"I am running away from my responsibilities. And it feels good."- Michael Scott

𖢻𖢻𖢻

Chesa sat on the couch, watching an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. She leaned back against the couch, letting out an almost inaudible sigh.

Their mom had gone to the grocery store, and Alma was in the kitchen, making a jelly sandwich.

"Hey, do you want anything else on your sandwich? I've got jelly all over my hands," she called out.

Chesa chuckled, "no thanks, I'm good. You always get jelly everywhere." Her sister walked over to her, holding her sandwich with a proud smile.

"It's an art form. You wouldn't get it," she said.

Chesa laughed softly, "yeah, okay."

Alma plopped down beside her and took a big bite out of her sandwich. She chewed for a moment before she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"So... are we gonna talk about last night?" She asked softly.

Chesa stared at the tv before she sighed. "I don't know, Al. I'm not sure if Mom would know anything about Dad being a dragon; if he was one."

Alma leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing, "but what if there's something out there calling out to us? What if we're meant for something bigger?"

Chesa frowned and she looked at the tv. As much as she didn't want to think about it, her sister's words somehow lingered in her mind before she could even think about it.

She pursed her lips into a tight line before she let out a heavy sigh. She looked at Alma, "do you really wanna do this?"

Alma nodded her head fervently.

"Aaaallllright," Chesa sighed with a smile as she got up and stretched, "maybe there's some boxes in the hallway closet that can give us answers. So finish your sandwich while I head upstairs. Okay?"

"Okay," Alma smiled with a nod. Chesa ruffled her hair before she walked upstairs. She went over to a closet and opened it. She flipped the light switch and there were some boxes on the shelves. Some boxes had books, others had old clothes, and some even had pictures.

Chesa smiled slightly before she knelt down and she rummaged through one of the boxes and she pulled out a notebook.

Chesa took out a notebook and she flipped through the pages before she blinked in surprise.

"To my girls. I really hope that you find the truth someday. I just wish I could be there to help you see it for yourselves. You're my treasure and no matter what, I'm always with you," she read aloud and she could see her dad's name.

"Chess?" Alma called out and there was a knock at the door, startling the two.

They stared at the front door, not moving a muscle at first. Their mom wasn't back yet.

Chesa slowly got up and she walked down the stairs and she looked at the front door.

Chesa slowly reached for the doorknob but before she could even touch it, there was a crash in the backyard, startling her and she and Alma whirled around towards the back door.

"Wh-what is that...?" Alma asked nervously.

"I'm not sure," Chesa said. She grabbed her phone.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a familiar voice said and the two girls turned to see Iram standing in the doorway.

He smiled, "I'd rather this go smoothly."

"How did you get in here?!" Chesa demanded as she pulled Alma behind her.

Iram's smile widened slightly, "why, can't you tell? After all... your father could."

Chesa narrowed her eyes. Alma furrowed her eyebrows and she took a small step back. How did he know about their dad? What exactly did he know?

There was a noise and she turned her head to see a hulking figure pushing the door open. She gasped as she saw Ophion standing in the doorway.

"What the hell do you want?! Who even are you?" Chesa snapped at Iram. She doubted that he was an actual neighbor.

"All will be revealed sooner or later," Iram said, almost rolling his eyes, "for now... it's best that you cooperate. And no harm will come to you."

Alma gripped Chesa's arm and she looked up at her sister. Chesa looked back at her before she looked at Iram.

"F-fine," she hissed, "just don't hurt Alma."

"As I said, no harm will come to either you," Iram assured, his tone sickeningly sweet.

Ophion moved outside before he whirled around just as a bright green dragoness tackled him with a roar. He screeched as the dragon raked her claws across its back.

Chesa and Alma flinched and covered their ears at the screech. Iram's eyes widened and he cursed before he grabbed Chesa's arm.

She screamed in surprise and fear.

"Chess!" Alma shouted, her eyes widening. Instinct pulled at her and before she could even comprehend the feeling, she bit Iram's hand.

The man shouted in pain and he pulled his hand away. His shocked expression turned angry and he snarled as he swung his hand and shadows slammed into the two girls.

Chesa gasped and coughed. Iram loomed over them, his eyes glowing blue.

"For the daughters of Charles, you seem to know very little about the power you weild," he hissed. Chesa and Alma widened their eyes in confused alarm.

"Get away from my daughters!" A familiar voice shouted and Iram turned his head to see Alandra whack him in the face with a baseball bat.

He hit the ground hard with a grunt of pain.

"Mom!" Chesa gasped as the shadows receded.

"Get to the car! Now!" Alandra said sternly. Chesa pulled Alma to her feet and they ran out the door.

Iram chuckled as he pushed himself to his feet. Alandra looked at him and she wielded the baseball bat like it was a sword.

"This isn't really your fight, Alandra," he said coolly.

"You made it my fight when you killed my husband," she spat, "I will not let you hurt my daughters."

Iram raised an eyebrow, "let me? You, who never knew about the Enchanted Realm until Charles told you himself. You who birthed two daughters who are bound to end up in that very Realm. You're powerless, Alandra. You're nothing but a mere human."

Alandra gritted her teeth and she looked past him at the back door. Then she looked back at him and smirked, "you're wrong, Iram."

She took out a glowing crystal shard and Iram widened his eyes in shock.

Alandra thrust her hand out and the shard flashed a brilliant light. Iram shouted and he stumbled backwards.

Alandra ran out the door and she quickly jumped into the car before she started it and immediately began to drive.

"M-Mom?" Alma whimpered, "what's going on!?"

"Shh, shh," Alandra said softly. Chesa stared at her. She could see that she was shaken and she spotted the crystal shard in her hand.

It was a Rose Quartz crystal.

Chesa swallowed, "...did... did Dad give that to you?"

Alandra's grip tightened on the wheel. "He loved you. With all of his heart, he loved you." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"When I first met him... I thought he was just... crazy," she let out a small, watery chuckle, "but after a few weeks, he showed me the Rose Quartz shard and explained that he had found it from his realm; I... honestly thought it was his way of proposing and, heh, I said yes."

Alma sniffled. Alandra exhaled shakily, "he and I had two beautiful girls."

Chessa sniffled and she wiped her eyes. She looked out the window and she saw the dragoness flying behind them, "that... that dragon—"

"She's following us," Alandra answered.

The dragoness turned sharply and Alandra drove off the road and into a large clearing. She slowed to a stop before she exhaled sharply and she ran her hands through her hair.

Chesa and Alma looked at her. She opened the car door and the girls quickly followed suit.

The dragoness landed a few feet away from them. Alma stared at the dragoness nervously.

The dragoness exhaled sharply before a brief glow surrounded her and Fern stood before them. Chesa's eyes widened, "Fern!?"

Fern winced, "...hey, Chesa." She looked at Alandra. There was a distant roar and Fern's shoulders tensed.

Alandra inhaled sharply before she turned to face Chesa and Alma. She placed her hands on their shoulders.

"Listen to me," she said, "no matter where you go, no matter what others think about you... you will always be my daughters. My little sun and moon."

Tears formed in Alma's eyes. "Mama..." she whimpered. Chesa trembled before she and Alma hugged Alandra tightly.

Chesa closed her eyes tightly, tears silently falling down her face. A sob rose in her chest.

Alandra kissed their heads. There was a roar and she narrowed her eyes. Fern widened her eyes too. Alma whimpered.

Fern turned and raked her claws across the air. A glowing rift appeared before her and Chesa widened her eyes.

"Go," Alandra said sternly. She took out the Rose Quartz shard and it transformed into a crystalline sword. Chesa widened her eyes.

A large blue dragon landed a few feet away and snarled. "Alandra!" He snarled. It was Iram.

Fern flinched before she picked Alma up and she grabbed Chesa's arm, "come on."

"Mom!" Chesa cried. Alandra looked at her before she smiled sadly and she charged at Iram with a battle cry.

Fern pulled Chesa and Alma through the rift. Chesa looked over her shoulder with wide eyes and the last thing she saw Alandra swinging the sword at Iram's chest before the rift closed.

Chesa looked around and she saw that they were in a large clearing.

"Fern!?" A familiar voice called out. Chesa and Alma turned to see a nineteen-year-old boy running over to them. He had porcelain skin, white and orange hair with a red highlight and he had dark brown eyes.

He wore a red shirt, dark blue jeans and two different colored bracelets. He also wore bright turquoise shoes.

He widened his eyes upon seeing Alma and Chesa. He looked at Fern, "you brought them here!?"

"I had to," she argued, "Iram was just outside of the rift!" She looked at Chesa and Alma sadly before she sighed deeply and she looked back at Lazarus, "help me get them to the Citadel."

Lazarus pursed his lips into a tight line before he nodded and he transformed into a bright red dragon. He had yellow wings traced with turquoise. His eyes were light red and his back spikes were dark blue.

He lowered himself to the ground and Alma climbed onto his back.

Chesa sniffled as she stared at the spot where the rift had opened and closed. Fern reached out to place a hand on her back but she paused.

She lowered her hand and exhaled sharply, "Chesa... we need to get to the Citadel. Please. For our safety."

Chesa closed her eyes tightly, her body shaking. She begrudgingly nodded before she slowly got to her feet. Fern transformed into her dragon form and she lowered herself so Chesa could climb on her back.

Once she did that, Fern and Lazarus took to the skies. Chesa closed her eyes tightly before she buried her face in Fern's mane, tears silently falling down her face.