The Next Ender Dragon book II: Accepting Change

Chapter 18: MOMMY IT'S HER!!!

Hex's p.o.v

I stood there staring at the crumbled mess I used to call home. Even though I was here I couldn't sense anyone. I couldn't hear the scratching of spiders. I couldn't hear the creaking of skeletons. I couldn't hear the hiss of creepers. I couldn't even hear the heartbeats of my fellow Endermen. Where did everyone go?
    I walked towards the entrance, now closed by nature, and pressed my hand against the stones. An overwhelming sense of death filled me. It ran up my arm and grabbed ahold of my spine. It felt like a shot to the heart.
"M-my people, my kingdom, they're...gone," I couldn't help myself. I caught fire right then and there.
    The warmth of my flames surrounded me as they continued growing and growing. I felt rage, I felt sadness, I felt guilty. I let my heart get in the way of what was really important. I let a human get in and bring me to a false sense of security. I lost a step somewhere. What mob would marry a human?
     I heard a twig snap to my left. Someone has been watching me, how did I not know that
"Whoever or whatever it is, please reveal yourself. I'm not in the mood to fight," I turned around and began leaning against the stones. I crossed my arms to act tough, but I couldn't. My emotions were taking. I slowly slid down the rock.
     I caught fire again as I brought my knees closer to my face and hid my shame. I was naked, but I didn't care. What's the point if everyone you love is dead?
"Purple flames? Mommy! Mommy! It's her! It's really her!" A little girl ran out of the bushes and stopped in front of me. She slowly extended her hand, pointing towards me.
     I expanded my flames, hoping to frighten her off, but the little bother just jumped back and admired my curse.
     I took a deep breath and extinguished myself.
"What?" I asked as I pushed my bangs out of my face.
"Naomi! Get over here right now!" Said a voice in the woods. I recognized that one.
"But mommy, it's her!" The little kid started jumping up and down like she was fangirling over me.
"Mommy?" I stood up quickly and spun the child to face me. She had bright glowing violet eyes and a cute smile. She had long dark brown hair with a violet streak that was part of her natural hair color. She reminded me of...
"Naomi! Why do you let your curiosity get the best of you? It's not safe," she emerged from the brush of the woods with a pistol drawn. A young boy was catching the rear behind her.
     His hair revealed more of a red than black or brown, but he had black tips at the end of every strand of hair her had. He had dark eyebrows like his sister and mother and a cute smile. His eyes were yellow like a flame. He was a tall kid, but he was scrawny like an Enderman. He looked like the timid type.
"Natalie?!" I stood there as my friend dropped her gun. Her son stood there as his mom's hand let go of his. She started shaking.
     I could tell life has hit her pretty hard. She was still beautiful, but it seemed that wisdom caught ahold of her once flirty and childish ways. Her hair was tied back in a long ponytail with the purple streak still intertwining with her somewhat faded obsidian black hair.
     The little girl rushed up to her mommy and tugged on her arm.
"Mommy, are you okay?" Spoke the concerned little girl. I could sense the child's uneasiness as tears filled her mother's eyes. Her face grew wet as we stood there. I took a step closer as I started advancing towards my friend. The little boy stood in front of his mom and picked up the gun, aiming it as if his shaking hands could barely lift it.
     His mom placed a hand on his shoulder and placed out her other hand. The boy gently placed the gun in his mother's palm.
     I was now close enough that I could reach out and touch her. Her son hid behind her leg as her daughter was jumping around stating, "I found her! I found her! I really really found her!"
     Tears were streaming down Natalie's face as I extended my arm. I gently caressed her cheek and smiled as she laid her head in the palm of my hand, grabbing ahold of it as if not wanting to let it go. It felt nice to feel the touch of her skin. It felt nice to see her smile. It...felt nice.
     She just stood there crying and I wasn't any better, small flames sparking across my body as I attempted to hold back my version of tears. Then it happened. I pulled her in close and gave her a hug.
It was soft and sweet. I missed it all, even when she'd flirt with me and piss me off I missed it all.
     I snapped back to reality when I heard her kids screaming. I opened my eyes and stood there with my arms wrapped around Natalie, wondering why her kids were panicking.
"It's okay children. Mommy is okay," she snuggled her head into my chest and squeezed tighter. Her children stopped and stared. I realized my flames had engulfed Natalie, but she wasn't burning. I let go of her and stood there for a moment.
     Something came over me when I saw her smile, something came over me when I touched her skin.
     I brushed her bangs out of her face, grabbed ahold of her chin, and kissed her on the lips. I could feel her heart beat race before it gradually started syncing with mine. Bum bum, bum bum, bum bum.
     It was wonderful to feel the life of another Enderman.
     I slowly grabbed for her chest searching for the Ender necklace, softly guiding my hand to the eye and grabbing ahold of it. I snapped it off of her neck and waited as her true ender self showed. She looked up at me, blushing a bright shade of red and looking up at me with gleaming eyes.
"W-why?" She asked softly.
"I've missed you Natalie. So much. You don't understand the torment of being alone with only the voices of your ancestors floating around in your head, conversing and contemplating over your every single thought. The constant prick at your soul that continuously grows from a pinch to a fatal wound. Oh Natalie, you may have just saved my life," I grabbed ahold of her shoulders and pulled her close again before pushing her away yet keeping my hands on her shoulders.
"Oh Hex, I've missed you to," her face opened up as if something just popped into her head, "we have to tell the others! We have to tell them our queen and our friend has returned." She grabbed ahold of my hand and began pulling, but I stood still. She couldn't move me and she new better than to try.
"Who are the others? And what happened in the span 14 years?" I asked.
     She looked down to the ground as if collecting her thoughts. She brushed her bang behind her ear and placed her hands on her hips. I looked down at the kids and smiled.
"So how did they come into play? Little Naomi and..." I didn't know the boy's name.
"OH MY GOSH! SHE KNOWS MY NAME!!!EEEEEEEEEEK!" Screeched the little girl as she started running in circles.
"Zekiel. My queen," he bowed. It made me smile. I crouched to his height and ruffled his hair.
"Call me Hex," I smiled showing all my teeth and he flinched a bit in fear. His sister ran up to him and tugged on his arm.
"ZEKE, THE QUEEN JUST TOUCHED YOUR HAIR!!!" She was one of my biggest fans, I was sure. Her and....SAVION! My body went stiff.
"Natalie, where is Levi? Tobi? Samantha? Savion? My kingdom?" then I thought the worst," if any of them are still alive."
     She grabbed the Ender necklace from my hand and placed it in her pocket causing her human self to form again.
"We are all fine. Oh where do I start? Just follow me. Everyone will be so happy. Hex, you will start the revolution," her children grabbed ahold of her hands as she walked through the woods, me trailing closely behind.
"Excuse me ma'am," the little girl tugged on my arm.
"Yes?"
"My mother has told me a lot about you."
"Oh has she now?" I raised an eyebrow, now intrigued to what this little girl has to say.
"Yeah, and I don't remember any stories about your fancy scar," the little girl ran ahead of the line and started holding her mother's hand.
"Yeah, what happened there Hex?," stated her mother as she looked back for a second.
     I guess I never told them.
"Let's just say I've obtained new scars over the years."