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Soren slowly opened his crimson eyes to find himself lying on a pallet of soft blankets and sheets, the chipper sound of voices echoing from just outside of Ella and Tami’s cottage home.

The dragon blinked, lifting a paw to rub at his crimson eyes before he slowly worked himself upright. He was incredibly sore and weary, but all it took was recalling the last things that had happened to him to put life and energy back into his step.

Ike hadn’t abandoned him. Mistakes had been made, but their friendship remained steadfast and stronger than ever.

A small smile flickered to the dragon’s lips as he shook himself, moving over to the door and nudging it open with his snout. It was funny to him how the movement didn’t disturb him as it once would’ve. After accepting the part of himself that he had always fought against, being stuck as a dragon didn’t seem so bad.

Especially not when Ike had completely accepted it, as well.

Soren stepped outside, blinking at the sunlight, and peered around towards the source of the happy voices. Tami and Rolf were giggling and picking flowers and grass to place on Gatrie, who had laid back in the grass with a grin. Mist was helping Ella as she tended to the small garden beside the house, both chatting about the plants, and Rhys and Mia were curled up under a tree close to the others.

The healer was still very weak and pale from his injuries, but his fever appeared to have finally left him, and his wounds were healing. At any rate, he seemed well enough to place a very timid, crimson-faced kiss on Mia’s cheek, which she returned by forcefully kissing him back right on the lips.

Soren stepped out among them, giving a shake of his head that caused the floppy hat-turned-bandana around his neck to flail, and was immediately and greatly received.

Cries of “Soren!” rose happily from those around him, and within moments the once-mage found himself surrounded on all sides with hugs and murmurs, with hands reaching out to enfold him or stroke his gleaming black scales.

The dragon surprised himself with how he reacted to them; a thin smile broke out on his lips, and he replied softly to their inquiries on how he felt, how he was doing. He pulled away with care after a moment – touch still didn’t sit quite right with him – and looked around, searching for that bold shock of deep blue hair he knew all too well.

“Where’s Ike?” he asked when he didn’t immediately spot the young man.

“Don’t worry, he’s still around.”

Soren couldn’t remember ever feeling so glad to hear Rhys’ voice before now, but it was a welcome sound as the healer wandered over and spoke. “I believe he headed off towards the cliff-side, out in the forest.” He didn’t ask if Soren wanted to go and see him, or if he wanted someone to walk with him. He knew the answer to both without even having to say a word.

Soren dipped his narrow head before trotting towards the forest, but not before his tail snaked out and brushed gently against Rhys’ side. The healer smiled and merely wrapped an arm around Mia’s shoulders, enjoying the knowledge that a new bond had been wrought between him and the Branded, albeit one that would never compare to the one between the shadow and their commander. Nevertheless, Soren would always remain grateful for what Rhys had done during all of the past turmoil.

The dragon ran nimbly through the forest, ignoring how his healing wounds throbbed in protest and how his wing-arms ached. The flight of the previous day, miraculous though it had been, had been insanely demanding on his already-exhausted body. But he was recovering. They all were.

Soren slowed as he reached the cliff-side, crimson eyes peering forward towards the edge. All of the slaughtered Feral laguz corpses had been disposed of, either burned or buried, and nothing remained to tell of the fight that had gone on upon the ground.

Nothing but the young man standing at the cliff’s edge, his head tilted back as a breeze ruffled his hair, and the dragon that approached at his side.

“Commander,” Soren said as he stepped up to Ike’s side, then, even a tone even softer, “Ike.”

Ike’s eyes opened at the sound of his dear friend’s voice (for it appeared that he’d had them closed) and he turned to smile widely at the dragon. “Hey, Soren. Feeling better?”

“Extremely so,” the once-mage replied, taking note of Ike’s appearance. Rhys and Mist had both done their best to patch up both commander and mage, but with Rhys injured, it hadn’t been easy. Ike still wore bandages, but they knew he would heal quickly. Other than that, the young man looked healthy and whole, red cape billowing softly behind him as he faced the dragon.

“Hey, I just realized that you’re taller than me,” he said with a grin, extending his right hand up towards Soren’s head, a lively gleam in his deep, dark blue eyes.

Soren smiled in return, lowering his skull down to press right into Ike’s hand. It amazed the mage to realize how natural and fluid the movement was. He really had accepted the other side of his bloodline. “Get used to it, Ike. Chances are that I’m staying like this for a while.”

The commander’s smile slowly dropped away, replaced by a look of curiosity. Soren felt a small, unwanted stab of fear at this reaction until Ike lifted both hands, cupping them on either side of the dragon’s face.

“Before I ask my questions, let me reassure you with how I feel about this first. I don’t care if you stay as a dragon for the rest of your life, because you’re still my best friend and the closest thing to a brother I could ever have. But I want to know what you feel about it. Are you okay with this, Soren? If you could never return to your beorc form ever again, would you be able to be happy?”

Soren blinked, startled and unsettled by the question. He hadn’t been expecting anything like that. He considered for a long, long moment before sighing and letting his crimson eyes focus right on Ike’s sapphire-blue ones.

“Yes. Because no matter what I look like, I would still have you. I would still be by your side, and I would still be your shadow. I…” He cut off as tears threatened to work into his eyes, giving a heavy swallow as he tried to shake them away.

Ike’s reply was to step forward and wrap his arms around the dragon’s neck, burying his face against the smooth black scales. He held tight, running a hand over Soren’s scales comfortingly, and before the mage knew it, both were shaking and weeping soundlessly into each other. The gaping emptiness each had felt had finally closed, for it had been refilled. Soren tucked his muzzle down against the small of Ike’s back, pressing his cheek against his dear companion’s back as tears poured down his thin, ebony-scaled face. It felt like he couldn’t take in enough of Ike’s scent, the smell of his clothes and skin, or the feel of his arms around him. This was his anchor to life.

The two pulled apart after a moment, save for Ike’s arm around the dragon’s sleek shoulders, and the young commander gave him a playful nudge and a wide grin even as he wiped tears out of his own eyes. “Come on, let’s head back to the others, alright?”

“Of course, Commander,” Soren said, and the two turned as one and headed towards the trees. Before they made it all the way, however, Ike gave Soren another playful nudge. Soren returned it with a sidelong smile and a light nudge. Ike’s own smile turned into a grin and he went to push back, but Soren snaked his narrow figure out of the way and the commander fell over with an “Ack!”

Soren laughed, prancing back on his nimble, dark-scaled legs and saying “You’ve gotten so much clumsier since I’ve been gone, Ike! Can’t even hold yourself up. Is this the great Greil Mercenaries commander?”

“Oh you’re SO gonna get it now!” Ike returned, grinning widely and scrambling up in order to charge the mage with a bursting, boundless laugh.

And Soren laughed back, crimson eyes alight with joy. Before, he would never have allowed himself this good-natured bantering and play, but now he welcomed it headlong, dancing and leaping out of Ike’s reach or letting himself be caught and wrestled with. He easily held his own as they swept around the clearing, turning from chased to chaser and back in seconds, both laughing and enjoying the other’s presence.

Finally, Soren won by bowling Ike over (gently) and placing a paw on his chest. “I win,” he said smugly, dark lips pulled back to show a sharp-fanged smile.

Ike struggled to get up before he gave up and laughed. “Ah, fine!” he said with a chuckle before flopping back on the ground, panting and grinning up at the dragon.

Soren sighed before lying down next to him and resting his head on Ike’s chest, curling his long body around that of his dear friend. His brother in all but blood. Not that blood seemed to bother the mage anymore.

Ike’s hand came down on Soren’s forehead, right over his Branded mark, and rested there. How long they ended up lying there, curled in each other’s embrace, Soren didn’t know. All he did know was that there was nowhere else on Tellius he’d rather be than by Ike’s side.

A brilliant, ringing bird call sounded high overhead, and both man and dragon looked skyward as a familiar voice called out “Helloooooo down there!”

The large forms of a giant hawk and two slender herons spiraled down from the sky, with a blue cat perched on the hawk’s back and grinning from ear to fluffy ear. “Not interrupting anything, are we?” Ranulf teased, hopping down once the group landed.

“Ranulf!” Soren called, once again surprised by the eagerness in his own voice, then lowered his head to help Ike up. The commander stood, his blue eyes bright, only to shield them quickly as the birds all began to glow brightly. Their forms shifted, wavered, and changed right before the eyes of the commander and his shadow, until familiar figures remained.

“Tibarn!” Ike gasped. “Reyson, Leanne! It’s so good to see you all again!” He trotted forward to greet the laguz as they stepped forward with their own welcomings.

“The young commander and his tactician,” Tibarn boomed, a great laugh shaking his mighty frame. “When Ranulf and Nasir came to us with a warning of ill-tidings besotting your lot, I feared we would find you in dire straits. Yet you look in fine health! If…in different form.” The Hawk King eyed Soren, who had come to stand directly beside Ike, and the dragon merely lowered his head slightly.

Reyson now stepped forward, his sister at his side. The herons’ grace cut perfect, noble figures between the group, until they stood in front of the Branded mage. “…I thought Ranulf was joking when he said you had changed so drastically,” the brother said, his normally-sharpened tone now soft. “I see now how fully he meant it.”

Soren went to lower his head again, but a single touch from Ike caused him to raise it again. Never again would he shame himself because of his blood. Nor did Reyson or Tibarn mean to do so.

Ranulf sidled up to the mage and nudged him. “Makes a nice dragon, though, don’t he? Even ol' Nasir spoke so highly of you!”

“Is he here as well?” Soren asked, tilting his head back to glance skyward.

Leanne shook her head. “Stay…behind,” she said, struggling to put together the correct words. Her knowledge of the beorc language had never been grand. “Not feel…like…can face. Yet.”

The dragon sighed, then nodded. “I will speak to him later. There are…apologies, to be made. On both our ends.” His eyes fluttered closed, and Ike slid his arm around his shoulders, reassuring the mage through touch alone.

“Well! As sweet as that sounds, we didn’t come here for idle chit-chat!” Ranulf purred, lifting a paw to bat at the hat-turned-bandana around the once-mage’s neck before he transformed. Where once stood a massive blue cat now stood a handsome young man with pointed blue ears and a toothy, wide grin. “There’s a reason I spoke to Tibarn and the herons.”

Soren tilted his head in confusion, saying “What do you mea-” before a voice interrupted from the treeline.

“Ike! Ike, Soren! Come quickly, you have to see this!”

Mist and Rolf charged through the trees, excitement dancing in their eyes. “Brother! Soren!” Mist called, racing forward to stop in front of the dragon. She put her arms around him in a quick hug, startling him, before she backed up, Rolf bouncing along beside her. “Hurry! Back to Ella and Tami’s cottage! Quickly, you simply must come see!”

“Ohhhhh, I forgot about the other thing we’re here for,” Ranulf say slyly, bright eyes sparkling. “Come along, come along! It’s a worthy sight, I promise.”

Curiosity perked, the dragon followed the group along, allowing Tibarn and the herons to lead while he walked with Ike and Ranulf. Mist and Rolf took off running far ahead of them, leaving them to talk while they had a moment.

The dragon lowered his head to Ranulf’s ear, crimson eyes shifting to stare at the ground. “…I wanted to th-” he started, but Ranulf didn’t let him finish.

“Don’t thank me.”

The statement came simply, and the laguz tilted his head up with a smile. He wiggled his fingers at the mage before booping him on the nose. “You don’t need to thank me, little mage. It’s what friends do for each other.”

Touched by the gesture, Soren allowed a thin smile to grace his lips. “…Well, just don’t expect your hat back,” he said, curling his lips back into a wain grin before he merely rested his nose against the laguz’s neck. “It’s simply too much for me to part with.”

Ranulf closed his eyes, resting his cheek against the mage’s nose, then he took the dragon’s muzzle and turned him so he faced Ike instead. “Don’t rely on me too much, little mage. Your true savior is on that side. If not for him, I doubt anyone could ever have saved you from your despair.”

The commander and the shadow stared at each other for a long moment, before Ike smiled and shrugged.

“I would fight well into eternity for my beloved brother.”

The single statement from the young man’s lips brought fresh, burning tears to Soren’s eyes, but he forced them away with a blink. The time for tears was past. Now, there was only the future.

And the future held a surprise neither was expecting.

When they cleared the forest and the cottage came into sight, Soren’s sharp gaze immediately picked out the differences in the group standing there, clustered around another group of faces. Those that had come after him were there, of course, all clamoring eagerly to speak to none other than Boyd, Shinon, and Titania, all standing there in the center, greeting their comrades and family.

And in the very middle, looking battered but overjoyed, was Oscar.

The emerald-haired eldest-brother’s eyes were alight with joy as he was greeted and hugged by his friends and family. Rolf stood, sobbing, in his brother’s embrace, holding on tightly to Oscar’s neck as the eldest hugged him, reassuring him, kissing the top of his youngest brother’s head. Boyd stood near as well, trying stoically to hide the manly tears that dripped heedlessly down his face. He did his best to hide them even as Mist kissed his cheek and wiped them with the edge of her dress.

And when Soren stepped forward, silence fell. The group parted, leaving a clear path to Oscar. The man looked up, both he and the dragon’s eyes meeting at once. The harsh burn-scar forming along the side of Oscar’s face was ravaging to look at, but the more glaring detail were his eyes. Tender, gentle kindness exuded from his gaze as he looked upon the mage, and Soren saw it there, waiting to open to him.

With Ike at his side, Soren stepped forward, finally stopping before the eldest brother. “Oscar,” he said softly. “…I’m…I’m so sorry, for what I did to you…”

“It’s alright, Soren,” he returned, a soft whisper. Then, lifting his hand to place upon the dragon’s forehead, “Welcome home, my friend.”

Soren sighed with joy at the relief he felt flood him, and immediately, the group exploded into thunderous cheering and the mage found himself swamped with hugs and touches from all sides. Warm, welcoming, and completely accepting.

His family.

When they again parted, the herons stepped forward again. “Soren,” Reyson said, drawing the dragon’s attention to him. “As Ranulf mentioned earlier, we have another reason for coming here. My sister and I…” He looked to Leanne, who beamed and drifted forward to take his hand. “…we wish to help you.”

Confusion took the dragon’s features. “Ah…help me?”

“We wish to sing for you. To change you back to what you once were.”

Silence.

Soren’s eyes widened. He nearly drew back a bit, though Ike’s hand on his shoulder steadied him. “Y-You…what?”

“We will sing the Galdr of Rebirth. With all hope, it should restore you to your beorc form,” the prince said, and the princess at his side nodded gracefully.

The mage gaped at them before lowering his head. His expression was unreadable, and perhaps not what the herons were expecting. “…Soren?” Leanne asked in concern, and the dragon sighed and lifted his head.

“I…I’m…I’m surprised,” he started, slow and careful. “Not at the offer, but…at myself. Before, I would’ve leapt for such an offer. Only a day ago, I would’ve given anything to return to my old form. And part of me still wants to, wants it more than anything. But at the same time…I’ve finally accepted myself. The thought of being in this form, of being a dragon…it doesn’t frighten me. It’s no longer a terrible, horrible thing to me. It’s just…another part of me.”

He lowered his head again, brow furrowed in heavy thought…and the mercenaries around him spoke.

“You do what you want, Soren!” Rolf chimed, patting the dragon’s hide. “If you want to be a dragon or a beorc, that’s your choice.”

“We accept whatever you wanna do, Big Guy!” Mia called, slinging an arm around Rhys’ shoulders. The healer beamed at her, then nodded to the mage. “Your choice is your own, Soren. We love you as you are, as you wish to be. Your form does not change that.”

And the others resounded with their own.

“You’re our friend!”

“Do what’s going to make you happy.”

“Dragon or not, you’re our mage!”

“Go for what you want, Soren!”

“Soren, be happy!”

“Soren!”

Overcome with emotion, the mage went down to his knees, a shuddering gasp escaping him. They all accepted him. They all cared for him.

And then Ike was kneeling in front of him, his arms moving to encircle the mage, to hold him in close and whisper to him.

“You are my brother, my beloved friend, and my one and only shadow. No matter what you look like, or who you choose to be, know that above all else, you will be my dearest friend, and I would wish you nowhere else but at my side until the end of our days. Soren…I love you, my brother. I only wish I had shown you that before, how much you meant to me.”

Soren knew, in that moment, that no matter what he chose, he would be welcomed. That he was loved, and adored, and cared for.

That they would always be there for him.

His family.

Forever.

Slowly, with growing certainty, Soren lifted his head high. Ike released him and stepped back, and the dragon bore himself forward proudly. He looked back only once, the soft smile on his face directed to those behind him, those who stood for him and waited to hear and accept whatever choice he made, before he looked forward to where the herons waited.

The choice lay before him…and the choice was made.