...A week after Sammy’s death...

Ivy looks down towards her electrifying hands that are surrounded in emitting blue kinetic energy sizzles.A scared and confused reaction appears on Ivy’s face.Her face had recently healed from the terrifying, and perhaps traumatic,fire burns.Boscow stares at Ivy’s sizzling hands as she takes a little trembling step back.The building realization hit Ivy directly where it would hurt the most. Her heart was not her heart; it belonged to a dragon.

“Ivy...what are you?” Boscow asks, with shock in his voice.

Ivy looks up from her hands.

“Human.” Ivy said, and clears her throat. She wanted to deny that Drakise had replaced her heart. “Do you think I am a juicy steak?”

“No.” Boscow said. “But that’s not the point.”

“The point is you’re saying I am a vegetable.” Ivy said,misleading Boscow.

“..I don’t know where you came up with a vegetable producing electricity.” Boscow said, as the glowing electrical sizzles disappeared from Ivy’s hands. “That is not going to answer my question.”

“Well, it sort of did.” Ivy said.

“Did not.” Boscow argues.

“Did too.” Ivy argues back. “One can’t argue that an apple is an orange.”

“You’re not making sense.” Boscow said.

“That’s what I told my Dad when he got the wrong tom cat from the street!” Ivy said, with a relieved laugh. “He didn’t get Jackie.”

“Ivy.what.are.you?” Boscow asks, with an determined and serious attitude.

“Human.” Ivy said.

“You’re not a mortal.” Boscow said.

“You claim not to be a living furnace.” Ivy said, reminding Boscow.

“I am a boy.” Boscow said.

“But not a living furnace.” Ivy said. “Which boys quite are; even when they’re stuck on denying mode.”

“Ivy, stop playing your games on me and answer me with your best serious look.” Boscow said.

“I am human.” Ivy said.  “Born and raised as one. I ain’t a Dragonrider who’s the daughter of a Dragonrider and a human, because if I were then my ears would be elf-like.” She touches the edges of her ears. Boscow’s eyes grew wide.  “Whatever elves you’re thinking of is different from the ones I am referring to.”

“Oh,really, explain.” Boscow said, folding his arms.

“The head elf is tall, he has black curly hair, wears a brown cap,has unique clothes on, wears boots, and his name is something that escapes my mind. Tim Allen’s in the movie.” Ivy babbles taking her hands off her ears. “Most elves are short, cute, and cool.They are rather capable of blending into a winter scenery with hats on.Oh and there’s Ninja Elves, too!”

“Does this have something to do with the dragon?” Boscow asks.

“No.” Ivy denies.

“Ivy, tell me.” Boscow said.

“I’m an ordinary human.” Ivy said. “Who is different. Different is good; that’s what people need.”

“You’re avoiding the question.” Boscow said.

“I could have died if the Dragon hadn’t given me his heart.” Ivy bluntly said, and then covers her mouth.

Boscow’s mouth fell slightly open.

“You’re...” Boscow steps back.  “You’re the Dragon’s little dark elf pet?’”

Ivy uncovers her mouth, her face steaming red.

“I am not an elf, damn it.” Ivy said.

Boscow steps back.

“You’re not from Midgard, aren’t you?” Boscow said, wary.

“Geeze, you’re nuts!” Ivy said, throwing her arms in the air and shook them. “Nuts, nuts, nuts!”

“No, I am acting off your suspicious character.” Boscow said. “I’m telling Odin.”

“Go ahead and see where that gets you!” Ivy said, as Boscow turns away. “He might not believe you, or, he’ll do something. Oh, so something that I will fall over and do something that’s....something!” Boscow walks faster. “Do you want to have your hands covered in the blood of an innocent?”

“I rather do the right thing then let a dark elf with a dragon’s heart continue to use this realm as shelter!” Boscow shouts back.

Ivy stood there, and muttered “Damn it.” She kicks at a pebble that is sent skipping off the water surface. Boscow disappears in the distance. She turns away rubbing the side of her left shoulder feeling like everything is crumbling around her in this godly-beautiful realm.Ivy made a low sad sigh lowering her shoulders.

“Looks like it is the time to hide.” Ivy said.

She walks right into the dark forest, carefully, that her boots didn’t leave imprints on the somewhat wet dirt.This dragonheart, not of mortal origins, brought Ivy into a whole new world.Her ‘normal’ uneventful life had taken a swift turn into the world of magic, dragons, and heroes and villains.

_                                                                __

...three hours later...

...near the beach...

“Loki, searching around bushes isn’t very...” Thor said. “Rewarding.”

“Small people hide in the most unlikeliest places.” Loki said. “Once I hid in a cave while you ran past while jackals were chasing you.”

Most of the search party, who had been assembled to find Ivy and bring her to some healers so they can determine if Boscow had really told the truth, had gone off to a different section of the forest.The Tree House had already been searched and that had turned up empty.

“I thought you went back to Asgard for father.” Thor said.

“I never did.” Loki said. “And if you ever went back to Egypt; those jackals would be on your heels.”

“Jackals are long gone.” Thor said.

“Anubis would like his dog bone back.” Loki said.

“Well, he can‘t have it.” Thor said.  “It belongs to the treasure room.”

“It is not exactly made of gold, brother.” Loki reminds Thor.

“...Fine, I’ll join the others search in the fly pact part of the forest.” Thor said.

Thor left Loki near the beach--that has countless bushes placed around the landscaping that is not entirely sand and propped up by the rocky walls. Thor faded out of Loki’s view. Loki looks both ways then he went towards a huge group of bushes that are cushioned together that it seemed there’s a group of them teaming up together.

“Ivy, I know you’re there.” Loki said, standing mere feet away from the group of thornless bushes.

“...What’s a dark elf?” Ivy asks.

“White and ugly elves.” Loki said.

“Short elves that are white and ugly.” Ivy repeats. “Wow; that’s twisted.”

“No, they’re not short.” Loki said.  “They are tall.”

“Then why are they called elves?” Ivy asks, from the bush.

“Because that’s what they are.” Loki said. “Now, come out of the bush.”

“No.” Ivy refused.

“Ivy, you’re not staying there until Heimdall is back.”

“Don’t underestimate a short person.” Ivy retorts. “I can blend in quite easily.”

“In a million years.” Loki said.

“Do I look like a Dark Elf to you?” Ivy asks.

Loki’s reaction turns into a dark, sincere glare.

“Not at all.” Loki said. “Whatever argument you got in with Boscow, and, jumped to conclusions,stop thinking about it. Right this minute.”

“...But Boscow acted like Dark Elves are the arch nemesis of Unicorns!” Ivy said. “And...it just made me feel sick.To be accused of being something I am not aware exists in this godly realm is beyond confusing. When I get accused of something; I want to know

“Dark Elves went out in the time of Bor,Odin’s father.” Loki said. “They were the worst of the worst.”

“So they topped any worse civilizations in the history of wars?” Ivy asks.

“Yes.” Loki said, with a nod.  “Now, come out of that bush, and  start explaining why you attacked Boscow.”

Ivy slips out of the bush.

“It was an accident!” Ivy said. “All in all; accident.”

“If it were an accident, as you said, Odin wouldn’t have sent a search party for you.” Loki said, pointing out the obvious.

“Because of the electrical power I have from the heart of a dragon!” Ivy exclaims. “We were having fun, playing hide and seek, and then...” Ivy pauses looking down towards her shaking hands. Her fingertips turn a gentle blue that shows some speck of electrical energy that brightens Ivy’s depressed  face. “When I touched Boscow’s back...” She looks up shaking. “He fell with electricity all over him. Boscow was unresponsive when I came over to him panicking. I only did the mostly logical thing and turned him over.I did CPR, and then, after five attempts I just propped him up against a tree stump then smacked his chest.”

“And he fell over.” Loki guessed.

Ivy laughs shaking her head; her mood easing up.

“No, he squeaked like a bird  once he woke up.” Ivy said. “Boscow saw my hands coated in electricity as he got up.”

“When you pushed Boscow down; what were you feeling?”

“Irritated.” Ivy said. “He was going faster than me and I wanted to go faster.”

“Which you did.” Loki said.

Ivy’s eyes get full of questions and she brings her eyebrows up.

“I did not.”  Ivy said.

“He was going faster than you.” Loki said. “You summoned power that wasn’t yours to get what you want.” Ivy went silent. “Heimdall’s sabbatical will end in two days. I know a place where you can hide until then.”

Ivy looks towards Loki.

“I don’t understand why you’re being willing to help me.” Ivy said.  “You’re way too..I don’t know...More of a loose cannon who won’t stand around the sources of annoyance.”

“Unfortunately, I was the one who made the mistake.” Loki said. “And I can try to fix it.”

Ivy relaxes.

“Okay then, Mr insult dictionary.” Ivy said. “Mask the way.”

__         __

..Thirty minutes later...

...Drakise’s cave...

“Drakise!” Loki yells in the dark cave.  “Dragon, come from where you hide!”

The huge old and aged wise’ish dragon came from the darkness with his wings folded. A fireball lands in a small hole in the cave’s wall that had wooden sticks, and then, a second  fireball went to the otherside in another hole.It becomes light enough that Loki can see Drakise.Drakise made a grunt toppling over a large boulder. Loki did not seem very happy to see Drakise. Drakise, the dragon with a golden fang that is a replacement for one of his missing teeth that got lost during a fight years ago.

“You come because of the child.” Drakise said, calmly. “I assure you; that conversation was unexpected.”

“...What conversation?”

“Oh, so you are not.” Drakise said, with a sigh. “That’s for thinking ahead these days.” A cloud of smoke with a little bit of flickering  red flames drifts out of Drakise’s nostrils. “What has the little child done now?” The ancientness dripping from Drakise’s voice is clear. “Has she been healed by the healers?”

Loki’s eyes narrow at Drakise.

“You left out the part about power.” Loki said.

Drakise snorts.

“You never asked.” Drakise said.

“How does one ask when the other leaves?” Loki asks.

“There is suching as ‘following’.” Drakise said.  “And only then do dragons give warnings about their hearts.” A thick cloud of smoke drifts out of big holes that are serving as nostrils. “You, in this given situation, are rather...” Drakise taps under his spiky chin. He lowers his arm making a light humm.  “Late.”

“I have been busy.” Loki said.

“Flirting with an Asgardian warrior...” Drakise walks over to one of the big holes in the cave wall.He crushes the flaming sticks making light diminish. “Your priorities are rather strange.”

“You’ve been following me?” Loki said, not very pleased. “That is rude.”

“That, I did not.” Drakise said. “She summoned a visual mirror.”

“A visual mirror...I can see mirrors.”

“Loki, what I mean is; she summoned a memory mirror.” Drakise said. “What I saw a couple days ago in that mirror...Oh I was surprised to see you have entered a relationship.” Loki’s eyes clearly read ‘I don’t know what a memory mirror is’. “Forcunetly when she summons a memory mirror then I can see it too. She used my magic...” Drakise held up his talons making a cage like circle.  “So easily.”

Loki makes a fake cough.

“Right...you’re not familiar to dragon magic.” Drakise said, rolling an eye. “A memory mirror is a wide and square mirror that shows events from the past.” Drakise  uses a talon to place the barren and gray hawk skull into the hole. “The memories are only from the one who is summoning it.”

“Why, she has a disability.” Loki said.

“A...what?” Drakise said.

“Dis-a-bility.” Loki repeats.

Drakise pauses, turning his side towards the cracked old hulk skull.

“I don’t understand.” Drakise said, puzzled.

“Me too.” Loki said. “What I do know is; some Midgardians like her are visual learners.”

“But it doesn’t explain how she summoned it.”

“You saw her Midgardian heart.” Loki reminds Drakise.

“And replaced it.” Drakise said.

“She might have tried magic before.” Loki suggests. “Which is more believable than her being an secret Asgardian.”

“In two days? I think not.” Drakise said. “She has something.”

“Aspergers.” Loki said.

Drakise  tilts his head.

“Ass burgers?” Drakise said. “How disgusting.”

Loki laughs, shaking his right  hand.

“No, that is not how it is pronounced.” Loki said, lowering his hand. “I’ll give you a lesson. Just this once. Asp-er-gers; now repeat.”

“Asspergirs.” Drakise said.

“Asp-ir-girs.” Loki repeats.

“Aspirgirs.” Drakise said.

“Aspergers.” Loki said, again. “You’re failing at this, badly.”

“Why do I bother learning such an odd name?” Drakise asks, making a frown.

“That is not a name.” Loki said. “That’s a disability.”

“How do you know?” Drakise asks.
“Ivy told me.” Loki said. “And called me a insult dictionary.” Drakise had a laugh. “Since then I’ve done some research about this ‘Aspergers’, and honestly, it fits her like a glove.”

“What about your ‘girlfriend’, Odinson?” Drakise asks.

“I don’t have one.” Loki lied. “She saw a different couple.”

“You’re never going to fool Ivy with that act.” Drakise said. “The main reason you’re here is about the power that Ivy has discovered...On her own accord.” He makes a deep growl. “And what you want to know about your little friend’s extra differences from then,oh, I might need a new deal for that.”
“I am not in the position to get you off the hook with Odin.” Loki said. “Your history with him spans many Midgardian years before I was born. And his dislike towards Dragons is something I cannot change.”

“All I need is a distraction.” Drakise said.

“For what?” Loki asks.

“To leave.” Drakise said. “Humans of her era may not be equipped with everything that my era had.”

“Let a dragon loose to Midgard to do whatever he wants to people who think he’s extinct; that’s not a bright idea.” Loki said.

“Oh Loki, there is such thing as green death.” Drakise said.  “I assume you must not be interested to know how to prevent that.”

Loki’s reaction turns from calm to ‘Death of grass? Are you mad?’ look.

“I don’t know what that is, but the answer is no.” Loki said.

“Green death is the death of the human half and the rise of the dragon half.” Drakise said. “It is called green death for a very good reason. The human life...is gone and all that is left is the hatred towards humans.”

Loki tilts his head, thinking.

“She becomes a dragon; a new one, not a bit of the original still there.” Drakise said. “She undergoes a metamorphosis, if that’s what you can best understand.When all of that is part of her humanity is gone;she’lll curl up,then be surrounded by a rocky cocoon,fall asleep, and hours later a dragon will emerge forth. A dragon with two hearts. A female dragon.”

“I should have let her died instead of coming to you.” Loki said.

“No, that only showed you cared.” Drakise said.

“I was just looking out for myself.” Loki said. “Two dragons would be a problem, but one is not. Fine; I will help you over the conditions you tell me not to let a second dragon come in.”

“It is a deal.” Drakise said.