Chapter Forty-Two: The Stronger Man.

The next morning, X woke up next to Kendra. It had been a rough night. Chester had woken up in the middle of the night like he had a habit of doing. This time, he'd woken up Ezio as well. X made the mistake of opting to go put them back to bed, unaware that he'd be dealing with both kids. He woke up and stretched his arms. Upon lowering them again, he was met with another shock. Some of the skin on his arm was turning into scales again.

"KENDRA! WAKE UP AND LOOK AT THIS!"

Kendra slowly woke up and turned to look. Upon seeing it, she let out a gasp of shock.

"YOUR BREEDING SKIN! X, YOU'RE GOING TO LAY MORE EGGS! YOU WERE CHOSEN AGAIN!"

X smiled broadly and hugged Kendra.

"I'm actually happy to do it again. I'm honored to be able to help my people like this," X said.

Kendra smiled at X and kissed him.

Sam was drinking his coffee in the kitchen while Zan watched TV. Ozaki and Miyuki were still sleeping as long as they could before the twins woke them up. Grover had to be at work for the breakfast rush and Milo was sleeping in. Kendra burst into the kitchen, pulling X by his arm.

"SAM! GUESS WHAT? X IS PREGNANT AGAIN! HE'S GOING TO LAY EGGS AGAIN!"

Zan was trying to hold back his laughter, his face turning red.

"I'm actually happy to have children again, Zan," X said. "No need to laugh."

Zan stopped; discouraged that he couldn't mess with X.

"This is Ewya who did this," Sam said, smiling proudly. "She gave you another chance!"

X looked up toward the sky. This meant that Eywa trusted him. The first time he was chosen, it had been only because he was Sam's son. But this time, Eywa had chosen him for him. And Sam knew very well why; for he and Eywa had watched it unfold. X's actions protecting the Earth and avenging the injustice that had been done on his people had completely won Eywa over. The goddess had forgiven him for his past sins because of how he'd repented for them.

X's mind traveled back to something Sam had said to him shortly after they'd returned home from Earth after the Final War.

"It takes a strong man to admit his mistakes, and a stronger man to repent for them."

X now understood what he meant. And Eywa believed the very same, it would seem. And both of them now saw X as the stronger man. He'd admitted his mistake of invading the Earth, and now he'd repenting for it by saving it. X now had a new feeling welling up inside of him; one that he was unfamiliar with. It was a feeling of great pride and accomplishment. He not only had the approval of his father and brother, but now his deity as well. X had never felt like this before. He felt genuinely happy with himself. He didn't even care about the painful process he was going to have to go through for a second time. His father was proud of him, his brother had accepted him, and his goddess had blessed both him and his marriage and newborn children. X was so happy that all he could do was look up into the sky, towards Eywa, and say…

"…THANK YOU!"

The End