"I think it is time for us to be on our way to the palace." Oidoas spoke up around dinner time after everyone got comfortable in their chairs. Jack glanced up from his food and over to the male. He had been thinking a lot about returning home, more so after Maddrair gave them the necklaces. He felt torn. He really did miss home. He missed his mother, he missed his house and his bed. The normal school days. But the more he thought about it, the more Jack realized that he hadn't actually been living.
For as long as he could remember, Jack has been surviving day after day, doing everything in his power to not turn into his father. It had shaped his entire life and nearly ended it several times.
"I think you should go tomorrow morning." Rain grumbled as he stabbed at the rabbit meat on his plate, "That way you will arrive in the afternoon." Ako didn't say anything and just nodded her head. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to the children, secretly she hoped that the Empress would refuse to send them home. Hachi whimpered a bit "I don't want them to leave." "We know Hachi, we know." Chimur patted his shoulder "But we knew from the beginning that eventually it was going to come to an end like this. We cannot keep them here against their will. They belong back in their own realm." The table then fell into a strange silence as the group began to reflect on their shared time and just how much changed since the three arrived here. Rain glanced around the table and gave a small sigh "Just like Chimur said, we knew from the beginning. Don't forget that it is not completely in stone that the Empress will help them." That seemed to be the reminded everyone needed.
The table seemed to relax at his words and everyone began to eat their dinner.

"Can you believe it?" Mimi asked her friends as she rolled over in the bed to face them. "How much time do you think had passed?" Jack shrugged his shoulders "If the time works at the sane pace of this realm, probably a couple of months." "Ugh! That's so much school work! How do we even explain what happen to us? Like what if the police find us and demand to know what happened? I mean we can't just say we were sucked into another time and got trapped there. They would probably send us all to therapy. Or lock us away for "running away". I wonder how much trouble, I am going to be in with my parents..." Mimi rambled off so many questions in her brain. She was starting to worry.
"Maybe time doesn't move the same." Ralph suggested "For all we know we will end up back in the mansion and nothing happened." "That's a possibility." Mimi sat up and glanced out of the window. She could see Ako being comforted by Oidoas. "Guys..." She whispered and moved over to the window. The boys wandered over to see what she was looking at.

"I just don't want to let them go." Ako sniffed as she wiped away her tears as Oidoas pulled her close to his side. "I know that they have parents but I felt so complete with them here. Taking care of them as if they were my own." "I understand Ako, but they need to return home." Oidoas whispered.

Mimi pulled back from the window and gave the boys a sad look "I feel so bad." "Well there isn't exactly anything we can do." Jack shook his head. "We have to go home." But even those the words left his mouth, he wasn't sure if he would rather go back home. Their mother was always working and ignored Ralph ever since their father left the picture. To be honest, she probably had no idea they were missing. "Let's just try to get some sleep." He herded his brother back over to his bed and looked at Mimi "We'll figure it out tomorrow." And a three laid down for a sleepless night.
Once morning came everyone gathered at the cave entrance to say their goodbyes to the children. Bellarose was the first to give everyone a hug and wish them luck on their journey home. Maddrair gave them all a curt nod. Rain just rolled his eyes but told them all to take care of each other. Hachi hugged each one of them as tightly as he could, he started the water works. Chimur cleared his throat as he also gave the children a bear hug "I enjoyed the time we spent together." "I'm going to miss you!" Mimi sobbed as she clung to the black man just a little bit tighter. "I will miss you too." He sniffed and wiped away her tears. Ako looked at all three of them and gave a gentle smile. It was hard to speak with the lump in her throat, "T-take care." Ralph gave her a gentle huh as Jack awkwardly stood a little ways away, rubbing his arm. He had revealed so much to her and she understood him. She didn't lecture or call him emotional. She listened to his pain and now they had to say goodbye. He felt so uncomfortable. Oidoas turned to the children "Alright, you three, it's time to leave." He shifted into his dragon form and patiently awaited them to climb onto his back. Mimi pulled away first, knowing that if she didn't she would be here forever. She carefully climbed onto Oidoas' back "I guess this is it." Ralph turned to everyone "Thanks for everything, I won't forget you!" He wiped away his tears as he slowly wandered over to Oidoas. Jack just stared at everyone, reflecting on the life he had. "Goodbye..." He gave a small wave and then turned on his heel; Ralph helping him up onto Oidoas' back. With a strong flap of his wings, they were all airborne.
"DON'T FORGET ABOUT US!" Chimur yelled as they all waved goodbye from the cave. They stayed there watching until Oidoas was no longer in sight.

The flight to the palace was silent. No one wanted to speak. It was hard to accept that their dragon adventure was actually coming to an end. Mimi sniffed loudly and wiped her tears into her shirt. Ralph just closed his eyes to try and clear his mind, remember all the good times.
Jack stared at the dragon scale necklace. He thought about what Maddrair said. It was supposed to be use in emergency only.
"Wow, that's a giant castle!" Mimi called out, breaking the boys trains of thought as they looked down to see the giant black castle that sat in the middle of a vibrant green valley. Strangely it looked very lonely. Oidoas flew down to the opening doors and landed. He glanced around before slowly walking forward towards the throne room. He wanted to speak to the Empress and explain the situation with the children presence, maybe it would change her mind.