Upon Vestia: Chapter Sixteen

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"All those aliens, always hyping up how great they are, and it always turns out to be a lie," James said sagely. "I'm not like that though, I mean I've been known to punch minotaurs. I'd be a proper villain, I wouldn't lose."
He watched as the guy went back into the train, "Ooooh nooooo. They so should not have done that. It is ON!"

Esk shook his head. "you get embarrassed way too easily Dawn." He told her flatly.

---

Kay frowned a little. [So long as I don't leave the ship I should be fine Asher.] Yeah he knew the chance of that thing getting to them was infinitesimally low, but they had that sort of twisted luck. [Will you feel better if I come with you?] Asher's concern was sort of adorable.

Asher smiled slightly. "Call me paranoid, but when bad memory butterflies start flying around, I get nervous. I feel like it's not a good idea to split up with that thing on the loose."

~~
"Asher's coming over," Vestia told Starr.

"I can't help that" Dawn said, a little defensively. She couldn't stop feeling embarrassed.

"Thank you" Starr said and smiled, looking to the babies, then checking to be certain there was enough food for if they woke before she returned.

Kay nodded and smiled softly. Hey if it made Asher feel better right? Besides... he was kinda right. If that stupid thing did get on board the ship, he didn't want to encounter it alone.

"Come on, let's go," Asher said, standing up. "You don't have to babysit, I'll handle anything they need."

Kay shrugged [Baby dragons don't bite right?] He stood

"They didn't seem very bitey," Asher said. "They were more interested in eating food and sleeping." They headed out toward Starr's room.

Esk smirked. "I know, it's still weird though."

---

[Then we should be fine.] Kay shrugged. He didn't mind babies as much as children. Babies didn't ask annoying questions and just sorta... lay there and didn't do much. He could deal with that.

They reached Starr's room before long. Asher would knock on the doorframe if the door was open. "We're here, Starr," he called quietly in case the babies were asleep.

Starr waited for the pair as she sat on her 'bed' of pillows. Her door was open and she smiled as she looked up to it, standing to go to them "They just went to sleep about ten minutes ago, so they shouldn't wake, but I have the food for them if they do." She said and pointed to the thing the food was kept in. She then looked to Kay and smiled at him

~~~
Dawn didn't know anything to say to that, so she started walking again

Kay nodded to Starr and wrote [Congratulations by the way. ] He smiled softly. Things were still awkward between them, but he was genuinely happy for her.

--

Esk followed, lapsing into silence again.

"Very good," Asher smiled softly, looking over at the incubator. Dang those little guys were adorable. "We'll make sure they're all right while you're gone."

Starr smiled and nodded, turning to go "I'll be back soon" She said and headed to the market to get the supplies she needed to make a warding spell for the ramp, one that Vestia could turn on or off as needed or wanted if she could do so.

~~~
Dawn walked in silence for a bit, glancing to Esk then around the field they walked through. "I haven't seen Vicky in a while, is she alright?"

Esk paused. "She left." He told her flatly. Right, she hadn't really said goodbye right? He shook his head. "I have no idea, probably? She's tough, and fucking old. If she's survived this long she can keep on surviving."

---

Kay moved to look at the baby dragons, okay, they were cute, he had to admit that. [More free dragons. Sleeping soundly, not knowing quite how special they are.]

Asher looked at the little dragons fondly. "It's nice that they don't know how fortunate they are yet."

Dawn blinked at that and frowned, looking to Esk "She left?" Aw, why hadn't she said anything? Dawn didn't even know when she left.

~~
The two that were hatched slept on, not knowing their 'mom' had left the room since they were asleep, but the egg had a tiny crack that had started without Starr's notice.

Kay nodded. [Ignorance they say, is bliss.] He watched Asher, smiling softly.

---

Esk nodded. "Yeah, before we arrived at the guild. She didn't say much to anyone I don't think. Just, left. " He shrugged. He didn't seem overly concerned. "Suppose she didn't want more drama."

Asher nodded. "That it is," he agreed. He smiled at Kay, "They've certainly been lucky so far too. Starr's going to be a great mother for them."

One of the babies picked up its head and squeaked at the two, looking from one to the other then standing. His movement woke the other and she joined her brother in looking at the two males sleepily

~~~
Dawn frowned at that then sighed "I guess so. She still could have said bye to us."

[She will, more adopted royalty. How lucky are they?] He noticed the squeaking [Oh dear, looks like they're awake.] Kay looked down at the babies and tried to look friendly, but he really did look awkward and forced.

---

Esk shook his head. "that wouldn't be Vicky."

Asher looked amused by Kay's obvious discomfort. He went over to the babies. "You guys want to come out?" he asked them, even though they couldn't understand. He wondered if they were hungry again.

The boy moved to the side of the incubator and looked to Asher, remembering his face from before. He squeaked again, raising his wings like he wanted to go up.

~~~
Dawn sighed a little and nodded, looking back to the trail they walked over. "Want to switch to a shooting range? I need to practice" change the subject

Esk nodded. "Sure. Why not?" Shooting things always made him feel better, so should make everyone feel better right?
"Computer, load up the gun range" he rattled off the program title and number and the computer obliged.

---

[They like you] Kay remarked. [Think they can tell you're their big brother?]

"Maybe," Asher laughed, "Or maybe he just remembers me from earlier. It's hard to tell." He held out his arm so the little guy could climb up.

[I prefer to believe they recognize family] Kay shrugged. Even if it wasn't realistic, it was a cute thought.

The boy tried to climb up quickly, though the girl got in the way and almost made him tumble off. The two squeaked at one another, covering the sounds of their sister trying to hatch out from her egg as they did.

~~
The range didn't make her feel better, but it did make Dawn feel more prepared. She picked a gun and the protective equipment then moved to one of the stations to be able to practice (Unless this is a simulation practice?)