he did not expect to return to sootopolis this soon nor does he particularly want to, but circumstances have forced his hand. while he had joined the likes of councilman kim cole-essam in combating the alien in the forest, there was another fight that ravaged the city of mossdeep. though the reports have been unclear, what is certain is the casualties that stemmed from the invasion.

she is thankfully not one of them.

"has she eaten?" is the first and only question he will ask sophia. people handle tragedies differently; he's not too sure how freya deals with hers.

being mindful of the situation, he is led up to the newly constructed crow's nest atop the dragon's den. there is a door that leads out but he makes no notion to knock, deciding it best to just walk through. he nods his gratitude to sophia before merging out into the open air.

his footsteps are the only thing that disturb the tranquility present. he says nothing, at least not until he's close enough. he stands behind her at a respectable distance, still mindful of his presence.

"it will be rebuilt," he says, taking a step closer to the edge. "not as a gym but as a monument. to honor the fallen." 

sootopolis might have a new leader but it will not forget the past. it will not forget the sacrifices made.

"mossdeep will be rebuilt and its people will heal. as will you, freya." only then does he step next to her, eyes full with empathy.

"i am sorry."

freya morningstar

a soft chuckle escapes him as does a shake of his head. "and you give her too little." he peers out at the ruins of the gym. "she might just surprise us. call me an optimist." 

she motions to the chair and he follows. his gaze falls on her for moments until she redirects the conversation on to him. he finds comfort peering out at the vast walls of the city that encompasses, keeping it safe from harm. or at least it should.

"i encountered one in the forest. kim was there. we tried our best but..." he pauses, lets his gaze fall to the ground. "not everyone survived." 

it's only then does he realize his hands twitch at the memory of it. to be that close to something not of this world, to something that defies belief is an experience he will never forget. 

"how is he?" 

he steels himself to look at her. the corner of his mouth twitches slightly as he swallows, clearing his throat. what he says next is only said because he knows it's exactly how he would feel now if their roles were swapped.

"there was nothing we could have done."

freya morningstar

"and i am meant to protect the region." 

it's as he said: there was nothing they could have done. no preparations could have been made, no counters for aliens they've never seen before. his jaw clenches at the thought of it, eyes fleeing once again to seek refuge elsewhere.

her words do little to calm the sea of guilt within him. "i did not." compared to her, he's lost very little, he realizes this now. he allows a moment of silence to pass over them before speaking again.

"we all have our limitations. we were not prepared for them and there is no guarantee that we ever will be, but at the very least we need to try."

but mourning comes first.

his fingers intertwine with each other, fidgeting as he speaks. "can i see him?"

freya morningstar

he hesitates for a moment at the sight of the dragonite, briefly reminded of what could have been if he had been more careful, but the thought dismisses itself when he mounts it. they take him through a tunnel in the side of the wall and into a small cavern; one which he had no idea existed before now. his eyes look around with intrigue, taking in as much as he can.

the sight of the wounded is what catches him off guard. he's not sure why it does; it's not an unfamiliar sight. but perhaps being so secluded and private is what does it. he nods his respects to them as he passes.

the area opens up into a wider one, fit for a large creature and that is exactly what he's greeted by. he keeps a considerable distance away, mindful of the salamence because he knows their temperaments. he's had to deal with it himself at times.

he is almost mesmerized by how easy freya makes it look; to calm a dragon, to gain its trust is no easy feat and yet she stands there like she was born for it. truth be told, she might have been.

his heart sinks when salamence exposes its back. he steps forward, to the side, until he has a better angle of it so he can properly assess the damage. his eyes narrow at the gruesome sight; this is not one he has seen before and yet there is a calm that lulls over him. he circles the dragon, analyzing, understanding.

not a single word escapes him, not since they left crow's nest. he's too wrapped up in his own thoughts to spare a word, but it might be for the best. what freya sees is something not many have the chance to. he's lost in his own thoughts, peering at the damage from different angles until he fully understands it. he speaks only when he's confident he does, never before.

rising back up, he looks across at freya as he stands by salamence's damaged side. he gently places a hand on it, careful not to touch the injured portions. he feels the warmth emanating through its scales, feels its hushed breathing from how its body expands and collapses. dragons are not normally this vulnerable but he's seen them at their worst.

"i can help him fly again."

freya morningstar

alexander observes the loyalty, the mutual respect, the kindness they share for each other. he clenches his jaw and lets his eyes falter to the ground. he exhales, surprised that he had been holding his breath. he meets her gaze once more.

"a divide will happen within the league. i believe it is inevitable. the council, the elites, the gym leaders, the commissioner, the champion; we swore to stand united as one to protect the region. but you were at the coronation. you saw what agendas and opinions do to unity." 

he stops, pauses, and approaches her.

"i need you on my side when it happens. i need to be able to trust you completely, to know that you will have my back even if your own agendas or opinions change." 

he stands across from her, never yielding.

"swear it." 

freya morningstar

trust goes both ways. he hears the words and he feels pressure relieving off his shoulders. his hands are no longer tense as he exhales for he now has what he wants: an ally who has sworn undying fidelity. bound only by words, he knows it to be stronger than death. and he knows her to uphold her promises.

lyune's tail twitches. alexander's eyes drift over to what remains of the wing and he is reminded of life and how fleeting it can be. salamence should be dead and perhaps the only thing separating it from death is its trainer. he can see the strength and pride lyune continues to uphold despite the situation.

dragons are proud creatures.

he's pulled in for a sudden hug which he does not expect and so he's stunned for a moment, but his own arms soon fall around her to return the embrace. she whispers words that require no response and yet he gives it in the form of a nod. he stands there, battling the storms within him until she finally pulls away.

"give me two weeks and i will have the first prototypes ready for him. he is around the same size as mine, so he can stay here until he recovers." 

another hint into his true extent with dragons. he brushes past it as the conversation naturally progresses.

"until then, please take care of yourself. your oath means nothing if you are are dead. when was the last time you ate?" 

the latter is said more in jest as evident by his tone. he breaks into a slight smile.

"i have yet to experience the sootopolis cuisine."

freya morningstar

"stay still."

for her to uphold her end he must uphold his. his eyes narrow, knees bending as his hands, rough and bruised, start tying the ends of the straps together, looping and intertwining before tugging them apart. he moves clockwise, swiveling on the balls of his feet around the dragon that lays before him. 

"do you trust me?" 

it's a rhetorical question because he knows the salamence trusts him with his life. alexander trusts him with his. his hands move with grace as he secured one strap, and another, and another, moving around the salamence in a clockwise motion. he double-checks, triple-checks because he needs to be certain. there's no room for error.

"remember not to use your right wing." 

in one fluid motion he mounts the dragon. his feet slide into the straps and his right one shifts up and down, testing the mechanism. it's like shifting gears almost. he rests a hand on salami's blue hide and gives him a gentle pat.

"come on, friend."

---

two weeks. he gives himself impossible deadlines because he knows that's what he needs to motivate himself. all the equipment has been shipped to sootopolis and is waiting to be moved to the dragon's den. he's there to oversee everything, to make sure things run without a problem.

"it is nice to see you, freya." 

light shines down through the cracks of the ceiling. he steps into dragon's den with a crate in tow, mindful of his presence as he approaches her. the smile on his face is present as it usually is.

"how have you been? eating, i hope." 

he knows the small talk will be brief but he does it anyways, perhaps anxious that his invention might not be what she wants. the metal crate remains behind him, looming.

freya morningstar