I was worried.
I had only arrived to Dragon Father’s dreams a few weeks earlier. After they had rescued me from my slavery (Dragon Father probably imagining it was he who had dreamt of me and that adventure), I had remained behind and watched them from my new hiding place.
I was still learning about them, still learning what they were capable of and who they were.
I have never seen my precious, precocious 2-year-old Dragon Little be left alone with a villain. But I knew that day would soon come - and no doubt had come before I had arrived - when he would disappear in the middle of an adventure, and the villain would be left behind for Dragon Little to battle.
Watching her crawl out of the Ice Cream King’s trap and run towards where he had parked his spaceship, I stood up in my hiding place, ready to leap into action, afraid for the fate that would befall Dragon Little far too early.
She had arrived at his spaceship and snuck aboard its deck.
Even though my wounds had not yet healed from my own battle, I was ready to leap and be there at her side in seconds.
The Ice Cream King climbed up the stairs to the deck and stopped, seeing the little pirate.
“Well, well, well,” he said and pulled out his gun. “Looks like someone needs a shot of ice cream!”
I took the breath that comes before the leap, even as Dragon Little drew out her wooden sword. “Prepare to meet your maker!” she declared, copying her father’s words.
“Really? Are you coming at me with a--” the Ice Cream King leaned forward to look at her sword. He gasped. “Is that the Magic Sword of Ra?” he said.
“Huh?” she said, and I froze in place, waiting.
“No, no, do not attack me!” he shouted. He threw his gun aside and fell to his knees. “Take me to prison! Please! Everything is better than the Magic Sword of Ra!”
Dragon Little nodded happily and sheathed her sword.
As she led the Ice Cream King to Bonny’s Revenge and to the Infinite Prison in its belly, I realized that Dragon Father had somehow subconsciously left his daughter a weapon that would defeat any villain in his absence.
I relaxed as I heard Dragon Little shut the steel door to the Ice Cream King’s cell and lock it.
—Told by The Red Dragon