Emancipated Soul (CLOSED)

[EvergreenCat]

This is a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare roleplay that contains some fantasy and supernatural elements. It is in an AU setting and takes place after the events of a fanfic my partner is currently working on, so there will be major spoilers for the fic in question! It will later contain a homosexual relationship between two men, but nothing too graphic as to comply with the site's rules. This roleplay, however, is mostly about how one man copes with being thrown into a familiar, yet unusual situation. This will be my and my partner's first roleplay here and we hope to improve our skills as well as create a story. I hope you'll enjoy this roleplay!


--


It had been five months after the terrible events that took place in Talgar, Kazakhstan that resulted in the loss of so many lives.


Five months since a decades old grudge had come to a head.


Five months since he lost the man he deeply cared for to the clutches of the Slavic God of the Underworld and His servants.


Captain John Price had taken an extended leave to recover from the tragic and horrible events, but even after five months, he still had the nightmares of the killings committed by a terrible beast. Soldiers and civilians alike had been devoured by the monster to sate its ravenous hunger. But the worst part was that the horror had once been his protégé and friend, John MacTavish, otherwise known as Soap. It was the curse the witches had put upon him that turned the Scotsman into a monstrous lizard-like beast and poisoned his mind to the point that he was a shadow of his former self who was willing to serve the sisters' dark lord for power.


In the end, the power corrupted Soap to the point where it killed him. Price could recall how he held his dying friend's hand as he slowly changed back into a human in his final moments. The plaintive look in the Scot's eyes and his final words still haunt him to this very day. The old man often wondered would it made a difference had he helped his protégé sooner and even heeded the young man's talk of horrible night terrors that haunted his sleep. Could the horrific events been prevented had they not set foot in Talgar in the first place? To this day, the old captain had no way of knowing.


But at this very moment in time, those dark and traumatic thoughts didn't occupy his mind for he had a more pressing matter at hand...


~*~


John Price examined the very unusual rock that he had found in a basket on his doorstep one snowy evening. It was shaped somewhat like an egg and big enough to fit in his hand. It was also covered in small gems which added to the strangeness of the stone and yet made it oddly beautiful. He was puzzled as to why anyone would leave a stone in a basket unless they were a basketcase. As he looked over the stone that had took his mind off of the past, Price thought he felt it twitch in his hand.


"Wha?" he spoke, confused, "Did that stone just move?" He couldn't believe it, there was just no way! "Must've been my imagination," Price said as he sat down in his armchair while he still held the egg-like rock.

 

[EvergreenCat]

Price couldn’t believe his eyes. Before him was a reptilian creature possibly unknown to science that had hatched out of the egg. When he saw the sickly color of its scales and its deformed tail, the old man’s heart sank. It was obvious that the hatchling was very sick and might not live for very long. But just as he was prepared to accept the sad fact, his ears picked up the infant’s shrill cries. Perhaps the little one wasn’t prepared to give up just yet, as evidenced by the fact that it had a healthy pair of lungs. As Price watched in awe, the baby’s nostrils quivered as they picked up the scent of its surroundings before it honed on him. The withered old man, who had seen so much death in his adult life, reached out and cradled the newborn, eggshell and all, as he slowly realized that he had just witnessed a miracle right before his eyes. He has yet to realize that a greater miracle, one that seemed unlikely, was in store for him...


The old captain studied the wriggling hatchling in his hands and took note of how its eyes were shut like a newly-hatched baby robin. A small, webbed fin had stretched from the top of its head to the base of its neck, almost like a mohawk and a pair of fin-like ears twitched in the chilly air. Price’s eyes suddenly caught sight of a very peculiar feature on the infant. There, engraved over the creature’s left eye was a strange birthmark, almost like a scar. The sight of it and the cranial fin brought back memories of his former protégé and how they closely bonded after the Russian Civil War. He remembered what little good times they had shared, like sharing a cigar and conversing while on patrol, before Task Force 141 had set up base in Talgar and the horror that ensued. He blinked back the tears as he sobbed quietly at the memory of the last time he saw his protégé.


Why did it have to happen to Soap? Price asked himself as a tear ran down his cheek, He didn’t deserve any of this. I should’ve been the one to suffer in his place... When he opened his eyes, the old captain was surprised to see the little one had focused its attention on him even though its eyes were closed. Could it be that this helpless baby could hear him? He decided to test his theory out.


“Hey there, little one,” Price spoke softly, unsure of the reptile’s gender, “Welcome to the world.” It was cliché at best, but what else one would say to a newborn? To his amazement, the hatchling responded by wriggling further from the confines of the egg, crying out as it struggled to make its limbs work. He laid the egg back on the cushion and held out his hand for the little one to crawl onto.


“C’mon,” he whispered to encourage the little creature, “You can do it. Come out of ‘ere, little one.” The baby wriggled aimlessly for a moment before its nose caught the human’s scent and climbed on the offered hand. The small reptile was light as a feather in his hand as Price held it carefully. Once he had a better look at the infant, Price could see that its little paws were webbed, which indicated that it was at least a semi-aquatic creature. The old captain made a mental note to get a tank for the little one once it recovers. That is, if it can recover, he grimly thought as he exited the room with the youngling in hand. He knew the infant reptile needed help to survive the first hours of its life. It was then Price had made up his mind to make a call to an old friend he hadn’t spoken to in a long time. He just hoped he didn’t call at a bad time. As he waited for the person in question to pick up, Price looked down at his hand and saw that the newborn had snuggled into his palm, presumably for warmth and comfort. A smile graced his face for the first time in a long time as the old man watched the tiny baby sleep peacefully in the palm of his hand.

 

[EvergreenCat]

Before the scene could go on, one had to look back two days ago to see what went on before MacMillan’s arrival. At the time, Price was waiting for his former mentor to pick up while watching the little beast sleep. For such a sickly creature, the baby slept surprisingly well, even its little lungs were functioning normally. The old man was relieved that at least the youngling had a good chance of surviving. He was lulled into a tranquil peace by the tiny reptile’s breathing when it suddenly started to quiver, its eyes moving rapidly underneath the lids. Its limbs twitched and flailed as its movements became more violent. An icy shock of fear gripped Price as he watched the little one thrash in his hand. Was it having a seizure? He wasn't in any way prepared for this! Before the old man could do anything, however, the newborn let out a shriek that nearly made him deaf. Price nearly dropped the baby as it frantically flailed in his hand before it sank its tiny, sharp claws into the flesh of his hand, causing him to cry out in agony. He could see the blood seep out of the wounds and drip onto the floor below.


"You…" Price started to say as he grimaced from the pain, "You are certainly lively for a sick child..." He walked over back to the living room with both the crying hatchling and phone in both hands and carefully placed the former in the basket it came in when it was still in the egg. The baby stopped wailing once it felt the soft warm blanket underneath its frail limbs. Price didn't have a clue as to what had caused the baby to act that way. It may have had a nightmare, but at this age? It was more likely another symptom of its sickness. Whatever had happened, it seemed to have passed quickly as the young one settled down in the soft blanket and rested like it did before. Assured that nothing bad was going to happen to the little one as soon as he took his eyes off of it, Price checked the phone and was elated when it finally connected to the intended caller. As he lifted the phone to his ear, he couldn't help but smile with relief as he heard the familiar gruff Scottish voice of his old mentor and friend.


"Mac," Price said, his trembled slightly, "It's me, John."


"John?" MacMillan's voice queried from the other end, "I haven't heard from ye since the incident. Why you're callin' meh at this hour?"


"Mac," Price began as he tried to figure out how to word it right, "You gotta head over 'ere. I think I may 'ave made an unexpected discovery..."


There was a stunned silence at the other end and the Brit had wondered if Mac had hung up on him in disbelief. "Whit sort of discovery?" MacMillan spoke as soon as he found his voice.


"I may found a new species of reptile," Price announced, "An amphibious lizard, apparently. It had hatched out of what looked like a dinosaur egg covered in sapphires. It looked sick and I thought that you'd help me with-"


"John, can't ye see livin' near a remote mountain has, without a doubt, left ye mind lopsided?" MacMillan interrupted his former leftenant, "Ey highly recommend seein' a shrink, you're simply stressed from Talgar, son." It was clear to John that his former captain had thought he'd finally lost his mind from the long self-imposed isolation.


"No Mac, it's not-" But it was too late as the old Scot had hung up on Price. The old man sighed and put the phone away. It looked like he was on his own. He turned his gaze over to the tiny infant who was sleeping peacefully once again. "What am I going to do with you?" Price sighed as he walked over and sat next to the basket, "It looks like I 'ave to care for you alone." He sighed once more as he looked up at the ceiling. The old captain felt more lonely than ever and wondered if he'll ever have the company of another human being after what he had went through. A series of whimpers caught his attention and Price looked over to the basket, only to see the little one shiver once more. He grew worried as he wondered what was wrong with it this time.


In the dreamscape, the infant dragon hid in the shadows in sheer horror as he watched a man undergo a gruesome transformation. No child, however young they were, should bear witness to the horrific sights that the little one beheld. Skin peeled off in sheets, revealing flayed muscle before it was covered in dark scales as blood dripped and sprayed everywhere. The sickening sounds of bones crunching and cracking echoed in the darkness as the man's body was forcibly reshaped into that of a monster's. Claws shredded the wooden floor as the poor soul tried not to scream in agonizing pain. At one point, the man had thrown up his guts, which began to rot the moment they exited his mouth. Jagged spinal ridges tore out from his back, adding to the nightmarish metamorphosis as the man slowly lost his humanity. The youngling trembled in fear as the former human completed his change with the tail slithering out from behind him. The draglet realized in horror that the savage, blooded monster before him was the same one from his previous nightmare. The monstrous creature looked down at the frightened child, its red eyes glowed like the flames of Hell.


"Rarghh... se-rve the Lord," the beast spoke, his voice inhuman and strangely familiar, "Serve the Lord for eternity..." Oddly enough, even though the second part was spoken in a bestial tongue, the little dragon could understand it perfectly. As the savage brute lumbered towards him, the draglet had gotten so frightened he couldn't take it anymore. He knew, deep in his gut, that the horror was dangerous and would kill him if it had the chance. So he did the only thing his little infant brain could think of in this situation.


It was the second time that morning that John Price nearly had his eardrums ruptured.


"I swear, that child is going to make me deaf before my time," the old man grumbled as he tried to calm the squalling baby down. He didn't know how long he could put up with the noise before he goes deaf or loses his mind, whichever came first. At least I know it's definitely got a healthy pair of lungs, Price thought as he seriously considered in investing in a pair of earplugs. He petted the infant's pale blue scaly hide, noting how smooth it felt. "Shh, it's alright, little one," he whispered as he tried to soothe the newborn. So far, the child refused to settled down and kept on crying. The grizzled old man sighed, there was one last thing he could do, but he wasn't sure if it would work. He picked up the wailing hatchling and held it close to his chest. He then began to hum a soothing tune as he gently stroked the infant.


The draglet stopped his crying when he heard the human's heartbeat and the wonderful melody. He was reminded of the time in the egg when he heard someone singing a song in a motherly voice. The soothing sounds outside his shell gave his developing mind something to focus on as he slowly grew. The little dragon had missed that voice deeply and would love to hear it again, if only to chase away the nightmares that haunted him since he hatched. The tune the human hummed seemed just as good and maybe it would keep him safe as he dreamed. Sleep began to envelop the newborn and he snuggled into the human's chest. As he drifted off to sleep, the draglet wondered if the scary monster would be happy if someone sang it that song. Then it would never torment him again and maybe they could be friends!


Price sighed in relief when the little reptile had finally quieted down enough to fall asleep. He knew the child needed to rest in order to better its chances of survival as well as making a full recovery. He walked over and sat in his rocking chair with the infant sleeping in his arms. As he kept on humming the soothing melody, the old man though about what to feed it after its nap. Since it was a semi-aquatic species, fish might be a good start. He did recall having some cans of tuna in the pantry for when he decided to make a tuna salad, maybe he'll feed some to the little one to see if it likes it. If that were the case, then he'll have to stock up on tuna in order to keep up with the hatchling's demands since babies do eat a lot. But at the moment, his only concern was having the little lizard sleep without waking up and screeching loud enough to wake the dead.


Two days have passed and during that time, Price had learned a few new things in caring for the infant that unexpectedly showed up in his life. It turned out the little one not only ate the tuna, but it was able to digest it as well, much to the old man's relief. In fact, after one day of sleeping and fed tuna, the youngling began to show significant improvement. It didn't look as sickly as before, though it still had a long way to go before it could be completely healthy. There was still some concern about its deformed paddle-like tail and Price wondered if it would even be able to swim. He'd have to cross the bridge when he got to it, though, as it seemed it would be a long time before it became a major concern.


He also learned that the reptilian infant slept better with him close by and although he did like its company (indeed, he noticed that he felt less isolated recently), he couldn't stay with it all the time. He'd have to find an acceptable substitute if the little one was to sleep peacefully. At the moment, the old man just has to tough it out. But at least the baby didn't seem to have any further problems sleeping.


One evening, Price had just fed the little infant and put it in the basket for it to sleep in. He sat next to it and watched as it curled up with the tip of its tail touching its nose. He thought it was the most endearing sight he saw in his life. For him to have seen something so heartwarming after he witnessed terrible things no sane human being would dare to see was a real treat. The little creature was only two days old and already he was starting to grow attached to it. Maybe this was how most new fathers feel around their children when they were born? It surely seemed that way. The tranquil peace was not to last as a loud knocking resounded through the cabin and startled the baby lizard awake. Price tried to get it go back to sleep, but it was too late as the infant let out an ear-piercing shriek once more. The old man wondered how the house was still standing as he stormed over to the door, ready to unleash his fury on the muppet who disturbed the child. He opened the door, ready to raise Hell, when he found himself staring into the face of his old mentor.


"Oh… Mac," Price said awkwardly, "I didn't expect you to be here at such an ungodly hour." He couldn't believe he almost yelled at his old friend.


"I joost came by to check on ye," MacMillan replied over the loud shrilling, "And joost whit was that awful racket?" The old Scot wondered if his ears were bleeding from the ear-piercing noise.


Price sighed as he let his mentor in. "I'll show you. Follow me." He walked back into his bedroom with a confused and nearly deaf MacMillan in tow.

 

[EvergreenCat]

Soap chirped happily as he ran headlong from room to room, outrunning his caretaker. He had shown great improvement ever since his family moved to the countryside. His scaly hide had a bright blue color with a healthy sheen and his tail looked less deformed. He was also very energetic and wanted to play all the time. His bright blue eyes shone mischievously as he leaped up on the shelf, out of reach of a very irritated Price. All and all, his current condition was a startling contrast to the helpless sickly hatchling he was several weeks ago. Soap did still have nightmares about the creature, but his caretaker’s song seemed to keep it at bay most of the time.


“Soap!” Price called out, “Get down here this instant!” The little scamp stuck out his tongue and made a warbling sound that sounded suspiciously like laughter, much to the old man’s annoyance. He even swished his tail in defiance! Price sighed in exasperation and said, “Soap, if you don’t get down here, you’re not gettin’ any fish for supper.”


The young draglet made a forlorn whimper when he heard his caretaker’s threat. The mere thought having no fish for supper had dampened his spirits. He hopped down and walked over to Price, his finned ears drooped and his cranial fin laid back in shame. Soap looked up at his caretaker and whimpered, his eyes shimmered with tears.


Price sighed as he succumbed to the dragon child’s ‘sad puppy eyes’. “You know I can’t stay angry with you when you give me that look,” he murmured as he knelt down and scratched the lizard around his ear fins, “But still, the next time you want to get on my lap, let me know.”


Soap snorted in disgust. But it was fun surprising his caretaker and making him spill his tea all over the place! Plus, he was in the mood to play and now that they were together, they could get started right away! He trilled as he hopped in place and happily swished his tail in the hopes that his caretaker would get the message.


“Alright,” Price said as he took the hint, “Let me go get Mr. Tummy. I know how much you love him!” He heard the little one squeal in delight at the mention of his favorite toy. The old man chuckled and walked over to the dog bed where Soap had been sleeping since he outgrew the basket and the tank. There, a stuffed penguin sat off to one side, already looking a bit worn. Price smiled as he remembered MacMillan coming home one day from a trip into town and showed him the toy. It seemed like a long time ago…


The noonday sun shone in the kitchen where Price had just got done cleaning the tank Soap resided in. The baby reptile in question was curiously watching his caretaker do his work, his little legs shaking as he stood. Soap had grown to the size of a fancy rat and his health had improved significantly. His hide slowly took on a healthy glow and he had been more alert to his surroundings. The little one had started to become more active, eagerly clambering up Price’s arm whenever he had the chance. He was also learning to walk, hence why he was having a little trouble with standing.


“That’s that,” Price said as he took off his rubber gloves, “Hopefully, you don’t soil it too much like you did last time.” Of course, when one takes care of a baby of any sort, there were bound to be messes to clean up, as Price found out the hard way. He also found out he has an OCD complex as he scrubbed the tank within an inch of its life. He had to do this without chemicals in fear that they would be bad for Soap’s health. It was rather exhausting, but it was worth it seeing a I'm uncultured and span tank that shone like new.


Little Soap waddled over to his newly clean tank and curiously sniffed it. He stretched forward for a closer sniff when he tripped over his clumsy little legs and stumbled before he fell over, stubbing his nose on the tank’s glass surface. The little dragon had felt an unpleasant sensation, the worst he had felt in his short young life. Why does it keep happening to him? He only wanted to walk! Soap didn’t like the feeling at all and wanted his caretaker to make it go away! He let out a plaintive wail, wanting to be picked up and cuddled.


“Aw, Soap,” Price said as he picked up the crying infant, “Did you fall down again? It’s okay, son.” He held the little one close to comfort him as his hand stroked the soft scales. Soap quieted down as the pleasant sensation washed away the pain. The old man smiled as his charge let off a happy little trill in contentment. “There we go,” Price whispered as he saw the little reptile was happy once more, “You got to be more careful, Soap.” He gently placed the child on the floor and watched as he toddled off, his tail swayed from side to side to keep balance. “I swear, this little one is as prone to injury as his namesake,” Price muttered as he replaced the contents of the tank. His ears picked up the sound of the front door opening followed by a familiar voice that called out, “John, ey’m back from town!”


“Hey Mac,” Price said as he watched his former mentor come in with several bags of groceries in his arms, “How was the trip into town?” He picked up the tank to put it in its proper place.


“Exhaustin’” MacMillan replied as he unpacked the groceries, “Teh traffic is brutal, and then ey ‘ad to wait in line at teh grocer’s. Luckily, ey managed to make a quick stop at a toy store to get a present for teh wee one.” He picked up a small nondescript bag and took out a stuffed toy penguin. Its eyes were of stitched black thread and had a white face and belly with a yellow beak and feet. In fact, it looked like the sort of penguin that existed only in cartoons.


“Mac, are you sure Soap would like this?” Price asked as he picked up the toy. He wasn’t so sure if the little reptile would even be interested in something like this. A loud shrill erupted from the living room as the aforementioned child had fallen down once again.


“Ey think now would be good time to test et,” MacMillan replied, having managed to make himself heard over Soap’s cries. Price sighed and walked over into the living room where he found the infant sprawled out on the floor, wailing his little lungs out.


“Hey Soap,” Price called out in the hopes of getting the child’s attention, “I got somethin’ for you.” The baby dragon stopped crying and watched with teary eyes as his caretaker knelt down to his level. The old man placed the toy before Soap and watched as the little creature shakily stood up and sniffed at it cautiously. To Price’s amazement, the little lizard crawled up to the stuffed penguin and cuddled against it, as if he had found a friend at last.


“So, what yeh gonnae call teh penguin?” Price jumped at the voice and turned around to see MacMillan had managed to get behind him without him noticing. Either his old mentor’s skills at stealth were still good as ever despite his bad leg or he had been letting himself go. Sighing, the Brit looked over at the heartwarming scene. The little dragon had been snuggling up to the penguin’s soft belly in contentment. There was something about it that warmed the old man’s withered heart to the point he thought up a name on the spot. “Mr. Tummy,” Price murmured warmly.


That same stuffed toy penguin was now in Price’s hand as he walked back to where Soap was waiting. The young one wagged his tail excitedly and chirped at the sight of his toy. The old man couldn’t help but smile at the innocent and playful display as he sat down in front of the creature he called his son. “Alright,” he said excitedly as he held up Mr. Tummy, “I want you to go get him!” And with that, he tossed the toy penguin a few feet away and watched as Soap scampered after it, eager and excited to play. It was a game the old man had thought up in order to provide the child some much-needed exercise as well as bond with him. It was hard to believe that the little creature running excitedly back to his caretaker with the toy in his jaws was a few weeks ago the same one that had struggled even to stand.

 

[EvergreenCat]

Price was in disbelief as he stared at the unconscious boy in his arms. It’s impossible, he thought, There’s just no way it could happen! But he then remembered the terrible events in Talgar, of his encounters of the witches and their familiars and the baleful curse they put upon the young Scotsman he had grown close to. There was also the fact that he had been raising a little dragon, a creature long thought to be a myth. He had seen things, both horrible and wondrous, no mere mortal man had witnessed in their lifetimes.


The old man looked down at the boy again just to make sure he wasn’t mistaken. Though the child was lanky and had a full head of brown hair, he bore a startling resemblance to the late John MacTavish, right down to the scar over his left eye. He even had the same blue eyes that he saw on the doomed Scotsman. The way the lad snuggled against him almost reminded him of Soap...


“Soap!” Price cried out as he suddenly remembered why he was outside in the middle of a godforsaken rainstorm. He had been searching for the aforementioned dragon when he came across the cold and naked form of a boy. The former soldier called out for his ‘son’, unaware that he had already found him. The man’s cries grew more frantic as he didn’t see the reassuring sight of the young dragon bounding towards him. Oh, what I give to hear Soap’s shrill cries again, Price thought morosely before he focused his attention on the strange boy. He could see the child was shivering violently in his arms, an indication that he was still alive, but freezing to death. The old man sighed heavily as he started to carry the boy who looked so much like his late protégé back to the house. He would have to continue the search for the dragon later when the rains have stopped and the child’s survival was assured.


MacMillan drove from the airport as fast as he could in the heavy downpour. Earlier, he had received an urgent call from Price which prompted the old Scot to inform his superiors of an unexpected family emergency he must attend to, not knowing when he’ll come back. The colonel traveled as soon as he could in the hopes he’d get home quickly in time. MacMillan had lost track of time from the call, but he was sure that he had traveled for a long time. As soon as he pulled in the driveway, MacMillan hurried out to the front door as fast as his bad leg would allow him.


“John!” the Scot called out as he burst through the door, “Ey got ‘ere as soon as ey coold!” He was worried that something terrible had happened to the child, hence the reason for the urgent call. He was somewhat relieved when his former protégé had ran up to him. “Whit ‘appened?” MacMillan asked as he grabbed Price’s shoulders, “Es Soap alrite?”


“I don’t know,” Price replied in a worried tone, “I haven’t seen ‘im since this afternoon when I took ‘im outside. He must’ve wandered off when I went in.” He sighed heavily as he felt like the worst parent in the world. “I should’ve watched ‘im more carefully...” If only he had stayed outside when he took the call, maybe then the little dragon would still be with them.


“Don’t worreh son,” MacMillan reassured his friend while wondering why he took Soap outside in the first place, “Ey’m shoore the wee one es fine. He might be swimmin’ in a pond somewhere, the cheeky blighta.” In truth, the old colonel was worried about the little creature, but he chose not to show it for John’s sake.


Price felt a little better at his mentor’s words, though the worry for the little dragon’s safety weighed heavily on his mind among other things. “Thanks, Mac,” he said gratefully, “But that’s not the main reason I called you here.”


“Hm? Whit es et, then?” MacMillan was baffled at why his former leftenant had called him away from work. Price motioned for the old Scot to follow him as the two started off towards the guest room. When they stopped at the closed door, the former captain turned to his mentor.


“We have to be very quiet so we won’t disturb ‘im,” Price whispered, “What I’m about to show you... Well, you’ll have to see for yourself.” Before MacMillan could ask what was going on, the Englishman slowly opened the door and motioned for him to follow. The colonel followed his former protégé into the room, dimly-lit by a lamp on the nightstand, not knowing what to expect. At least until he spotted a child bundled in blankets on the bed.


“John,” MacMillan said sternly, pointing his cane at the unconscious child, “Woold yeh care tae explain thes?” He wondered if he had inadvertently stumbled onto something very troubling.


“I found the lad while I was searchin’ for Soap,” Price replied as he sat next to his charge, “I don’t know where he came from or why he was out in the rain without any clothes on, but that’s not the strange part.” He lifted some of the blankets off the boy so his former mentor could see him. “Take a good look at ‘im, Mac. Tell me if what I’m seein’ is real.”


Unnerved by Price’s finding, MacMillan decided to take a closer look at the child, just for the Brit’s sake. The boy was sound asleep, wearing nothing but a white t-shirt that seemed too big for his small frame and a pair of boxers. His messy brown hair was still damp from the rainwater, but it dried enough to fluff out a little. The scene seemed normal, even peaceful, until the colonel took a good look at the child’s face and recoiled in shock. “My God,” the Scot murmured as he slowly tried to process what he saw, “That lad… He joost looks like-”


“Yes,” Price nodded fervently, “He does, albeit a younger version of ‘im. He even has the same scar...” His hands shook as he covered the child up. “It may sound crazy, but I think the boy is Soap. Not the little reptile I’ve been raising, but the Soap I used to know.” He didn’t know what to believe anymore, not when a child who was the splitting image of his late partner had suddenly and unexpectedly appeared in his life.


“John,” MacMillan murmured as he laid his hand on Price’s shoulder, “Et coold be that the child joost looks like Soap and nothin’ more.” He was worried that his old friend’s mental stability was worse than he thought. Perhaps John hadn’t recovered from his grief at all and had resorted to kidnapping a child simply because he thought he was MacTavish.


But then why strip the boy of his clothing and put him in different ones if that were the case? It could be he simply changed the child out of his wet clothes, but the Scot didn’t see any article of child’s clothing to speak of. Besides, John didn’t strike him as a pedophile and from the way the lad was swaddled, he seemed to genuinely care for the boy’s health. Maybe there was truth to the claim that he found the child naked in the rainstorm. Still, there might be a possibility that ‘Soap’ was simply a lost child that John had decided to shelter.


When he heard no reply from his former protégé, MacMillan spoke up, “Tell yeh whit, ey’ll go see ef there are reports of missin’ children recently. Thes lad might beh one.” He got up and walked out of the room to leave the Englishman with the child as he went to make a call.


Price nodded, saddened that what his former mentor had told him may be true. In truth, he wanted to believe that the boy was really Soap, back from the dead. Maybe he really was losing it and needed to seek a therapist though it might not do much at that point. On top of that, he still had to find the other Soap before someone saw him and call Animal Control. The old man wasn’t so sure if the world was ready for the confirmed existence of dragons...


He looked down at the sleeping child and sighed. Even if he really was a lost child, the lad would probably need something comforting to hold onto when he woke up. The former soldier recalled how the boy cried and tried to escape his grasp before he soothed him. Whatever happened to the child must’ve been very traumatizing and Price could tell that he needed all the comfort he could get. He sadly looked over at the pile of stuffed toys that he had got for the missing dragon and spotted Mr. Tummy. For some odd reason, he felt the toy was appropriate for the little chap.


I hope Soap doesn’t mind if I give his favorite toy to the lad, Price thought as he got up and walked over to the pile. Picking up the stuffed penguin, he went back to the bed where the child laid in silence. He lifted the blanket up once more to place Mr. Tummy into the boy’s arms. To his relief, the lad slowly stirred as he woke up. The young one blinked his eyes as he intently sniffed the air, his nose quivering rapidly like a rabbit’s.


What an odd behavior for a child, Price thought in astonishment. The boy finally opened his eyes fully, which allowed the former captain to get a better look at them. There was little light, but it was enough for the old man to see that they were the most gorgeous shade of blue he had ever seen. Only two others he had encountered had those kind of eyes, one of them long since dead and the other currently missing. But as the little chap stared at him, Price couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something very familiar about those eyes. In fact, that feeling went much deeper than just mere coincidence.


The child stared at him for a moment before he focused his attention on the stuffed toy penguin in the old man’s hand. As Price watched, he leaned over and sniffed the toy intently, which puzzled the elder greatly. With the swiftness of a preying hawk, the young one grasped Mr. Tummy, not with his hands but with his mouth, and yanked it out of Price’s grasp. The Londoner was stunned at the action, his eyes wide and jaw hung open in shock. His thoughts run rampant as he watched the lad settle down with the toy in his mouth, the scene all too familiar to him.


It can’t be! Price thought in disbelief, This is impossible! He was so caught up in this bizarre situation that he didn’t hear MacMillan come back into the room.


“Ey joost got off the phone,” MacMillan said as he returned, “The police ‘aven’t received any reports of missin’ persons, but they’ll let us know ef anythin’ co-.” He cut himself off as his aged eyes caught sight of the boy curled up with Mr. Tummy in his mouth and Price staring in shock. “Whit is goin’ on?” the Scot asked, confused.


“Mac...” Price said as he slowly turned to face his mentor, “This may sound strange, but I think I may have found Soap...”


“Whit did yeh mean?” MacMillan asked, more confused than ever, “Fer all we know, Soap coold still be out there.” Has John finally lost it? He decided to go over and try to calm his former protégé down. It was only after the older gentleman sat next to Price when the next shocking thing happened.


The boy looked up from his stuffed toy and noticeably perked up at the sight of the old colonel. He let out a weak squeal of joy as he quickly crawled over to the old Scot and hugged him, much to the men’s amazement. They could only stare in shock as the lad whimpered softly and lovingly nuzzled his face against MacMillan’s chest.


There was no longer any doubt in the men’s minds that the boy was indeed the young dragon Soap, somehow transformed into a human.


“S-Soap...” Price said, his voice cracked as he was on the verge of tears, “What has happened to you?” Memories of his partner’s suffering under the witches’ curse flooded the former soldier’s mind as he embraced the child. MacMillan, seeing as he was in a middle of a group hug, wrapped his arms around the younger men. The odd little family was finally reunited, though it could’ve been under better circumstances.


Price then had a sudden realization as he held the child closely. The boy’s odd and uncanny resemblance to his late friend and the fact that he was actually the dragon he had raised from birth had led him to draw a conclusion that seemed farfetched, impossible even, but it was the only logical explanation he could think of.


“He came back...” Price said as he finally let himself cry, “Soap came back to us, Mac. Even when we thought he was gone for good, he’s been with us the whole time.” He didn’t know how or why, all that mattered to him was finally holding his young protégé as a human after so long.


A faint, yet audible gurgling sound rudely interrupted the heartwarming moment. Both men looked down as Soap began to emit piteous whimpers. It was very clear that the boy was starving, possibly from the aftereffects of the strange transformation.


“John, do yeh ‘happen tae ‘ave some fish at hand?” MacMillan asked as he stroked the boy’s soft hair to calm him, “Ey don’t think ey want to drive to the store rite now.” Soap’s whimpering grew more distressed as hunger continued to gnaw ceaselessly at his belly. He even sniffed around for anything edible nearby, despite the fact that his sense of small was reduced in his current form.


“I did get some salmon the other day,” Price replied, thankful for his own foresight. He held onto the squirming child as his friend got up off the bed. The former captain frowned with concern as Soap reached out for his father figure, his tears streaming down his face and whimpering. “It’s alright, Soap,” Price said as he tried to comfort the boy, “I’m here and you’ll get some food soon.” He wondered just what on Earth had happened to the little dragon when he wandered off.


MacMillan took the huge salmon out from the bottom drawer of the refrigerator, still trying to wrap his head around the latest revelations. Thes es unbelievable, he thought as he walked over to prepare the fish, Ey never thought that wee lizard es actualleh Soap. Yes, he did have his features, but still... With the fish wrapped up in foil, the old Scot shoved it into the oven and set the timer. He cringed when he heard a loud wail from the child. “An’ ey thought Soap’s screeches as a lizard were bad enough,” MacMillan muttered as he monitored the timer. He didn’t know how much longer his poor ears would take this kind of abuse.


“Soap, calm down!” Price shouted as he tried to restrain the struggling child. But the former dragon wouldn’t listen and wailed even louder, his eyes red from crying so much. The way Soap had acted suggested that this was more than just discomfort from hunger. Obviously, the lad was suffering from an extreme case of separation anxiety. Whatever event responsible for Soap’s current state had also traumatized the boy to the point he got excessively clingy with his father figures. Neither Mr. Tummy nor Price’s soothing lullaby were able to calm him down. The old man sighed as he realized the most obvious solution to the problem. He hoped that his old friend wouldn’t mind a little company while the fish was being cooked. He lifted the bawling child into his arms and set off for the kitchen, soothingly rubbing his back along the way.


A loud shrilling cry snapped MacMillan out of his trance and him look up just in time to catch sight of Price with a crying Soap in his arms. Almost immediately, the lad had quieted down at the sight of the older gentleman, his wails reduced to soft whimpers.


“See Soap?” Price reassured the child as he held him close, “Mac’s still here. He just went to make food for you.” He turned to his old mentor and replied sheepishly, “Sorry. It was the only thing I could think of to calm him down.”


“Et’s fine,” MacMillan replied, relieved that the boy had quieted down, “Besides, et was pretteh obvious that he misses meh. Why, ey coold even hear ‘im on the other end whenever ey called ye.” To be honest, the old Scot was secretly pleased to have a young one see him as a father, even if they were different species.


Soap still stared at the older Scot, as to confirm that the man before him was real and not just an illusion conjured up by his childish mind. Slightly comforted in the presence of his parental figures, he began to suck on his thumb. The lad didn’t know why, it just seemed like a good idea to him and it was very comforting to his senses.


Price sat down on the kitchen floor with Soap in his arms and let the boy have a view of the colonel. He could feel the child relax in his arms as the nearby timer ticked by. The scent of the cooking salmon was heavy in the air and the Londoner was surprised that the young one hadn’t made a scene like he did the previous times. He felt a nudge and looked down, his aged eyes caught sight of Soap snuggling into him. Perhaps the day’s events and his crying jag had wore him out. At least he’s calmed down, Price thought as he gazed down at the child, He must really be tired to fall asleep twice in one day.


“Ey’m surprised that he wasn’t tryin’ to climb up mah leg,” MacMillan said, mirroring his former protégé’s thoughts, “The wee lad must be tired after whit ‘ad happened tae him earlier.” He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of a young and lanky Soap curled up in Price’s lap. In all his long life, even in the military, he had never witnessed such a blessed miracle. The old colonel knew a lot of people, himself included, who wanted their loved ones to come back from the dead. John was a lucky fellow to have his apprentice come back into his life, though in a very unexpected way. Still, he wondered if Soap would ever remember the deep connection he and Price once shared in his prior life. For now, it seemed the lad only saw John as a loving father and nothing more.


Speaking of Price, the man in question lovingly gazed down at his ‘son’ as the child settled down for a nap, still sucking his thumb. He was still shocked at the recent turn of events. But still, the old captain was glad that God or whichever deity was in charge had decided to give his former protégé a second chance despite what happened in the past. Yet there was something that still bothered him, even in this peaceful moment.


Is he still Veles’ slave? Price thought as he stroked the Soap’s soft hair, Or is he truly free from Him? Soap was still cursed when he died, but was it lifted when he hatched? And how did he manage to regain his freedom? Those questions ran unceasingly through his troubled mind as he wondered how his former apprentice had escaped the Slavic God of the Underworld and reincarnate as a dragon in the first place. But there’s one thing I really want to know...


Does he still have feelings for me, even after all we had done to each other?


A sharp tink snapped Price out of his thoughts after what seemed like moments later. He wondered if he had fallen asleep while waiting for the salmon to be done. This certainly wasn’t the first time it had happened. The noise also caused Soap to stir from his nap and tiredly lift his head up to look around. The Londoner had to admit the way his charge woke up was so adorable. He watched as the child slowly became aware of the fragrant aroma of the cooked salmon and the ambient sounds of MacMillan carving the fish up. Almost immediately, Soap leaped off of his caretaker’s lap with a swiftness that he demonstrated the first time since he changed into a human and scurried on all-fours towards the older Scot. The boy then pawed at his father figure’s pants and let out demanding cries for food as Price looked on with amusement. Even when he was in human form, Soap was still the same hungry young dragon begging for fish.


MacMillan had to pick up the pace when he heard the lad’s cries, but he was almost done. The first moment after the last bit of fish was cut, the old Scot set the heaping plate of salmon before Soap and quickly stepped back as the transformed dragon squealed with joy and pounced on it, ravenously devouring his meal with gusto. Obviously, the young one needed to be taught manners now that he was a human, but would come later when he was fully recovered.


For Price, the sight of the lad eating like an animal was an unsettling reminder of the incident at the mess hall when Soap greedily devoured all the meat the day before his horrible transformation, yet at the same time it was different, almost as if history had repeated itself, but in a new and heart-warming way. The whole scene was like a positive contrast, filled with merriment as Soap gratefully stuffed his face like a hungry kitten in their new home. Price couldn’t help but crawl over to where his ‘son’ feasted and gently rubbed his back. “Now Soap,” he scolded gently when he heard the excessive chewing and gulping noises of a starving child, “Don’t eat too fast or you’ll choke.”


The reincarnated being slowed down when he felt the calloused but gentle hand rub soothing circles on his back and the rough husky voice of its owner. Soap sighed in contentment as he continued to eat at a now slower pace, happy that he got the very things he had wished for when he was out in the cruel storm. For once, life had decided to give the child a chance to achieve prosperous peace.


There was silence as the two men watched their charge eat his meal in peace. MacMillan decided to speak up his concerns of the latest development in the young dragon’s life. “Yeh know,” he said, “When ey said that ey imagined bigger responsibilities arrivin’ at our doorstep, thes esn’t whit ey meant.” As if caring for a growing reptilian mythical creature wasn’t hard enough, they now had to care for a preteen who may or may not turn back into the aforementioned creature. For all they knew, the transformation could be permanent.


Price sighed as he knew what his old friend had meant. They were obviously not prepared to take care of a human child and fate seemed to be in a cheeky mood when it decided to make their lives more complicated than ever. Sure, the Londoner was getting the hang of taking care of a growing dragon, but a preteen boy was a different matter! Not to mention Soap would have to be taught to live in human society and the fact that he had been greatly traumatized by whatever happened to him made the task more daunting than it already was.


All and all, a very difficult challenge laid ahead for the small family. One that would surely test the bonds between them, especially when an unknown threat was secretly gathering his strength...