Chapter 4 "Explanations"

"Let me get this straight," Drake snorted. He was sitting on a chair, his chin propped up on his fist as he stared at Akira with doubting eyes. "You traveled through time, met up with this...." he waved and arm at Dominique, "dude, and saved the future?" 

Around the room the others were spread out with Seth leaning against the door, his brown eyes covering his eyes and hiding his expression, while Gina sat on a large desk, her eyes wide in shock. Brandon looked the calmest of the lot as he stood on the other side of the desk that Gina was sitting on. 

"Look," Dominique ran a hand through his hair, "I know the story seems unlikely but everything we told you is true!" By 'we' he was referring to Akira who stood some way away from him, looking at the others anxiously, hoping they believed the story she just helped to tell them. 

There was a long, awkward silence. 

"Any questions?" Dominique asked, smiling nervously. 

"I do," Seth lifted his head and his brown eyes became visible for the first time in a while. They were filled with anger, anger at Dominique. "Any explanation as to why you left Akira alone in the academy all alone to get hanged?" 

Dominique's face fell and his eyes filled with regret. "I'm not proud for leaving her..." 

"I told him to go," Akira spoke up in his defense, shooting a pleading look at Seth to let the matter drop. She turned back to Dominique. "Look," she told him softly. "Whether the others believe us or not, we don't have time to argue. I need to know Dominique, what happened after Redemption and I left?" 

Dominique let out a long sigh. He stared into thin air and his eyes got a faraway look in them as he began, "When you left everything was...fine. I mean Argos did pretty much everything you asked of him. He had the rest of council locked away, saying that he would deal with them once he had sorted the rest of the lands out. 

"The new laws were introduced in the city and dragons freed. Not everyone agreed and there were difficulties...yet Argos had the full support of the Watchers, who he decided to keep around for the time being, just to keep order. They soon helped bring those that rebelled against the new laws in line," a smile came to his face. "Everything was going well. Although most dragons that had been mistreated left, others stayed and chose riders. For the first time things felt...right," his eyes sparkled at the memory. "People were discovering the joy of being able to share who they were with their dragon. Transport systems and activity in the city soon resumed as dragons willingly worked with their riders, those that didn't have dragons brought in horses to do the work of pulling transport. 

"The academy was opened and riders flocked in from all around. Argos chose good men to help him and after the academy was pretty much up and running, he began to work on the rest of the lands. He sent out messages, Watchers, and students from the academy to make sure that the new laws would be applied everywhere. Of course, there were those who resisted in the other part of the lands to, and yet the number who were willing to change were greater. Things were going great....so great," he murmured, "Just like I always dreamed they would." 

Akira smiled. She could just imagine it, for it sounded a lot like current times. With Haiden's forces gone there was nothing but peace and people lived free of fear, just like it should be. 

"And in that time you went back in time to stop Ray's death?" Redemption's disproving voice spoke so that everyone heard him. He was still following the entire conversation intently through Akira's mind. 

"Yes," Dominique sighed. "I...I had to." 

"Going back was selfish and irresponsible!" Redemption chided him. 

"I would have never done it," Dominique admitted. "I would never even have come across the thought. But when Celine found out that she was with child everything changed. She was already so devastated, I couldn't let her raise the child alone! She had already been through so much!" 

"She would have learned to live with it. Everyone faces a loss in one way or another," Redemption replied angrily. 

Dominique winced, and though Akira knew that her dragon sounded harsh she knew his reason. She could feel his anger that Dominique had gone back to change the fate of a loved one when Redemption himself had told Akira that she herself, could do no such thing in fear of changing the future. 

"Look," Dominique replied, "I made sure nothing changed. I went back to before the raid on our hideout and drugged both Ray and his dragon. I hid them away good and popper in a way that everyone thought they had been killed. The drug lasted long enough to wake them up only after everything was over! NOTHING, changed!" 

"And yet it could have!" was Redemption's reply. "How did you even come across the idea to do such a thing as to travel back?" 

Dominique shrugged. "I figured if it worked to call Akira and you forth, maybe if I wanted it bad enough it would work for me." 

"Would you two please stop," Akira pleaded. "Redemption, what's done is done. Even though he did it for a good cause Dominique knows that what he did was wrong, and in the future, he will never do such a thing again, right?" she shot Dominique a meaningful look. 

"Sure," he muttered. 

"Now please," Akira told him, "Let's get back to the topic. What happened, you said everything was going great, so what changed?" 

Dominique's eyes clouded. "HE came," he spoke, his voice cold. "HE came to the academy, that's what changed." 

"Speak clearly boy, we can't read your mind after all," Brandon snapped impatiently, "who is HE?" 

Dominique turned his gaze on him. "Steeson," as he spoke the name Akira felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. 

"Steeson?" Gina snorted, seeming unimpressed with the name. 

"At first no one really noticed him," Dominique continued, ignoring her. "He was just some business man who had failed and was looking for a fresh start...or so everyone thought. He came to the academy, seeking to 'change his life' as he called it. Argos took a dislike to him straight away and didn't quite trust him. Yet believing that everyone deserved a chance he let him join the academy, to help out and be taught along with the others. 

"In that time, Anita and some of her friends, who have been chosen by dragons, and I had already joined the academy and were part of the program. At first, I thought it was just me that felt something was off about this Steeson guy, but I soon found that Anita and her friends and a few others felt the same. Nevertheless, no one seemed to do anything about it and Steeson continued to be among us. I swear Akira, I should have seen through him, I should have seen him for what he was right from the start, but when we finally realized, it was too late." 

"Realized what?" Gina asked, seeming to suddenly be engrossed in the story. When all heads turned towards her she quickly put on a bored expression, "I mean, yeah sure, whatever," she muttered, averting her gaze away from Dominique. 

"It was when Argos stared to act different that we found Steeson out for who he really was," Dominique murmured. 

"How was Argos acting different?" Akira asked wrinkling her forehead. 

"I don't know," Dominique replied sounding exasperated, "It was just little things, you know? Barely noticeable. It was like, suddenly from being not sure about Steeson he seemed to adore him, ask his every opinion on everything." 

Akira frowned. 

"So?" Drake asked as he covered a yawn, "Maybe he just finally decided that the guy wasn't that bad after all. 

"Yeah," Dominique said as he stared right at Drake, "That's what we thought to, until Argos suddenly decided to pardon Nemis and recruit him into the academy." 

Akira stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "Nemis?" she asked. 

Dominique nodded grimly. "We were all shocked, yet while some brushed it off as Argos being merciful I knew that wasn't possible. He wouldn't pardon Nemis, not out of all people. So I went into the large meeting hall to speak to Argos and try figure out what was up. When I reached it I heard voices inside, and well...I kinda decided to see what was going on without anyone really knowing I would be there." 

"You spied," Gina commented dryly. 

"You could call it that," Dominique shrugged. "But I'm glad I did, for had I not, I wouldn't be here and the future would be as good as lost." 

"What did you see?" Akira asked as she shifted her position, her conscience already telling her what it was, yet her mind refusing to accept it. 

"Steeson," Dominique replied. "Argos was kneeling before him, as a servant would to his master. I didn't hear what they were saying but what I saw was enough. Behind Steeson, with her head resting on his shoulder, stood Deception." 

"And pray do tell us who, is Deception?" Brandon asked raising an eyebrow. 

"The black dragon of our time," Dominique replied. 

There was a moments silence as what he said sunk in. 

"So, a black dragon has returned," Redemption thought for only Akira to hear. 

Hearing it so bluntly Akira felt the reality of the situation hit her. 

"How is this possible?" Gina demanded voicing the question everyone else had been thinking. "The cycle was broken. Akira and Redemption are the last riders. There is no way...!" 

"Yes, there is," Brandon murmured. All heads turned towards him. "I'm afraid," he continued, his eyes meeting Akira's, "That your dragon's presence in the future, triggered the cycle once more." 

"What?" Akira asked, blinking. There was no way. "This is OUR fault?" she asked, shock coursing through her. She was met with silence. "But...we...we helped them!" she protested. Again she was met by silence. "It doesn't make sense," she shook her head, refusing to accept the fact. "If a black dragon was born in the future, should a white one not have followed?" 

"Yes, in the usual case. Yet you see Akira, it was my presence that triggered the black dragon's birth," Redemption spoke to her gently, seeming to have already accepted the fact that it was his and Akira's fault that a new black dragon was up and about. 

"So?" Akira asked, wondering what point Redemption was trying to make. 

"It was also my presence that stopped a white dragon from being born," Redemption explained. 

"Ree, you aren't making any sense!" Akira told him impatiently, speaking out loud, "How could your presence have triggered the birth of one dragon and yet stopped the other?" 

Brandon cleared his throat, "What he's trying to say here is that a black dragon was born because Redemption's presence in the future triggered the cycle once again. Usually the black dragon, or the white one, is born every one hundred years. Yet since you and Redemption aren't supposed to live that long...well let's just say that five hundred years in the future was way past the time of the black dragon to be born and so Redemption's presence triggered it immediately. Yet his presence meant that a white dragon could not be born as there was currently a white dragon alive in that time..." 

Gina's eyes widened, "So that means that the next white dragon can first be born one hundred years after Deception!" 

"That is, if Deception lives that long," Brandon replied. 

"Are you kidding?" Akira asked. "You mean if we don't kill Deception everything goes right back to the way it was before we killed Haiden!" her eyes were filled with disbelief. "Are you telling me that everything Redemption and I worked for, was for no use if this new black dragon is allowed to live on?" 

Ignoring her Brandon turned to Dominique. "What is the purpose of this new rider and dragon? I mean, you have told us Steeson came to live among you, and you did not mention anything about him having a dragon, so therefore I presume you did not know until you saw her?" 

Dominique nodded. "He didn't tell anyone about having a dragon. No one even saw Deception, for had anyone seen the black dragon, both dragon and rider would have been taken care of immediately." 

"Yet somehow," Brandon mused, "He hid her away in the academy while pretending to be one of you while winning your leaders trust, to what point?" 

"No," Dominique shook his head. "You're wrong. I don't think he won Argos' trust." 

"So what?" Gina snorted, "you're suggesting he forced him into becoming his good friend and devoted servant?" 

"Not quite," Dominique replied seriously. "I think...I think Steeson is somehow controlling people." 

"Controlling people?" Akira asked while everyone else just stared at Dominique with expressions that told that they had written him off as mad. "Dominique, explain," Akira demanded, her eyes narrowing. Gina stared at Akira in disbelief, as though wondering if she could really be believing all of this. 

"It's almost..." Dominique shivered, "Well, it's like when dragons were forced to choose their riders, you know. They had to do what they were told....and yet at the same time, it seems so much more advanced than that," his eyes met Akira's, pleading with her to believe him. 

"That's not possible," Akira muttered. 

"Of cause it isn't!" Gina agreed glaring at Dominique. 

"Then how do you explain Argos suddenly following the very man he was suspicious of in the first place? How do you explain him allowing a black dragon in the academy? Let alone, what about Ray, how do you explain him trying to hunt me down under Steeson's orders because I known more than he wants me to! My brother would never do that Akira!" 

"Oh, so now someone is hunting you down, are they?" Gina asked sarcastically. 

Dominique shot her a looked. "When I saw Deception I left straight away. I knew something was up. Argos would never follow, let alone kneel in front of, that man. I told the others in the academy, some believed me, some didn't. When word got to Steeson that I knew they came for me. I don't know what they were going to do, but I got Anita and the others that believed me and we got the hell out of there. We've been on the run ever since. Apparently we're fugitives who are trying to bring about the old ways again," he spoke bitterly. 

"Dominique," Akira watched his face intently as she spoke, "Do you have proof that he is controlling them?" 

Gina's mouth fell open. "Akira!" she exclaimed, "You can't be serious!" 

"I wouldn't believe it either Gina," Akira replied, not taking her eyes from Dominique, "but after seeing the future for myself, I have no doubt that a lot more than we think, is possible. Dominique, think hard, was there anything, anything at all other than their behavior that seemed different about Ray or Argos?" 

Dominique shrugged. "I didn't really stick around to find out, I was too busy running." 

"Did you see Ray's dragon?" Redemption's voice asked. 

"Yes, she was involved in one of the chases," Dominique replied. 

"Was she a shade darker than usual?" was Redemption's next question. 

Akira realized what her dragon was getting at, yet Dominique seemed confused. 

"N...no, she was her usual color...why?" 

Akira turned away, shaking her head. "Those that joined Haiden's side, their dragons turned a shade darker, that was how we could tell them apart from anyone who was on our side." She turned back around, her gaze wondered over everyone, pausing a moment longer on Seth than the others, as she tried to see if they were understanding what she was saying. Yet Seth and Brandon were the only ones where understanding dawned in their eyes. 

"A rider that chose to willingly follow Haiden would knowingly switch sides," Brandon began, "as it was his will to do so his dragon would follow full heartedly. His acceptance of the other side would cause him to turn a shade darker. Yet..." 

"If you're sure that your brother is working for Steeson, and Steeson is really the new black dragon rider, yet Ray's dragon did not switch to a darker color, then he obviously is not following Steeson out of free will," Akira finished off. 

"You're saying it's possible that this Steeson guy is really controlling people?" Gina asked. 

"Dominique," Akira turned back to Dominique as a sudden idea popped into her head. "Was there nothing else that changed with your brother?" 

Dominique opened his mouth to reply when he suddenly paused. 

"What?" Akira asked, anything Dominique knew could help. 

"There was something...now that I think about it...something about his face....it was just...different." 

"Right, and so the bizarre story continues," Gina muttered, "What happed to the good old conversations that made sense?" 

"How different?" Akira demanded, ignoring Gina. 

"I don't know," Dominique shrugged, "I just remember thinking that something was off. It's not like I had a chance to gaze at his face for ages and figure it out, I was too busy running!" 

"Oh, we'll have the chance to take a longer look next time," Akira replied firmly. 

"We?" Drake asked. 

"Next time?" Gina added. 

"We're going back," was Akira's reply. 

Gina looked at loss, "Back where?" 

"Well, forward really," Redemption corrected in Akira's mind. 

"Hello, go where?" Gina asked. 

"The future," Akira replied with, her eyes flashing with determination.