?” 

“A city of metal, yes,” Tella said, appearing ten feet in the air to float next to the dragon. “Caelus and I took a couple excursions to Rome back in the day.” 

“Rome?” Derek gasped. “That’s so old!” 

“And rudimentary compared to this,” Tella said. “The metal work, the invention...this almost rivals some of my time’s great cities! Like the dragon capitol The Marvel of the Roost. Oh, how I wish you could have seen it! To think humans could build such things without avitheer.” 

“Avitheer?” the cat asked. 

“It is how the animals of my time, the Thinkers as you call them, explained their pull on the unseen essences.” 

“Ah, you mean knowledge.” 

“No, I mean avitheer.” 

Derek’s nostrils flared. “Please. No magic.” 

“Faaaamily…first,” the dragon said softly. 

Derek smiled his bravest smile. He knew it was a toothy grin, more awkward than heroic, but still he did his best. He turned to the cat and dug his fingernails into his palms to keep himself steady. 

“You sure this whole erasing thing won’t hurt them?” 

“The only one it hurts is you, kid.” 

“But like, won’t all my stuff be there? Like there will still be pictures of me. And my school will probably call or something.” 

The cat tilted his head. “If you don’t want to do this—” 

“Answer me,” Derek snapped. 

The cat blinked, stopping himself. “Well, uh, yes, your stuff will stay around. So will the pictures of you. But once my threads have taken hold, they just won’t perceive it anymore. If it triggers a thought of you, it will just...disappear.” 

Derek nodded, wind ruffling his hair as he turned back to the city. Without another word, he held out his arm. The dragon landed on it, her head held tall. 

She was ready for this. 

Derek knew he would never be.