34Chase had known for days now that Jack was awake and almost fully functioning as an adult, mentally at least. Or rather as close to an adult as their old self had been. She grew more by the day and as adorable as she was (she'd made his blender into a fully functioning robot, he'd kept it anyway) Chase could tell that baby thoughts weren't the ones running through that brilliant mind of hers. He'd given her space to think and process, but it didn't seem to be helping. His little ruby was stressed and acting very unlike either of the Jacks he'd come to know. She was restless and quiet, as if something heavy was on her mind. Something more than "Oh God I'm suddenly an infant." Chase was worried, and after a week of this behavior, he'd had enough. It was time to find out why she was so distracted.
That day, after a feed and burp session Chase sat the babe in his lap, playing a little with her hands as he did so. Chase was almost fully grown, but Jack's growth had started to slow and she remained a tiny adorable toddler.
"Ruby," he intoned in a voice only slightly less mature than usual. "My Ruby," he then declared to the greater universe with the implicit understanding that the universe would obey. She looked up at him and smiled at the declaration. It was no compliment, nor was it a declaration meant to make her happy. It didn't necessarily matter how she felt about it, because it was simply a statement of fact. Dragons were known for their hoarding ways, and his Ruby was a precious gem indeed. Whether or not she acknowledge it she was now his, no matter what.
He smoothed a large hand down her cheek, "You are awake now, truly mind is working as well as it was before, yet you seem to be pensive. Not scared, not cautious, not even nervous, just pensive. Explain yourself so that I may help you and you can shine as usual."
Jack froze in the act of nuzzling Chase's palm. She seemed to take a moment to compute, to take what she'd heard and fit it into her world view. Chase was patient but ready in case she attempted an ill-advised escape. Jack stared at Chase with wide eyes. Slowly she blinked, then seemed to shake herself out of her stupor. Another brief look that seemed to examine the young dragon in front of her, assessing his motives before she closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.
"I've been having headaches lately. Each headache comes with a memowy, I call them memowy blasts. They all look so weal. I also woke up and I was a giwl. So, I've had to wethink my whole life. What I am I? Who am I? I don't even know anymore. Is it the wu affecting me? Or my twue memorwees? What do I do?" She looked at him with a helpless confusion that Chase hadn't even seen on Jack's face when he was a teen.
Chase looked at his Ruby caressing her hair and cheeks as he too tried to figure out this puzzle. From his research that didn't sound like a function of the wu but, as much as it bothered him to admit it, he had been wrong before. "Tell me about this dream Ruby, and I will try to help you with your dilemma." Ruby looked at him in grateful amazement and awe as she took a moment to collect herself before launching into her story. She told him of the boy, the girl, the woman and the man. She told of the argument (I felt like it wasn't the first time) the fear, and the girl's decision. As she got closer and closer to the climax of the story, she began to change. Her tone shifted slightly, and she—seemingly without notice—started to use I and me instead of she and her. She started to say how she felt in the moment and details that wouldn't have been seen in some vague dream. Ruby got more and more confident until she was no longer retelling a moment in a dream, she was reliving a strong memory.
To make sure, Chase began to ask questions; Where did they take you? Did you have training? What were some of your missions? She answered all questions without hesitation, as comprehension and then fear began to show on her face with each new answer.
"It was real," She said in disbelief and horror. "It was all weal, I don't- I can't-" She looked at chase with tears in her eyes. "They want power and now that I- They'll want me back, as a weapon, as a breeder, as another brainwashed tool. Chase I don't even know who I am anymore, what do I do?"
"You are mine, It matters not what your past is, it matters not who comes to take you, it only matters that you are mine and mine you shall stay." Chase crushed her to his chest as he started to comfort the crying girl, but Jack was scared because what if they took his family too? Chase hummed in thought as he rocked her. "I think that your necklace is the cause of this. The pain and the headaches are my magic working past the blocks in your mind. The more pain, the stronger the block, and with each block my magic breaks through, the next blocks get weaker. Undoubtedly, your healing has slowed because any magic you have is devoted to helping mine and thereby lessening the pain you feel from these.. Memory blasts." Chase chuckled lightly. "I wanted you to remember your time with me as an infant so I wouldn't have to explain to you why you were mine." Chase lifted her teary face to his wiping away her tears with a gentle claw. "You do not have to figure everything out at once, we will take things as they come. Simply know that you are safe with me and that I always protect what is mine. You are my most precious Ruby, I would never let anyone take you."
Jack, no she was Ruby now, Ruby smiled as she hugged him again. No one could take her family from her again. "I'm rusty, I'll need training when my body finally decides to grow, I won' let them hurt me again." She smiled in a way that no toddler should be able to smile. It was all teeth and no joy. Ruby was more fierce and dangerous than Jack or Jewel had ever been, let them come, they would never know what hit them.
Near the edge of the Land of Nowhere in the Valley of Somewhere stood a man dressed in shadows. He took out a truly out of date flip phone and dialed a number. "I found Jack, you are going to love this." And as he turned to walk away, a strip of warm sunlight lights up his face.
Mason smiles.
