Dog Dragons

The team arrives to the crime scene and puts hands to work... the destiny of an innocent dragon is on their hands.

Dog Dragons

 

The group landed on Pine Island and Alena phone called the Guardians in charge of the dragon’s custody. It was early midday then; we received the direction: Bird Basin Park, at the western outskirts of Miami. The travel would take us the rest of the day; by the time we arrived it would be late to investigate and our dragons would be tired as hell. We would check the dragon, get as much Intel as possible from him and then sleep; to go visit the victim’s family in the morning.

 

We let our dragons take a breath and then we took off once again. When we arrived to Bird Basin Park, we saw the dragon was being guarded by a small squad of riders and dragons. We landed, jumped off our dragons and approached the Guardians.

 

One of them greeted us and offered me a handshake…

 

-The Double Scarred Rider, Patrick Darst and his dragon, Furia; it indeed is an honor. I am Rider Alexander Spaulding.

 

-Rider Alexander Spaulding, this is my squad: Riders Alan and Oliver Barton, their dragons, Helios and Tyranis, my brother, Rider Elvis Darst and his dragon Pyro, and…

 

-Alena Stanford?   -Said Alexander very impressed.

 

-The one and only. This is my dragon, Sanjay.     �"Answered Alena.

 

-I thought I wouldn’t hear of you again… sorry, I won’t bring up the past… these are my comrades…

 

Alexander awkwardly introduced his partners and their dragons… the two groups saluted each other, and then Alexander said…

 

-Want to see the dragon, Rider Patrick?

 

-Yeah, that’s why we are here. And you can call me Patrick.

 

The rest of Alexander’s group went back to their positions while he walked us to where the dragon was. In the meantime, Alexander told us about him…

 

-He is very timid, so I recommend only Patrick and Furia approach tonight. His name is Darwin or at least that’s the name he liked. The victim’s father told us the name was Mauly…

 

-Molly?    -I said, mishearing…

 

-Mauly, like that Star Wars character, Darth Maul. His color is a bright red, just like Darth Maul’s; he even has the black straps. He hates being called like that so we renamed him Darwin. It isn’t something official; we just wanted to be friendly with him and all.

 

-I understand… Nice work with the dragon, Rider Alexander… to you and your squad.

 

-Thank you. Feel free to call me Alex… we are almost there…

 

Just a couple of minutes later, we arrived to a lake. There was a man sitting on a camping chair, looking at two dragons swimming playfully; one was a little bigger than Furia, the other was noticeably smaller than her. Alex introduced me and my group to the man, after we greeted him, Alex said…

 

-We take turns to watch over Darwin. We don’t have him chained or nothing, he’s completely loose. He couldn’t stand being leashed for a single second; even after understanding we weren’t going to hurt him.

 

-That’s our first clue…-Said Alan. Everybody turned to him as he spoke-… That dragon was forced to use a leash. Not only that kid wasn’t Darwin’s rider, he even forced Darwin to stay and roam with him.

 

-How glad I am I am not investigating this alone  -I said-  Alright, Furia; let’s meet Darwin.

 

At the moment I took a step forward, Alex stopped me and said…

 

-One last thing, Patrick… don’t be harsh on Darwin, he is a nice dragon; and if you are going to make a question, make it the least accusing possible.

 

-We are here to get Darwin out of this; don’t worry.

 

Furia, Alex and I walked nearer to the lake, away from the rest of the group. Then Alex proceeded to call Darwin out for us. While waving his arm over his head, he yelled…

 

-Darwin!! Come here, someone wants to see you!!

 

The dragon stopped and turned his head towards us, then got submerged. A few moments later he walked out of the water and shook his wings. But he didn’t seem to be alright, apart from his situation, the movements of his wings were too weak.

 

-What’s wrong with his wings?   -I asked.

 

Alex murmured with intensity at me…

 

-Shhhh! don’t speak about his wings! He has never flown before!

 

That shocked me deeply. ¿How come a dragon has never ever flown? That’s cruel! Even when it was risky, I let Furia fly at night time, even before taking her to the lands! Nowadays dragons are part of the world; there is no excuse, no single excuse to chain a dragon to the ground!

 

That cheap rider-wannabe, better now that is dead.   Furia said.

 

Darwin slowly walked towards us, like a scared dog; scanning Furia and me with caution. Then he stopped a meter away from us.

 

Patrick…

 

What?

 

He is asking me if your name is Patrick Darst.

 

I looked at the dragon’s eyes and said…   -Yeah, and she is Fu…

 

Darwin didn’t even let me finish talking before fast pacing and pressing his head against my chest; humming gravely as well. That surprised me, I just thought of petting him and that’s what I did.

 

Help me; please help me. That’s what he is saying.

 

While petting him I said…

 

-I am going to help you, Darwin. We’ll get you out of this.

 

Darwin then stepped backward and looked at Furia. She nodded at him, and then told me…

 

He says “Thank you”.

 

-Darwin, I need to ask you a few questions… it doesn’t matter if you don’t want to answer all of them, but still your answers are required to sort this out. What do you say?

 

He said “I’ll try”… I will tell you directly what Darwin says, Patrick.

 

Alright

 

-Did you live your whole life with that kid?

 

Yes…

 

-How old are you?

 

I am six months old.

 

-Do you recognize another face besides him? …another face that seemed strangely familiar?

 

No…

 

-Did you ever talk mentally with another person?

 

No…

 

-Have you talked with other dragons?

 

Not for more than a couple of minutes… but the ones taking care of me here, we get along well.

 

-That kid always had you leashed, didn’t he?

 

All the time…

 

-I have to ask you now, Darwin, one strong question… May I continue?

 

Darwin took a few moments to answer. Then I heard it… Yes.

 

-What did the kid do that made you kill him?

 

Darwin backed away and turned his head to his side…

 

I am sorry…

 

I slowly took a few steps near him and pet his neck.

 

-That kid hit you… didn’t he?

 

I didn’t want to kill him… I just… I couldn’t take it anymore!

 

-Did he do it more than once?

 

The dragon nodded, still looking away.

 

-We all have a boiling point; it was his mistake driving you to yours. Don’t worry. That kid wasn’t your rider; I promise you we will find your true Rider.

 

He positioned himself to have me in front of him once again, arched up his neck and said with excitement…  Really?

 

-Yes. That is how this will be resolved.   �"I said while getting closer and patting his chest.  �"I’ll go now; Can you do me one favor?

 

Darwin’s head was above me; he lightly twisted it, fixing an eye on me. Then I heard… Sure…

 

I turned to Furia and said…

 

-Would you show Furia around?

 

Darwin balanced his head and looked at her. He pulled up a claw like back-stepping, but he got frozen in the middle. Furia then told me…

 

Patrick, what are you doing!?

 

I began to unsaddle her and said…

 

Darwin hasn’t ever socialized with another dragon, Furia, outside of his guardians.

 

Well… I don’t… What am I supposed to do?

 

Just hang out with him; talk, hunt… I don’t know. You are one gorgeous dragon, Furia; he’ll enjoy even your bare company.

 

Well… this one time, ok? Don’t put me again on this situation.

 

As you order.

 

With the saddle at my back, I turned to Darwin and said…  -Enjoy yourselves.

 

Alex, I and the rest of my group left the dragons behind and went to a tent where they had food. The rest of our dragons were unsaddled and then they went to hunt by themselves while we had dinner and talked with Alex. My first question was…

 

-How did Darwin hear of my name?

 

-I told him once Francesco told me. He got pretty excited knowing someone was going to help him. Later it was revealed to the public by the media that you were going to head the investigation.

 

I had a bad feeling about this; I didn’t like at all the idea of my name being shown on TV during this situation. During the revelations to the world and while I was a threat to the authorities, I was a conversation topic, but at least those events were concluded. This was being barely started…

 

-Will he ever fly?

 

-Darwin has shown a lot of determination regarding to fly. When we took him here, and after he calmed down from the event, he has been practicing, though so far he can only last over a minute in the air. He‘ll be very lucky if he manage to be strong enough to be ridden. Poor dragon…

 

-Don’t feel pity for Darwin; he is strong. If he keeps improving, he’ll get somewhere.    �"Said Oliver.

 

-I hope so too.  �"Answered Alex-  What are you going to do tomorrow?

 

Then I took the word again.

 

-We’ll visit the kid’s family.

 

Then we spoke about the conversation with Darwin until finishing our dinner. I was about to call for Furia, but then remembered she was with Darwin. Alex took me to where he and his mates slept during night shifts while my mates slept with their dragons. I was tired and even like that it took me some time to fall asleep. It was long ago the last time I slept on a bed.

 

At morning, everybody woke up and had breakfast. We saddled our dragons and asked Alex the direction. The victim’s family lived in a wealthy neighborhood called “Gables Waterway”. Always rich people behind everything that happen in the world… why am I not surprised?  Alex and the Guardians stayed at the park with Darwin while my group took off to the place.

 

Furia, I am sorry for last night, I know you were tired and all…

 

Naaahh, never mind; you should have seen Darwin once we broke the ice and got talkative. He is an awesome ground hunter; he caught both his and my game. I didn’t want to fly in front of him, without mentioning how tired I was. We had a great time…

 

I am glad you did.

 

A few minutes later we arrived to the neighborhood and landed on a nearby park. The dragons stayed there while the riders walked to the house. On our way to the house, Alena said…

 

-You have seen many detective movies, eh? Double Scarred?

 

-Some… why?

 

-Look at you, Double Scarred; talking to witnesses, dealing with missing people and now a twist: a murderer who turned up victim. And say you are returning to college once we are done with this… what a waste of innate talent.

 

-It’s just that I don’t look forward to living around dead people every day… Once we are done with the victim’s family, remember me to report to Francesco… I should have done it after talking with Darwin.

 

-Alright.     �"Answered Alena.

 

We arrived to the place and knocked the door. It was a suburban two leveled house; there were a couple of trees in the front, which provided a nice shadow to the entrance. Suddenly a feminine voice through a loudspeaker said…

 

-Walston Residence, good morning. What can I help you with?

 

-Mornings; my name is Rider Patrick Darst, I am accompanied by Riders Alan and Oliver Barton, Rider Elvis Darst and Rider Alena Stanford. We’d like to ask Mr. and Ms. Walston a few questions about their son’s incident…

 

-I am sorry, but neither Mr. nor Ms. Walston is present at the moment…

 

-Then we’ll talk with you, open the door.    �"Snapped Alena.

 

Oliver intervened and said… -She’s just a maid, Alena. �"To what Alena answered…

 

-Exactly. In a house like this, who do you think would be the one bothered by having to clean dragon s**t in the first place? She is the one who will give us exact Intel about the dragon’s apparition.

 

Then I said…

 

-Alena’s right.  �"I turned to the loudspeaker and said…- We have some questions to ask you, open up, please…

 

The loudspeaker said… -I am afraid I am not able to do that.

 

-You will open up, missy, or we can get you jailed because of disturbance towards the investigation!       -Yelled Elvis and winked an eye to Alena.

 

-I’ll make the call…     -Said Alena, taking her phone out of her pocket.

 

Suddenly the loudspeaker said…

 

-Ok… I’ll open the door for you…

 

Alena punched Elvis on his shoulder and said…

 

-Nice, Pipsqueak!

 

Elvis couldn’t contain a smile of pride as the door got unlocked and we walked in. A young woman presented herself in front of us and said…

 

-How can I help you?

 

-We just need to ask you a couple of questions.   -I said.

 

-Alright, but make them quick… you have to be gone before Mr. and Ms. Walston arrive.

 

-We are already inside, aren’t we? Why don’t we just wait for them?     -Said Oliver, sitting on a sofa in the living room.

 

-Fine by me…   -Said Alena taking seat on another piece of furniture…

 

Then I concluded by saying…

 

-It’s set… In the meantime, miss…

 

-Santana…

 

-Miss Santana, did you see the dragon’s egg?

 

-No…

 

-So the kid came to the house with the dragon?    -Alan said…

 

-Yes, and his name was Isaac.

 

I took the word again and said…

 

-A dragon egg lasts two months after being found to hatch; Mr. and Ms. Walston must have asked Isaac why didn’t he celebrated the finding of his egg… it’s pretty popular nowadays…

 

-He just arrived one day with the dragon, saying that finally it was born. Mr. and Ms. Walston didn’t make a big deal of it.

 

-Absent parents…    -Alan said…

 

-The damn kid bought the dragon.   �"Concluded Alena.

 

Dragons for sale? This is getting worse every step we take!

 

-Guess what?  -Elvis said… -We got done here sooner than we expected.

 

-We have to go now to the Police Department; someone must have reported a stolen dragon somewhere…     -Oliver said.

 

I intervened and said…

 

-Not yet… we must give this information first to Mr. and Ms. Walston. I doubt they accept it, but still we have to do it. Miss Santana, thank you for your cooperation.

 

Miss Santana got confused and asked…

 

-Were those all the questions? What is this investigation about?

 

I answered her question…

 

-Isaac got that dragon illegally and that’s what brought him his misfortune, without mentioning the fact that he mistreated the dragon. That part is solved and nothing can be done to reverse it. What we are investigating is how that happened, how can it be prevented, and who is the dragon’s true rider.

 

-I see…  -Answered miss Santana…  -Mr. Walston isn’t going to like this. He is constantly questioning the purpose of the investigation… he is always saying “the dragon is guilty! What the hell are they investigating? How that damn animal killed my son!? They should just hang it or whatever they would do to kill it!”.

 

After that, Miss Santana served us beverages and continued her shores while we discussed the new discoveries. I took the opportunity to call Francesco and put him up to date. He was glad for us making important discoveries on the investigation, but the character of our progress truly concerned him. “Dragon traffic” was an idea completely unexpected for us all. If this was big, it would take several years to solve… and let’s be realistic… a traffic operation wouldn’t be capable of being solved… unless Furia and I, the Guardians and Dragon Society members who take part on this investigation had total power for the purpose of the investigation, alike the worthless justice system the traffickers escape from every day.

 

An hour later we heard a car arriving and being shut down. Miss Santana opened the door and Mr. Walston walked in. He was greeting Miss Santana and about to say something about his wife not accompanying him, but our presence startled him.

 

Miss Santana introduced us to Mr. Walston, and then he approached and shook our hands while saying…

 

-It’s a pleasure to meet you… lady and gentlemen…

 

Alena interrupted him and said…   -The term is Riders…

 

-Of course… Riders… please excuse my surprise; wasn’t expecting visits today.

 

I took the word and said…

 

-We have got to some conclusions we want to share with you about your son.

 

-(sigh) nothing can be done about my son, Mr.… Rider Darst… I want to know what is going to happen to that… dragon.

 

-I must first talk about your son… otherwise, what I have to say about the dragon won’t make sense to you.

 

-Well… proceed…

 

-To begin with, your son wasn’t Mauly’s rider…

 

Mr. Walston interrupted me and said…

 

-That’s impossible, my son found his egg like every other rider.

 

-Did you saw the egg? Mr. Walston?

 

-No, and why would he show it to me? And else, you are basing the dragon’s innocence on that senseless theory of dependence from the dragon towards the true rider. The same the other people who protected the dragon told me, this is not going to stay like this!

 

I just wanted to finish with this piece of arrogant s**t before I lost control of my temper.

 

-Maybe, but you know what’s the difference between me and them?

 

-What?

 

-Alike them, I have seen dragons dying because of their riders’ death... without mentioning that… I have made it happen.

 

Mr. Walston stood silent and I continued…

 

-We also have reasons to believe your son bought the dragon.

 

-No… that can’t be true.

 

-You can accept it or not, if you wish. But this, this is the part that you are going to accept: Your son didn’t only buy the dragon, he mistreated him until the point of rage and that’s what killed your son. The dragon is Innocent, and the priority of the investigation is to find his true rider and to decipher how all this happened to then prevent it. And yes, it is going to stay as it is.

 

Mr. Walston raised his voice…

 

-So the dragon will stay unpunished? After killing my son!?

 

-Your son killed himself by buying that dragon in the first place! No one told your son to hurt Mauly to that level, and to finish: if you ever dare to make even the tiniest move against Mauly, just as tiny as making a phone call, I will know it and I will personally make sure you spend some quality time in prison… You know by whose authority I am supported… Do we understand each other?

 

-You all know where the door is…

 

I let Mr. Walston have the last word… out of pity. This was the kind of people I have not even the tiniest respect for. Finally we finished there.

 

We decided to go to a dinning place and eat something, it was early noon. Meanwhile, the conversation drifted from how big this could be, to the possibilities of what would happen in the Police Department. There was nothing new to report to Francesco; still I took one moment to tell him about Mr. Walston’s emotional situation and the risks of his stubbornness. Francesco told me not to worry… I tried my best not to do it, but there was always that doubt.

 

It was too early afternoon to go to the Police Department, so we went to the park our dragons were. Furia, who heard through my mind the conversation with Mr. Walston, asked me…  Why didn’t you tell him about Mauly’s new name?  To what I answered… Would have wasted time explaining him about it, I just wanted to finish with that guy.

 

Once rested up, we decided to fly our way to the nearest Police Department, a few minutes from our previous location. The Police Department had a big parking lot where our dragons stayed. The group walked in while being the center of attention and the source of murmurs. With an air of authority that instinctively told me to go straight to the top; the group headed to the Commissioner’s office. When we arrived, we were greeted by a tall, middle aged man; his voice was strong and grave. He stood up, shook our hands and said…

 

-Riders Patrick and Elvis Darst, Alan and Oliver Barton, and Alena Stanford. I must say it’s an honor. One Mr. Walston called, pretty angry actually, and told me about the course of the investigation, the accusations you made to his son and that sort of stuff, and I said… (He pulled up his shoulders) “So? What do you want me to do?” And you know what his answer was? He said “I don’t know, but you’ve got to do something!”…

 

Isn’t he going to stop?  Furia said…

 

-… Then he told me about your threat of jailing him, and I told him “The man is an authority, you are lucky I am not jailing you myself.” I’d offer you to have a sit but there aren’t enough chairs in my office. By the way, I am Commissioner Anton Heckman and I am bound by my word to Rider Francesco Silvestro, to support the investigation the best I can. Though I already figured out the reason of your presence here… You are looking for the reports of stolen dragons, aren’t you? I am sorry to inform you that those reports were redirected to the Miami-Dade County Animal Services.

 

Animals? Dragons are not animals…   Furia commented.

 

-I see. Still I have to ask you… ¿why didn’t those reports were treated by police officers?

 

-Different jurisdiction, Rider. A dragon is an extension of its rider, is unable to transmit a message on its own, unless it is of course to another dragon. There is also the key of that dragon’s innocence; a dragon cannot live without its rider…

 

I wanted to shut up the Commissioner so badly. He seemed nice and I could tolerate his endless talking, but not when talking about dragons being inferior. Still, I let the Commissioner finish so we could fly to the Miami-Dade County Animal Services.

 

-… Dragons reason and have personalities, but not different from their riders. Dragons are pets; I can’t switch my personal from protecting and investigating people to work on pets.

 

As much as I wanted to reply to the Commissioner about the topic he just touched, I decided to keep my thoughts in my mind. Because it didn’t matter how I defended dragons’ valor, I had to admit his mathematics weren’t wrong.

 

-Well, that’s one way to put it. Anyway, thanks for your time and the lead. We’ll contact you if we need something else.

 

-You can count on the Miami Police Department, Riders. Good luck.

 

We shook his hand again and headed out.

 

-That was fast.    �"Commented Elvis.

 

Once the team arrived to the parking lot, Furia and the rest of the dragons, who were lying on the pavement, stood up and stretched… Each rider climbed onto his dragon, strapped up and then we took off. On the way, Furia asked me…

 

Patrick… what’s a pet?

 

A pet is an animal a person feels familiar with; dogs, cats… and those are just the common ones, I have heard of people with pigs as pets.

 

And reptiles?

 

Yeah, also reptiles; snakes, lizards even crocodiles… people take everything for a pet these days.

 

And now dragons…

 

I began to realize that Furia was letting all this get the best of her; I had to say something quickly.

 

You are not a pet, Furia. I recall calling you my pet in the past, but just because of… I don’t know, and I am sorry for saying such thing. I care for you and I love you; if you can say that to me with truth, then you are not a pet; you are a friend.

 

Thanks Pat… I love you too.

 

That’s my girl!

 

A few minutes later, we then arrived to the Miami-Dade County Animal Services and proceeded the same way as with the police station: dragons resting in the parking lot and riders walking straight to the top. Once in the office, a young man greeted us.

 

-Rider Patrick Darst, I remember you from the T.V. a few months ago; I finally meet you, it’s an honor. Call me Chief Douglas.

 

I shook his hand and introduced to him the rest of the team. Then I said…

 

-We are coming from the Police Department; the commissioner told us that the reports of stolen dragons were redirected here.

 

-Yes they were; let me have them brought for you.

 

Chief Douglas picked the phone on his desk and pushed a button, after a couple of seconds he asked for the referred files and hung up. The subordinate arrived and handed me the documents. We checked the reports and I said…

 

                 

-Five reports of lost or stolen dragons in Miami, and it’s been several months since the first one. Were these situations investigated at all?

 

I fixed my eyes on Chief Douglas’s, waiting for his answer. Then he said…

 

-I will explain you… only because I know you can guarantee me much better protection than what the police do.

 

Alright… this is getting interesting…    Furia commented.

 

-We are listening…    -I said.

 

-(Sigh)… Someone is watching…

 

-Excuse me?

 

-Someone is behind all this. Chief Oliveira, my antecessor, received these reports and tried to investigate them. He hired up a couple of investigators, one quit and the other was killed. Then he got killed as well. Someone doesn't want these things sorted out.

 

Just as my father had said... there is something going on. I took it calmly so far, but now is the time to get serious. I have to tell Francesco about this right away.

 

I then got my phone out and called Francesco. Once I finished telling him what Chief Douglas had told me, Francesco told me to wait for a team of Guardians that was going to take care of Chief Douglas.

 

After half an hour later, a squad of three riders and dragons arrived and landed on the parking lot. In the meantime, we read the reports, looking for the one referred to a red dragon with black straps. There were five reports and there were five of us, so we took one report each and read them. It was Oliver the one with the report we were looking for. Then I wrote down the phone number of the caller on a piece of paper and saved it in my pocket. Afterwards I called Francesco and told him that we found Darwin’s true Rider’s phone number.

 

The team, along with Chief Douglas, went outside and greeted the Guardians and their dragons. Once they got down from their dragons and we were all introduced, the leader said…

 

-This wouldn’t have been resolved if it wasn’t because of you, Riders. Thanks to the evidence and information you have gathered, The Government and the Dragon Society can now take care of the rest.

 

-So… this is it?    -Elvis asked.

 

-For you and Rider Patrick, yes, unless you wish to continue. Rider Alena will stay with us. And, Riders Alan and Oliver Barton… it’s up to you to join the L&SDO; Lost & Stolen Dragons Operative. Thanks to your squad, Rider Patrick, the L&SDO has enough authority to investigate all missing or stolen dragons around the globe.

 

-You can always count on Furia and me.

 

-We sure do. And we are in your debt.

 

-I still want to finish this; I want to reunite Darwin with his true rider.

 

-It’s up to you. Rider Francesco is honored to have you as a friend.

 

-The honor is mine for having his trust.

 

Then he came closer and asked me…

 

-Will you join the L&SDO?

 

-Pyro and I will.    �"Said Elvis.

 

The Guardian nodded at Elvis and said…    -Welcome aboard.   �"Then he looked at me and said…   -What about you?

 

I could go back to college… right… assuming that’s one option… I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of situation again. But, guess what? This was my life… instead of running away from bad memories; I could make it more valuable to the world by using my experience to help others. Just like in my previous adventure; there will be rough times, there will be loss… but with Furia by my side, it will all be worth it.

 

-Furia and I will too.

 

Then Oliver and Alan said, respectively…

 

-This has proven to be more awesome than my old job.

 

-Helios and I are in too.

 

-Looks like Team Awesome will stay together.      Alena added.

 

We decided it was about time to get done with this. Alena and Sanjay wouldn’t come with our group; they had assigned to stay with Chief Douglas’s protection team. I turned to her, shook her hand and said…

 

-It was awesome to work with you, Alena.

 

-Please Double Scarred, this was just getting to know each other, now we’ll start to work together.

 

Elvis closed in and shook Alena’s hand, then he said…

 

-We aren’t over yet…

 

Alena chuckled and said…  -Sure we aren’t Pipsqueak.

 

Elvis smiled back and, along with Alan and Oliver, they climbed onto their dragons while I thanked Chief Douglas for his help and said…

 

-Don’t worry Chief, you are in good hands.

 

Then I went to Furia and climbed onto the saddle. I bid farewell to the Guardians and then the team took off towards Bird Basin Park. From there we would make the call to Darwin’s true Rider.

 

It was middle afternoon... and we were about to achieve a record for sure, for solving a criminal case in less than twenty four hours. We arrived to Bird Basin Park and didn’t even get to land and already Alex, Darwin and the rest of the Guardians were receiving us with a loud cheer. Once on the ground, they greeted us like heroes. Darwin dashed straight towards me; he almost tackled me down, pushed me backwards a few steps and continued pressing his forehead against my chest.

 

He is incredibly grateful, Pat.

 

I patted his head and said…

 

-I wouldn’t have done it without my team, you know, Darwin?

 

He then went near Elvis, Oliver and Alan and thanked them. Then he roared and turned around frantically. Then Furia told me…

 

He’s desperate to make the call; “who’s got the number?” He is asking.

 

I got the piece of paper and my cell phone out and said…  -I got it.

 

“Make the call! Make the call!!”... Damn he’s excited…

 

I dialed the number and put the phone on loudspeaker. While the phone ringed everyone agreed that I should be the one doing the talking; even after I said that I get pretty nervous talking on the phone with strangers. Suddenly someone answered the phone and everyone shhhed.

 

-Hello?      -It was the voice of a young girl.

 

-Um… Hello.

 

-Hello, who is it?

 

-My name is Patrick Darst… and… we have found your dragon.

 

-What? Really? A red dragon with black straps?

 

-Yes, miss…

 

-Samantha Johnson… oh my god! Mom, they found him!! The guy who started this entire dragon thing, Patrick Darst, he found Darwin!!

 

The girl began to sob while thanking me a thousand times. In my mind rebounded how she matched Darwin’s name. “… That’s the one he liked…” Alexander had said. Darwin instinctively chose his true name. Samantha composed herself and said…

 

-Is he there? Can he hear my voice?

 

Darwin roared as hard as he could for his true rider. Then the girl said…

 

-Oh god... he’s all grown up… how will I ever pay you?

 

-Just answering yes to this question…

 

-Alright.

 

-Would you like to come and see him?

 

Samantha laughed and then said…  -Yes! I want to go see him!

 

-Alright, tell me your address and I’ll go pick you up myself.

 

Samantha told me her address and then Furia and I went there. Samantha lived in the south, very far from Bird Basin Park; it took us more than ten minutes to arrive to the place.

 

When we landed on the street, the door of the house to our right opened up and this young girl came out to greet Furia and me, then her mother came out. Once I strapped off from the saddle and was on the ground, I saluted Samantha and her mother. Samantha looked like fifteen years old, which made sense; the buyer had to have an age that matched the dragon’s true rider.

 

Both Samantha and her mother thanked me again and admired Furia. Samantha was too excited to wait anymore, so at the second we were clear to go, Samantha got onto Furia, along with me. Right before taking off, I told her not to talk about flying or riding near Darwin, and that I would explain later. Then we left towards Bird Basin Park.

 

Once we arrived, Samantha jumped off from Furia and couldn’t hold joy tears as she dashed towards Darwin to end up hugging him. Samantha cried and thanked us all. After a couple of minutes she spent with Darwin, I walked with Samantha, away from him. I told her Darwin’s story and about his wings… Samantha listened with horror. When I finished, she swore to me she would always support Darwin and understand him. Samantha spent a little while more with Darwin and then I sent her back home with Elvis and Pyro. Somehow we would move Darwin to a farm closer to Samantha’s home, so they can spend time together more often and easier.

 

That day in the ends of May, we reunited a dragon with his rider. I felt so happy for taking part at generating such happiness in another person and a dragon. The only thing loose on this story was the “Dragon Trafficker”. Though I didn’t give it a lot of thought... that night, mine and Alexander’s squad went to get Alena and we all went for a drink to celebrate.

 

Today… was one good day…    I thought before falling asleep.