Chapter 1
Benjamin Greenbloom had aged well over the past seven years, Twigleg noticed, ever since he's lived with his adopted family, he's grown a lot taller, a bit more plumper, not by much, but, enough to show that he was definitely more healthier than when he was ten. According to his adoptive mother, Vita, Ben wasn't even a beanpole he was so skinny. He was also a lot happier, and he wasn't the only one, his sister, Guinevere was happier with him there and of course there was Twigleg. The little homunculus in Ben's pocket.
They all have seen Firedrake and Sorrel once or twice over the seven years, with each visit, Ben notices that dragon and Brownie that changed, it was very minor things, Firedrake's horn's growing longer, his eyes always seemingly getting a new sort of spark to them, just really small things.
Hell, everyone over the years seemed to be changing in little ways, Guinevere's hair has reached well passed her back, she's pretty much forced to put it in a pony tail if they ever go out. Speaking of hair, Barnabas and Vita were actually starting to go gray in some places, Ben found it a bit funny that his adoptive father is also growing out a bit of a goatee, the stubbles of hair coming in patches of gray and orange. Vita hasn't really changed all that much, aside from the fact that her roots were, like mentioned before, turning gray but a side from that, she's been the same. The only one in the whole family who never changed in appearance was Twigleg.
Same little size, same big red hair that has never changed, never grows or turns gray, nothing. At times, the little homunculus felt a bit sadden by that fact, watching his family age in size and here he was just staying the same never to change.
It made the little homunculus wonder at times, what it would be like to age. Probably not well seeing his age at the time, still, the changes human's go through, it was amazing to Twigleg, for those three hundred years he was a slave to Nettlebrand, he's never once seen progression so fast, in fact, he's never seen the progression of aging in a human, none like these that is. He can only watch as his once 'young' master slowly turn into just 'master'...Then he'd turn into 'old' master, then...
Twigleg gave his head a vigorous shake, he didn't want to think about his master's death, who would want to think of something like that? No, he should be happy, Ben was happy and so was he, no need to think of death and such. The homunculus sighed out heavily and crossed his little legs, why didn't he feel happy?
It's not like Ben was ever forgetting him, no, Ben does all he can to spend time with Twigleg, but, with school and his after school programs, and his human friends, he hardly seems to have the time. Ben went from an awkward caterpillar at school to a rather social butterfly. One day it was staying at home and reading with Twigleg, the next, it was, not coming home till midnight from being with his friends. Was Twigleg jealous? Maybe, he didn't know really, it's not like Ben was ever leaving Twigleg in the dust, if he was gone, he'd come back with stuff for his little homunculus friend, most of the time it was library books, though sometimes he'd bring snacks. Still, it wasn't like before where Ben would lay down on the bed with a book in his hands and Twigleg would be laying on his young master's head and read along.
Still, he kept it to himself, he didn't want Ben or anybody else to pity him. Besides, this has given him a lot of time to read more and to catch up on the world as of today, he's not only learned the improved languages, but, he's also learned a bunch more history and mythology.
In fact, as of right now, that's what he was doing, sitting on the kitchen table reading today's newspaper, once he would finish with that, he'd probably read the big Greek mythology book that Ben gifted him recently, provided he have someone open it first, the cover was a bit too heavy for the homunculus to lift on his own, he had told the young master time and time again to get him paperbacks. Sometimes it seems to go one ear and out the other with him. It honestly made Twigleg just tick his tongue impatiently.
"Oh, Twigleg, you're up early." Vita commented as she walked into the kitchen, still in her bath robe.
"G'morning Mrs. Greenbloom. Did you sleep well?" Twigleg asked earning a soft chuckle from the woman.
"Twigleg, you and Ben seem to have the hardest time calling us by our names. As I have told you many times, call me Vita. I mean you've been living with us for seven years now." Vita explained as she got her coffee and sat down next to Twigleg. She sipped on her coffee then let out a curious hum. "Speaking of Benjamin, is he still sleeping?"
No, him and Guinevere went to hanging out with their friends, Oh, could you open that for me? Please?" Twigleg asked, trying to change the subject as he pointed to the Greek mythology book. With a less than happy hum, Vita did as she was asked. Using her index finger to open the book.
"They didn't bring you?" Vita asked somewhat surprised at the fact.
"Oh, they couldn't, remember, I have to be a secret." Twigleg said with a shrug as he started to read the first paragraph of the book, Vita pursed her lips in slight annoyance and said,
"It doesn't mean they can't bring you. You'd have to hide, sure, but...Twigleg are you even asking if you can go?"
The homunculus swallowed hard and then looked up at the woman, the look on his tiny face was all she needed. With a heavy sigh, the woman sipped at her coffee once more.
"I'm sure if you asked, they would bring you." She told him, giving him a slight poke in the stomach with her finger.
"What fun is hiding?" He countered, she just smirked and got up from her seat.
"What fun is being alone?" She challenged him as she walked away from the kitchen, presumably to get dressed or take a shower.
Twigleg crossed his legs and frowned deeply, twiddling his little fingers, Twigleg looked up at the window and just snorted.
"I'm not alone...Am I?"
He looked back at the book and kept the frown, if he was alone then would Ben give him presents like this?
Then again, if he had company, then he wouldn't be sitting here, reading a book. No, he would be out with his young master climbing trees and talking to fairies...
Had his best friend replaced him?
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"So the little Homunculus is feeling down? Oh, how cute." A woman cooed as she paced around her lair, with a smirk on her face she briskly walked over to a cupboard and shifted through it until she found what she was looking for. It was a bottle filled, with what looked like, sand dyed a dark burgundy red. She smiled maliciously as she moved some of the 'sand' into her hand.
"This...Will change everything." She laughed loudly and looked into her kettle where an image of a forlorn Twigleg sat.
"Oh you poor little creature, what you don't know, is that you are going to hand deliver the Dragon rider to me, and soon, with the rider's body and memories, the dragons will be under my control."
