[So, where do you want to go first?] Surdi asked Alma the moment they left the noisy establishment behind.

"I really wanna go to that dojo they invited me to. We could learn how to fight properly!"

[You are just bitter you didn't get to punch through the skin, aren't you?]

"No! But... It would be nice to know how to do that. So far, I have two weaknesses. Time magic, and stretchy stuff. Time is a worthy adversary, I'd say, but a stretchy patch of skin? Absolutely unacceptable! So I'll learn how to overcome it."

[Well, I don't want to just spend the whole day in a dojo. I wanna go exploring. To see more of the hive in general.]

"Then do so. I'm not stopping you."

[But shouldn't we stay together? Just in case?]

"They said the hive is protected. Just make sure to stick to places where they are lots of people and we should be fine."

[Well, alright, if you say so.]

With wishes of luck, the two parted ways. While the young dragon went down the stairs to investigate the Skinscale hive from the bottom, Alma headed to the other side of the massive room, straight into the dojo.

"You actually came?!" the instructor there proclaimed when he saw her enter.

Compared to the militia's training room in Elkif, this was quite a vast difference. The entire main room of the dojo was lined with a soft material that covered everything from the floor all the way to the walls. The ceiling was the only part spared of this strange coat. Dragons were scattered around the room, each doing something else. Some were only letting their bodies flow with movements of ancient exercise forms, while others were more practical and went for sparring.

"Of course I came. You invited me, remember?" she replied.

"Yes, that's true. I just didn't expect you to actually come. Let alone so soon. Most people don't care about Pak-fi martial arts. But I am really glad to have a new student. I'll try finding a uniform that would fit your size and then we can begin with some simple stretching."

"Hold on! Slow down. I didn't come here to learn your martial arts. I just wanted some tips from you, if you'd be willing to part with them."

"Tips?"

"Yeah. I'm really strong. More than you might realise. But that skin still put up a fight. I wanna learn how to overcome a weakness like that."

"Ah, well, that is quite advanced. You won't be able to learn it just like that out of the blue."

"But I can still try, no?"

The dragon smirked. "Look, don't get too ahead of yourself. I'll give it to you, you have strength. But you're still lacking experience and skills."

"Why don't you just try me then? Tell me how to do it and I will see if I can do it or not."

Suddenly, an idea was born inside the dragon's mind. He had to admit that it was a bit mean, but that did not stop him from following it through. "Sure, I'll try you alright. How about a quick match then? If you can avoid getting pinned to the mat for two minutes, I will tell you how it's done."

"So... just don't get pinned?"

"Yup, that's right."

Alma took a few steps back. "Oh, I'm in!" She grinned at the instructor. "Show me what you've got!"

"See? No stance, legs too close to one another, hands not raised for quick defence. You are unprepared. That means I can easily do something like this!" The dragon crossed the distance between them in one quick dash. His speed caught Alma completely off guard. With a quick crouch, he disappeared from her sight. A swift kick swept the floor, ready to take Alma's legs with it. The dragon's foot only stopped once it reached the girl's ankle. A loud thud reached her ears, followed by the dragon's painful cries. Before he could say a word or even process the whole situation, Alma grabbed him and with absolutely no form or elegance, she tossed the adult dragon face-first onto the floor. The padding softened for a brief moment, cushioning the instructor's fall, before once again returning to its previous hardness.

"Agh! What aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" the dragon yelled as Alma sat down on his back. No matter how much he tried moving, he couldn't. It was as if someone gently placed a boulder on him. She wasn't big nor heavy, but her presence effectively immobilised him.

"So, am I strong enough now?" she teased him and enjoyed the fact that the entire dojo stopped and stared as their most experienced member ate the floor.

"Okay, okay, yes. Get off!" he spurted out and the girl slowly got up again, setting him free. "Wow, you are... really something else."

"I travel with a monster hunter. What did you expect?"

"Heh, very well, I suppose I owe you an apology."

"No, you owe me some wisdom!"

"Right! Well, in all honesty, if you have the strength to stretch the skin as much as we've seen, then it's really simple. I just didn't want to tell you because I really don't like when people come here just to learn that 'one cool move', you know? I want students who just like working on themselves."

"I am like that! I always like to improve my abilities. But I am a tad bit different than you might think. And so if I see I have a clear weakness, I wanna fix it. So? What's the secret?"

"Speed."

"Speed?"

"Yes. You went for one punch with a long windup. Can you show me some punches now? Just in the air like that."

Alma rolled her eyes and did as he asked, showing off her fistfighting skills.

"Ah, well, that won't do at all."

"Why not? What am I doing wrong?"

"Unnecessary movements. You punch too far forward. It's like you're hoping to end a battle in one blow."

"Well, it's usually like that."

"But not always, as we've seen. The skin gets ruptured when you hit it with enough force but the moment it starts stretching, you pull your hand back and deliver another strike."

"Right! Like those super fast punches you did."

"Exactly like those."

"So, how do I move fast like that?"

"Practice. Learn how to control your body better. Punch only to deliver a strike, then pull back, and strike again with your other hand. Keep doing that over and over and eventually, you'll get faster. Make sure to aim at different spots too, to become less predictable."

Alma gulped his words down and immediately demanded to practice. The dragon grinned. Her enthusiasm fueled him. Although she was quite far from his typical disciple, having such a dedicated student reignited his passion for martial arts nonetheless. To help her out, he escorted her to the second room of the dojo, which was filled with wooden training dummies placed one next to another with just enough space between them to allow for multiple people to train at once. It didn't take long before the training hall resonated with the sound of snapping wood, Alma's apologies, and the dragon's lectures about how expensive the dummies actually are.

The sound flew out of the dojo and high up through the open centre of the hive. It got mixed with laughter, yelling of children, and the general noise produced by larger crowds. This tightly entwined ball of sounds then eventually carried itself all the way to the top floor, reaching the ears of all but one dragon.

Surdi was sitting on a small viewing platform. It was slightly tilted and past the raised safety railing, one could really see everything the hive could offer. The massive dragons seemed like little ants when viewed from up here. Each floor seemed similar to the others, and yet still different if one looked closely enough. The majestic view was then finished by the sight of a massive, ornate, glass window. The colourful panes were arranged to show the image of a young human and a dragon hatchling, both injured and bleeding from the same spot. It was a testament to the origin of the hive. How a human saved a hurt dragon, which the dragon later returned when the human himself got attacked by wildlife. From their friendship, a hive was born, years and years later. A hive of both skin and scale.

"Quite a view, isn't it?" Durmak spoke after gently tapping on Surdi's shoulder to grab his attention. The boy twitched upon the sudden touch, but quickly calmed down when he saw it was only their guide. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

[It's fine. I just got startled a little. What brings you here?]

"I could ask you the same question. Your father requested me to keep an eye on you and your sister, so that's why I came. What brought you here of all places?"

[I was... looking for a place to think.]

"Why do I sense that it has a negative meaning? Is the hive not what you expected?"

[No no, quite the opposite. It's really beautiful.]

"I sense a but incoming."

[Yeah. Well, it's a bit confusing for me.]

"Confusing how?"

[Well, I'm supposed to belong here. This is my culture. It's where I came from. But it just feels... odd. Doesn't feel like home. Even though it probably should. These people are my own species, and yet I feel so distant. Besides, even if I did find my place here... I just got a home. Technically.]

"Technically?"

[Yeah. It's been only a little over a month since Glavas adopted me and Alma. It's still kinda weird. Even though nothing really changed. Glavas cares about us and we care about him. We've grown really close during our travels. And Alma... well, I've known her ever since she was born. I remember coming to babysit her when she was little, and then as she got a bit older, we became friends. Grew closer and closer the more she matured and reached about the same age group as me. If anyone is to be my sister, it's her. So... I really don't know. This hive doesn't feel like home, and my actual home feels strange even though it shouldn't.]

"Want my opinion?"

[Sure.]

"It takes time. You need to get used to the three of you being a family. It's not easy. But I can see both your father and your sister care a lot about you. So you don't have to worry. It just needs to settle a little. That's all."

[I really hope you're right.]

"I bet I am. My age brings certain wisdom, you know?" He laughed. It was a deep laugh that drew the attention of many bystanders without Surdi noticing. "And you know what, this dilemma is quite nonsensical! Of course, this place will seem odd to you. Just because you share the same species as everyone else here doesn't mean you have to like Skinscale. Your life should not be defined by race or the place where you grew up. Do what you wish! If you desire to travel with your father and learn to be a hunter, then follow that dream to the end of the world!"

[Oh, I don't actually want to be a hunter.]

Darmok raised his eyebrows. "No? Then what would you like to do? Ever thought about where you wish your future to take you?"

[I don't know. But... I'm really fascinated by magic. The one I was born with, I mean. I wanna figure out its secrets. Not to just learn it, but to understand it, you know? The concepts, the implications, and so on. Heh, sounds crazy, right?]

"Crazy? Hah! You know what they say about the most powerful wizards of history?"

[What?]

"They all had a screw loose. Some say that in order to understand magic and unleash it to its full potential, you need to be a bit insane. To not just learn from books but to actually dive into the possibilities magic might hide. So never be afraid to sound crazy, alright?" The old dragon's words seemed to have brought a smile to Surdi's face.

"You know, there is a place related to magic in the hive that I bet you'd love to see. Our wizards actually go there to meditate often. Wanna have a look?"

[Oh absolutely!]