“Now say it: I’ll be back!” Dragon Father and Dragon Little were at the helm of Bonny’s Revenge. Dragon Father was piloting the stolen pirate ship that had become their home into the furthest star in the sky, where adventure awaited. They had time to waste, and so Dragon Father was on a mission.
“I’ll be back?” Dragon Little, now just above four years old, was not clear on what he wanted from her.
“Yes. But with force and with an accent.”
“Accent?”
“Like this: I’ll be buck!”
“I’ll be back?”
“Or… Or something else. Like, ‘Asta la vista, baby?’”
“Huh? What baby?”
“That’s not my point,” Dragon Father seemed exasperated. “You need a call sign--No, not a call sign. A signature.”
“Siggature?”
“Like something you say when you attack bad guys, to put fear into them. Or when you leave and you say you’ll be back.”
Dragon Little was looking at him and shaking her head.
He tried again, “Like… Arrrrrr, maties!”
“Arrrrrrrr? What’s maties?”
“Or anything you want: Yes, I’m back! Or: Fear my wraaaaath! Or: Suck my--No, not that one.”
Dragon Little looked at him as if he was crazy.
“I’ll come up with better ones,” he said.
Dragon Little turned around and walked away. “I’ll be in my cabin.”
Dragon Father made a face and continued to pilot. Just as she reached the cabin door and opened it, he shouted at her: “You’ll be back!”
She entered the cabin and slammed the door shut.
—Told by The Red Dragon