Cupcakes and Play-Doh

The Pirate-Ninja brandished his katana. Only he kept the Dragon from drying the seven seas, trapping the pirates with landlubbers. Claws reached back to deliver a deadly—

The Dragon withdrew colorful pastries. “Would you like a cupcake?”

The boy froze, play-doh pirate-ninja in hand, blue eyes blazing at his younger sister. “Dragons don’t bake cupcakes!”

“Greeney does!” She glared back, eyes mirroring his. “He makes the bestest cupcakes and shares them!”

“He’s the Dragon Emperor, and he does not bake! You can’t play if you’re gonna be a lame-o landlubber!” He stomped on the cupcakes…

The young man gazed at the faded pirate-ninja. He’d gotten in trouble, and later, his sister reshaped her cupcakes with brilliant blue. It seemed a big deal then, before she got leukemia. Her eyes lost their luster only in death; his followed suit. Since then, he drifted in a foggy sea, currents taking him places he didn’t care to remember.

While packing for college, he’d found the box of play-doh.  About to put the box away, he saw a glint of blue. He pulled out the cupcakes, bright as her eyes once were. He put them on the Pirate-Ninja’s arm.

“Thanks for the cupcakes, Dragon. Sorry for calling you lame-o.”

“I forgive you. I won’t dry up the seven seas. Be free.” Greeney soared away, shrinking to a speck, then disappearing. The fog cleared. Blue skies and sunlight seared the Pirate-Ninja’s eyes. The light warmed him; tears streamed down his cheeks. He was finally free.