A Vision of Happiness: Recovery (Book 4)

Chapter 19

A/N: Credits to aquadragon001 for this idea! I'm pretty sure several of you will be happy with this chapter :)

JASMIN

Jasmin watched the NightWing dragonet who had been watching her fall to the ground. The IceWing next to him gently pulled him away. Hardly anyone noticed them, though; they were too distracted by the new arrivals.

Which included her. 

Jasmin pushed the NightWing out of her mind and focused back on Moon. She'd grown a lot since she'd last seen her, and Jasmin could see that she looked a lot happier and grief-stricken at the same time. 

"What happened?" She asked. 

"It's..." Moon trailed off. "Two dragonets from Gold Winglet died, and another withdrew after the same attack that killed them because he can't use one eye anymore. And- and Tsunami and Anemone are dead."

"Oh moons," Jasmin muttered. "This is why I hate this cursed school. Always something happening." She noticed Turtle looked thinner and more tired, with blood-shot eyes, and realized that he must have taken the death of his two sisters hard. 

"This school is AWESOME!" Kinkajou barreled in. "There's just a lot of surprises, that's all. Bad surprises. There's FOOD and FRIENDS and SUNSHINE!"

"I don't like surprises and dragons," Jasmin said. "And this school."

"Then why are you here?" Moon asked. "I thought Firefly was the hybrid replacement."

"Yeah. I was kind of asked to teach self-defense," Jasmin replied. "So I'm here."

"WHAT?" Kinkajou shouted. "I didn't know that!"

"I didn't, either." Jasmin shot a glare at Deathbringer, who looked away, whistling innocently. "Until just a day ago, when I was PLANNING to visit my father and someone decided to suddenly jump it up on me. And dragged me here. WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, AHEM."

"Hey!" Deathbringer abandoned his fake-deafness. "You'll like it here, and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah," Jasmin grumbled. "I'll have fun with friends and blah blah blah. Bore me to sleep already."

"I did tell Deathbringer to warn you about it ahead of time." Jasmin jumped; she didn't know Glory had been listening. The young RainWing queen sat down next to them, her dragonet sidling closer. 

"You did?" Deathbringer asked. "I didn't hear it."

"Well, you'd better go now." Glory smiled down at her dragonet. "Firefly, come on. Your clawmates are here to greet you."

"I don't want to," Firefly whimpered.

"It's better for you," Glory pointed out. "Go now. Shoo."

Jasmin let out a small yelp as Deathbringer dragged her away by her remaining arm. 

"What are you doing?" Jasmin hissed at him. "Do you want me to fall down?"

"I just wanted to talk to you alone," Her half-brother whispered. "Keep an eye on Firefly and her winglet. I don't trust anyone here. Everyone here is replacing the dead dragons in the Gold Winglet; if she dies I'm not sure I'll ever forgive myself for sending her here."

"Sure," Jasmin agreed. "Don't want my niece dead on her first day in school. I'm just kidding!" She said quickly at the horrified look on Deathbringer's face. "Besides, you'll see her in a few months, right?"

Deathbringer nodded, and gave her a quick sideways hug. Jasmin flinched at his touch. "Don't do anything stupid," He said. "Or get yourself hurt."

"Get off, you great sap." Jasmin pushed him away and almost toppled to the ground. 

"Remember to take your pills," Deathbringer reminded her, totally ignoring her. "And keep Firefly safe. Use your former-assassin skills or something."

"Yes, mother," Jasmin said, bored. "Whatever should I remember now? How to eat food? How to sleep?"

Deathbringer scowled at her. "You know what I mean."

"I'd better go." Jasmin turned away. "Bye. Don't make Glory angry." 

"You know I will!" Deathbringer called after her. Jasmin smiled to herself, and made her way to the school of her nightmares.