Making Waffles

A New Song

Hunter has Waffles on his shoulder the next day when he starts his work with Dell. Midday, he takes her to meet his friends. He is practically skipping on his way to Bonesborough before he remembers that once again, he can fly. He summons his staff and his heart lifts as he watches Waffles transform for the first time, laughing as she takes to the sky.

He reaches forward and pats her head, "Thanks, little one. I can fly again." He can't stop himself from whooping and hollering as takes her into a steep dive. "I can fly again!" he shouts, "I can play flyer derby again!" He is so happy he realizes there are tears in his eyes and he wipes his eyes, "Oh my Titan, I can play flyer derby again!" He circles the city, still laughing, filled with a joy he didn't know he had been missing.

From below, Willow looks up just in time to see him soar upwards toward the clouds and to let Waffles fall as he pushes off from her, flipping backwards to land on the staff on his feet before dropping back to sit sideways, grabbing the staff and swinging under it to return to his seat straddling the staff.

She starts clapping and calls for Clover, "He did it! He made himself a Palisman!" She calls to the others, "Gus! Skara! Viney! Look up! Luz, King, he did it!" She swings onto her own staff and takes off after him. When she catches up, she sees a light in his eyes she hasn't seen since the human realm and reaches for him, taking his hand, "Welcome back, Hunter. I'm so happy for you."

He squeezes her hand and moves close enough they're flying shoulder to shoulder, "I can play again, Captain. The Emerald Entrails are back. I'm back. I get to fill that hole in my heart and do one more thing I told Belos I was going to do. Hexside might not have worked out, but...I'm never going to set foot in the throne room because it's gone. I'm never going to have to be in a coven. When Alador and the healers figure out how to get these sigils off, I'm going to. We're going to be a team again. I just hope Bump lets me play if I can't make school work. I'll do anything to be a part of it."

She pulls him close and kisses his cheek, letting it linger a moment before sitting back, "I will make absolutely sure you can. We've been talking of taking the team away from the school and playing professionally. We'd be the youngest team in the league, possibly the youngest team ever, but...it would absolutely be worth it. I think it would be incredible to do this together."

Skara, Viney, and Gus circle them both, all of them thrilled, all of them excited to have him back on their team. When they land, Luz and King are waiting.

"Oh my gosh, Hunter, I can't wait to meet her!" Luz says as his teammates bound into an enthusiastic hug, ruffling his hair and patting his shoulders, Willow planting another kiss on his cheek.

They step back to allow him to take Waffles in his hand instead of circling them, "Guys, I'd like you to meet Waffles. She's Flap's little sister and I love her so much already."

"She's so pretty!" Skara says.

"And she flies so well already! Did you take her out to practice?" Viney asks.

"No, that was my first time," Hunter replies, "we're just that perfect for each other."

Gus gently pats her head, "She's precious. I think it's so neat that you call her Flapjack's little sister."

"And I love her name!" Luz squeaks, "It's so cute!" She lifts up King and his eyes widen as he sees the little Palisman.

"She's one of the blue jays from the back yard at your mom's!" he exclaims.

Luz's hands fly to her lips as she whispers, "You're right! It's mom's birds!"

"Yeah," Hunter says, "And I'm so proud of her for letting me to fly her like that."