Dragon Father and Dragon Little landed inside the base of the Martian Space Pirates.

Their hang gliders disappeared as soon as they landed. 

Although I knew it to be Dragon Little’s birthday, Dragon Father had never mentioned it - or what a birthday ist in all the time I had spent with them so far. And so Dragon Little did not know it. Perhaps it ist also true that Dragon Father did not know it. But then, how ist it that he came to raise Dragon Little? 

I do not know the answer to that one. I had only arrived when they were already together, seemingly since she was born. 

And yet, for some reason, on this day Dragon Little chose to reverse their roles and to go on adventure as her father, while her father was therefore playing her. 

“Okay,” Dragon Little said, “The pirates are in there. I’ll tell you what to do!” 

Dragon Father stomped his leg on the ground. “No, Dad!” he said. “You always say what to do. It’s my turn now. You do what I say!” 

Dragon Little looked at him for a second, astonished. Then she said, “Joy, today we’ll do what I say. Tomorrow we’ll do everything you say.” 

“I can lead! I can do this! I promise you I can do it!” he crossed his arms and quoted to her what she had told him only a day ago in the middle of an adventure. 

Dragon Little’s face changed and she became very serious. “Dad,” she whispered. “This is my adventure. I lead today!” 

“I can lead!” Dragon Father stomped his leg again. He was enjoying this. 

Now Dragon Little crossed her arms, hurt. “I don’t sound like that!” 

“That is exactly what you sound like,” he answered automatically. 

She turned her back to him. “I don’t want to do this.” 

Dragon Father looked at her. He saw a tear fall over the side of her cheek and he softened. 

“Aw, Joy, I’m sorry,” he said as he took a step towards her. “You’re right, that is not--”

Dragon Little whirled around. “Joy!” she said fiercely. “I don’t like your behavior! You stay out of this adventure! You go back to Bonny’s Revenge! I’ll do this on my own!” 

“Come on, Joy, I’m sor--”

“I’m Justin the Pirate and no one talks like that to Justin the Pirate! Go! I have spoken!” 

Dragon Father stood in front of her, thinking for a few seconds. 

Then he nodded. “Okay,” he said and turned. “I’m sorry. I’ll go back to the ship.” 

Dragon Little nodded. 

In a voice only he and I could hear, he said, “‘I have spoken’. Jesus.” 

Tomorrow, I will tell you what happened on Joy’s solo adventure as Justin the Pirate.

—Told by The Red Dragon