The Enderdragon's Baker (A Minecraft Story)

Losing Bets

*Whiz- Bip!*
*Whiz- Bip!*

*Whiz-* BOO!" H popped up behind me and yelled. *Bip!* Bullseye. Or, at least, mines did. Ed's thumped into the wall a good two blocks from the target. Me and H laughed as he sighed deeply. "You've failed me, Brine."

"I've got 5 hyper brothers." I retrieved our knives from across the room, putting them back in their holsters. "You'll have to do better than that to distract me while aiming."

"5?"

"Ogden and Leland are petty chill." Brine answered for me. "I see Endie's plan has worked perfectly."

"Aside from almost freezing her, you mean?"

"Nevermind." He mumbled. "Anyway, ready to go, Anna?"

Honestly? No. It's been really fun to just practice and eat redstone buns. I could tell it would be dinner soon so I've been here a while, but I just don't want to leave. I don't think I hid it very well either, seeing their smiles had fallen. I looked away. I can't think like that, I've got work to do.

"Sure."

"Anna, you don't have to." I looked back at Brine. "They can handle a night without you."

"That's a night I'm not looking thr-"

"If anything comes up, we'll come get you." Ugh, I don't know if I have a say anymore.

"You better." My answer made them laugh, the sound making me smile a little. "Here, we made too many redstone buns. Mind taking them to my brothers?"

"There's a bun tax."
"Share them, H. I mean it!"
"No promises!"

Poof, gone.

"No we didn't." Ed pouted and I chuckled, leaning up to pat his head a few times.

"Yeah, but you've got dinner to make." He glanced at his target and the holes around it instead of in it.

"I did lose that bet pretty bad, huh?"
"Bad enough for dinner and dessert."
"Fine, but your helping me with it."
"Deal!"

He rolled his eyes as we left back for the kitchen. We debated what dinner should be until he brought up roasted chicken and I immediately started craving some. Not like he was any different, it was basically unanimous. The only thing we argued about was dessert, because if he's going to make me help than we're doing something hard dang it! In the end I won, mentally picking something in the middle still. I still want to be able to eat it after all and despite what they may say, I can very much burn and mess up pastries.

"Hey, Ed?" I asked later. The chicken is in the furnace, Ed is checking the carrots and potatoes now, and I am cleaning up our huge mess. He hummed an answer. "You know how your necklace hides your wings and stuff?"

"Somewhat."
"Somewhat?"

"I can do that anyway, it's just taxing without this thing on."

"Oh."
"You were saying?"

"What if a human wore it?" He smirked up at me, right beside me in the blink of an eye.

"Why? Did you miss me that much?~" I sighed and shook my head. Such a flirt.

"No, I'm curious. Would they blow up on contact like normal End Crystals or grow wings or something?"

"I do love your imagination. No, they don't turn into some kind of dragon, ya nerd." He poked my nose and I giggled. "I'm not too sure. Humans can't break off pieces like I or Enderman can, so their uses are limited to them. Want to test it?~"

"What if it explodes?"
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure it's safe, cutie."
"Than definetly!"

He slipped off the necklace and, true to his word, his dragon features didn't return despite it. He slipped it over my head before moving and fixing my hair out of it. It felt warm against my chest but lighter than I expected. I felt normal but in the back of my head I know something's changed, I just can't tell what. I reached behind me but felt no wings or tail, Ed immediately laughing at it.

"Did you think I was lying?!"
"I can dream!" I snapped back, laughing.

"So, feel any different?"

"Not really? Kinda?" I shrugged. "But I feel like something's changed."

"Hmm." He held my face and tilted it, looking at my features before jumbling my head jokily. I giggled and swatted his hands away. "Hmmmmm. I don't think it's a feature. Maybe it's a sense? What do you think changed?"

"I don't know, it just feels that way. Like I know something has changed but it hasn't. Just now the feeling got stronger than lessened." His eyes widened and he glanced away from me.

"Anna, I'm pretty sure your sensing someone's here."

"In the castle?"

"In the End." He was frowning now and pacing around. "And you just confirmed something for me."

"What's that?"

"Someone is here and hasn't left in a long time." He paused. "Is it a warm feeling or a cold one?"

"Warm?"
"That explains why your so at ease with this! It's someone you know!"

"My brothers shouldn't be out here so late."

"No, when I say a long time, I mean a few weeks." Wait-

"Could it be Freddy?!" He took my hand and rushed out, practically dragging me until I caught up.

"Only one way to find out. Come on."