A swirl of forces she wasn’t accustomed to interacting with drew Sora away from the 3rd dimension in a rush much faster than what she’d experienced with Eyia, making her a little dizzy as Jin fed frenetic energy into her, pulling them into the 6th dimension.

Rising up from the boat she’d been able to ground herself on in the 5th dimension, Sora grew a little distracted by the fragmentation of reality as Jin brought her higher and higher; everywhere she looked, similar yet tiny variations came from the sections of the sea that compiled into the universe they occupied, creating a vast, unique puzzle with every veil they pushed through.

Sora felt a bit of whiplash when Jin finally brought them to a stop in the high atmosphere, near outer space; at least, that was the closest thing she could describe it as, staring at the twisting sphere that was this universe.

“Uh… Wow, so… heh, I see so many Wendys! Well, not exactly like her since she’s broken away from the… chain of Wendys?” she asked, looking at Jin for confirmation, but the dragon wasn’t staring at the universe.

Flipping around, using her energy in the space between universes, Sora squinted into the blackness, yet couldn’t see anything beyond the veil of the 7th and 8th dimension; in reality—so far as she was aware—they were just so far beyond the scope of where they occupied that it was impossible to perceive at this scale.

“What’s going on, Jin?”

The dragon created a thin film around Sora, keeping them anchored so she wouldn’t be snapped back to the 3rd dimension by letting go of her hand.

Jin closed her yellow eyes and drifted away, breathing in and out before whispering, “I’m… scared.”

Sora wanted to roll her eyes and ask if that was hard but knew this actually was for her and something very integral to Jin as a person. “Huu-haaa. Okay. Let’s just float here while we think…”

In a way, Jin wanted her to know what to say without talking or revealing any vulnerabilities about herself, which totally wasn’t fair, but that was her nature; at the front and foremost, she had to know Sora wasn’t going to just brush off how challenging this was for her.

Allowing the turbulent and complex forces of the 6th dimension to swirl around her, Sora observed the large globe they orbited, compiling everything she knew about the small Korean girl; it didn’t take long for her to turn away from the distracting universe of activity to draw into herself.

Jin lived a dualistic and contradictory life as probably one of the youngest 2nd generation Founders in Existence; having a direct line to the mother of dragons and being fashioned as a sort of clone to her dead eldest brother put a lot of pressure on her.

Dragons were seen as some of the most powerful creatures there were, and she’d been instilled with the pride of that heritage. Yet, at the same time, since her birth, Jin had only seen herself as an imperfect reflection of what her mother loved about Gong-Gong.

The Korean girl hatched from an egg in the middle of some random universe—or not so random, considering her mother’s foresight—and had been wound up like a toy to dance along to her strings; at least, that’s what Sora had come to understand through what little she knew from her discussions with Jin over the past year, which, granted, wasn’t a whole lot.

Projecting all the possibilities that came from Jin’s backstory, Sora could piece together that she did have pride as a dragon, but in a complicated and negative way; she’d wandered on her own, trying to deny her mother’s claws in her life, yet had seemingly fallen right into the palm of her hand.

Sora’s tails pulled in as she studied Jin, still drawn into herself while analyzing her eldest brother’s orb housed within her Core. “It must be so maddening…”

“Hmm?” Jin’s guarded, golden eyes opened to observe her.

“Heh…” Sora rubbed her arm, glancing at the universe they hovered over; it didn’t take long for her to find the dragon’s passage through the various refractions of Earth. “Do you… regret meeting me since your mother…”

Jin sighed, showing a bitter smile as she trailed off. “Since everything just falls just perfectly into her all-powerful, all-knowing claws? Hah… Do you know why all my family hates me?”

“Because you’re the golden, yet black sheep child?” Sora playfully chuckled.

“Haha. I guess you aren’t wrong… It’s that I don’t have to do anything; I don’t try to prove myself to her like everyone else, and yet she still favors me.”

“But… it’s not you,” Sora whispered, drawing in closer to reflect the smaller girl’s forced smile. “Your mother loved Gong-Gong so much that she blacklisted my aunt, even if he played a role in my aunt Nari’s death… she couldn’t get over his…”

“Power,” Jin finished, flipping around to stare into the void as if something detestable were there. “Humph. Gong-Gong broke into the 13th dimension. Gong-Gong fought against the 1st generation. Gong-Gong was a true dragon… and all my brothers and sisters… my nieces and nephews… over thirty generations… we’re all still hearing about his glory… This.”

Placing a hand against her small breast, Jin extracted the small bead of multi-hued, hyper-dense essence before her fist tightened around it, beginning to tremble at the force she exerted. “Really… where’s the room made for me to grow… when I walk on a thin, frayed rope? I’m so pathetic.”

“How so?” Sora asked, crossing her legs and floating forward to be the soundboard Jin needed. “I think you’re amazing.”

“Hah. Me? Wow… a low bar, huh?” Jin smirked, squeezing tighter as if trying to destroy the orb her mother so desperately wanted. “I tried so hard at first to be everything she wanted, but… the more years I struggled, the more I realized I’d never be my brother… and before long, I found myself fearing this rope I walk…”

Releasing the pressure, her arm fell to her side, only barely holding onto her eldest brother’s essence. “Why am I pathetic?”

Sora’s brow furrowed with concern as a tear rolled down Jin’s cheek, and she began to think she had the dragon’s internal struggle wrong.

Jin’s grip strengthened again as she drew back her arm and threw her brother’s orb—at least, she tried to—hand extended with her closed fist, unable to unlock her fingers as she wept a laugh. “I can’t do it… I keep testing my balance in hopes that my feet will find more solid ground… and I can’t… I can’t feel safe in my skin.”

“Wait…” Sora flew to hover in front of Jin, seeing the frustration in her watery eyes. “No, Jin. I’m lost. How would that make any sense? Doesn’t bringing this bead back to your sister mean you’ll finally be free since she’ll give it to your mom—what do you mean you can’t feel safe in your skin—do you think your mom will possess you?”

“You don’t get it…” Lower lip tucked under, Jin blinked and rubbed away her tears before looking away. “Heh-hehe. Free?”

She sniffed and cleared her throat. “Free to do what, swallow my words whole again? Fight my own will of choking them down because of all my shortcomings? How can I blur the lines to make up for my selfish pretense… I’m starting to believe I’d be better off dead.”

“Jin, no…” Unable to hold back any longer, Sora floated in to hug Jin, and after a few weak struggles to push her away that she definitely didn’t mean, Jin gave in. “Talk to me…”

“Hmm-hmm-hmm… It doesn’t make any sense… Why do I want her to accept me? What if I return Gong-Gong’s orb, and she forgets about me? Why do I care? Why am I not enough…”

Tears came to Sora’s own eyes as she let Jin’s emotions wash through her; she’d been beyond wrong about how the broken dragon felt. It didn’t matter about the logic or circumstances; all that mattered was the undeniable sense of worthlessness Jin felt toward herself, unable to live up to the expectations placed on her young shoulders.

Jin did love her mother, despite everything she told herself or the pretenses she made; it was now more understandable why she’d been so drawn to Eyia’s unmovable self-confidence and drive for growth… because Jin saw what she wanted of herself in the valkyrie.

Holding the far stronger and more mature woman for a time, Sora reevaluated everything she knew about the Korean dragon; she was nearing the age of maturity for her species, and that had to come with its own set of emotional imbalances among all the other pressures placed on her.

When Jin’s hiccups lessened, Sora whispered, “Do… you want to bring this orb to your sister, or… we can figure something else out… if you want to destroy it.”

Jin’s chest convulsed with a humorless laugh. “Right… she’d hate me forever if I didn’t bring this—what?! No! I can’t destroy my brother’s essence—If I don’t at least give his power to my sister…” She trailed off, trying to find the words to describe the horror of such a decision.

“It was enough to bring a feud between many 1st generation Founders, and she’s going to forgive her weak and pathetic youngest daughter? No… everyone would hate me even worse than they do now! I’m already only just tolerated… then I’d be hunted and get everyone else wrapped up in my problem… Mmgm…”

Sora knew she wanted to say she’d already wrapped them up in her problems, causing her to tighten her hug as much as she could—not that it meant much to Jin. “I know you’re not that stupid, Jin! How many selfish problems have I wrapped you up in? You helped me feel safe so many times… Friends help each other. I’m here for you. Don’t forget that!”

“Why…” Jin defeatedly mumbled against her collarbone. “What have I really done, Sora? I was the one who told you I didn’t want to get involved. I didn’t really do any of that stuff for you…”

Hands momentarily tightened into fists, Sora opened her mouth and bit Jin’s ear to little effect.

“Eh… what are you doing?”

“Mmgm—biting you, stupid!”

“Why?”

“Because I know you don’t really feel that way!” Sora channeled Null-Void through her teeth, making Jin hiss, but she let go before being thrown off.

“Oww! That actually hurt a bit.”

“Good!” Sora returned, drawing back a little to glare at her. “What did you tell Eyia when you saved me from Eric?”

Jin huffed, rubbing her ear and looking away.

“You told her you couldn’t let your new friend be eaten! You didn’t have to do that for me, but you did. Throughout everything, I’ve dragged you through problem after problem, and now you expect me to run away when you need help. Sorry, girl, doesn’t work like that!”

Jin’s jaw set, fire returning to her eyes. “Why are you yelling at me?”

“Because I’m pissed at you; it’s not rocket science!” Fuming for a few seconds, Sora’s voice softened. “You helped me navigate the waters between Eyia and Kari, among so many other things you may think are trivial that… that totally aren’t for me, and I know Eyia feels the same about you.”

“Eyia’s just a stupid battle-junky valkyrie,” she grumbled, still tending to her ear.

“And you love that she is!” Sora shot back. “Eyia thinks of you as her rival—her first—which is a big deal for her. You know, she’s been really worried about you, and now I see why…”

“W-What are you doing—get off…”

Sora closed back in to hug her. “Jin… you’re worthy of being loved and having friends. If your mom can’t see that… there’s nothing you can do, and it’s her loss, but… but that doesn’t mean you’re alone… Okay? Jin… it’s okay to love yourself.”

Jin tried to restrain her emotions with a sniff. “What if I’m not enough…”

“You’re always enough… And no one but you can determine your worth, but I don’t know… I think you’re worth a whole lot, and I don’t want to lose you.” Pulling away with a teary smile, she forced a chuckle. “We’re friends, which—to me—means I’ll always be here for you.”

“What if I’m not a good friend?”

“Hehe. I’ll let you know if you aren’t.”

“Wow, really… What kind of sappy answer is that?”

“The Sora sappy special!” she grinned. “So, let me say it one more time… Jin, I think you’re amazing, and anything you need… I’m here for you.”

Jin tried to answer but broke into tears again, so Sora closed in for a third hug, waiting for her to regain control of herself; everyone needed someone to trust with their tender heart, and while Eyia was her idol in many ways, Jin didn’t have someone to open up to.

Against all her baser instincts, the dragon had cycled through all the options she had and landed on her; Jin pushed away everyone in her life before Eyia, which further opened up her circle by the valkyrie bringing them together.

“Hmm… You said something about your brother’s orb affecting you; is there anything I can help with?”

“Huu-haaa. I don’t know…” Jin pulled away to rub her puffy red cheeks and runny nose with her long sleeve shirt before holding up the bead. “It’s been sending pulses through my Core the closer I get to the 100th Existence-Year of my birth, and I’ve tried to slow it down by remaining in the 6th dimension, but… I don’t think it is working. I don’t know what to do.”

Sora crossed her arms under her bust and breathed out a long stream of whatever they were inhaling. “So… there’s nothing much we can do, huh?”

Jin’s eyes fell to her feet before shaking her head.

“Hmm-hmm! Okay, I’ve got it!”

Hope lit in Jin’s golden eyes. “What?! Are you going to talk to your mother?”

“Eh… sure; I can do that!” Sora laughed. “No, but I think we should throw you your first birthday party!”

“Huh? How’s that going to help?”

“More than you know,” Sora smiled. “Trust me!”

Not looking particularly confident, Jin nodded. “Umm… Okay?”

“Yes! Take us back down to my house.”

Jin’s jaw tightened as she stared at the bead in her palm before absorbing it into her Core. “If you say so…”

The complex weavings of the universe evaporated as familiar dimensional forces enclosed her, and in the next instant, they were standing in her room.

Squinting at the sudden influx of light from the open curtains, Sora stretched out and took Jin by the hand, guiding her out of her room. “Moppy, Emi!”

“Mom, breakfast is almost ready—oh, who’s with you?”

Wendy exited her room, thick brown hair a mess; she’d forgotten to tie her hair in a braid the night before or had been too lazy. “Jin? Uh… you didn’t say we were having guests,” she grumbled, returning to her room to freshen up.

“Auntie Jin is here; I haven’t seen her in forever!”

Sora chuckled as her daughter came flying up the stairs to tackle the sturdy Korean girl. “Welcome to breakfast, Jin.”

“Hehe. Thanks, I haven’t eaten anything in… a while.”

Mofupshi smiled as they entered the kitchen, pulling out more ingredients to begin the next batch. “Good morning, Jin.”

“Morning… Is she the same woman I met a year ago?”

“Haha! Not even close,” Sora snickered. “Oh, and we need to get a birthday cake on the menu for tonight.”

Emilia’s eyes lit up like Christmas morning. “Birthday! Birthday! Is it Auntie Jin’s birthday?!”

“Very soon, and this will be her first birthday.”

After some squeals of excitement and sending messages to Rayla and Luna, her daughter went into a frenzy of planning, wanting to learn everything Jin loves, and by loved, she meant colors, treats, and hobbies.

Sora let her daughter shower Jin with a level of attention the dragon wasn’t used to receiving, and Eyia soon showed up once receiving the magical letter Emilia sent to everyone. Kari graciously declined, but Emilia understood her valkyrie auntie and fenris wolf auntie had beef, even if she hated it.

Jin was shocked at how many people actually showed up for the unplanned event, including Aiden and Liz. If things weren’t overwhelming enough for Jin, Sora cheered when her two aunts returned in the middle of Emilia’s fashion designer gift shop—basically, making anything Jin said she didn’t mind wearing.

Nari spread up her hands in excitement to welcome her thrilled niece, jumping into her arms. “How’s my little frisbee?!”

“Amazing—well, a bit sore!”

“Fantastic! Oof. And how many sweets do we have for my little frisbee thrower?!”

“So many sweets!” Emilia chimed, replacing a suddenly disgruntled Sora to try to squeeze her greataunt to death.

“She’s so rough with me…”

“Te-hehe. Mom can be such a baby!” Emilia snickered. “I’m so good at throwing my mom at trees that Auntie Eyia gave me an ice ribbon! Oh, and we’re making hot chocolate, too—Auntie Jin likes it—so we’re doing all kinds of them, and we’re going to go camping in the snow tonight!”

“No way! I can’t wait.”

Sora pulled her dark-haired aunt away, still feeling the bruises on her rump from her daughter’s unusually strong grip as Nari entered the main frenzy of conversation, pulling Jin with her. “Aunt Seiōbo, Jin has a few questions about Gong-Gong’s Core and what it’s doing to her…”

“Say no more,” she chuckled, yet Sora noticed a sharp decline in the potency of her aura, showing she was far more drained than she was letting on. “Why don’t we discuss this somewhere less… chaotic.”

Sora cheered at Jin’s thankful smile; she was warming up to them, which was big for the guarded dragon, and her four-tailed aunt whisked Jin away to have their private conversation.

Deciding to get her own answers, Sora approached her golden-haired aunt and drew her away when she had the chance. “Was everything okay—I heard Primordials were scouting out our Omniverse or something?”

“A band of youngsters,” Nari laughed. “They were roped in by a rather handsome blond Nordic fellow named Lóriði.”

“Huh? Lorif-thvey?” Sora tried to re-pronounce the musical way her aunt said the name but felt like she butchered it.

“Hehe. Something like that,” she winked. “From what my sister left in her notes, he was a rather bold boy during The War, but has since grown up to be quite the catch… Oh, but don’t let Bobo know I said that!”

“Said what?”

They jumped as the smirking four-tailed vulpes was suddenly standing beside them with Jin.

“N-Nothing! Ho-ho… I’m going to get some chocolate pudding! Hehe-hehehe…”

“Haaa. My little sister,” Seiōbo sighed, making Jin chuckle; they seemed to have hit it off while they were gone, which was interesting, considering Seiōbo wasn’t all that sociable. “I hope my explanation was helpful.”

“Very. Thank you, Seiōbo,” Jin nodded. “So… tomorrow?”

“That’s when you’ll bloom like a butterfly.”

“Hopefully without the wings!” Jin laughed, making Sora feel totally left out of the joke.

“So… You become a full dragon tomorrow?”

“I guess,” Jin whispered, waving Seiōbo off as she went to tease Nari, stuffing her face with the chocolate dessert. “Sora…”

Ears shooting up from their drooped position, Sora’s focus snapped back to the dragon. “Mhm?!”

“It was nice being able to talk to someone who actually knew my mother before Inari… Thank you for asking your aunt to help me.”

“Of course! Uh-heh… so, ready for the early birthday cake… before Nari eats it all?! Aunt Nari, we haven’t even put the candles on!”

Everyone laughed as she rushed into the kitchen with Emilia chiding her flustered aunt, who was just trying to get away from her sister’s pestering jokes about liking a Primordial—it was a mess—but, overall, Sora considered this a major win on the friend front.

Things were looking up!