Breath of Fresh Air

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But luckily for Jasper, Mr. Jenkins had known him for far longer than Axle did. And he knew where Jasper's pain came from. He walked over and set a hand on Jasper's shoulder, patting it gently. "Ah know, lad," he murmured softly. He cleared his throat. "An' I appreciate ya not correctin' him to his face. He's hurtin' in a different way than you are. But he's got some of th' same pain."

The older man took a long breath. ". . . Ya want to come out back and double check the dragon shelter with me? Make sure nobody made any more 'accidental' breaks?"

----

Almost immediately after stepping outside, Axle was greeted with Lily and Noah and their dragons. He pushed his thoughts away at once and smiled, waving gently. "Welcome back," he called. "I'm very glad to hear no one died."

"Father, you should've seen the dragons! They tore up an entire hillside!" Noah burst out, rushing over for a hug.

Mr. Harn's eyes shimmered. Maybe his actual family would still need him more often than he thought.
 
It calmed him little by little, not having his opinion tossed aside, and being reminded that he wasn't the only one who had lost family. He supposed on top of that that he wouldn't know what it was like to have your child move out of your house for the first time, leaving you alone without your late wife. Even angry he could at least be compelled to feel sympathy.

"Yeah, okay . . ." He murmured finally, and shifted his chair back carefully to get to his feet, irritation mostly sizzled out despite seeing the pacifying task for what it was. "Swear to god, if Lily breaks something to get my attention again I'm gonna wake her up with ice water for a week."

———

Lily let go so Noah could sprint off to hug his father, fighting the urge to go 'aw' at the show of familial affection, and just stopped to give Infernus a pat on the side of his neck. "The grass at the bottom of the hill will never be the same," she said solemnly, then gave a little laugh. "Maybe one of these nights you'll catch the show yourself!"

He would keep coming back, she was sure. It made her happy, to think that he and Noah and Mr. Jenkins could be a family again.
 
Mr. Jenkins smiled and patted Jasper's back, leading him outside. He'd used the same trick to calm down Anna, in the past. She was far less likely to stay angry if she had something to do with her hands, or a task. He was delighted that it seemed to work for Jasper, too.

"Ah'm sure they've learned they can just ask you," Mr. Jenkins said with a chuckle. He beamed and nodded. ". . . Ya done good in there, Jasper. Ya should be proud of yerself."

-----

Axle hugged Noah a bit more closely and kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad you both had a good time." He glanced up at Lily, smiling and ruffling Noah's hair. "I would love to see the dragons play one of these days. I quite think I'll be back frequently." He'd just have to remember to give Jasper his space and respect, that was all.
 
Jasper ran a hand over the back of his neck as he followed Mr. Jenkins outside to the dragon shelter, looking idly around to make sure there was no more damage that needed fixing anywhere. ". . . I don't want to be the reason things go bad for you." He said finally, something guilty in his voice. "I shouldn't have even come. . ." He was self aware enough to know he was a hothead, and he didn't want his presence to deter Axle from coming around. Even if he hated the thought of Mr. Jenkins not needing him around anymore now that he had his real family with him, he wasn't trying to sabotage anything on purpose.

Shaking his head to try and dismiss the thought, he risked a bit of pain to hop up and grab on to one of the beams he'd added support to, letting his weight dangle from it for a moment before letting go and dropping to his feet again. If it couldn't take him, it couldn't take dragons, after all. "Seems sturdy to me. I can take a look at it during daylight hours some day, make sure nothing less obvious is breaking down." It wasn't the worlds most recent structure, but it was well built. If it needed anything, he was sure whoever they got to do the remodel could fix it.

———

Lily only smiled wider when Axle said he would keep coming around, a swelling happiness in her chest she almost couldn't contain at the thought of her friends being happy. "You should come see us having flying lessons, some day! You could come up with me and Fern!"
 
"Nonsense," Mr. Jenkins said at once, giving Jasper a quick, gentle squeeze. "Ya won't be the reason things go bad fer any of us. Sure, might start a fight or two. But who hasn't?" He smiled and shrugged. "Asides . . . I'm pretty sure Axle's just as damn stubborn as you are. An' he's decided yer part of the family. Sorry," he added with a laugh.

----

"I'd like that very much," Axle said gently, his expression softening. "I've never gotten to ride a dragon, you know. Most of the riders I've worked with in the past are . . . well, they're . . ."

"Stuffy pricks?" Noah offered.

"Noah," his father said with a huff. "That is not how we talk about our clients!"

"Okay, there were one or two who are nice. But come on."

"Okay, yes, many of them are somewhat ill-tempered and very particular about how things are done. But that doesn't mean we don't show them the same respect as everyone else," Axle insisted.

"Yeah, yeah. Okay," Noah said, chuckling and smiling.
 
Jasper gave an exasperated little huff, but leaned a bit into Mr. Jenkin's embrace and didn't try to fight the idea that he wasn't going to wreck things. "He's gonna be disappointed." He insisted gruffly instead, crossing his arms loosely over his chest. "How much you wanna bet I can goad him into punching me in the jaw, some day?" He asked after a pause, a little grin on his face and doing his best to just joke about it and let all the real things he didn't quite agree with slide away. "I feel like we'd both feel better."

——-

"What - Really?" Lily gasped, astonished by the idea of someone who made dragon saddles for a living having never been on the back of a dragon. "What a crime!"

She turned to look at Infernus, hovering at her shoulder, and reached up to pull his muzzle down closer to her level as she was wont to do. "Now we've gotta take him with us, right, Fern? Its a tragedy!" He gave an amused little huff of air, used to her very physical affections and just giving her a very gentle nudge against her forehead in response.

"It's settled!" She declared as she turned back around, hands propped on her hips with a hammed up determined expression on her face. "You absolutely have to come fly with us!" The second it was light out - and they had the time, and no disasters or work - she was definitely taking him flying.
 
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The old man burst out laughing, patting Jasper's back. "Ya better hope he doesn't! He's got a mean left hook on 'im, what I heard from Anna. Not that he's one to get into scraps. But he's got some muscle to him, ah can tell ya that."

----

Axle's eyes gleamed. "I would very much enjoy that, thank you. And once Noah is trained on how to fly - perhaps I can fly with you sometimes as well?" he added, glancing at his son.

Noah grinned and hugged him. "Of course! I'm no stuffy rider. I'll tell ya that!"

Chaital rumbled and lay down, extending a wing towards the group.

"Aww, giving us a walking ride back? Thanks, Chaital!" Noah said, hopping on at once. He offered his father a hand up and nodded. "You want to get up here, too?"

"Certainly!" Mr. Harn replied. He carefully climbed up, and then settled on Chaital's shoulders, marveling at the texture of her scales as he ran his hand over them. ". . . Fascinating. I've never - I mean, this is - "

Chaital chuffed and stood up, carrying the pair back to the old mill house.
 
Jasper couldn't help but smile at getting the old man to laugh, feeling a bit proud of himself despite it being a stupid thing to wish for. "I don't know," he said with a little chuckle, giving a shrug. "I feel like I could take him." It was a joke, still, but he had gotten into a fair amount of fistfights growing up. He tried not to do that so much anymore. "I'd at least give 'im a run for his money."

———

"That'll be so fun!" Lily said with a big grin, not bothering to say that it would probably be a long while before Noah was experienced enough to dare having passengers. She was sure that even if he wasn't careful for some reason that Axle probably would be.

She let them get up with Chaital, just making a practiced climb up onto Infernus' shoulders instead, with very little help from the dragon himself, and riding alongside them as they made their way back to the house. "Did you expect them to be warmer?" She asked, curious and amused by getting to see someone's first real, up close contact with a dragon that didn't mind his touch or attention. "A lot of people say they expect dragons to feel hot, almost. Because of the fire breathing, I suppose. They're smoother than you think, too! At least, some are. Some dragons, like the one Jasper's making the foot for, are more abrasive. 'S why his arm is all tore up, I think." Brushing scales the wrong way was a little like running your skin across sharp rocks.
 
"Aw, lad. Ah know ya could," Mr. Jenkins said with a warm smile. "But try not to hit him, eh? At least until he's settled in more. Once he's settled in an' if he's bein' an annoying prick, then you've got my permission to punch him." He took a breath and relaxed. "Now I forget, ya walkin' Lily over to the Dragonry tonight or tomorrow mornin'?"

-----

"No, it's just - I started with Pumpkin as the only dragon I knew personally," Mr. Harn explained with a smile. "His scales are so bumpy, and Chaital's are smooth as stones compared to his. They feel lovely."

Chaital rumbled and happily squinted her eyes.

Noah giggled, patting her neck. "Chaital says thank you, Father."

"You're very welcome, Chaital."

The group eventually made their way back to the mill house, where Chaital knelt near the door and extended a wing for the pair to slide off. Mr. Harn slid down first, followed by Noah, and then she folded her wing up again and began preening.

"You got time for a snack or a game before you go?" Noah asked Lily hopefully.
 
"I guess I can live with that," Jasper said with a little chuckle. "But if he starts poaching my customers, he's goin' down." As if half of the things he did with leather weren't for free anyway. "I'll walk her over tonight. Still deciding if I'm gonna stay with her or come back here." He was going to stay close, regardless. She was bound to be nervous in the morning, if she wasn't already.

——————

Lily hadn't thought of Pumpkin as particularly bumpy, but she was used to Nobu and Naga, who weren't nearly as smooth as Chaital. Even Infernus was a bit rougher than her, though not so much that it was uncomfortable for Lily to sit atop his back without a saddle.

She laughed softly at Chaital's reaction to the praise, and when they were back to the house hopped off Infernus onto the ground without much help, used to making quick dismounts while she worked. "It's getting a little late. . ." She said thoughtfully, but gave Noah a little smile after. "Maybe just one or two games?" She probably wasn't going to sleep well anyway.
 
Mr. Jenkins nodded. "Aight, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. You two want any snacks to bring with? Just in case? Or water, or anything?"

-----

Noah's face split into a smile. "Sweet! What game do you want to play? We've got cards for sure, and probably a board game or two," he added, ambling into the house.

Mr. Harn knocked on the doorpost as he followed his son inside. "We're back!" he called out. "Everything going okay in here?"

Grandpa Jenkins glanced up from the other room. "Oh! Welcome back. Glad yer all in one piece. How's about a card game before ya head out, Lily?"

"We were just thinking that!" Noah agreed.

His grandfather laughed. "You sure got them Jenkins' genes. What game'll it be, Lily?"
 
Jasper considered for a moment rather than saying no immediately, and finally gave his head a little shake. "No snacks, I think. She'll want to sleep as well as she can. Some water, maybe." In case she woke up thirsty or something of the like. They would grab a quick breakfast in the morning before she left.

"I'm up for anything," Lily said with a smile as she followed them back inside, and only laughed when Mr. Jenkins suggested what they'd already talked about. "What a mind reader! Let's try playing Spoons! Jasper's got a bum arm so maybe he'll finally lose!"

Jasper gave a little pff in response, rolling his eyes at her despite being secretly glad she was trying to keep in good spirits and not worry. "I have two hands, you know. You're just a sore loser." He had to fight very hard not to laugh when she stuck her tongue out at him.
 
"Oooh, Spoons! I love that game!" Noah burst out. "Hell, my father's the one who taught me how to play! Father, come over and show 'em how it's done!"

Mr. Harn chuckled and stretched. "Actually, it's about time for me to be heading to bed." He ruffled Noah's hair, smiling. "You show them, kiddo. Love you. See you tomorrow?"

Noah smiled and gave him a tight hug. "Love you! See you tomorrow, too!"

"Good night, Mr. Jenkins," Mr. Harn called out, finally letting go of the hug and heading towards the stairs.

"Aw, hell, call me Grandpa Jenkins. Everyone who's close to me does," the older man replied.

Mr. Harn smiled. "Good night, Grandpa Jenkins. Have a good rest."

"You, too."

Once the man had vanished upstairs, Noah hurried over to the table, flopping down into a chair with a grin. "All right, who's dealing?"
 
"Goodnight, Mr. Harn!" Lily waved after him and wandered after Noah with the others when he was gone, content with the idea of playing a game with her friends. "Are you gonna stay up with us for a bit, Grandpa Jenkins?"

"It's getting late, anyway," Jasper murmured with a shrug, wandering off to go and get the spoons needed to play the game and wondering idly if he should hold Naga in his lap just to give them a better handicap. He might have, if he trusted her not to eat his cards. "We shouldn't stay up for too many games."

He knew Lily was going to be worried, though, and wanted her to have fun before she had to be stressed in the morning. If she relaxed a little before they left, maybe she would actually sleep.
 
Grandpa Jenkins smiled and sat at the table. "Well, sure. Just for a round or two. Don't wanna miss hangin' out with you kids."

Pumpkin had squirmed his way through the door after playing for a while with Nobu, and he bounded over to Lily, chirping and pawing at her legs to be picked up.

"Aww. You wanna play spoons too, Pumpkin?" Noah asked with a smile. "Hop on up!"

After just two rounds, Mr. Jenkins was already nodding. He told the group goodnight, gave each person who would let him a hug, and headed upstairs to his room for bed.

Noah yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Lily, want me to swing by tomorrow morning to say bye before you leave? Or should I say bye now?"
 
Lily was all too happy to pick Pumpkin up and settle him on her shoulders while they played, and only counted it as another thing to slow Jasper down when Naga came to lay across his lap and Nobu to curl up around his feet, so he couldn't move as easily. It only made it more frustrating, then, when he kept being able to sneak a spoon without her noticing.

After saying goodnight to Mr. Jenkins, she gave Noah a smile and shook her head. "I don't know how early I'll be going, so let's just say goodnight here," she explained, and walked over to give him a quick hug. "Sleep tight, Noah! I'll see you in the morning once I'm back!"

Jasper glanced between them as she moved away and only raised an eyebrow at Noah. "Don't look at me, I'm not hugging you."

Lily laughed and gave Pumpkin a little kiss, petting him where he rested on her shoulder still. "You should stay here and spend some time with Noah and Mr. Harn, Pumpkin. I'll see you again tomorrow, okay?" He surely had missed them while he was away, and she wanted him to be able to spend as much time with them as possible.
 
Noah gratefully accepted her hug, and then glanced over to Jasper expectantly. He laughed when the boy immediately caught on and turned him down. "Aww. Not even a high five?" he asked.

Pumpkin huffed and flapped his wings indignantly, but he did want to spend some more time with the Harns and Mr. Jenkins. So finally he snorted and licked Lily's cheek. Then he hopped off her shoulder and made his way upstairs to bother Mr. Harn.

Eventually, Noah got up from the table too and waved. "Good night, everybody! And safe travels. I want to hear all about it when you both get back," he said with a grin. He headed upstairs to go back to his bed, and a short while later, he was fast asleep.

-----

The next day, Mr. Harn headed off to speak to Malia as promised. He brought with a letter with the pertinent information about the crystal enclosed, as well as a box of pears. He had Noah drop him off at the front door on Chaital. So while Mr. Harn strolled up towards the office, Noah and Chaital headed for a nearby field to play and relax.

The older Harn knocked patiently on the door. "Ms. Malia? It's Mr. Harn. May I come in?"
 
Jasper rolled his eyes mostly for show but did eventually relent and let Noah high five him. "I'll probably come back some time in the morning. Somebody's gotta make sure you three don't burn the house down."

Lily smacked his good arm with a shake of her head and just started pushing him out of the house. "Goodnight!"

She slept better, having Jasper nearby, but was still anxious come morning. When Axle arrived at Malia's office, Lily was already out, dressed in an official dragon rider uniform with blue tunic and matching headgear, and was busy with Jasper in the fields, attaching a banner to the belly of Infernus' saddle. By the time Noah was in sight, she was already mounting up, and could only wave to him before they took off into the air, heading straight for Upper Floaten.

Jasper sighed when Nobu whined at him, squatting down to gently stroke the small dragon's head. "She's all right, boy. Just looks a little different. She'll come back soon." Her anxious energy had been worrying Nobu all morning.

——

Malia was at her desk when Axle came in, just dismissing an aide with a few signed papers, and stood back away from it as he walked in. "Ah, Mr. Harn, come in." She gave him a little wave closer, glancing at the box in his arms but not asking questions just yet. "I wasn't expecting you so early. Thank you for making the trip."
 
When Lily eventually reached the dragon riders' headquarters in Upper Floaten, it looked the same as it always had. The architecture was reminiscent of giant, dragon sized wooden birdhouses, but they were made of metal and pipes with steam powering any moving parts. There were smaller attached buildings for their respective riders. The buildings were arranged in a circle around a central gazebo that was large enough for multiple dragons and their humans to stand in.

Several pairs of riders and dragons were already meeting inside the gazebo and talking. The thick colored glass in the windows cast pale shadows over the group.

One of the dragons, a tall purple wyvern with thick, purple grey chicken legs and a plumed tail, tilted her beaked head towards Lily and Infernus as they approached. She let out an acknowledging - but still fairly uninterested - chirp and went back to watching her rider talk. Her beak was formed into sharp, jagged teeth at the edges.

Her rider, like many of the others, was dressed in a cloak and stood at her side, one hand resting against his dragon's shoulder. He didn't even acknowledge Lily's arrival since his dragon wasn't interested.

-----

"You're quite welcome," Mr. Harn replied. "My son Noah and Chaital gave me a ride over." He held up the box and letter, and then set them gently on Malia's desk. "I've written the testimony you asked for. And I brought some extra pears, in case you were hungry. What questions do you have about the crystal incident?"

Mr. Harn was used to working with business people, who - although they led with small talk - often wanted to get straight to the meat of the conversation. He was hopeful that Malia was a similar way. She'd seemed to be when he first met her.
 
Lily was nervous as they approached, but at the very least knew where she was going. It felt so strange, landing in a place she had only ever flown by, and being dressed in a uniform that didn't really belong to her. An honorary member, Malia had called her, and given her letters that would keep her from getting in trouble for it. It was still intimidating to be there, amongst all the riders and dragons she didn't really recognize.

As Malia had instructed, she spotted a slightly different uniform rather quickly, and dismounted to walk over and greet him. "Excuse me," she said as politely as she could manage, feeling a bit more confident with Infernus staying close behind her but knowing she would have to leave him to go inside soon. "I've been sent by the Dragonry. I was told to give you this, and to deliver a letter to Grandmaster Oneras."

The man seemed confused, but did at least take the letter from her to read. Malia had given her two, after all, one to get her in to see the Grandmaster, and another to give to the man himself. She would just have to stand her ground and make sure the contents of the letter were obeyed, and that she not only hand delivered the letter but took his response with her before she left.

—————-

"Her new rider." Malia acknowledged with a nod, looking at the pears with some confusion but for now letting them sit untouched. Perhaps later. "Thank you. I shall have to find a safe place to keep them." She would likely divide them up amongst some of her staff, but didn't want to offend the man by saying so immediately. She would at least keep one for herself.

"Have a seat, if you will." She said as she took up the letter to skim through even as she sat down herself. "My first concern is how long the current crystal has been in use, and how dire circumstances will become once it fails completely. How much time, in your opinion, do you think we would have to attempt evacuations before parts of the city begin to fall?" Those were most pressing details or now. Finding a solution to the problem would have to wait until they knew exactly how bad it would be.
 
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