#she was always a little dragon a little hatchling who never got to grow up oh fuck

[possamble]

re: falin having a choice when it comes to having a longer lifespan

makes me think about her choice to save and even feed the dragons soul in the last chapter. i like to think that its this choice she makes that gives her draconic traits? like if she hadnt saved it then she comes back pretty much normal. falin seems to be proud of how different she looks now if how she dresses post-canon is anything to go by.

she also mentions that maybe its the dragon that wants her to travel to different places but i think shes always had the heart of an adventurer. when laios mentions being able to travel she was so so excited. and as a little kid she went out and discovered that dungeon all by herself.

like!! a lot of people write her being fiercely loyal and protective, as well as giving gifts (especially to marcille) as something the dragon makes her do. but from all the memories we see of her, shes always been like that (protecting her brother as kids, attacking the kelpie when laios rides it, saving her brother from getting beat up, giving marcille berries and nuts etc).

if it came down to having a longer lifespan, i dont think its out of the question if falin could just Decide for herself whether or not she wanted that. i think she’d have a good enough relationship with her inner dragon to do so, considering how much she acted like a dragon beforehand anyway

the. the fucking idea of her having had the option to completely stamp out the extra dragon soul inside herself by leaving it behind. and literally choosing not to. not even consciously but because she as a person reflexively wanted to take care of a little creature even knowing that it used to be a monster that hurt her and her loved ones. this time she gets to choose she gets to CHOOSE to live and how to live and it's always with kindness oh god oh fuck

[yourheart-inmyhands]

I Hope that you don't mind me requesting.

How do you think Archons would react if their lover was a crybaby? Like cries a lot over every little thing and overall is a realy sensitive person (totaly not me.)

I'm sorry if you don't feel comfortable writing for this, and you have the right to ignore this.

ah this was such an interesting idea tysm! and no, my writing does not depict my actual feelings. but thank you for your request, i hope you enjoy!

Warning: this post contains yandere-themes, including delusional behaviors, verbal abuse, mentions of manipulation tactics, archons being bad partners, and other potential topics. Please read at your own risk!

Yandere!Venti would think it’s cute and a little silly. He will never make fun of you for it, comforting you whenever you do cry, but he will certainly use it against you. You can’t go out by yourself, what happens if something startles you and you start crying? Who will be there to comfort you?

“Now now my little Brise, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You know how things turn out when you try to go out by yourself, just wait a few minutes and I’ll go with you.” Venti’s smile is a hard one to fight, the way his skin pulls perfectly away from his flawless teeth to create the most charming and heartwarming look. It would make you cry how perfect he is if he wasn’t designed to be that way. Everything about Venti was enough to bring up that urge to cry, how he never seemed to leave you alone, how he always seemed to talk too loudly indoors, how he seemed to draw everyone’s eye in public. It was frustrating trying to hold it all in around him, but any time he saw you in tears you’d be swept tightly into his embrace, one you had grown to hate.

Yandere!Zhongli would pity you, wanting you to toughen up emotionally for your own sake. While he’ll certainly outlive you, he can’t be by your side forever and always. To help keep you calm while he’s gone, as he still has duties outside of his previously abandoned Archon role, he has gifted you a small dragon like creature. A housepet of sorts to keep you company.

“Fret not my Bǎoshí, you know I must go as needed. Yánshí will keep you company whilst I attend to some issues within the city.” Zhongli coos gently, soft yet calloused hands gently wiping away your tears as they fall. He feels his heart break a bit every time you cry, wishing that he could do something more to ease the ache. He got you a domesticated geovishap hatchling to keep you company, something fierce and protective in case you should have any issues whilst alone. 

Yandere!Raiden would simply scoff at your behavior, calling you childish and weak. She believes that you should be stronger, leaving you to calm yourself any time you have a crying fit. She simply doesn’t believe that someone so weak should even have made it this far in the first place, leaving you to your qualms.

“Do not disgrace my image with your incessant whining, it is lowly and pathetic. No partner of mine should ever act in such a distasteful manner, especially in public eye.” Raiden’s tone was not only harsh, but somehow she made it feel heavy. Every word, every letter seemed to add to the growing weight in your chest, leaving you choking on tears as you sit crumpled on the floor. It truly was a pathetic display, and if it had not been for Raiden picking you up and dragging you back to Tenshukaku, you’d still be crying in the middle of a bustling Inazuma street. Someone had bumped into you and made you spill your food, it really wasn’t anything to cry about. 

Yandere!Furina, while she isn’t a crybaby, she is incredibly open about her emotions. Of all currently recognized Archons, she’s the most physically and verbally expressive, even if most of it is childish tantrums. It’s because of this though that she almost relates to your feelings 

“Alright, hush now my Pluvieux, it’s alright, it’s going to be ok.” Furina holds you close to her as you cry, her presence alone being enough to keep any curious onlookers from stepping too close to the two of you. Gently, she guides you away from the watchful crowd, wanting to get you somewhere private to calm both of you down. Seeing you cry made her wrath beat strongly beneath her skin, the underlying urge to ruin everything that had made you so sad running rampant beneath her worries. You were her first concern though and she wanted to protect you above all else.

Brise - Breeze

Bǎoshí - Gem/Gemstone

Yánshí - Rock

Pluvieux - Rainy

[dojimakaichou]

SENT FROM @stingslikeabee​ ―             ( unscripted ask / always accepting )

Melissa's long nightgown made soft rustling noises as she moved from one bedroom to another, looking for her children. Kazuya was not in bed, but maybe he had gone to the kitchens to find some late snack before sleep time; the twins were also not in their beds, and that made the queen frown for longer - their nightly routine was usually more predictable. Thinking about what had possibly happened, the monarch returned to her chambers to confer with Daigo - it was unlikely they were in danger; growing up with a dragon for a parent, particularly an ancient one, was the best protection they could ever ask for. Humming in deep thought, the woman pushed the door to her bedroom open and walked to the bed, only to stop at the sight that greeted her. There they were - her entire family, together on the royal bed and sleeping in an endearing mess of limbs and funny angles. Daigo was at the center, and he somehow curled protectively over the youngest girls, Kazuya find a spot behind him in a way that somehow already indicated that he would grow to mirror his father's visage and build when he got older. Even the youngest of them all was close by - the cradle with Edgar had been brought closer to the bed from where it usually stood, and everyone seemed to be resting safely and soundly. Melissa smiled, heart swelling pleasantly - it was such a cute sight, even if it temporarily left her without room on the mattress without adjusting some of the current occupants, but it didn't matter. Seeing all they close and happy was the greatest gift she could ask for; the fact that Daigo had grown to be a quirky but unquestionable great parent was a source of never-ending admiration, too. Motherhood had definitely brought a protective side out of Melissa, as her husband fondly remarked; but it was as if the more ferocious side of the dragon had always been prepared to look after his precious hatchlings. Slipping off the outer robe she was wearing and climbing onto the bed, Melissa gently nudged Kazuya to have the boy move and use her as a body pillow instead, allowing the queen to be in bed with all her beloved family members. While getting comfortable (with their oldest somehow not even blinking into consciousness), Daigo stirred - but as soon as his eyes found the figure of his wife, he relaxed immediately. "I love you," Melissa murmured softly from her position, unable to reach for a kiss but only to preserve their children's precious sleep. Daigo surely knew she meant it all with her heart.

★. ―

Daigo didn't agree with many human practices ― too much social pressure to do this or that ; too many formal regulations ; and very little in either category made sense. They had a way of complicating everything. Even the simple, necessary tasks like eating and drinking were unnecessarily complex ; food and drink could only be taken at certain times and were often dictated by who attended the meal.

Perhaps, tonight, the dragon reached a breaking point. He was tired of being bound by these frustrating rules that made living in this skin so hard. As he lounged on the sofa with their youngest son in his arms, awaiting his wife to come back to their quarters . . . Daigo felt the spark of his irritation give life to an idea.

Quietly, he shifted his weight and stood. Edgar cooed sleepily, belly full of milk provided by his nurse recently. The little one remained oblivious to his father's small act of rebellion. With the prince secured in his grip, Daigo approached Kazuya's half - opened door. A clawed hand gestured for the boy to get up out of his blankets. Frowning quizzically, Kazuya hesitantly followed his parent down the hall. His hands reflexively grasped the dragon's twitching tail.

The twins were far less questioning of Daigo's summons. They expressed no hesitation and immediately scrambled out of bed. Hikari snuggled into her father's side with a giggle, staring up at him, while Yayoi ducked under Daigo's tail to pester Kazuya.

Snorting pleasantly, Daigo took their brood into the bedroom he shared with Melissa. He set the baby tenderly inside of his crib and then shifted the furniture closer to the spacious bed. A soft huff answered the infant's laughter. Edgar was far too fragile to take with them, otherwise Daigo would have opted to bring him farther in the idea. Then, the dragon began to collect the others. His strong arms lifted each child like they weighed nothing. One, two, three ― as fast as he was able, all of the older children were deposited onto the blankets in a pile of short horns, dark locks, and fine nightclothes. Daigo crawled after them.

He snuggled into the girls affectionately, well aware that Kazuya did not like the same kind of attention. Hot air blew across their faces, which made Yayoi yell playfully. Soon, the twins came together to rest against Daigo's middle. The dragon's body curled into a crescent shape ; his tail completed the circle. Soothing rumbles issued from his cavernous chest as Kazuya found his place against the arch of his father's spine.

Daigo yawned, exposing his lengthy forked tongue, and sank into the bed. He issued a long sigh worthy of any dragon, suddenly at peace with his choices in his "human" life. This was just a bad day, and their hatchlings had a knack for making those better. Still, Daigo couldn't help but feel satisfied with his accomplishment.

These were dragonkin : human children with scales and slitted pupils and fire in their bellies. They deserved experiences that fed their wild blood. Such as this. A true clutch of dragon hatchlings always slept together ― why should their precious brood be denied anything different ?? Daigo's tail tip twitched near his nose. Oh, he had been upset . . . that particular appendage wouldn't have shown up otherwise.

The ancient thing was fast asleep when Melissa joined them. He was vaguely aware of Kazuya disappearing from his back. It was enough to rouse Daigo, who issued a low growl in reply to the movement to ask if the boy was alright. Melissa's scent filling his nostrils answered the dragon's questions before his eyes even found her. Luckily, the twins didn't wake up as their father craned his head to glance over his shoulder.

I love you.

Daigo blinked slowly in response, glowing gaze alive with the adoration he felt for the woman laying there. "Eraesthyr," he muttered, grinning toothily in the dark.

( Thank you for hatching them for us. )

[dragon-fics]

SR: Ch. 4 Progress

Summary: After a rough storm forces Alys to stay with him, Shruikan comes to the conclusion that "drastic times call for drastic measures" though they're not that drastic to him.

Prologue, Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4

Shruikan was so excited about going hunting for the first time. Though it took him a while to catch anything. Alys watched him for a little while from her room in the castle, with the aid of a spyglass, and eventually paid him a visit, finding him gnawing on a bone like an adolescent dragon and purring proudly to himself—the purring cleared any nearby wildlife away, shaking the trees and ground, and Alys’ bones.

“Good first hunt?” Alys asked, stepping closer.

Shruikan nodded, almost grinning. Very successful, if you ask me. He puffed out some smoke and continued to purr.

Alys coughed and smiled. “Good. You did very well. I was watching.” He scratched his jaw. She quickly learned that Shruikan responded well to positive reinforcement, though he found it very strange at first for the sole reason that he’d never had a positive thing said to him. Figuring that out made her think of Ugauc, who was always handing out compliments to others.

He purred at her touch, warm happiness passing from him to her, then a trickle of embarrassment. You better not have been judging! He turned his head away defensively.

She shook her head. “Of course, I wouldn’t, Shruikan. You did absolutely wonderful.”

That was a week ago when he could comfortably slip out of the cave. Alys had removed his sustainability spell, so he’d grow hungry and thirsty—for the first time. At first, Shruikan found it quite disorientating, but became accustomed to it soon enough. Alys thought he liked feeling it, that he enjoyed feeling normal. Removing the enchantments on him that hindered his natural being had altered his personality too, at least slightly.

He was calmer, better tempered, and all round, seemed happier. Though he was clingy and quite juvenile, having not had the chance to mentally, emotionally and psychologically mature.

Alys pitied him for it and did her best to be patient with his childlike behaviour. She’d taken care of so many hatchlings she hoped it’d get her through.

With Shruikan starting to hunt, he found it hard to do it with one eye, so next came healing that.

Alys moved her glowing wrist away from Shruikan. The flameless lanterns she’d brought to his lair lit up the cave and, most importantly, him.

He held his eye shut, his large eyelid twitching as the Alys’ spell took its course. She watched silently, desperate to make sure he wasn’t in much discomfort.

Alys looked at the rest of him. Compared to the cavern, he only took up a small amount of space—very different from his original cave-breaking size. He was about the same size as a dragon seven centuries old, about three times the size of Ugauc, and most of the new dragons were. His scales were still in an awful state, though; brittle and damaged. Though a little better with actual nutrients going into his body.

Shruikan opened his eye after a few moments and looked around. This is… different. He blinked several times and stood up slowly, getting used to his new vision. He looked over himself, then the cave.

Alys got to her feet, dusting off her leggings. “I’m hoping a good different.”

Of course. He huffed amusingly. Anything you do is impossible to be bad.

She blinked for a moment. “Thank you.” She looked away, getting bashful.

Shruikan watched her for a moment. I see why they trust you with hatchlings. You have the best intentions for everyone, don’t you?

Alys hesitated; her mind drawn to Ugauc. “Having good intentions isn’t all it takes… there’s perseverance and effort involved as well.”

He hummed. I suppose so. You have enough experience for that.

Alys smiled a little. “I guess so.” She stretched and then heard a wicked wind whistle past the cave and a fierce chill hit her. “Things have really gotten rough out there.” She looked out at the mouth of the cave.

Shruikan followed her gaze. Rain lashed outside and the wind was treacherous. The first storm of the autumn.

She shuddered. “That looks… messy.” As if to add to her statement, lightning sparked from the clouds and struck out in the sky. A deep rumble of thunder followed a few moments later.

Shruikan growled softly, agreeing with her. You better not be planning on going back in that.

Alys shook her head. “No. I’d be insane to do that. I’ll get in contact with someone in Ilirea, let them know I’m staying.” She went to her back and crouched beside it to find her scrying mirror.

He continued to watch the rain spill and stepped towards it. Extending his neck at the entrance, Shruikan felt raindrops slap against his muzzle. He snorted and shook his head, backing up.

Alys tried not to laugh and walked to him with her mirror in hand. “What do you think of it?”

Wet! He grumbled. And cold and sore! Is all rain like this? Why do you like it?

Alys shook her head. “No. not all rain is like this. It's just really heavy because of the warm summer weather. It’s usually lighter, calmer, and soothing to listen to.”

Shruikan hummed and dried his snout on his foreleg, water droplets and scales falling to the floor. I’ll take your word for it. He turned away to go back to his bed of animal hides that Alys had helped to skin and gather.

She smiled softly and used her mirror to contact Eragon, one of the handful of Riders still at Ilirea. At first, a blur of his figure formed, then the mirror came into focus.

“How goes your aiding?” he asked, taking a seat with his mirror.

Alys nodded. “Pretty well. I’ll be staying here until the storm passes.” Lightning lit up the woodland in front of her.

Eragon nodded. “Understood. Stay safe, Alys.”

She inclined her head. “I will.” She waved her hand over the glass to clear his image and turned back towards Shruikan.

He stared at one of the flameless lanterns with wide eyes, tapping it with one of his talons. Alys had to watch for a few moments before clearing her throat. “It’s very dangerous is an Erisdar breaks, Shruikan.”

He immediately straightened himself and stepped away. I understand. They’re quite fascinating, though.

Alys nodded in agreement. “They are. A very ancient form of light, made by an elf who taught the dwarves. Very useful underground.”

Shruikan hummed deep in his throat and looked at her. I take it your master is content with you staying here.

Alys nodded. “He’d be insane to not be.”

He curled up on his new bed of hides and nodded. Good. I’d personally deal with it for you.

She shook her head. ���That’s not how things work, Shruikan. And that’d create more trouble for me than an angry headmaster.”

Shruikan huffed, smoke puffing out of his nostrils. He thumped his tail on the stone floor. I’m just saying he should appreciate you more. You do a lot for them. He has no reason to be upset with you. And if he was going to be, I’d make sure he knew how valuable you are.

Alys blinked, having heard something similar from Ugauc once. “O-oh. Well… thank you.” That was a similar response to what she’d said then, too. A trickle of sadness and pride flowed through her, and apparently on to Shruikan.

Is it hard? Knowing how he’s doing?

Alys shrugged. “Truth be told, I don’t know exactly how he’s doing.” She looked away. “I know a bit,” she paused. “That he’s in pain, but that’s it.” She glanced down, pausing again. “And that he’s dying.” Her gaze fell downward. She hated admitting that as much as she knew it.

Shruikan’s lip lifted in a snarl and twitched. And they’re still forcing you to stay away?

She looked at him and nodded. “They said they’d inform me when it was best to come.”

He growled, the terrifying sound echoing through the cave. That’s an excellent way to turn a Rider against the rest.

She looked down again. She wanted to agree, but part of her knew they thought her being there would cause the same. She hugged herself. “I don’t care if I don’t have a dragon. I just want Ugauc to be okay. To not be in pain anymore. I’d make sure of it myself.” She slid down, sitting with her face in her knees, sniffing softly. She didn’t want to cry again.

Shruikan stopped his display and came closer to her, sniffing her face. He’d never seen a human like this. He touched his snout to her head. I’ll help you, Alys.

Alys looked up and frowned. “H-how?” she couldn’t help but stammer.

I’ll bring you to him. He hummed and moved to curl around her. I’ll help you.

*~*~*~*

It wasn’t long after dawn when Shruikan nudged Alys awake. She blinked, her body sore all over from her connection with Ugauc. She looked at him, her vision blurry.

Are you okay? You sounded in pain? And you were talking, and your eyes were leaking.

Alys wiped her face, noticing it was wet. “Crying.” She corrected. “I connect with him at night, its pretty painful.” She thought she heard Shruikan whine.

That’s it. He stood up quickly and stretched his wings. I’m not waiting any longer.

Before she could say anything, he grabbed Alys in his talon and left the cave with a swift beating of his wings.

Alys struggled to breathe with the pace of the wind passing her. “Shru—Shruikan!” she protested, hitting his strong, scaled finger. “At least let me pick up my stuff!”

Shruikan didn’t respond verbally, but altered his course towards Ilirea.

She stared at him from between his fingers and tried to get into his mind. He was angry and fearful. Some images of Ugauc that she’d shared with him were on his mind. She stroked his scales, trying to calm him. His anger cooled a little, but he kept his pace, determined. It wasn’t long before he passed over Ilirea’s walls and slammed down into the courtyard of its castle.

Alys grunted when he landed roughly, and he let her go. She heard shouts and roars from within from Riders, dragons and soldiers.

Shruikan crouched down, opening his maw and flaring wings in threat. He hid Alys behind his leg, not willing to let her get hurt.

Out of the keep ran Eragon, Murtagh and Arya—with the rest of the handful of riders in Ilirea—with Nasuada trailing behind. All seemed equalling fierce, confused and scared, not that they’d admit the latter. Shruikan watched them, growling.

Alys drew in a breath and touched his leg. “It's okay. Ill handle this.” She summoned her strength and walked out from behind his leg, looking at the Riders and her cousin.

[wizisbored]

WIAT WIAT- show these sketches pls I’m interested.

ok gang its Dragon Time. i will say that though this is a dragon au only beej and lydia are actually dragons. lydia ive mostly based off that image you sent and will probably cement the design im going to use later, beetlejuice i have a few ideas of roughly what he'll look like but i need to put some more work into designing him

anyway,

an explaination:

in this universe i just made up, dormestic dragons are kinda similar to horses in that theyre not very common pets (and are mostly owned by people with a good amount of disposable income) and have specific and sometimes complex care and training needs. there are also feral dragons, though theyre not particularly common either. dragons raised around humans can develop quite good language comprehension, though they dont have the vocal chords to mimic speech.

so onto the plot, which i realise is in a similar vein to a few of my other beetlejuice aus, but i am nothing if not a guy who will unashamedly tell the same story over and over a little to the left :)

emily deetz always loved dragons, and always wanted to raise one from an egg herself. a few years before her health took a turn for the worse her husband bought her a dragon egg, and she named the hatchling lydia and proceeded to absolutely dote on the little creature and put a lot of time and care into ensuring shes looked after and trained well. charles always listened to her talk about lydia and would admire the dragon but mostly from a distance, he was never much of an animal man.

lydia's breed will grow to around the size of a horse, but when emily passes away shes somewhere between the size of a cat and a medium dog and living in the house. charles promised to take over caring for her and tried to use emilys notes and care guides, but hes just not really that great at it. he doesnt have time, he forgets things, its hard to spend so much time around something emily loved so much while hes grieving. and then when he gets into a new relationship, the dragon hates her. all of this makes lydia generally grumpy and aloof, which doesnt help, but charles made a promise and intends to stick with it.

lydia first meets beetlejuice when shes sitting tethered to a perch in the garden. charles doesnt realise that she actually learnt to unclip that particular tether before she could fly, but shes happy enough just chilling on her perch so she doesnt bother. beetlejuice is a feral dragon roughly the size of a pony, and she watches him rather clumsily half-fly, half climb over the garden fence. she obviously asks him what the hell hes doing there (scavenging) and they get to talking. he teases her for having a human's name and being a pet. shes never met a feral dragon before so she unhitches herself from the perch to hop down and get a closer look. hes baffled, asks her why the hell she hasnt escaped by now if she knows how to do that and if her wings have been clipped, and she says she has to stay so she can get food and shelter. he basically laughs at her for that. she has no loyalty to charles but had never considered running away, and with beetlejuice going on about how much better life is as a feral dragon she decides that maybe its not so much of a bad idea and declares that she is now feral, beetlejuice laughs at her again but lets her tag along with him, and suggests they fly somewhere new to avoid her being found.

where ive got up to is them meeting the maitlands - a couple who looked out of the window one morning to see a large scruffy dragon drinking out of their birdbath, and another little one who has knocked down their bird feeder and is now snacking on sunflower seeds. but they notice that the little one is wearing a headcollar, which means 2 things - shes domestic, and someone needs to get that headcollar off her before she grows too much and it cuts into her. and so begins their quest to befriend those feral dragons that keep going through the neighbourhood's bins

[official-weasley]

Meant to Be (Charlie Weasley x OC)

What happens when Bill brings home a girl and Charlie is completely awestruck by her?

WARNINGS: mentions of alcohol, curse words

CHAPTER 6

Charlie

One year later...

“Good morning.” I sang opening the door to the nursery.

“Charlie, hi!” Tina almost banged her head on the counter, getting up. “You’re early.”

“Did you sleep here again?” I frowned at her.

“No. I just dropped a bottle on the floor.” She was one of the clumsiest people I know. She reminded me so much of my friend Tonks from Hogwarts, except that her hair was black and not hot pink. “You know he can live without you for more than 5 hours.”

“I know. But I missed him and I couldn’t sleep anyway.” I looked at the clock on the wall.

Half-past five in the morning. I already came in later than usual.

“Okay. Let me take you to your son.” She chuckled and stepped away from the counter. “If he’s still sleeping and you’ll wake him up, you’ll be dealing with him, I’m warning you.”

“I know. I don’t mind.” I smiled.

I followed her through the corridor and waited for her to unlock the door.

“It definitely doesn’t sound like he’s sleeping.” I placed my hands on my ears to muffle the sound.

“He’s doing really well this week.” Tina said proudly.

“Hi, Aami. How are you, little guy?” I approached the fence slowly, my hand in front of me.

“Perhaps a few more days and we’ll be able to do a gender reveal.” I turned around at Tina’s words, sparks in my eyes.

“We can do a gender reveal cake then.” I giggled to myself.

“What?” Tina asked confused.

“It’s something Muggles do, I’m told.” I kneeled next to him, admiring his every move.

“Your dad told you that?” She laughed.

I hummed in reply, not taking my eyes off Aami.

“Isn’t he the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, Tina?” I said in a dreamy voice.

“I would say he got it after you, but it looks like he only got your stubborn personality.” She joked.

“Ha-ha.” I rolled my eyes at her. “Do you think he’ll ever fly?”

I slowly extended my arm through the fence so I could touch his beautiful crimson wing. Aami was collateral damage when Victor Krum accidentally made the Chinese Fireball step on her eggs while he was retrieving his golden egg. Aami’s egg was cracked but he somehow survived thanks to Tina.

She was the nurse who took care of eggs and helped premature hatchlings to grow strong. Then we had a team who would train them and help them fly. The mother dragon is usually supposed to do that but if the baby doesn’t hatch next to her, she doesn’t want it. That’s where our team steps in and helps them with everything, from feeding to firebreathing and flying.

Aami’s left wing was badly hurt due to the egg’s collision with the ground and was growing slower than his right one. Even though Tina was optimistic and said that he is showing progress every single day, we still didn’t know if his wing would ever fully grow. If it doesn’t, he would never be able to fly.

I don’t blame Viktor for what happened that day. I was watching him retrieving the egg and I know he didn’t do it on purpose. It happens. It was more our fault that we brought our mother Fireball to the tournament. It was a bad idea.

She was one of the most stubborn and untamed dragons but the Ministry insisted. We shouldn’t have allowed it. She was too attached to her eggs and she snapped, stomping on them in the process.

Aami’s wing might be damaged but we considered him lucky, even though his mother rejected him once we started taking care of him. At first, I was helping Tina because I felt bad for the little guy and I was really hoping that he’ll make it but he grew on me so quickly. With his fire-coughing and his playfulness and his green eyes. He was perfect.

“I don’t know, Charlie. His wing is still underdeveloped and even though it’s growing slowly it’s still not even close to where it should be for his age.” Tina’s face was creased in a sad expression.

I know she cared for him just as much as I did.

“I’ll be here every day until I’ll be able to take you flying.” I turned back to Aami and whispered to him.

“He’s lucky to have you.” Tina stepped closer to us and placed her hand on my shoulder. “You’ll make a great dad one day.”

“Thanks.” I murmured.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” I stood up and reached for the bag I brought with me. “I got you some fresh chicken blood and 10 bottles of brandy. I know it’s not much but…”

“It’ll do until the next supply crate tomorrow. Thank you, Charlie.” She took the bag from me with a smile on her face.

She took out one bottle and a bag of chicken blood, gave it to me, and exited the room to give us some alone time.

I carefully took the empty bowl away from Aami and poured the contents from the bottle and the bag into it and returned it to him. I laughed at his hungry eyes.

“Here you go. Have at it.” I sat down next to his small enclosure and hugged my legs, placing my head on my knees. I felt so calm when I was watching him eat. It was my new favorite activity. Is this how it feels like when you have children? Because if it does I won’t be able to take my eyes off them.

I stayed with him until he fell asleep. I got up and quietly exited the room and went back to the nursery reception.

“There he is. Our Fireball Mother!” Peter mocked me, leaned on the counter.

“Good morning, Peter.” I ignored his remark.

Ever since I started taking care of Aami he and the mates from my team have been teasing me. Taking care of baby dragons is something women usually do around here and they found it funny how invested I was. I didn’t care because I knew they would never understand me and I enjoyed doing it so much that the fact that they called me the Fireball Mother didn’t even bother me.

“Should we transfer you to the nursery, since you’re here every morning?” He smirked at me.

“Don’t tempt me.” I pointed my finger at him.

“Your team misses you.” He looked up at the clock above me.

10 past seven.

“Fuck, I’m late for work!” I started towards the door.

I’m never late for work!

“Relax.” Peter extended his arm to stop me. “I know you were with the little Fireball. Count it as work.” He winked at me.

“Thank you, Peter.” I said thankfully.

“If you want I can make this your part-time for the time being. I’m sure your team will be able to handle the workload without you until we move Aami to his habitat.”

Did I mention that he was the best boss ever?

“I would love to, but I can handle both, Peter. Thank you for the offer.” I smiled faintly and took a step forward.

“Look, Charlie.” He stopped me yet again. “I know we are teasing you all the time but it’s only because you’re the youngest even though you are the most talented. I know this means a lot to you and since you didn’t go home for Christmas this year I couldn’t help but notice that you are working yourself even more than you did last year.”

He wasn’t wrong but I stayed quiet.

I didn’t know what to tell him. I had my reasons why I hadn’t taken a day off or visited my family for any of the holidays for the past year.

“How about you join your team at 8 for the next few weeks and be with the little guy in the morning. Call it your time off.” He winked at me. “I don’t know what goes on in that red-haired head of yours but it can’t be healthy to work yourself so hard.”

I blinked at him. I didn’t know how to reply. I didn’t expect this from him. Peter was the oldest in the Sanctuary. He was 48 and I looked up to him more than to anyone else here but we never talked about stuff like this. He teased me that I should take time off and he joked that I was a workaholic a couple of times but I never actually thought he was worried about me.

I know they teased me all the time because I was the youngest of the group and I didn’t mind that they did. We had a great time and I loved them all. But I was taken aback by his short speech.

I was fine.

I was doing okay.

I had the job that I always wanted and now I was taking care of this little guy which brought me so much joy.

What else could I want from my life?

My daily routine starts around five in the morning. I make myself some coffee and breakfast. Hike up the hill to watch the sunrise. Go to the nursery to check up on Aami and help Tina if she needs anything.

I meet my team at seven in front of my cottage and we make a full circle around the Reserve feeding the dragons. We finish around 12 every day so we go down to the tavern for launch. Then we go check on the mother dragons and see how the eggs are progressing. Then I assign a dragon to each in my team and we go and train them until four. We meet back up at my hut and go and feed them again.

Once we are done I go home to change my clothes and I either go for a run or another hike. I shower when I come back. Get some dinner and on the weekends we all grab a beer which usually ends up with me waking with a headache because it never stops after just one pint.

It might sound boring to some but I loved my work. It was busy but I love every minute of it. It’s true that I don’t have a lot of free time or take many days off but I really don’t need it. The hikes in the morning and the evening are my alone time and I don’t need more than that. I don’t even know what I would do if I had more time off.

“You know if it’s doable I would love to spend more time with the baby Fireball.” I finally answered him after a short pause.

He only nodded and finally let me go.

“Do you happen to know where my wife is?” He asked when I was almost out the door.

“She’s probably in one of the nursery rooms.” I smiled at him and exited.

Peter and Tina were one of the few couples in our Reserve. A lot of us are single, some have partners that work other jobs and have long-distance relationships. Most of us don’t think about it a lot because we don’t have that much time or the liberty to settle down.

We don’t get many recruits and when we do it’s mostly men so every time we get a new female Dragonologist everybody flips out and either scare her away or get slapped in the face. The latter happens more often.

“Where have you been, Charlie?” Andrew asked as soon as I reached them.

“Have you been looking after your son?” Theo made a kissy face.

I will murder him, I swear.

“For a matter of fact, I was.” I stuck my tongue at him. If he can be 35 and act like a child, I can be 22 and do so too. “I made a deal with Peter to join you mates at 8 so I can spend more time with Aami.”

“But you’re our team leader.” Evan looked puzzled.

“Can’t live without Charlie, Evan?” Theo mocked him. “We have the same routine every morning, I think we can manage.” He winked at me.

“It’s only until Aami can start his training.” I assured them.

I loved being the leader of a team and it was touching how much they listened to me.

I worked with 4 men. Evan, who was 28, was the only one besides me that was under 30. As I said before Theo is 35, John is 40 and Andrew is 32. Peter joins us occasionally in case we need a helping hand but they are all very skilled and good at what they do so we rarely have any problems.

I was so nervous the day when Peter told me he picked me as a group leader. I felt neither worthy nor qualified for the position and I thought they would all hate me for being their boss since I knew they were all older than me but nobody cared.

They obeyed and respected me since day one and I admired that about the Sanctuary. Here, age doesn’t matter. Talent, ambition, and skills matter. If you show how hard-working you are and that you are willing to learn and are good at your job, you can quickly earn everyone’s respect.

I told them that I would make a plan in the evening and pin it to the door for them to look through it in the morning so that they will know what to do while I’m in the nursery. Then we went to the storage room to get our protective gear and the food and we started our day.

—

“That’s it, mates.” I took off my gloves. “We’re done for today.”

“I can’t tell you how much I will enjoy my shower.” John smelled his shirt.

“That’s what happens when you’re not looking where you’re going and you fall in dragon dung.” Theo laughed at him and the rest followed.

“Meet you down for a pint, Charlie?” Andrew asked, his hand on my shoulder.

“Sure.” I nodded and we started walking down the hill.

“Charlie!” We all turned around when we heard my name.

“What do you have for me, Ernie?” I grinned at him.

Ernie worked in our Admission Office and was usually the one who brought us mail in the morning since all the letters usually arrived at the Sanctuary Owlery. It was for the safety of the owls so the dragons wouldn’t accidentally make them their dinner.

“I couldn’t find you this morning so I hold on to your letters.” He explained.

He handed me a handful of them. I tucked them under my arm.

“Thanks, Ernie.” I waved them all goodbye and made my way to my home.

As I was walking I looked through the envelopes. I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t wait until I was sitting in my kitchen. I couldn’t pretend that I was waiting for a letter.

Tonks’. Mum’s. Ron’s. Ginny’s. Freddie and Georgie wrote separately to me which rarely happens. Nothing from Bill…again. I sighed and unlocked my door.

I put the letters on my coffee table and went straight into the shower. I didn’t feel like a hike. I wanted to go and grab a drink and be with my friends as soon as possible. I didn’t know what would happen to me if I was alone with my thoughts.

“Charles, what took you so long!” Theo slurred when I sat down next to him.

“How long was I in the shower that he’s already drunk?” I laughed and looked at Andrew and John sitting opposite us.

“What did I miss?” Evan sat next to me and sipped on his beer.

“Charlie is here, pretty boy!” Theo sang.

I shook my head. This is going to be a long night.

“I have noticed.” Evan laughed. “How is he already that drunk?” He leaned to me.

“I think the alcohol never leaves his system.” I joked.

“Look Charlie, it’s your girlfriend.” John smirked at me and when Andrew saw who he was talking about, he covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

I turned around and saw April standing at the bar. I sunk in my seat.

Oh, dear Merlin let her not see me!

“Will you ever stop?” I rolled my eyes.

“Who are we talking about?” Theo leaned on my shoulder and hiccupped.

“Nobody.” I answer quickly. “They are delusional.”

“We’re talking about April.” John said and winked at me.

Theo turned around so abruptly that I thought he was going to fall off the bench.

“April! Come here, April!” He shouted toward the bar.

April looked in our direction, smiled softly at me, and waved.

“Will you keep it down!” I smacked him over the head. “If she comes here, I will strangle you, Theodore!”

“You’re the one who slept with her.” Andrew mocked.

“Twice.” John made a kissy face.

“What is the topic tonight, mates?” Peter motioned with his hand that John and Andrew should make some room for him.

“We’re teasing Charlie about sleeping with April, twice.” Evan said innocently, holding two fingers in front of my face.

He was the one who was usually quiet when the rest of my mates were making fun out of me but I know he was enjoying it just as much.

“Twice?” Peter frowned. “Didn’t you sleep with her three times?”

I slammed my hand on my forehead. “They didn’t have to know that, Peter!”

Evan, John, and Andrew all looked at me, their eyes widened and they burst out laughing.

“Charlie, mate.” Theo leaned on his hand and looked me in the eyes. “Didn’t you say she’s bad in bed? What you sleeping with her so much for?”

“Are you in love, Charles?” John made a heart with his hand and extended his arms over the table.

“Bugger off!” I rolled my eyes. “I make bad decisions when I’m drunk.”

I then turned to Theo who was still leaning on his hand but had his eyes closed now. “It’s not that she’s bad in bed it’s just…” I swallowed hard. I didn’t know how to explain it because I knew that no matter what I say they’ll laugh at me again. “…we don’t have the right chemistry. There’s no passion.”

No connection, I wanted to say bit my tongue.

“Have you looked around, Charlie?” Theo laughed. “You don’t have that much to choose from.” The hand that he was leaning on finally gave in and he slammed his head to the table.

We all burst out laughing including him.

“Thanks. I’ll rather stay single.” I patted his head, pretending to care if he got hurt.

“You’re still young, Charlie. Never forget what you want and never settle for less.” Peter lifted his glass and we all followed his lead.

Never settle for less. It’s going to be hard to find someone after what I experienced last year.

[bbwoulfc]

Lukanette Viking AU - Luka and Jagged: Picking A Dragon (REWRITE)

Ao3

Viking Life was a mixture of many things.  Expand, learn, fight, trade, dragon training, etc, the list goes on.  Though, when it came to the Anarky tribe, chaos and fun were one important motto when it came to being a viking.

For the Stone-Couffaine clan, they believed chaos and fun allowed a viking to reach their full and true potential.  At least, that’s what Jagged and Anarka, the chief and chieftess, believe.  It’s what allowed the Anarky tribe to rule over areas of Sratha Cluade in Scotland and Ulaid in Ireland for so long.  They were fair and just but tended to focus more on kindness and fun, with a bit of chaos of course.

And though they were a bit chaotic, they had good allies.  One of those allies they were closest to is the Cruthachadh tribe; ruled by the humble and kind Tom and Sabine of the Dupain-Cheng clan.  Together, they helped each other strive with trade and goods which only strengthened their alliance.

This eventually led to the day that house Dupain-Cheng and house Stone-Couffaine decided to sign a contract of union with a marriage between their eldest children, believing they’d be a good match for one another and lead both tribes, once united, to years of prosperous reign.  Now, at the age of twelve, Luka, heir of the Anarky tribe, was betrothed to the heir of Cruthachadh’s heir, Marinette.

With the weight of the betrothal and upcoming visit from Marinette approaching, Luka was growing nervous and anxious.  He never gets the chance to meet Marinette as often as most betrothed or even friends would, and that made it difficult when your betrothed lived a couple day’s trip by boat away or a day’s flight by dragon on a separate island.

Would they be considered friends when they hardly see each other?  Does Marinette even consider themselves friends?

Luka sighed from the whirlwind of questions and worries.  Sitting at the dining table, he dropped his head on the heavy wooden tabletop and let out a grown.

“What’s got you all mopey?” he heard his sister quietly ask as she entered the dining and kitchen space.

“Just thinking about Marinette and our betrothal.”

“Oh, that again.  Then I’m gonna leave and go hang out with Alix and Kim.  Have fun sulking.”

“Love you too, Jules,” he called out as Juleka left the house.

Luka let out another sigh.  He really wanted to make this relationship work.  But now that Juleka ditched him, he had no one else home to talk about gift ideas.  And that was the nervous part of figuring out a gift, what kinds of things does Marinette like?  Does she like jewelry?  Weapons?  Crafts?

Where was someone when he needed it?

The front door to their home burst open with force as he heard someone enter the domain.

‘I take that back.’

“Eh, my boy!”

Pushing his head up, Luka greeted his father with a small smile.

Seeing his son’s dull expression, Jagged walked over and sat across from his son, his winged crimson pit drake hybrid, Fang, followed close behind.  Luka gave a small chuckle seeing the large dragon stopping beside his father, lay down, and curl up.  Fang might look like a terrifying beast, but that dragon was nothing but an oversized puppy with how his father spoiled him.  Well, until someone threatening came along, then that puppy side was gone.

“What’s got ya so blue, son?”  Jagged’s brows furrowed,  “Is...is dis ‘bout the betrothal?”

Luka huffed, “Yea.  I’m...I’m worried about screwing this up and ruining my chances making Marinette happy.”

A smile stretched across Jagged’s face, feeling guilty for his son’s turmoil.

“I’m sorry, lad.  Yer mother ‘nd I didn’t mean fer dis betrothal ta get ya worked up.  We all just thought da two o’ve ya would be great fer each other.” 

“It’s alright, dad.  I really like Marinette, don’t worry.  I just don’t want her to regret being stuck with me.”

“Ah, come on, don’t think like that, son.  Yer a good man,” -he pushed himself up to tap his finger against Luka’s forehead- “don’t forget that.”

Sitting back in his seat, he rested his arms on the table.  Jagged looked at his son, “So, tell me what ideas ya got fer Marinette.  I know you’ve been thinkin’.”

“I was hoping to get Marinette a gift when she came to visit.  I just don’t know what she likes or would like.”

Jagged gave his son a wide grin, “Well lucky fer you, I know exactly what ta get fer yer future wife!”

“Really?” Luka perked in relief.

Leaning forward to Luka, he gave his son a nod and whispered the answer like it was a secret.

“The perfect way ta a girl’s heart is a dragon o’ve their own.”

Luka looked at his dad with skepticism, “Really?”

He watched Jagged lean back with wide arms and bright smile, “Absolutely!  That’s how I won da heart o’ve yer mother.”

Well, Luka couldn’t really argue with that in all honesty.  Based on the bond between his parents, their relationship was one of strength and many other traits.  If his dad believed a dragon would help the start of his and Marinette’s relationship, it couldn’t hurt to try, right?

“Alright,” Luka breathed with new confidence and gave his father an excited smile, “Mind joining me to the nesting grounds to find a dragon for Marinette as a pre-wedding gift?”

Jagged gave Luka a starry-eyed look and jumped up excitingly in place.

“Of course!  We’ll get ta ‘ave a father-son bondin’ moment.”  Jagged ran around the table and picked up his son, missing the sound of a yelp from Luka.  Throwing his son over his shoulder as he ran for the front, calling his dragon companion to follow, “Come along, Fang!”  

 **********************************************************

 It didn’t take them long to navigate through the Scottish woods along the shore cliff sides that housed one of the larger gatherings and nesting grounds for dragons.  Nesting grounds were always a serendipitous place for vikings to come and bond with the majestic creatures.  To build lifelong companions and friends.

For Luka, he hadn’t been to the nesting grounds in two years when he came to find a dragon companion of his own at age ten.  Which turned out as a great experience if he had to say so himself.  

He remembers when he stumbled across the Icelandic hatchling with the golden eyes two years ago.

The white-colored dragon gazed at him with curiosity and hope.  Luka reached into his side pouch and pulled out a strip of dried fish to give the hatchling; reaching the piece of meat forward.  Perking and giving the item a sniff, the dragon took and ate the treat before moving closer to the young boy.

Dropping to his knees, Luka waited patiently for the hatchling to approach on his own will.  His parents told him that you’ll know the right dragon when you both bond and connect in mind.  So, as he waited, the hatchling stepped with his front paws on Luka’s knees and stretched up until the boy stroked his head.

Seeing the dragon wanting attention, Luka ran his hand along the smokey grey muzzle and snow-white head.  He felt a rumble-like purr and within a few moments, he heard a faint, new voice say “friend” enter his head.  Hoping it was a sign of the bond, Luka thought of the word friend in return and watched as the Icelandic hatchling opened his eyes from the nuzzling and looked at him in awe and excitement within those golden eyes.

‘Bonded?’ he heard from the dragon.

Luka gave the hatchling a nod and smile, “Bonded.”

The small dragon gave a chirp in happiness and nuzzled fully against Luka.

“You’re quite the majestic dragon, aren’t you?  Really cool and handsome looking,” he stated while taking in all the dragon’s detail.

The Icelandic hatchling heard the boy’s praise and sat back, standing boldly with a little cockiness and pride.

Luka chuckled, “Oh?  A little sassiness I see.”

The hatchling perked at the term of sassy.

“You like that?  Sassy?”  He heard the dragon bark in agreement.  “Alright then.  How do you feel about Sass for a name?”

‘I like it.’

“Then, it looks like you and I are bonded companions for life,” chuckling when Sass jumped into Luka’s arms. 

Finding Sass was one of the best things to happen in his life.  To have a companion and friend to talk to, who also came to enjoy some of his interests.  And in two winters, he would be able to add Marinette and her own dragon to add to his list of good things to happen to him.

When Luka and Jagged crossed the skirt of dangling tree branches, both men gasped at the utopia that was the nesting grounds.  The area was filled with hoards of dragons of all shapes, sizes, and colors.  It might have been only two years since he had been there, but he knew for a fact that there weren’t as many dragons last time.

“There are so many new dragons,” Luka mumbled in awe.  “I didn’t know there were so many types.”

He felt his father bump his shoulder, not removing his gaze from the joyous sight, “Maybe the dragons talk to each other and tell how awesome our land is.”

They both chuckled which built to laughter.  Together, once they calmed down, began walking again, slowly approaching further into the nesting grounds.  Taking in all the activity surrounding them, they saw dragons roaming, flying, lounging under the bright sun, and herds of hatchlings playing about among the green fields, small hills, and low mountains.  The scenery looked like a kingdom all its own, but he wouldn’t let the variety of dragons deter him from finding a hatchling for Marinette.

“Where to start?” Luka mumbled to himself, gazing at the nearby nests.

However, he wasn’t aware of Jagged moving towards another direction until the sound of grass rustling came beside him.  Looking to his left, Luka watched his father take off like a kid during the holidays, jumping from nest to nest or dragon to dragon; Fang following close behind in the same enthusiasm.  

“Dad!  What are you doing?!  This isn’t like being at one of the trading posts.”

Jagged looked back at his son and waved off his worries, “Oi, no need ta worry, son!  Fang will keep me safe.”  

‘Yea, but there’s a difference from looking fearsome and acting like one.’

Rolling his eyes, Luka followed his father and Fang towards the open meadow, heading to the opposite side.  Coming upon one of the nearest nests, he came across a familiar breed of dragon.  Seeing a mixture of gold, blue, and red eyes, the snow-white scales was no mistake.

Falling to his knees, the hatchlings scurried towards Luka seeking attention like most hatchlings sought.  Chuckling, Luka tried dividing his attention to all three hatchlings as they chirped and licked his hands.  He could feel the smoothness in the younglings' skin and bumps where future spikes and horns would develop.

Though, like all hatchlings, the attention span didn’t last long as the Icelandic younglings ran off to play with the other hatchling breeds.

At the sound of a chuckled rumble, the young heir looked up at the mother of the nest, her gaze distant to where her offsprings ran off.  After a few more seconds, the mother’s gaze shifted to Luka.  Wise blue eyes looked into young ocean filled ones.

“Hey, girl.  It’s been a while.”  Opening his travel pouch, he pulled out a piece of dried fish jerky meat, holding it up to the dragon.

The female lowered her head and took the piece of meat and ate it.  She lightly nudged her dull upward beak muzzle against Luka’s head in gratitude.  Raising his hands, he returned the gesture by petting along her jaw and snout, earning a purring rumble.

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”  He heard the dragon give another rumble.  Leaning back, he looked into her eyes with a smile filled with his own sense of gratitude, “I want to thank you for letting me have Sass.  We’ve both been very happy.”

He received a lick across his cheek when they heard the hatchlings return and huddle back into the nest, all three curling up to one another before falling asleep.  Feeling it was time for him to move on to allow the hatchlings to sleep, he gave the mother a wave goodbye before walking off.  The Icelandic breed was a gorgeous dragon, but he felt it didn’t suit Marinette.

Continuing on to another random nest, Luka came upon a family of Wyverns.  Strong but stubborn creatures, they were majestic in their own way.  Slightly smaller than the Icelandic dragon, they were more of, what Luka felt, bird-like in appearance.  Large and powerful wingspans and two strong powerful legs.  Forest green and browns in color, they would act like good camouflage dragons in the woods or forests.

Giving attention to some of the hatchlings, he took in some more of the details around the body.  Spikes traveling along the back and parts of the head, at the end of the tail it formed into a spike club shape.  Luka was sure the Wyvern would make a good fierce and loyal companion, but again, he didn’t feel confident it was the dragon for his betrothed.

“Oi! Luka, come here, son.”

Looking over towards the location his father was, he saw Jagged and Fang hunched over a smaller nest compared to the larger ones laying about.  Standing up, Luka headed over and knelt down beside his father.

“What do ya think o’ve these little guys?”

Jagged picked up one of the little dragons with butterfly-like wings.  The coloring reminded him of one of those butterflies with orange and black markings.  A Monarch he thinks it was after learning from a gentleman at a trading post when he was with his father.  

The little dragon looked up at the two of them with curiosity in those bluish buggish eyes and chirped.

“I don’t know, dad.  They look like one of those Feydragons.  They’re very small and I wanted to get Marinette a dragon she could eventually ride.”

“Well, maybe dis guy can be an inside home dragon companion, like a dog or cat.  There’s nothin’ wrong wit’ havin’ more than one dragon.”

Looking closer at the small dragon, it’s fins fanning out and wings fluttering from the light breeze passing, and chirped.

“The little guy is cute,” spoke Luka, “It probably wouldn’t hurt to have two dragons for Marinette.”

Smiling at his dad, Jagged returned one when the sight of the Feydragon’s body began to glow.  The father and son perked in attention at the sight and gazed on in their own curiosity, leaning closer to the little creature.

“Oh?  What’s this?” Mumbled Jagged.

Suddenly, the Feydragon sneezed, the body giving a spark as a small explosion burst out.  The smoke from the blast hit Jagged and Luka with a small light force, becoming coated in patches of ash and scorch marks across their upper body.  Blinking, Luka broke his gaze from the dragon and glanced up at his father with a fuzzled haze, taking in all the scorch marks and strands of his hair and beard sticking out of place.  A few strands sizzling or giving off smoke.

If Luka hadn’t been a part of the explosion, he’d find the sight of this whole event hilarious.  He was sure he sported a similar appearance and knew the moment they returned home, Juleka would probably laugh.  As for his mother, he wasn’t sure.

“I like this little guy!” Shouted Jagged, “Marinette would love this!”

“No,” vetoed Luka.  “I’m not giving her a dragon that has explosive sneezes.”

“Oh, I’m sure they grow out of it.”

“Still no.  I’m not risking my future wife with an explosive dragon.”

“You’re no fun, but I guess you have a point.  I bet Juleka would love him!”

“Oh, gods,” mumbled Luka.

He didn’t want to begin imagining the idea of Juleka owning a dragon such as this one.

His eyes widen at the sudden thought of Alix and Kim learning about this dragon breed.  The explosions would only add up on a daily basis.

He felt a weight land on his back and little chirps and clicks.  Turning his head to his left, he tried to catch a glimpse of what landed on his back, when a small reddish gold hatchling crawled up and rested on top of his shoulder.  Raising his right hand up, he waited patiently until the hatchling crawled in his palms, the dragon’s eyes never once leaving their focus from his.

“A Chinese Gold dragon?” he gazed at the structure and appearance, taking in certain details of the bat-like wings and size, along with the crests to signal it was a female.  He gave the little dragon a welcoming smile, “Well, aren’t you a beautiful girl.  It’s not very often we get to see your species around these parts.”

The red hatchling chirped and looked knowingly with her blue eyes and seemed to gleam at being called beautiful.  Reaching into his small pouch, Luka pulled another piece of fish jerky, ripping off a smaller strip and placed it in front of the hatchling.

Watching as she sniffed the food, gurgled in excitement, and snatched the piece of meat, eating it whole.  Licking her muzzle, the red hatchling pushed up with her hind legs and rubbed her head against Luka’s chin, causing the boy to giggle.

“You’re a lovable little thing aren’t you?”

The golden hatchling gave another chirp.  Luka looked over the dragon coated in gradients of reddish-gold with some smokey black markings on her back.  It really was a gorgeous dragon and seeing the blue eyes, it reminded him of Marinette’s when he saw her a couple of years ago when they were younger.  He felt confident that this was the dragon for Marinette.

“Would you like to come home with me?  I have someone special who would love you and make a great bonded companion.”

Wanting to let the dragon make the decision, it didn’t take long for the small hatchling to crawl up his shoulder and give a little lick to Luka’s cheek.

“Well, it looks like ya found yerself a dragon, son.”

“Ya.  Ready to head home?” Luka asked as he turned to his father.

“Yep!  I can’t wait ta show Juleka her new companion!”

Luka shook his head as he followed behind his father and Fang towards home.  He was sure their house was going to get slightly busier with all the new residents.

 ********************************************************

 It didn’t take them long to reach their village, taking the pathway leading to the Couffaine home.  Compared to the other houses, it wasn’t hard to find the large two leveled home.  Then again, it was said that the chief and chieftess homes were built to be a bit larger.

Walking up the front steps, the father and son entered the family home to find Juleka at the dining table, eating lunch.

Looking over to her father and brother, Juleka perked at the sight of them, taking in the messing appearance.

“What the heck happened to you two?”

“My little darlin’ daughter,” Jagged ran over to Juleka in pure excitement, “I got you a little companion.”

He held out the small Feydragon so Juleka could take a look.

“This little guy gives off explosions when it sneezes.  It’s so cute!”

Juleka’s eyes grew in awe and wonder, mumbling, “Awesome.”

As Jagged and Juleka continued to wonder over the small Fey hatchling, Luka jolted when he heard his mother’s voice to the side of him.

“What on earth happened ta ya, lad?”  He turned towards her to find her glancing at all his messed up appearance.  “What the Hel did you ‘nd yer father get up too?”

Luka motioned for the gold dragon to hop into his palms as he held her out to his mother.

“I wanted to get Marinette a special pre-wedding gift when she comes over to visit in two weeks.  Dad said that the best way to a girl’s heart was a dragon.  What do you think?”

Ankara looked at the Chinese Gold dragon hatchling and gave a warming smile.  As quick as lighting, his mother pulled him into a crushing hug.  He was thankful that the hatchling was quick as well as she jumped out his hands before being crushed.

“Oh, my boy is growin’ up,” Ankara softly spoke, “I’m so proud o’ve ya.  Yer gonna make a fine husband ta Marinette.”   

Luka sighed at his mother’s words, feeling thankful for having such support, but feeling a weight lift off knowing he was giving his all and that his family believed in him.  They might be chaotic, him having his own moments, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.  Hopefully, Marinette doesn’t mind a bit of chaos.

@lineith @depressedrainbowcake @fantastucbaby @hansa-12 @justafanwarrior @bugaboo-valerie

[israltale]

Broken Screen

Geno sighed, he can’t remember the last Time Reaper had visited him. Time in the Save Screen was barely countable anyway. Still he was stuck in there, not able to leave, only to wait. But waiting became painful the longer it seemed. 

Geno wanted to break out, but that would certainly mean his Death. Still he hated this Black Space, there was no one except himself. While he had to watch the Genocide over and over and over again, of course from another Timeline. He wanted nothing more than getting out of here. It was so lonely in the damn Save Screen.

On the other Hand, Geno had no idea how to get out and how to survive long enough to actually see something. He was on the Verge of Dusting already as he entered the Save Screen. He had only his little Window to look at other Timelines, unable to do things. 

“I really wish someone was able to see or visit me here….” He mumbled more to himself. 

“Why so sad?” A high-pitched Female Voice called suddenly. 

“Why so tired?” This time a Male voice called for him. 

“What?” He turned back to the screen he was always looking at.

“I ask why you fret.” There was the Woman voice again. 

“I ask why you sob.” The Male Voice again. 

“Where?” Geno looked around. Why did this feel so strange? What was going on here? 

The screen showed a strange Picture, as if he was looking into Fire, then a Man looked straight at him, as if he could see the other in his Save Screen. 

“I’m Finn.” He said, red horns growing out of his head, surrounded by brown Hair and green eyes. 

“I’m Quinn.” The Female Voice resounded suddenly, apparently looking the same as Finn only with blue Horns. 

“I… I’m Geno…” He answered, not sure if they could hear him.

Finn grinned at him. 

“Why so sad, Geno?” Quinn chuckled softly. 

“Why so tired, Geno?” He starred at them. 

They… They could SEE him? They could TALK to him? This was new, no one ever could that, even as he tried to stop the Genocide routes. 

“You can Hear and See me?” He asked in sheer surprise. 

“Yes we see!” Finn said.��

“Yes we hear” Quinn sang. Geno was really surprised about that.

“Well… I’m stuck in this Dark Place.” The Twins looked at him. 

“Can’t you leave?” He asked. 

“Do you want to stay?” She questioned, it was really a bit weird, but at this Point it was all Geno had. 

“No i can’t Leave… If i do i will die. But i don’t want to stay either. It’s lonely in here.” Finn and Quinn still looked at him. 

“No one can Visit me here and i never saw someone talk to me like you two do.” Geno said softly. 

“I’m stuck in the Save Screen. If i leave my wound will hurt and i will Dust.” The Twins looked at one another. 

“We can Visit!” Finn said, clasping his Sisters Hands. 

“We can Talk!” Quinn sang. 

“But it’s not the same. I still see the same dark Screen, the same dull Place.” It seemed to do something with the Twins. They looked thoughtful. 

“We can ask someone.” His Sister nodded. 

“We have a Plan.” Geno blinked as they both suddenly disappeared. 

“What?” He said confused. The Twins were gone, but it seemed like they had a Plan. He wondered what that would be.

Finn and Quinn stole themselves away from their usual home. There was only one Person who could help them. They carefully used the secret paths, before the Sky turned dark, it was a line between the two Vicinities. 

But they still had to Face the Leader and both had agreed, he was damn scary. Maybe if they would find the Personal guard first, they could talk easier with the Leader. 

“What are you two doing here.” They both flinched, slowly turning only to see Kiros and Croma. 

“We are searching the Personal Guard.” Finn said.

“We need the personal Guard.” Quinn carefully said. Kiros and Croma looked at one another. 

“Personal Guard?” Kiros nodded.

“They are talking about the snake.” He said casually.

“Oh!” Croma seemed to understand. 

“Alright, i can get him.” He said and Kiros nodded. 

“So? Why you need the Snake?” The Twins looked at one another. 

“Need to speak with her.” Finn said.

“Need to get advise from Her.” Kiros sighed, those two gave him a Headache already.

Cobra walked to them, with Croma behind him. 

“Finn, Quinn, why are you here?” The Twins looked at him. 

“We need her.” Finn said flustered. 

“We ask her.” Cobra blinked, then nodded. 

“I see, alright. I talk to Narish for you two.” They smiled at him. 

“Thank you.” Quinn hobbled a bit.

“Kind Regards.” Cobra smiled a bit. 

“How about you two go to the Lake. I will bring her there.” The Twins nodded and ran off. 

“Urgh… They give me a Headache.” Kiros grumbled. 

“They are not at fault.” Cobra said calmly, while they walked back to the Castle. 

“How so?” Cobra sighed a bit. 

“Finn and Quinn… they were supposed to be one Dragon, but something happened during the Time inside their Mother and the Egg. It never happens to have two Hatchlings in one Egg.” Croma blinked. 

“But with them it did?” Cobra nodded. 

“Yes. Far as I know their Lifetime is about to end in a few years if they don’t merge back together… but… no one knows how.” Kiros huffed. 

“I wonder what they want from Flower.” Croma said, curious about why the Twins would come here. 

“Who knows.” They probably would learn.

Narish starred at Cobra, while he explained about the Twins wanting to talk with Millenia. Ever since they had brought her Back shortly after Narish Birth, they had created a Castle for him, to establish the Vicinity as a Ruled Area. 

Narish took Leadership, but he turned very protective of their Flower. Cobra had noticed how everyone started to give her the same nickname Kiros had done. Narish had risen their Guard around her, after Lysander, the Dragon King, announced that his Sister is to be Killed for High Treason. 

His People where Mad about that and a lot of Soldiers ignore the Fact they saw her. Narish wouldn’t risk it tho. She is only allowed to leave the Castle if one of the Hybrids is with her, or the best he wanted, her own Personal Guard. 

“Alright.. But only with you and Croma with her.” Narish finally announced. His Throne was specifically Made, so he could sit with his four tails and Wings out and not be disturbed by it. Cobra nodded.

“I wouldn’t leave her alone with them, after all there is no certainty they won’t do anything Fishy.” Narish nodded.

“Kiros.” The Red Hybrid grinned.

“With Pleasure, Boss~” He said, before walking away. He would go and get her. She was probably with Alure and Solei. 

That damn greedy Bastard moved in with them, after the King had found out about him being a Hybrid. Kiros hated it, but there was something that would turn it into a far better light. He grinned, licking his Teeth, while he got there.

While Narish and Kiros had kissed Millenia after her Rescue… it had rather become common for them to kiss. not only the Hybrids their flower, but also the Hybrids under one another. 

There wasn’t much else happening, it was just their way to show affection, the only exception was Solei. The greedy golden Dragon not only refused to Kiss any of them, not that anyone wanted that. But he would beg for Alure to Kiss him. Kiros growled. There was already that incident with Pulvis, where Solei wanted to break him after what he had gone through. But there was also the incident were Solei tried to turn Croma into his pet for showing interest and affection towards Alure. 

Of Course Millenia and Alure had handled the Situation, but some barely forgave him until now. Kiros opened the Door, seeing Alure cuddled close to Millenia. That was the other Thing happening between them all, occasionally cuddling. Kiros smiled. There was really nothing else going on, nothing dirty at least, it was just wholesome Kissing and cuddling. 

“Kiros, how may i help you?” Millenia looked up from the Book she was reading with Alure.

“Boss wants to see you, Flower. Seems like some Twins want to talk with you.” Millenia nodded. 

“Alright. Sorry Alure, i translate the rest later.” Alure nodded. 

“It’s okay!” He pecked her Cheek. Millenia went to Kiros, looking up at him. 

“Ready to go?” She smiled at him. 

“Sure.” Kiros nodded, walking back to the Throne Room with her.

Narish explained why she was called in the Throne room. 

“Finn and Quinn?” Narish nodded. 

“They never said what they want. But they want to talk with you.” She nodded softly. 

“I wonder why, they have no Reason, far as i know.” Kiros went to Narish. 

“Maybe they are Curious of Something. Snake told us a bit about them, so maybe it is to that?” Millenia tilted her head. 

“Possible, but there is only one way i can Think of and i don’t believe they want to do this.” She said. Cobra sighed. 

“Let’s talk to them first.” Croma was also ready to accompany them. Kiros stayed close to Narish. 

“What about Solei?” He asked after they Left. 

“Was not in the Room.” He sighed a bit.

 “I see. Only her and Alure?” Kiros chuckled. 

“Pulvis was hidden away in the Back, seemed like he was sleeping.” Narish shifted a bit to sit more comfortable. 

“Good. While Solei is useful as a Healer and also his Greed to Punish People… I don’t want that near my Men or the Flower.” Kiros chuckled.

“Don’t worry, Moonlight. But impressive how everyone except the Snake adapted to her Nickname Flower.” Narish chuckled. 

“Well, My Curious Knife… It is Common for Dragons and why not use a Nickname for everyone in General?” Kiros laughed. 

“True. But we still have non for poor big boy Croma.” He said softly. 

“We will find one, give it Time.” Narish said. Kiros chuckled. Yeah they would find one. It would take time, but they would, as any of them always did. Like Cobra accidentally giving Pulvis the Nickname Cookie.

Finn and Quinn ran up to Millenia once they saw her coming with Cobra and Croma.

“Good to see you, Priestess.” Finn squeaked. 

“Good to hear you, Priestess.” Millenia smiled at them. 

“Finn, Quinn, you two wanted to speak with me?” The Twins nodded. 

“We met someone.” Finn said.

“We heard someone.” Millenia tilted her head. 

“Oh? Tell me more.” She walked over to the Lake to sit with the Twins. 

“How is it not hurting her head?” Croma asked. 

“Practice. Arisa is long in the Business of Dragon Life.” Cobra said. Millenia sat with the Twins. 

“He is hurting.” Finn said. 

“He is lonely.” Quinn added. 

“He?” Both nodded. 

“He said his name is Geno.” Millenia tilted her head. 

“He said he can’t leave.” It was a bit hard to piece it together. 

“Geno is lonely and hurting, but he can’t leave?” Both nodding together. 

“When he leaves he dies.” Finn mumbled. 

“He don’t want to die, but he is sick of being lonely.” Millenia nodded. 

“Alright, so what do you two wanted to ask?” Finn and Quinn looked at one another. 

“Can we help him?” Finn asked, almost begging.

“Can we save him?” Quinn whined. 

“Possible… You could try and use whatever connection you had to enter his Home. But first you need to stable him enough to leave that place… and who knows how long it will hold on before he basically has to go there again.” The Twins looked at one another. 

“What if we offer our souls?” Finn asked. 

“Give him a whole what we have not?” Quinn added. Millenia blinked. They not only would sacrifice themselves for someone they barely met, but also would make him a Hybrid. 

“Our time is running out.” Finn said as he saw her thoughtful gaze. 

“Our time is ending soon.” Quinn added. Millenia knew that.

It took her a while, before she found her Voice and explain the Twins what they needed to do to help him. They needed to find their way into this Place and then let him absorb their souls. Seeing they both only have a Half soul it probably needs both of them to safe him from dying. 

After that he could come here and live with the other Hybrids. Finn and Quinn both nodded, bowed to her and ran off. 

“What’s going on, Flower?” Croma asked. 

“They want to offer their ending lives to someone in need. They said his name is Geno.” Croma tilted his four horned head. 

“Geno? Like in the one who actually broke the genocide circle in his AU in getting stuck in the Save Screen?” Millenia sighed. 

“Probably. I’m not that aware of all the Timelines out there.” Croma knew only a bit about the other Timelines as well. 

“Never trust Ink.” He suddenly said. 

“Oh i know that already.” She said casually, while walking back to Cobra. 

“Huh? H… How?” Croma wondered. Did she ever meet Ink? 

“I will tell you, one other time.” He really was curious how and why Millenia knew about Ink. 

The Twins on the other hand, ran back to the Place they had seen Geno.  

“Geno are you there?” Finn asked into the Fire they had used before. 

“Geno do you hear?” Quinn followed. 

“Oh… You two are Back!” Geno answered. 

“We can help you!” Finn smiled brightly. 

“We can save you!” Quinn nodded. 

“Huh? How?” They didn’t answer him right away. 

“Be patient with us.” Finn then said, starting to get ready. 

Wait for us.” Quinn joined in. Geno was confused, what did the two of them mean by that?

Geno lost them in the Mirror he was using as a Screen to look outside, they were just gone. Then suddenly he felt Magic flicker close to him. 

“We made it.” Quinns Voice sounded so Close. 

“We did it!” Geno turned around, only to see both Twins in the Save Screen. They were really HERE? Geno didn’t believe his Eye Light. 

“Why? How? I… What?” Finn and Quinn looked at one another. 

“We came to save you.” Geno blinked slowly. 

“We came to free you.” Did he hear right? But how did do they want to manage that? He touched his death slash. The Twins looked at it in worry. 

“Don’t be sad.” Finn suddenly said. 

“Don’t be mad.” He looked at them.

“What? Why?” The Twins hold hands. 

“We are soon to die.” Geno starred at them. 

“We have no full soul.” The Twins still smiled at him. 

“We offer you our Time.” Finn said. 

“We over you our half souls.” He was about to complain and stop them. 

“This is our Final wish.” Finn said. 

“This is our final Choice.” Geno’s shoulders slumped a bit. 

“So little time?” Both Twins nodded. 

“But our souls can heal you.” He could only agree on that. 

“Our Souls can free you.” It was sad to hear them saying it with this finality. 

“How… how long would you two still have?” They sighed. 

“Nightfall.” They said in sync. Geno sat down. 

“I… I see, if  that is your Wish then… then i will accept.” The Twins ran up to Geno, cuddling closer to him. 

“It was nice to meet you.” Finn said softly. 

“It was nice to help you.” Quinn whispered. 

“Once it is other… Go find a man named Narish.” Geno nodded. 

“You may rather meet Kiros, Pulvis or Croma, they can bring you to him.” He felt something drawing closer. As if his little Soul Piece was grabbing Something. 

Geno wanted to cry as he felt the Twins hugging him slowly dust away. 

“I will not let this Chance you gave me go to waste.” He whispered, looking at the two half souls, stretching his hands towards them. He felt a throbbing Pain as their Souls reacted to his. It was good he was alone in the Save Screen, he could scream out his Pain all he wanted, while the two half souls merged with what little was left of his was left. 

It felt strange, he felt hot, his bones seemed to stretch, while his head seemed to grow something, as well as his Tail Bone? Geno felt his slash close, how was that possible? But it happened, his slash closed, his melted skull was restored, only his socket remained melted and empty. 

Geno screamed louder, only for the burning sensation finally dying down. He huffed heavily, trying to move his sore Limbs. He indeed grew, not much but he did. Geno touched his head, two Horns where there, one of them felt broken, it was the side his skull had started to melt before he escape in the Save screen. 

“Wow…” Geno moved his head, only to see a red and blue coloured Tail. 

“Holy!” He gasped in surprise. This was really amazing, he felt more Powerful. 

“They said i should find a Man named Narish.” He Turned to the Screen where he still could see their World. Is it possible…? Geno breathed, before he just Shattered the Save Screen, landing in the World those sweet Twins called their Home.

“They said a Man named Narish… but i would probably need to find someone called Kiros, Croma or Pulvis…” Geno mumbled, while walking around in confusion. 

He heard someone chuckle in the Distance. Geno wondered who was so happy to chuckle like that, only to see a skeleton in different purple colours. 

He had large violet horns and a long violet tail with some blue and red spikes close to the tip. He nibbled on a cookie, but Geno could smell from here that there was more to those things as just sugar and chocolate. He wondered if that one was one of those he should find. 

“Excuse me.” The other flinched, before turning to him. 

“Hehehehe, You’re new here, right?” Geno nodded. 

“Yes. I am in search for someone.” The other One looked him up and down. 

“Huh…. You’re not like them over there, so i guess you are a… Hybrid?” He looked at Geno, but how should he answer? 

“I… guess? I was a Skeleton not that long ago.” The other nodded. 

“Name is Pulvis.” The other said. Geno had actually found one of those Names he was Told. 

“You said you are searching someone? After our Flower?” Geno shook his Skull. 

“I don’t know about a Flower. The Twins giving me this opportunity said i should find someone Named Narish.” Pulvis tilted his head. 

“Huh? Twins and you were told to find Boss? Don’t know if you really want that.” Then he shrugged his shoulders. 

“What ever i bring you to him. Come on.” Geno blinked. 

“Don’t you… want to know my name?” Pulvis turned to him. 

“Dunno, do you want to keep your old name or rather take a new one, like all of us to leave your Past behind?” Geno looked at him flabbergasted. He was… actually right.

Geno followed Pulvis to a large Castle, they never told him the one he was searching for was a Ruler or something! Geno went into a slight Panic. 

“Don’t worry to much.” Pulvis said, munching on another cookie. 

“Narish may have Leadership over the Hybrids. But the Actual Protector is our Guardian, who also made this Place.” Geno nodded slowly. 

“This… Flower?” Pulvis grinned. 

“Yeah, you will like her.” The new born Hybrid was not so sure about that. He still kinda loved Reaper, even in this new Form, even after he had left him for a very long time. Pulvis waved in front of his Face. 

“Wha?” Geno jumped back. 

“Stop dreaming.” He warned him. 

“Hey Cookie, who are you bringing?” Geno blinked, there was another one of them, mostly wearing brown and red colours. something was running down his sockets, while he played with a blue, crystal like looking knife. Pulvis walked over to him. Geno certainly didn’t expect what happened then. Pulvis was kissing him, are they a Thing?

“Dunno. He turned not long ago, Cherry Muffin. He said he wanted to talk with Moonlight.” Kiros sighed. 

“I see. Moonlight won’t be that pleased i guess… Flower is with him and Cupcake.” Pulvis blinked. 

“They cuddling?” Kiros nodded. 

“Yeah… Croma was feeling antsy about some stuff.” Geno was so confused. 

“uhm… are you two… a thing?” Kiros blinked in confusion, before Pulvis broke out in loud laughter. 

“Yes and no. Simply said we all agreed to an Open Relationship between us all. So everyone who is giving and having nicknames is in that agreement. Kissing and cuddling for us all, you know.” Geno nodded. 

“Not more?” Kiros tail flicked around. 

“Nope. Not yet at least.” 

Geno was confused, so they all did it with everyone? At least it sounded like that? He would probably see in a bit. Kiros opened the Door. 

“Hey, Moonlight. Cookie brought a new Hybrid.” Geno blinked in Confusion. There was one Man, a Skeleton like him with six Cyan coloured horns, a pair of wings and four tails, kissing a bigger skeleton with four purple coloured Horns and a spiked Tail. 

Then there was a Woman with long red Hair, almost squeezed tight in between them. Geno was impressed, they really were serious about that open Multi relationship.

“Could we all agree to use our NAMES, when guests are brought over.” The one with the Six horns said, after finally breaking that Kiss. the other turned a deep Purple.

“Sorry, Boss. I’m so used to it.” He sighed heavily. 

“My name is Narish.” He finally said, sitting down on his massive Chair. Geno suddenly felt very uncomfortable. 

“I… was told to seek you out…” Narish looked at him, sitting cross-legged on his Chair, observing him with a cold gaze, while his head rested on his hand. 

“Told from who?” The Woman who was squeezed between them before looked at him as well. 

“I think i know. He must be the one Finn and Quinn desired to help.” Narish looked at her. 

“Those Twins?” Millenia nodded, as she walked down to Geno. 

“Yes, they told me they wanted to help a Skeleton with their Souls, seeing they never wanted to give up one of them to make the other whole.” She stopped in front of him. 

“Am i right?” Geno nodded. 

“Yes… They gave me their souls…” The others looked to them. 

“Their only chance to life for longer, would have been to let one perish to make the other complete. Something they never did and never would have. Finn and Quinn new their time would come to an end seeng their Souls couldn’t hold out any longer.” Narish listened to it closely. Geno nodded. 

“Yes, they decided to die both and let me have their soul. It healed my Death Slash and a good part of my Skull.” Kiros grinned a bit. 

“That’s why only your socket looks out of Place.” Geno nodded. 

“Yes… their soul made my Pixels go away and now everyone can see what could not be healed, also my horn…” He touched the red Horn. 

Narish was already impressed that he had a two coloured tail and two different coloured Horns. Millenia touched his Cheek. 

“I can use my Magic to give you your Pixels back. The Horn can’t be fixed, it is the sign that your Skull on that side was to broken to be healed fully.” Geno looked up to her. Millenia was only a bit taller as Geno. 

“Really?” She nodded. 

“Of course, Seeing you came with Pulvis and Kiros they explained their decision to give themselves a new Name?” Geno nodded.

“Yes they did, also i have a Question.” Narish raised a brow bone. 

“What could that be?” He asked coldly. 

“Is it possible for me to live down in Town?” Millenia chuckled. 

“Of course, any Living Situation is free to choose, while i advise any of you to keep away from the Vicinity of Order, seeing they are against any Halfbreed.” Geno nodded. 

“Alright.” 

Millenia fixed up the issue with his melting eye, sealing it with the dragon in the middle of her Circle to last it for ever. 

“Done.” She said with a smile, as Croma walked up to her. 

“I guide him down into Town.” He said, nuzzling the far smaller Woman softly. 

“Thank you, Croma.” He grinned at her, softly kissing her Cheek, before he looked to Geno. 

“Ready to set off?” Geno nodded.

“Oh! Before i forget! Please call me Syo from now on.” Kiros grinned. 

“Alright, Syo. If you wanna do something later on, Alure can surely help you find something. He is our big Brain.” Syo nodded. 

“Thanks, but i know what i want to do from now on.” He said leaving with Croma.

The Town close to the dark Castle was bustling with life. Syo was immediately amazed, it was filled with so many different Creatures, which reminded him immediately of Snowdin. He saw Dwarfs, Fairies, Lamia, Naga and even Dog and Cat like Monster.

“This Place is Amazing!” Syo said excited. 

“Yes, the Vicinity of Chaos is open for all creatures who want to life in Peace.” Croma said, walking deeper into the Town. 

“There are some Free Houses you can choose of.” He brought him to them. 

“Thanks for guiding me here, Croma.” Syo bowed to him. 

“If you need anything you can easily go to the market, each house has a box with some coins in until you find how to exchange or sell stuff.” Syo nodded. He already has an Idea. 

He will fill this Place with Flowers! Syo immediately got inside to settle. Syo finally broke free from that horrible Save Screen.

[three-gulons-in-a-trenchcoat]

I saw your refsheet and your characters looked super cool! could you tell me about one? I don't have a preference, you just seem like someone who enjoys talking about your OCs :-)

AKSJAKJKDAJfOFJIJF AM I THAT EASY TO READ-

but yes I enjoy talking about my ocs immensely thank you for noticing anon. (also here is that post if you don’t know what they are talking about)

I’ll pick Kayda! She's the main protagonist of the story, so she is one of the most fleshed-out currently.

[I’ll put it under the cut in case some of you don’t wanna read it]

Name: Kayda Aedelric (she doesn’t have a middle name yet)

Species: Dragon

Gender: Female, she/her

Height: 5′5 (5′3 at the beginning of the story)

Occupation: Princess, Student

Background/History:

Kayda was born as the first and only daughter that the queen could and would ever have, this caused her to be constantly watched and guarded because the queen would be unable to ever have another hatchling. She also had a personal guard named Nova, who was ordered to watch her at all moments and to protect her with his life. However, one night REDACTED was able to slip past the guards, and was able to steal the princess away in the dead of night. REDACTED was part of a secret uprising, who hoped to overthrow the queen and rise to power, restarting the war with the humans that they had ended years ago. Due to the fact that female heirs were first to rise to the throne instead of male heirs, it was necessary to discard the princess in order to make sure that they could steal the throne. However, the leader of the uprising, REDACTED decided that they wouldn’t kill a helpless child and instead ordered REDACTED to take the child to the human realm and hide them there, to grow up as a human child and disappear from Caldera. However, unbeknownst to REDACTED, Nova had followed the dragon and tried to save the princess. REDACTED slashed Nova across the face, leaving the fox to fall from the sky, though he managed to snatch the princess from the dragon's grasp. Nova protected the princess with his wings, and they fell to earth. Unfortunately, Nova couldn’t bring the princess back to Calera, since the pendent used to access Caldera had been shattered on impact, and both of his wings were broken. (these later healed, due to Samoan Foxes having excellent healing cells) The guard was forced to place the shivering child in front of a foster home with the shattered pendant around her neck and a cloak embroidered with her name on the side in hopes that someone would one day find them and bring them back home.

Physical Description (Human): 

When living with humans, she had long, messy white hair, this was because her foster parents never let her cut her hair. As a habit, to keep the hair out of her face, she braids it into two french braids and they fall just below her shoulder blades, with the excess hair framing her face and giving her bangs. When she arrived in Caldera, she insisted that she keep the same hair length, and only got it cut slightly shorter and neater. Her eyes are emerald green, the same color as her father, and her hair is naturally white, not dyed. Her skin became slightly tanned after coming back to Caldera, and she has only grown a couple of inches since then, becoming 5'5 whereas before, she was around 5'3.

Physical Description (Dragon): 

She is the only white dragon in millennia. Her fur is silky and has healing properties when she wills it. Her eyes are a luminescent blue, and she is also the only dragon to have her eye color change with her form since eye color normally transfers when shifting forms. Her horns are shiny silver, almost reflective, and her claws share the same trait.

Habits/Mannerisms: 

Bites lip when thinking.  

Rubs her thumb over her index finger when nervous to soothe herself. 

Tucks hair behind her ear (always right) when she's embarrassed, then flicks it back to its original place quickly. 

Alternatively, when she is lying, she does the same thing but keeps the hair in the same place.

White Dragon Powers:

Healing fur:

When in her dragon form, she has the ability to heal even fatal wounds, though currently, she can only do it to people with who she has formed a strong emotional bond with

Polyspeak:

She can speak to any intelligent creature who has a set language in that language fluently, as well as have the ability to speak in the ancient language, which only the spirits of the realm know. She sometimes switches accidentally, not realizing she did, and sometimes is aware of the fact that she switched. She can also do this while out of the dragon form and in her normal human form.

Personality: Sarcastic, Curious, Loyal, Empathetic, Smart, Snarky, Careful when put in serious situations

Strengths: Not afraid to back down from a fight, she thinks she can win. Quick thinker. She has a very soothing voice, and she is good at calming other people down. Kayda is fiercely protective of the people she loves and would do anything to protect them.

Weaknesses: She tends to form strong emotional attachments that are hard to break. Sometimes overthinks, and suffers from mild anxiety. She has a fear of abandonment.

Extra Info:

When she was little, Queen Libelle, her mother, brought her to the Spirit of the Sky. They blessed her with the mark of the white dragon, though they didn't tell the Queen, instead choosing to keep the answer vague. Kayda gained naturally white hair as a side effect.

When in her dragon form, she has the ability to heal even fatal wounds, though currently, she can only do it to people with who she has formed a strong emotional bond. This drains a lot of her energy, and leaves her very vulnerable depending on the amount of energy she had to convert to healing energy (larger the wound = more healing strength needed)

Thank you for letting me rant about my ocs anon! (also thank you for reading this if you’re still here heh)

[meteor752]

Dragon Individuals

Will I ever stop with the Lotr dragons? Nope.

This time I will talk specifically about certain Dragons/Dragonlings, and their lives before and after the title of Dragon Slayer was brought upon them. We will have one person for each type of dragons.

Smaug

Kinda given that I’d choose him, because I love him.

Smaug was known as Sirvil when he was still human, and grew up in an eastern village of middle earth. Sirvil was never a considered a rich or successful person. He was born as the youngest in a family of eleven, with a relatively weak and frail body that wasn’t useful at all on the crop fields that his family worked on, and he was often teased by his nine older sisters and brothers.

What Sirvil did have going for him was his looks however, at least when he got older. As a teenager, both young men and women would try to get it on with him, but he was never particularly interested in anyone. His entire focus was to become something great that everyone would remember, even after his death.

The moment he came of age, Sirvil left his simple eastern village for the west, searching for a way to move up in life. He became a merchant for a while, and worked under a lot of wealthy buisness men, which sure made him money, but no one still knew his name.

It was when he heard a whisper of the great ice dragon moln in the north that he got an idéa. Every great dragon were known through out middle earth, like the Sky dragon Rilva, king of the southern skies and the mountain dragon Diavanta, protector of the misty mountains. So as a dragon, everyone would know his name.

It took a lot of studying in the library of Minas Tirith, until he decided for the powerful fire dragon, more specifically Ember, the resting dragon in the volcano.

I won’t go into details on how Sirvil killed a dragon, he just did and boom he’s a Dragonling.

Sirvil’s time as a Dragonling was...tough, to say the least. A fire Dragonling takes almost five hundred years to fully transform, which was way too long in his opinion.

He started doing stuff that would get people’s attention, like as fast as he could breathe fire he would just burn everything, and as soon as his wings grew out (Which took years by the way, painful as fuck), he would use them to his advantage to spread his fire’s far and wide.

A Dragonling can feel when the time is near. Just a few months before they fully transform, their body starts to itch in a way, and they start to act a lot less human/elven/whatever species you are.

Sirvil was not fully aware of what would happen when he one day woke up and knew that he would shed his old skin and fully spread his wings, all he knew was that it was going to happen.

Just a few hours later, a burst of flames escaped his body and fully surrounded it, making him feel the most excruciating pain he’d ever felt, but not just from the dragon fire.

His mind was wiped, every memory of his past stolen from him greedily, leaving him a confused Wyvern with his mind on only one thing, gold.

His name was replaced by Smaug, a name that just came to him, as dragon names do. Their old ones are replaced by the new, just like their old lives were.

And you know the rest. A day or two later he burnt down Dale, claimed Erebor and became Lord Smaug, the King under the Mountain.

While the world never knew Sirvil’s name, it definitely knew Smaug’s.

Vrilta

Vrilta was a water dragon, who previously were an elf by the name of Elva.

Elva was born to a fisher by the name of Kamarind and an artist by the name of Vivian. Some of you may remember who these people are.

Elva was the first born of the two, back when the two were still monogamous and didn’t sleep with everyone they met. Elva was an only child for a long time, which she loved a lot, and when her younger brother Jessah was born, she showed endless love for him as well.

 She showed an early appriciation for her Nana’s art, but her true love was to follow her ada out on the sea, just to feel the waves beneath her feet. She could sit for hours and listen to her ada talk about legends and myths about the depht of the sea, and she always used to draw a thousand different made up sea creatures as a child.

It changed when her parents started taking different lovers to bed, and there was suddenly always someone new that took their attention. It got even worse when her ada got a female dwarf pregnant, and she suddenly had a dwelf sister that hung after her constantly everytime she was around.

Elva left Mirkwood as soon as she could, having no idea what she wanted to do with her life, except that it was going to be near the sea. So she went to the northern coast, not minding the cold as long as she could still feel the sea breeze in her hair as she walked bare foot down the beach.

She started to hang around a northern human village, mostly for food and shelter at the local tavern, but also for a chance to meet a human with a boat that could take her out on the ocean.

It was on a particullary cold night when she sat cooped up in the local library reading about sea life, when she stumbled upon the Water Dragon. She read about it, thought it was cool but nothing more, until she tearned the page where it stood about Water Dragonlings, her her being froze. There was a way to become a water creature, to live under the water without a care in the world?

Elva started researching about the way to become a dragon, which is fairly simple you just have to kill one, and her mind was set. She was going to become a dragonslayer.

The Water dragons lurked in the dept of lakes and oceans, and rarely came anywhere near the surface, so it was going to become a challange to do, but Elva was patient. She started trying to find ways to lock a Water Dragon up to the surface, to get it close so she could kill it.

She made a visit to Erebor to retrieve a Black dagger, a weapon made from the same material as the famous black arrows of Dale. It was not easy to make them make her one, as she was an elf and dwarves and elves were infamous for hating each other, but she eventually had it done for a very high price. It didn’t matter, soon she would be swimming around in the waters depht.

After five years of hunting for a Water Dragon, of being known as the mad water elf by the village she stayed in,of spending days by the cold shores of the night, her luck finally struck.

A small Water Dragon Hatchling, not more than a few months old, washed up on shore. Elva, who’d been there all night waiting and way half asleep, sprung up at the sight of the curious little thing that were inspecting a nearby crab.

She knew she had to be quick, since the Hatchlings parents would be there to retrieve it, so she sneaked up on the turqoise and cerise little creature and stabbed it quickly, ending it’s life.

She quickly fled the scene, feeling the slight tingle under her skin, a wide smile covering her features.

She had a relatively easy five hundred years as a Dragonling. Her parents were horrified by her decision, while their friend Tilda where just vibing by the side being supportive. Her brother Bain, had become Elva’s parents new lover and had brought them their fourth child,a Half-elf named Brand, but he a pretty pure creature and she loved him. The Dwelf was still a pain though.

After two hundred years of Light and Marine blue scales growing on her body and wings spurting out off her back, her lungs started to change to gills, which was more weird than painful. The change from having two legs to having one fin was more uncomfortable though, but then finally she was a water creature.

Elva refused to end the curse, despite the pleading of her parents and siblings (Especially Brand, who lost both his aunt and his grandfather to the curse), because she’d been working so hard to finally be able to swim freely, and even if she would loose her identity, she would still have control of her being.

So when the dragon fire surrounded her, she was calm despite the pain, and she was truly happy when she dove deep into the water, reincarnated as Vrilta.

Moln

No one knows anything about Moln’s past. Moln doesn’t even know his past. He’s one of the oldest beings in middle earth, and is actually kinda chill (Pun intended).

A lot of new Dragonlings that don’t know what’s going on go (Or fly, depends on how far into the dragon process they are) to his ice cave in the far north for advice, and he’s sorta like an old wise mentor, despite the fact that he barely remembers anything and just sorta guesses.

He also makes a bunch of ice puns, because ice puns are cool.

Qrikti

Qrikti is a forest dragon, that was actually the forest dragon that Tilda killed, fun fact. I thought about doing her, but I have so much about her so it would add nothing.

Qrikti was known as Hijami back when they were still human, and they grew up in a relatively small but friendly village in the south. They were a happy single child with two wonderful moms and a bunch of friends, and life couldn’t be better.

When Hijami got into their early teens however, things changed. Their moms and a couple of other people from their village was out on a simple hunt, but never returned. The village found what was left of the group a few days later, and the local healer identified it as a Dragon Attack.

Hijami was obviously devastated about their moms deaths, and during the funeral they decided that they were going to get revenge and slay the dragon

So they literally devoted their entire life to it. While their friends started relationships, got jobs, made a life for themselves, Hijami learner how to use weapons and how to take down a dragon.

Unfortunately they didn’t do much research on Dragons themselves, as they lived in a pretty isolated village and thought the only kind of dragons there were were the ones from the stories, which was huge fire breathing monsters that kidnapped maidens.

Instead, after they’d turned thirty five and went out to hunt it down, they found a pretty small dark green dragon that were chewing away on a giant branch without a care in the world.

Hijami were of course confused at first, but they thought that they could think about that later as they quickly attacked the dragon and slayed it by stabbing it in its eye.

And for them it was fine, they went home to their village, the dragons head in their hand, and got the title dragon slayer.

And then...they were pretty lost. They had devoted twenty years to training to kill the thing, and they didn’t know what to do.

So for a while, they didn’t do anything.

They became a story teller for the village kids, telling them about how they slayed the dragon (Often romanticizing it all of course), but otherwise they mostly just hung around.

Until something weird happened with their skin.

The skin around their neck started to harden and crack, and then suddenly there was a strange green thing there that refused to go away. And then another one. And just a year later their whole neck was covered in them.

No one in their village had any idea of what was going on, not even the healer. No one had seen such a thing before, but how would they? Again, they were pretty isolated from the rest of the world.

But it didn’t hurt or anything, it just itched sometimes, so Hijami just shrugged it off as some weird skin disease that would pass.

It was when the bump started to appear on their back, that slowly turned into their skin breaking open and wings spreading out (that took a year) and they thought that it might have something to do with the dragon they killed.

So they did a little more research about dragons, and found that when you kill one you turn into one, a phenomenon called The Dragon Curse.

And Hijami had the emotional breakdown of the century.

They chose not to inform anyone about it however, as they were too embarrassed that their blind hatred of the creature kept them from actually trying to find out anything about them.

So they just simply left their village, just wishing to wait out the Dragonling part.

Hijami had a rough time as a Dragonling, as they hated how they looked with the wings, horns and tail. They mostly lived in the wild, away from all the people, hoping that it would all be over soon.

Hijami never visited Moln, or met with any other Dragonling, so they had no idea what would happen when they three hundred years later started to transform.

But suddenly all their hate towards dragons, towards themselves, towards their own anger, was turned into hate towards the world.

Hijami was gone, left was only Qrikti.

Qrikti returned to th forest near Hijami’s old village in the south, and they stayed there for a few decades, killing anyone who dared to threaten their home.

It was when the village had enough and hired a woman with the companion of an elk that Qrikti met their end, and another was sent to hate themselves over her blindness.

Yalye

Yalye used to be a dwarf maiden by the name of Remdi before they were turned into a Spike Dragon.

Remdi was a proud Dwarf, with long thick hair and a long thick beard that she loved to style. She was a jeweler together with her brother and sister Reivi and Relli, and the three loved to craft jewelry such as necklaces, hair clips and rings just to wear them. They hoarded it like dragons. Which we will get to.

Remdi and her siblings used to live in Erebor before Smaug attacked (Dammit Sirvil this is why we can’t have nice things), where they lost their home and all they had ever known. Remdi, as the oldest, acted strong though, and did her best to encourage her siblings.

Remdi and her family found a place where they could settle down along with some other dwarves in a particularly dry spot of Middle Earth. The other dwarves would do stuff like mine for silver and gems, and Remdi and her family would turn them into beautiful jewelry they could sell to locals.

Their earned a lot less after the loss of their home, but there wasn’t much they could do.

It was one day where Remdi’s sister Relli needed a particularly sized and colored sapphire for the necklace she was working on, that Remdi followed some of the dwarves down to the mines to look, as Relli was busy crafting the chain for the necklace.

Remdi is though not a dwarf of physical action, but one that is more about careful crafting, so while walking through the desert on the way to the mine she ends up falling behind the other dwarves, which leads to her being lost.

In the desert.

In the middle of summer.

Oh boy.

She decides to stay where she is in hopes that the dwarves would return and find her, but when the night comes and goes, there’s still no sign for them and she starts to get dehydrated, so she leaves the rock she was sitting on in a quest for water.

The water problem is actually not that hard, she finds a water hole after only a few hours, it’s the food that’s the issue.

She had some rations with her, but not enough to last for long, and she’s scared to leave the water hole in case it would take days for her to get back and she would die of dehydration, so she sticks around.

It’s after a day that she sees a small figure move in the corner of her eye, and upon closer inspection it’s a small spiky little wyvern that’s drinking out of the water hole.

Now, keep in mind here, that Remdi is desperate. Like really, really desperate. So she slowly sneaks up on the thing, grabs onto it and breaks its neck with a quick motion.

After peeling off the scales and spikes from the small little thing, she cooks and eats it, and it’s surprisingly tasty according to her.

So continues doing that.

She binds the dragons spikes together to create a knife which would make it easier to kill the small little things.

It’s only a few weeks later that a sandy scale appears on her neck, and she suddenly remembers that the dragon curse is a thing, which is a problem.

The scales spread quickly, and small little spikes start popping out of her neck. She’s forced to quit her beard short because it’s in the way and also really hot, which is devastating to her.

She makes a few attempts to return to her home and her siblings, but somehow she always ends up at the same water hole, and after her wings grow out around her arms (Which only takes a few weeks, lucky bastard), she decides that it’s no use and simply stays at the water hole, eating whatever meat she could find.

She stopped using the knife though, as her claws, teeth and skin is pretty much knives at this point, that aren’t called Spike Dragons for nothing.

Fifty years pass, and the dwarf turns from Remdi to Yalye, which also makes her a lot smaller.

That is to her advantage though, as she quickly finds a tiny crack that leads her to a cave that’s relatively cold for being the desert.

It also leads her to her downfall, as the other spike dragons kill her pretty quickly since she killed many of their pack.

Yeah, Yalye has a short and tragic life.

Diavanta

Diavanta was a Mountain dragon of the Misty Mountains, and used to be known as Jessamine Took. Yep, she was a hobbit.

Jessamine, or Jessie, was your standard Took. Always a glint of adventure in her eyes, and a smile that would make anyone question her motives.

She grew up in The Shire like most hobbits, and was actually a pretty normal female hobbit. She had a curvy body, beautiful locks, big feet, pointed ears, all that Jazz. She wasn’t too different in the personality aspect either. She was just your standard hobbit basically.

But the thing is, Jessie easily got bored. And when she got bored, she would find something to do no matter what.

So one day when she was bored while watching some ponies, she was just like ‘Hey, I’m gonna ride one of those!’

So she rented a pony named Kimmie, got some supplies and took off, leaving The Shire behind. Why? Because she was bored!

Jessie travelled for many months, never really having a goal in mind apart from adventure! which doesn’t really lead to much.

Whenever she felt like it was too uninteresting, she took a new path, that would hopefully lead her to a more fun thing.

Which eventually lead her to the misty mountains, a mountain range that among other things were said to inhabit the great Mountain Dragon Grailli.

So Jessie was all for that.

So she traveled through the mountains with Kimmie, resupplied in Rivendell, neatly avoided any inhabitants of Goblin Town, you know, the usual.

It was when she took rest in a cave, that she first caught sight of Grailli. And with caught sight of, I mean the wall behind her cracked and collapsed, and she looked right into the silver eyes of the dragon.

And Jessie was just welp, I guess this is how I’ll die, it was fun, but everything has to end.

But the dragon simply stared intensely at her, tilting its head a little bit as if it was inspecting her.

After a full two minutes of the two staring at each other, the dragon was the one who broke eye contact by, closing its eyes and leaning its head down, exposing its scaly forehead.

Jessie was very confused at first, but when she tried to take a step away from the large thing it growled in her direction, but when she took a step forward it was fine.

So she walked up to the dragon, and the moment she was close enough the dragon snatched her in the middle of a step and pulled her down through the formed hole by biting onto her arm.

Jessie barely had time to scream as the dragon lead (Dragged) her into a enormous hole in the mountain, filled with gold, jewelry and all of that stuff that Hobbits never had cared too much about.

The second Jessie was placed carefully on the gold by help of the Dragons tail, it started to change. Shrink. Become less reptilian and more like a person.

And suddenly the gray dragon Grailli, protector of the misty mountains, was replaced by a scaly person with wings, horns, and a tail.

The person (Whose species and gender couldn’t make out because of the dragony traits, but she was sure that it was one of them tall folk) kneeled down to Jessie’s height and explained in a deep gravelly voice that they were getting old, stiff, forgetful. That they needed a replecement for the role of the protector of the Misty Mountains and the protector of the treasure.

And Jessie was just like Yeah sure whatever, so Grailli gave her a knife from the pile of gold, and instructed her how to properly kill them.

And sure, that was a little gross, but she still did as instructed mostly because she was curious of what would happen.

And for a long while, nothing did. She would just chill in the mountain hole, look through the gold for something fun, the goblins would bring her an offering of fruit and meat twice a week which was probably intended for Grailli, but it was still nice, and she mostly just talked with Kimmie.

It’s almost a few decades later that the first scale appeared, itching away on her skin. It’s weird, but honestly not that bad. Then they just keep appearing, and spread down from her neck to her back, and then there’s the bump on her shoulder blades and oh Valars the effing pain.

It took Jessie ten years to fully grow out her wings, ten years of barely being able to stand, of only being able to eat when she was practically starving, of spending all that time cuddled up to Kimmie because honestly it kind of helps by having her there.

When she finally is able to spread her wings however (That are waaaaay to large for her small Hobbit body, she has some problems learning how to fly) she takes a trip back to the shire for a few days just to show off.

Which is then that she realizes that her friends from youth, her sibling, all have become old. Some have died. And she’s till in her prime, barely thirty four, flapping around with her enormous bat wings.

When Jessie returned to the mountain, she’d changed. She was less bubbly, less adventurous, less tookish, and more...cold. One could argue that it was the hard nature of the Mountain Dragon that made it, while one could say it was the realization of what her curiosity had left behind. In reality, it was kind of both.

Kimmie passed, she lived a long life for a pony, and Jessie was alone. And bored.

So she took new animals into the mountain hole, just to have as company. Bunnies, goats, an alligator once, some say she had a warg as a pet for a while, but they all died as well.

Jessie went through her transformation a thousand years after she’d first met the might Grailli, and even as Diavanta she felt sad and lonely.

She still do.

King Rilva

This one’s fun.

King Rilva was an ordinary man named Stjarna before he became who he was.

Stjarna has always been a fucking psychopath. Even in his childhood.

He was raised in a pretty large town, with constant buzzing and noise. Stjarna hated it.

He wanted it quiet so he could write his pretty creepy texts and paint his horrifying pictures based on his dreams in peace. He couldn’t do that with the sound of the market from outside or his younger sister and brothers constant nagging on how they wanted to play with him.

So he did what all good brothers do, lead them into the forest behind the town and killed them both in cold blood, before dumping them in a lake.

His parents were devestated of course, and he played the part as a hurting brother perfectly, though he was happy that he could finally write and draw in peace.

Until a new family moved in next door, and they had a daughter around his age that just wouldn’t stop singing.

So he killed her too.

Stjarna normally didn’t feel much, but when he first watched the life drain out of first his siblings and then the girls eyes as they screamed, he couldn’t help but like it a little.

So he kept doing it, stalking someone until he knew he could steal them away to murder them.

He was discovered about the murders in his mid twenties by a small child walking in on him killing its mother, and he didn’t manage to catch up with it.

So instead he ran to his house, grabbed the bag he had pre packed for occasions like this and fled from his town, going south.

Probably the best decision he’d ever done, as he could find plenty of calm places to draw and write in nature, and sometimes someone innocent would be spotted that he could take out just to feel that rush on sensation. And for food, time and time again.

It was after almost two years of traveling that he stumbled upon a castle ruin, where he got captured by a group of people dressed in similar white clothing with face paint.

The group of people were a form of cult that worshipped a beautiful pearly white dragon by the name of Lord Parla, and they were meaning to sacrifice Stjarna to him.

When Stjarna was brought before Parla, just kind of accepting his demise, he was surprised to see that the dragon smiled slightly at him, and spoke that he should be spared. For now.

At first Stjarna didn’t like that at all, especially considering how the people, or Skylings as they called themselves, treated the dragon like he was a gift from above, and Stjarna had never believed in a high mightier power.

But when one of the Skylings tried to steal food they were going to offer, and the punishment for it was public execution by the blue fire of Parla, he saw a benefit he hadn’t seen before.

So he started to play along with the whole cult thingy, acting utterly devoted while planning to take Parla’s place as dragon lord and leader of the Skylings, with the power to kill in seconds.

After almost ten years as a part of the cult, he finally saw his chance to slay the dragon, when he was the one to bring the offer gift of food.

While Parla ate, he took out the knife he’d used on all of his victims, and stabbed the thing right in the eye before the lord had time to realize what he was doing.

So now came the problem of explaining to the Skylings about what happened, but Stjarna had always been a fast thinker and good with words.

So he told the cult that Parla had started to become old, and that he was chosen as to be the replacement for him.

And the cultists actually believed him.

Stjarna had an easy time as a Dragonling thanks to his followers. He barely had to do anything, as they would give him all he wanted, and if someone didn’t satisfy him then he would kill them.

When Stjarna fully transformed and became Lord Rilva, he was at first a bit confused, but the Skylings told him that he was their lord and protector, and they would follow him to the end of time.

And Rilva was all for that.

He loved the power that came with being a Dragon Lord and ordering around his followers, and he quickly became addicted to it.

It got to the point where he started to invade nearby villages with the skylings just to have more land and more people following him.

And so his status changed from Lord Rilva to King Rilva of the south.

And he wasn’t a bad king either, in fact he was kinda good at his job.

As a dragon, he was able to give powerful protection to his people. Sky dragons possess the second hottest flames in Middle Earth, and few dared to threaten that. Those who did were quickly killed.

Rilva didn’t take prisoners either, if someone broke one of his laws then they were executed on the spot, which meant that most people followed his rules.

And Rilva thrived in seeing the life leave his victims eyes, so he didn’t always mind when people did break the law.

Eniph

Eniph was a man by the name of Alleth before his time as a Swamp Dragon, and with man I mean boy because he was twelve.

Alleth was a pretty odd child in comparison to others. He was born in a home just outside of a small village, not too far away from a swamp.

The swamp was something that always fascinated Alleth, mostly because it was different from everything else around it. It had its own unique plants, its own odd animals, its own enviorment that he wanted to explore.

So everyday when Alleth was done with his chores, he would run to the swamp to write down what he saw in a notebook.

It was one day, a month or two after his twelth birthday when he was walking on a soggy path that he stumbled on a root and fell right into the swamp water.

Except, it wasn’t a root. 

At first he thought it was an alligator or something and he panicked, until he saw the club like tail, and he realized he’d stumbled upon a Swamp Dragon.

The Swamp dragon seemed to just have woken up considering how it blinked lazily at him, and Alleth knew that there was a big chance that he was going to die.

So he quickly grabbed a nearby branch with a relatively pointy end, and stabbed the dragon with it, and he managed to pierce the eye as it soon bled out and died before him before it had time to fully understand what was going on.

Alleth broke down crying after the dragon had passed, as he loved the swamp and he knew killing the Swamp’s protector really wasn’t a good thing.

He snuck home, burned the clothes that were covered thick murky blood, and decided to not tell his family of what he’d done.

It took two years for Alleth to realize he was no longer aging, and the same went for his parents, but there weren’t any local healers that knew what exactly was happening to him.

It became ever more evident when his younger brother started aging past him.

His parents were frantic, and it got to the point were they had to search up a wizard for aid, more specifically Radagast the brown.

When Alleth sat in front of the odd wizard, technically fifteen but physically and mentally twelve, he was asked pretty standard stuff, if he’d been cursed in any way and stuff like that.

But then Radagast asked his parents to leave so he could talk with him alone, and he started asking more serious questions.

One of which was if he’d ever killed a dragon.

After Alleth told Radagast of the day he slayed the swamp dragon, he was quiet for a minute before telling him of the dragon curse.

Alleth’s heart stopped.

He left his family after that, and was sent away by Radagast to live with another Swamp Dragonling named Reskal. Reskal used to be an elf before he killed the dragon a few decades prior, and was generally just living through the same confusion as Alleth.

Alleth became famous among the Dragons and Dragonlings, as he was the youngest Dragon Slayer that had ever lived. Reskal and Alleth made a home in a large and pretty comfortable swamp, and every other month there was everything from a Mountain Dragon to a Spike Dragonling there, just to see if the rumours were true.

Alleth and Reskal both had a hard time during the wing growth, and they made sure to be there for each other when they each had theirs. 

After a few decades a young Forest Dragonling named Tilda visited their swamp, just to ask for advice about what she’d expect from her transformation. Reskal handled most of the talking, while Alleth petted her elk.

It was when Reskal’s behavior started to change, when he became more territorial and more defensive, that Alleth was forced to leave. His wings were weak and his tail heavy so it wasn’t easy flying, but he managed to get back to the swamp that he’d killed the dragon.

Because of the death of the Swamp’s Swamp Dragon, that he’d learned was named Bibban, the swamp was a lot less friendly and cozy and a lot more toxic.

So he made it his goal that he would restore the swamp to its formal glory, and then when he transformed he would protect it with his life.

And when he left his twelve year old body behind, and became a tiny little hatchling named Eniph, he did just that.

And the swamp still stands to this day.

Giftatt

Oh how I love the venom dragons.

Giftatt used to be a man named Poiyo, who was one of those protagonists. 

And with that I mean the ones who are all “I work alone” and “I only dress in black” and “Oh I’m so sad the night is my one true friend”. 

You know, your Geralt, your Batman, your fucking Thorin.

Poiyo has his tragic backstory of how his parents died, of how he was raised in some abusive orphanage and how he swore to protect those who could not be protected so they wouldn’t end up like him, you get the idea.

So Poiyo gets a request by some random village to take out a large black and purple dragon that had been plaguing their village and poisoning their crops, and he was just like yeah sure whatever.

So he tracked down the dragon, who was huge by the way, and he had a tough time killing it as it was pretty bouncy and its tail constantly wagging back and forth which was really hard to avoid, as he could possibly die if he would have touched it.

But after a long and rough battle, the black and purple dragon finally laid slayn in front of him.

And Poiyo felt a strange sensation in his body. He didn’t feel much anymore, and when he did it was mostly anger or sadness. But the feeling in his chest, it was the opposite of that. He felt warm.

Poiyo found out later that the dragon had been a Venom Dragon, the most dangerous species alive. He felt a weird sense of pride in having killed one, which was also something he didn’t feel often.

The warm feeling continued to appear in his chest during seemingly random moments. Once when he saw a child laugh, when someone smiled at him, when he ate a food he liked. None of it made sense to him.

He found out about the dragon curse and didn’t have too much of a problem with it. To have wings instead of a horse, to have claws instead of a sword, to be a being of pure poison and venom, it all seemed useful to him.

Until he found a perculiar fact about Venom Dragons, and their puppy like behavior.

And he realized what the warm feeling in his chest was. Happiness.

He is disgusted.

As times goes on and he starts to change physically more, his behavior changes as well. He starts to smile more at people, greet them when he walks by, when kids ask him questions he actually answers them instead of snarling.

He barely has any control of his actions, he’s just suddenly all friendly and stuff.

He starts to want people around him more, and he gets sad and lonely whenever he’s alone.

He starts feeling negatve things too, like anxiety and stuff, which he hates just as much as the fluffy lovey stuff.

He even has a lover for a while. Not for long of course, because he starts to become poisonos and he doesn’t want to hurt him so he breaks it off, but still. 

(Though sometimes Poiyo thinks back to dark curly hair, pale soft skin and green shining eyes).

After the wings appeared after almost six years of pain, he begins to have the problem of accidentally killing people, which becomes more of an issue when he wants to be around them all the time. But at the same time he still don’t, so it’s just a constant inner conflict when it comes to this boy.

So instead of seeking out people to please his inner dragon, he starts to look for other Venom Dragonlings, which is easier said than done.

He meets quite a few Spike Dragonlings, a Fire Dragonling obssessed with fame (Whom he has a brief relationship with), two water dragonlings, two Swamp Dragonlings, a Mountain Dragonling, and the mighty Moln himself, but Venom Dragonlings are hard to find.

So he just finds a cave in the first mountain he can find and just waits it out, thinking it will just be easier when he becomes a full fledged dragon.

And when Poiyo vanishes and Giftatt emerges, he still has a bit of his human traits by feeling weird everytime he’s happy for seeing someone new.

***

OH MY GOD THIS TOOK TIME

Like I don’t think you understand, I’ve been writing this for weeks.

BRIEF SMALL FACTS ABOUT THESE BOYS.

Sirvil/Smaug is Demiromantic Asexual

Elva/Vrilta is Aromantic Asexual

Moln has no idea what he is

Hijami/Qrikti is Bisexual and Non-Binary

Remdi/Yalye is heterosexual and Transgender

Jessie/Diavanta is Pansexual

Stjarna/Rilva is Aromantic Pansexual

Alleth/Eniph is a god damn child thank you very much

Poiyo/Giftatt is Homosexual

Elva means eleven in Swedish

Moln means cloud in Swedish

Stjarna (Or Stjärna) means Star in Swedish

Parla (Or Pärla) means pearl in Swedish

Giftatt comes from the word Gift, which means venom/poison in Swedish

When I don’t have ideas for names, I just take some random Swedish word.

All the other names comes from me Keyboard smashing

Hijami and Alleth’s stories comes from my uncle

Jessie’s story comes from a friend of mine

Stjarna’s story comes from another friend of mine

Remdi’s story comes from a typo from a third friend of mine

I JUST LOVE DRAGONS OKAY!!!!!!

AU Masterpost

[spiteweaver]

previous | next

--

A gathering of the council, in its entirety, had never been so much as attempted. It was generally understood between each of its members that at least one of them was always going to be unavailable, and that their colleagues would simply have to make do without them. After all, their work often took them abroad, or else kept them sequestered in study.

So when all thirty-odd of them showed up, some without needing to be summoned, Dreamweaver didn’t quite know what to do with themself.

“As promised,” Betelgeuse said.

“Excellent work,” Dreamweaver replied numbly, their eyes scanning the crowded table in quick, darting glances. “You may sit.”

Betelgeuse bowed, and claimed his seat between Tau and Isaiah. The uncomfortable murmur that had swept across the assembly while Dreamweaver considered their next words quieted. Someone coughed; another shifted awkwardly.

Dreamweaver began: “By now, I am certain you have all noticed that something is amiss.”

“That’s an understatement,” Isaiah said through a barely-stifled yawn.

“Hush,” Solaire chided.

“I wish that I could offer you more,” Dreamweaver went on, “more than vague assurances, more than theories and hypotheses--but I cannot. Like you, Banrai and I have slept; truth be told, I wonder if we are not sleeping still. All I know for certain is that whatever magic befell us four eons ago spared our coven.”

“Four eons...” Junior slumped in his seat, and his father placed a bracing hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad Telos went into exaltation when she did, because if she’d been here to see this mess, I think she might kill me.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Bellerophon tried to soothe, but couldn’t help but to add a muttered, “this time.”

“Maybe not,” Junior said, “but Zo would have been in Aphaster if not for me.”

“Junior’s right,” Rue agreed with a baleful sigh, “I can only imagine what my mother’s going to do with four eons of pent-up anxiety...”

Betelgeuse looked like he had something to say, something none of them would like. However, he must have decided that now was not the time, because the next moment, his expression was once more impassive. “I understand the gravity of the situation at hand,” he said instead, “but I must ask that you keep your heads until after you’ve been given a proper explanation.”

“You’ve got one then?” Crucis asked, leaning so far forward that Dreamweaver feared he may actually climb onto the table. His eyes were shimmering with insatiable Arcanite curiosity, his fingers drumming an impatient tune. “It’s that, isn’t it?”

“Wh-what?” Dawn stammered.

For the first time in anyone’s memory, Crucis smiled--not just smiled, in fact, but outright grinned. “Well,” he started hastily, not wanting to give his clanmates the chance to stop him, “among scholars, there are a number of theories pertaining to the makeup of the universe, and one such theory posits that our universe is but one of many within a multiverse--”

Isaiah clapped a hand over Crucis’ mouth. “Betelgeuse,” he said, “before he really gets going, in plain Draconic, if it’s not too much trouble--and stop smiling, Crucis, you’re scaring Junior.”

“Philistine,” Crucis grumbled between Isaiah’s fingers.

“In plain draconic,” Betelgeuse continued, “we, or rather you, have been the victims of a time anomaly--a loop, in which time moves neither forward nor back, but repeats the same span endlessly until it is broken.”

“We’d gathered that much,” Priyanka said, and pressed a knuckle to her lips in thought. “What I find strange is not that such magic exists, but that none of our seers, myself included, foresaw such a major catastrophe. This will have had a devastating effect on foreign affairs, not to mention Feldspar’s economy; an event such as this should not have escaped our Sight.”

“That’s the beauty of it,” said Crucis, shoving Isaiah’s hand away, “you didn’t see it, because it’s Other!”

At the head of the table, Dreamweaver paled. There had been an unpleasantness gathering behind their rib cage for some time, and with Crucis’ declaration, it was released, sending jolts of panic racing up their spine. They tried in vain to hold their form, but with each cold shock of fear, their grasp on it slipped the slightest bit more.

Banrai squeezed their hand. “It’s ok, Dreamy,” he murmured, “it’s over.”

“But I--” Dreamweaver blinked the cosmos from their eyes-- “I don’t have any answers. I’m the only Other here, and I--I can’t--”

“It is not a well-understood phenomenon,” Betelgeuse said, “but I believe you have some knowledge of it. You have heard your people speak of it in fearful whispers, as a rumor, a bedtime story to frighten hatchlings.”

Dreamweaver searched the furthest reaches of their memory, but it was a long one, complicated, and some of it was not strictly their own. Separating themself from the dreams of their people seemed an insurmountable task in that brief moment, perhaps because they had spent four eons tending them.

They saw themself standing in a crowded square as Banrai, so young and naive it made them quake, begged them for so much as a look, a smile, a single word. In a few short weeks, he would beg again, this time for their hand, but they would tell him that they were as the moon, fleeting and distant.

“Then if I capture the moon, will you marry me?” he would reply, and they would be his.

They saw Feldspar in its infancy, the skeletons of buildings jutting out of the fog like the teeth of some great beast. Winter was little more than a hatchling, clinging forlornly to their robes. He had been so terribly fragile then. So had they.

They saw everything, all of the many eons they had spent beneath their Patron’s banner--a part of dragonkind, and yet always somehow separate. Their clan grew, and spread, and lived, and loved. The ocean came for them, and then the nightmare. Sirius fell to earth in a shower of stars. Telos cloaked herself in fuchsia light.

Then they saw a mane of wild raspberry hair.

Dreamweaver caught Betelgeuse’s gaze. They knew his answer before they asked: “You believe the tales?”

“Yes,” Betelgeuse replied, “I do.”

“What tales?” Lestat demanded. “You’re both so awfully cryptic; it drives me mad!”

“You’re already mad,” Mímir jeered.

“You’ve heard them too,” Silhouette said, so softly that they almost went unheard. The council turned as one to face them, seeking answers from the swirling forms within their shroud. “We all have, sometime or another. Dragons whose minds have flown, entire clans locked in a single moment, some that have disappeared altogether, vanished without a trace.”

Henrie pressed his hands over his trembling lips. “You mean--” He looked to the others for reassurance, but found only wide-eyed disbelief-- “dead lairs?” he concluded in a choked whisper.

“I don’t feel dead,” Myrtle mused, and patted himself for good measure.

“It isn’t a literal death,” Betelgeuse explained, “but, in a sense, a living death. Dead lairs do not grow, or change, and they cannot be influenced by the world beyond their borders. It is thought that they are the result of their Patron abandoning them.”

“The Lightweaver would never!” Solaire cried.

“Not the Lightweaver,” Betelgeuse said, “something else, something far older than the Eleven. The gods answer to Them, or so it is said.”

“The gods answer to no one,” Phobos insisted.

“That is only what is said,” Betelgeuse reiterated, “perhaps not what is. Whatever the cause of the phenomenon, Feldspar was subject to it--and now it is not. We have nothing more to fear.”

“Except that it may happen again,” Caesar piped up, then immediately fell quiet when he saw the looks of abject terror on his colleagues’ faces.

Crucis started to speak, but Isaiah wrestled him back into silence. “Whatever you’re about to say,” he growled, “it’s nothing good, so keep your loud mouth shut.”

“Dead lairs rarely remain dead,” Betelgeuse reassured. “I pray that you do not sleep again, but if you should, it will not be forever--and the coven will guard you with our lives.”

“Oh,” Caesar squeaked, eyelids fluttering, “oh my.”

“However,” Betelgeuse was quick to add, “I do not feel it shall be necessary.”

The council exchanged a flurry of uncertain glances and even less certain chatter. Betelgeuse was seldom wrong about such things, and he was the only one of them present who had not spent nearly half a cycle sleeping. If they could not trust his word, there was no one’s they could.

At least, that was what Dreamweaver hoped they were saying to one another, with heads together and voices low. Grief was not unwarranted, but it was unproductive--and they could not afford to be unproductive at such a delicate juncture. Already, Dreamweaver was beginning to feel restless; this meeting had worn on too long.

“If there is nothing further to discuss,” they cut in, “I suggest we get to work.”

“What about the Dominions?” Juneau asked. “He may not have been able to influence me, but I doubt Penitence would have left my side while I slept for anything less than the end of the world.”

“Yes,” Tau agreed, “Copernicus as well.”

“Ah--” Betelgeuse sighed-- “I had hoped you would not ask.”

Dreamweaver sagged, the stars in their hair winking out one by one. There was not a face at the table they wished to see then, and so they dropped their head into their hands, to find reprieve in darkness. “They haven’t woken,” they said, “have they?”

“What do you...?” Junior’s chair toppled back as he staggered out of it, and blindness did not protect Dreamweaver from his anguish. It oozed into every word, every syllable one closer to a sob. “No,” he gasped, “not them too. I c--I can--” Abaddon stood, and Junior all but collapsed against him-- “I can’t do this again. I can’t lose them again.”

“You won’t,” Abaddon said, “you haven’t.”

“I have been in contact with those among them who, like myself, were unaffected,” Betelgeuse interjected, “and we are all in agreement that someday, hopefully within the next cycle, our allies will wake as well.”

“The next cycle?” Tau clenched his fists, so tightly that the skin drew thin and white, and joined Junior on his feet. “My mate is there. You can’t expect us to sit idly by while our families lie vulnerable beneath some deific spell.”

“There is nothing more to be done,” Betelgeuse replied simply.

No one spoke. Amun, a Dragonhome Ridgeback who had spent scarcely an eon with the clan before its slumber, placed a hand on Tau’s shoulder, guiding him gingerly back into his seat.

“I should have been with him,” Tau mumbled. “Why wasn’t I with him?”

“Mother,” Rue said, the rare hitch in her breath causing even Betelgeuse a strange discomfort, “and my siblings--it doesn’t seem possible.”

“My brother as well,” Yọmí added as his head sank miserably into his hands. “I saw him only yesterday it seems. At least...perhaps Rántí will have been spared...”

“What am I going to tell Zo?” Junior moaned. “What am I going to tell Sirius?”

At last, Dreamweaver rose, and clasped their hands in front of them in the way their people had seen them do so many times before. “If you need time to collect yourselves,” they said, “you shall have it. Once you have done so, return to me, and receive your orders.”

The congregation trickled out slowly. Those with loved ones in Aphaster lingered together; they touched one another as if each of them might break, their fingers whispering hoarsely over skin and fabric. It would be they who told Atsushi, and Xerxes, and Asura, and all the many others who would soon wake to find their families beyond their reach.

From their place at the head of the meeting table, Dreamweaver watched.

“Betelgeuse,” they said.

Betelgeuse gave another bow. “Your Majesty.”

“I want the coven working on this ‘round the clock,” they commanded. “If magic can be done, it can be undone--even that which is divine. Meet with Faded; I am certain they will have some insight.”

[dragon-fics]

DOS: (Reign of Fire) Lone Survivor (Dragoness & Hatchling X Human Reader)

Chapter summary: You are part of a small band of survivors that are collecting food two years after the first attacks. While your scanning the skies, you notice something roll out of a cave. You realise it's a dragon egg, but what will its mother do to you while you stand so close to her home and her baby

Warning: swearing ahead.

I scanned the surrounding area, dressed in my dark fireproof vest, jacket and trousers, carrying my sniper rifle while I looked at to the bright sunny sky. As always, we looked to the sky, looking out for the fowl beasts of the sky, the ones who took everything from us.

Dragons.

They first started attacking two years ago. I, like many others, lost my parents and younger brother to them, along with the rest of my family. And I’ve been hiding with our small band of survivors ever since.

Today we were harvesting our food. It was wheat, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes and some other vegetables like carrots and cabbages. They were easy to grow and didn’t take long to germinate so we could keep planting them.

Beside me stood Kyle, a blonde stubble bearded, freckle douchebag who thinks he’s God’s gift to our burned, apocalyptic society. He was always trying to talk to me, trying to act smooth... It was torture. Sometimes I imagine tossing him at a dragon when it next attacked. Though our leader wouldn’t allow it... But accidents can happen.

I can imagine these things all I want, but they’ll probably never come through. I smirk to myself as I thought of ditching him to an angry, blazing dragon after getting lost in a cave--that was one of my favourite scenarios to imagine.

But then something caught my eye. It rolled into my view. I looked towards it. It was rugby-ball shaped and semi-transparent with a yellow hue. I walked closer to it, scanning the surrounding area. I hunched down beside the ball-shaped thing, examining it. It was about a foot long and was wider on one end than the rest.

An egg? I thought to myself in surprise. A bit off, I could see a small cave entrance. I picked up the egg and held it to the sun, seeing the silhouette of a curled up dragon inside.

A dragon egg.

I placed the egg back on the ground gently. I heard a low rumble come from inside the cave, almost like a dragon’s growl. I heard Kyle shout my name, though it sounded more like a squeak. I stood up slowly, picking up the eg and rolled it back towards the cave mouth like a bowling ball. Just not as hard. I slowly walked away from the cave and climbed back up to Kyle.

“I’m here!” I called back, holding my rifle in hand.

“You find something?” He asked, jogging over to me. I muttered to myself.

“No,” I responded and looked to the sky again.

When we wake, keep both eyes on the sky. When we sleep, keep one eye on the sky. When we see him, dig hard, dig deep, run for shelter and never look back.

I glanced back over to the cave. I saw a scaled wing creep out of the yawning cave mouth and take the egg back under the wing, rolling it on the ground under its boney wing finger. Kyle looked in the direction I was looking.

“You found an egg and didn’t take it!” He accused in a hushed tone, arms held wide.

“It was innocent!” I retorted in just as quiet of a tone.

Kyle scowled and went to run for the cave, his own rifle in hand. I pushed him back.

“Don’t!” I scowled. “It hasn’t attacked yet! If you attack, it will not only kill you, but it will kill all of us.” Kyle looked away, as if he was thinking--that was a first. “Just leave it and be on high alert, in case it does attack.” Kyle sighed and nodded, turning back towards our crops. I followed suit.

The others stayed harvesting while we looked over them, making sure nothing came in our direction. I was forever glancing from the sky to the cave. As the day went on, clouds gathered in the sky, gloomy clouds. Storm clouds. We had just finished picking the harvest when rain spilled from the sky. We all pulled on our rain jackets as soon as it started, though we were all pretty wet before we could slip them on.

Our driver, Michael, hopped into our pickup truck, and we got into the flatbed with the produce. Micheal turned the key in the engine. The truck shuddered and spluttered but didn’t start. Michael tried again twice more before getting out of the car, the rain spilling off the hoods of our jackets.

“What is it, Mike?” One of our company asked.

Michael sighed. “She won’t start,” he said in an obvious tone above the sound of falling rain. Michael lifted the hood of the engine and turned on his flashlight, sighing. He’d have to get a better look when the rain had stopped so the engine wouldn’t get damaged. The rest of us got out of the bed.

Michael looked around. “(Y/N),” he started. “Go scout that cave,” he ordered, pointing to the cave that had the dragoness in it. I looked at it and reluctantly followed the order, jogging through the rain, mud and puddles. I slowed my pace when I got near the entrance and raised my gun, ready to shoot at that anything came forward. I edged my way into the cave, finger on the trigger as I scanned the cave.

I was about to turn on the light on my rifle when I heard something big fall from the roof and land in front of me. And that’s where I looked, right in front of me. Then I saw two burning amber eyes. I yelled in surprise. The dragon before me shrieked in response. It was deafening. I heard the others scream outside, and the dragon looked up. Its navy head rose and looked out of the cave, releasing a torrent of fire. The others scrambled and Michael miraculously got the truck running. After skidding around in the mud for a bit, they zoomed off, spraying water and mud in their wake.

I ran out of the cave, calling for them to come back, but they didn’t look back

“Shit!” I swore, placing my hands either side of my head in despair. Then I noticed the rain had stopped hitting my coat, but I could see rain falling around me. I looked up, seeing the semi-outstretched wing of the navy dragoness covering me as she watched the others leave. She looked down at me with soft amber eyes and gestured to her angled head towards the cave.

Maybe these creatures were capable of more than killing millions.

I walked back to the cave, and she walked backwards to keep me dry. Once I was inside, she turned around; I turned on my torch, taking it off my rifle. There was a large indentation in the floor, it almost looked like a giant bowl. Inside was the dragon egg I had seen earlier. Then I saw the egg bounce and roll around. That was probably how it had escaped its mother the first time. The dragoness nudged me inside to the bowl with her flat head. I slid into it as the egg bounced again and rolled around.

Thunder rolled, and lightning crackled outside, making me jump in surprise. The dragoness wound her way around me and lay down, trapping me and the egg in the middle of her large scaly body.

The storm lasted three days. The dam dragon went to get food for me every day, which I would cook over a fire, or--which wasn’t the best alternative--she’d scorch it with her fire breath, burning to a crisp--I’d usually give all the burnt bits to her while I dug for the edible meat.

After the storm had passed, she wouldn’t let me go home, so I stayed, hoping the others had found an alternative place to plant their seeds.

One day while she went for food, a chirp came from the egg as it bounced again. The egg had gotten even more active as the days went on, but this was the first time I heard something. I looked at the egg as it rolled again inside its nest, rolling around and around. It made me dizzy just watching it.

It came to a slow stop before it bulged in a few places at once. And then it did again. And again. I walked over slowly, watching it.

I then saw a small snout pierce the eggshell and the egg’s membrane. I looked on, sitting at the edge of the bowl as the slimy, scaly head took its first breath. It took three more before it expanded its wings and shattered the eggs, sending eggshell fragments flying. I yelped in surprise, looking away as an eggshell fragment almost hit my face.

I looked back at the hatchling, the egg membrane still stuck to most of its body. I came closer, tearing off the white membrane that stuck to it like a skinsuit. Soon the little dragon was free, and it hopped about, shaking its blue scales free of slime. It released some puppy-like sounds as it did so. It was about the size of a grown house cat--perhaps bigger, and its wingspan was as long as its body.

It then looked up at me with the same amber eyes of its mother. Our eyes locked and I could understand it. He/She/They saw me as his/her/their mother. He/She/They rubbed his/her/their head against mine. I laughed a little.

“I’m not your dam!” I insisted. I heard wingbeats in the distance. I looked back at the cave entrance as late morning sunlight poured through it. “That’s probably her now.”

I then heard a harpoon being released and the excruciating cry of a dragon roaring in pain.

“FOR (Y/N)!” I heard someone shout as a loud thump. The ground shook a little as a thump surrounded the area.

“Oh, no!” I gasp. I look at the hatchling who was curled up, scared, whimpering. I scooped up the bundle of scales. Grabbed my fireproof vest, gun, torch and rain jacket and hid in the back of the cave, in case the others came looking for me or if Kyle had told them about the egg. I curled up in a ball, the hatchling in my lap, and threw my jacket over me and tried to soothe the scaly bundle.

***

It’s been two years since (D/N)’s dam died at the hands of people I would have called family. We don’t live in that cave now. We live in a closed-down shopping centre that has been abandoned for years and the two upper level are completely rubble, while the underground parking lots and ground floor are fine, apart from a few cracks.

(D/N) is now the size of an average dragon, standing about a storey tall and about twenty feet long. He/She/They do most--if not all--of the hunting and has quiet the keen sense of hearing, so he/she/they can ward off other dragons before they can see or smell me--though the odd time he/she/they come back with bite and claw wounds.

It’s not the best scenario, but it’s a lot better than being huddled underground hoping a dragon doesn’t try to smoke 80 people out of their bunker every night. I just hope this all ends soon and that we don’t have to hide anymore.

[the-knights-who-say-book]

Star-Scales

They still told stories about Axaria’s dragons. How huge they were, how terrifying. How they blotted out stars and planets, and made a new aurora with the light of the sun glancing off their opalescent scales.

They still told the stories, even though they had killed every dragon they could get their hands on. They had the gall to pass those stories around like the jeweled scales and razor-sharp tusks that they passed around the black market, more valuable with each passing year since Axaria’s dragons had been eradicated.

It made Sol furious just to think about it, so she would have avoided them. But unlike the exorbitantly expensive scales and tusks, the stories weren’t hard to come by. They followed her around.

Some of the stories were fiction.

An example of a lie: the tusk of an Axarian dragon retains its powerful strength even after its death, and can be ground up into a medicinal powder to transfer that strength.

But some stories were true.

An example of a legend: the Axarian dragons had always been a nervous and skittish species, as prone to freeze during danger as they were to fight, and had long depended on a handful of trusted humans to guard them from human threats.

Sol heard mostly lies as she navigated the thronging marketplace. Lies about great battles and knights who faced down ferocious dragons one on one. Lies about stolen girls and the princes who saved them from the dragons’ clutches. Lies about how the Jasparian king had wiped out the dragons to prove that he was god-touched and god-chosen, that he would rule forever on his throne carved from dragon bone, kept alive and strong by powdered tusk looted from the battle fields.

Sol knew that the powder tasted like ash and did nothing of the sort. The king had probably also figured out as much by now, but that didn’t stop the Jasparians from passing the story from mouth to mouth.

She preferred to keep her distance from the Jasparians who had settled in her valley to make a living out of the death that still marked the landscape, scavenging what bone and fang and scale and tusk they could from the battlefields to sell to the wider world, turning up less and less each year. Soon the remains would run out and this town would no longer be fed by the sluggish blood of slaughtered dragons. But it would still be built on their ruins. Long after the townspeople finally began sowing the battlefields for crops instead of corpses, the stains of a bloodier past would linger.

She preferred to keep her distance, but she couldn’t always. She had hungry mouths to feed, not the least of which was her own. When supplies she couldn’t hunt or gather herself ran low, she took herself into town.

A thin layer of snow crunched beneath her feet, grinding between heel and cobble. The first fall of the season, the townspeople’s terror. Thick snow would make their scavenging work hard. Frozen ground would make it nearly impossible. They rushed to beat both.

Those who ran businesses and did work that didn’t relate to the dragon fields had less to fear from the coming winter. Their income was steadier, more predictable. Those who relied on the dragon fields’ yields had the opportunity to strike rich, but they might not strike at all. As the hardest season bore down on them, scavengers worked with a quiet frenzy and the last merchants made preparations to depart as soon as the haul came in. They would take the treasure to Jaspar, loudly auction off tusks to the king’s men or perhaps quietly to his enemies, sell glimmering scales to ladies who would wear them in exquisite patterns on their skirts or to apothecaries who would concoct miracle “cures” out of them.

Winter was dangerous for Sol too. Living outside the town left her vulnerable, and heavy snowfall might trap her in the caves for days at a time. She needed to stock up on supplies. Only this relentless practicality could drive her into town.

Like other merchants, Carrion did business out of the rooms he rented while in town. A wooden sign that hung out his window, bearing the symbol of a crossed pen and dragon tusk, indicated he was still open for business.

Her boots left wet prints down the entrance hall to his door. She had ignored the rug on which she was supposed to wipe them, which was woven with the image of a green dragon with a pen in its mouth, its delicate thread-work smeared with the mud of countless other feet. Carrion did not comment on this when he answered her knock. As usual, all his attention stayed on her pack from the moment she entered his room, even when he clasped her hand and when he poured them tea, which she wouldn’t drink, and asked her polite questions, which she wouldn’t return.

His greed was absolute and undisguised. She appreciated this about him. It made him the most trustworthy merchant she’d ever met. He would never spread awareness about the strange Axarian girl he did business with, for fear that she would do business with anyone else if they found out what she could offer.

In this they understood each other, though her understanding of him was somewhat more complete than his understanding of her. They knew what each other wanted. She took things from her pack and set them on the table. Delicate scales no bigger than the pad of her thumb. Chips of tusk. A talon the length of his pointer finger, though equivalent to an adult dragon’s pinky nail.

“You have a talent,” he said gleefully, examining her offerings. It wasn’t a compliment, more an expression of his own luck. Her talent for finding remnants of quality fed his greed. He fingered the smooth fronts of the scales, their rough backs, examined rippled edged. “I’ll give you five copper pieces each.”

“One silver each.” She didn’t enjoy haggling, and resented him for making them go through it each time.

“Ah, but they’re so small. I cannot give you the same price I would give for one of those.” He waved one hand to scales stacked on his desk from previous dealings, some as large as dessert plates, but his eyes never left her scales.

“Mine are higher quality.” They shone nearly as clear as mirrors, and had the perfect flexibility to be used in embroidery. Larger scales came from older dragons, dulled and stiff with age, edges ragged. They would need to be sanded, top layers excruciatingly peeled off, before they were used in jewelry or decorative armor.

“One silver piece for every three scales,” he conceded, which was the price they both knew was warranted and expected. They moved on.

The sky was taking on the purple tint of evening by the time Carrion had paid out and she had spent half her payment to load her arms with furs, long-lasting foods, and an ax blade to replace one that had melted. The snow that had crunched pleasantly underfoot earlier seemed to slow and dampen each step she took home, lugging her purchases and sweating under her cloak.

The slit-entrance to her cave was nearly hidden in the dark by the time she got there. Dragging a boulder away to make the entrance wider, she was almost bowled over before she could drag everything inside. Rigel launched himself into her arms with the intensity of one who had been abandoned for a year rather than half a day, keening loudly into her ear.

“Stop it, stop it,” she mumbled, trying to keep hold of his wriggling body while fending off his siblings. Pollux and Altair crowded around her legs, threatening to trip her with their constant shuffling. Altair snuffled the hand she used to push his snout away from the food, and let out a dissatisfied series of clicks and caws.

She stroked their heads and long, elegant necks, knocking a loose scale from Pollux. “You couldn’t have lost that this morning?” she asked. Pollux stuck her snout in the snow to sniff her own scale. “Take,” Sol told her. “Take. There you go. Inside now.”

Pollux gently took the scale in her mouth and scampered inside, Altair chasing in case she knew something about food being inside that he didn’t. Rigel stuck close to Sol’s legs as she gathered up her purchases and came inside, letting out irritated chirps when she failed to hurry.

Inside, Pollux climbed the single chair to reach the bowl on the desk where she dropped the loose scale, flapping her thin, undeveloped wings for balance. Rigel made anxious noises at her too, causing Altair to pick up his whining, in case he ought to be worried as well.

Eager to halt the litany of dragon cries sooner rather than later, Sol pulled strips of meat from the hooks that hung out of the dragons’ reach and clicked her tongue for their attention. They gathered quickly, jostling each other. Sol fed them in birth order: Pollux, already growing telltale female ridges above her eyes; Altair, whose tail was still more thorny than spiny; and Rigel, who hadn’t even begun to shed his baby scales yet.

While their sharp teeth were busy with food, Sol took the opportunity to examine them at their most distracted and least scratchy. Pollux’s talon was regrowing nicely from her ill-advised tussle with a boar. Sol wished she could have kept it as a keepsake. It hurt her heart to think of Pollux’s talon set into a silver hilt to make a souvenir dagger for some Jasparian noble—someone who would think nothing of it except as a remnant of some ancient beast. Not a battle-sacrifice from her little Pollux with bright eyes and hot breath, who was currently making a valiant effort to keep ahold of her dinner with one less talon than her brothers.

No one deserved these pieces of her dragons. But they were what kept them all in provisions as Sol waited these long years for the hatchlings to grow up.

Sighing, Sol levered herself up from the cave floor, leaving the dragons to feast alone, and went to poke at the fire. The great egg at its center smoldered with more heat than the flames, and a dark shape within it moved restlessly as she stirred the coals. “Soon, little one,” she crooned. “Soon, soon.”

It was the last dragon egg left. She’d nearly thought that it was dormant, that it hadn’t survived its mother’s death on the battle fields. But life still simmered inside it, taking its time to coalesce. She hadn’t dared name the others before they hatched for good, but she called this one Saiph, as if it needed to hear a name to know she was waiting.

As she hummed to the fire, Rigel came and sprawled out on the floor with his head on her lap, and she stroked the smooth ridges of his back, the soft membrane of his growing wings. At her touch he stretched them out, his eyes closed trustingly. She traced his narrow snout and tiny tusk nubs.

If the king had his way, his men would dig the tusks from each of her dragons and grind them up so the king could have another spoonful of ash. All for nothing but his reputation. But he could build himself a fortress of lies if he wanted—once the hatchlings were grown and he had to match his lies against legends, the walls would come crumbling down.

Altair settled next to her, his solid warmth small but concentrated, sitting right on Rigel’s tail with studied innocence. As Rigel chirped in annoyance, Pollux plopped herself onto the hatchling pile and leaned her head on Sol’s shoulder. Between dragon-warmth and the fire’s heat, the cave glowed hot as a beating heart.

Soft clicks came from the egg, as if Saiph was pecking experimentally. The dragons and the dragon-guard waited patiently.

[fallen029]

Last Month: Ice Skates and Late Dates

There were a lot of things that Laxus didn't like about winter.

It was cold. Too cold. It snowed. Too much snow. Which was wet. And got everywhere. And it meant that he had to buy firewood, for the fireplace, and make sure that the front walk was shoveled and forbid it iced.

He hated when it iced.

Then there was the fact that everyone got a bit of cabin fever, when it snowed so much people were trapped inside too often and why was it, huh, that his wife's dorky siblings and his only friends all seemed to think that his house was the place to escape the frigid night air?

And don't forget the snowmen.

Those wretched, hell-bound beasts.

He thought he hated snowmen most of all.

Still, it seemed to be Lana, his little baby demon dragon, favorite time of the year, so he had to grin and bear it. She liked it even more as she aged out of just playing in the front yard or looking up in wonder at the lights hung from neighborhood houses. No. She was now old enough to be the like the big kids, she insisted to her father one day when she spied them at the park, over on the frozen pond, and wanted to ice skate too.

"Ice skatin', huh?" Bickslow hummed when Laxus approached him with this the next day.

Lana was spending the day with her Uncle Elf, but most the rest of their family was up at the hall. Laxus' wife, Mirajane, was very busy with her Master duties and her aunt Lisanna was filling in at the bar, hoping to pick up some easy, extra jewels for the upcoming Winter Festival. The others in their little group, the Thunder Legion, were sitting around their table, Freed commenting on a job before, but stopping when Laxus made Lana's new desires clear.

She was the only baby any of them had. Given the fact Ever and Elfman were frequently on the outs, Freed had little desire for small children, and Bickslow and Lisanna really shouldn't be allowed near any, ever, unsupervised, this made sense. And given that Mirajane and Laxus seemed content for the time being in her being their only child, this didn't seem as if it would be changing any time soon.

This meant, however, that she was, well, more than a bit spoiled. Not just because her father seemed to bow to each and every single one of her demands (which, yeah, this was a massive problem), but also because the others had very little experience to draw from, when dealing with children, and seemed to mostly wish to keep her appeased.

Or else.

And Laxus was the or else.

So if his hatchling wanted to go ice skating, damn it, they were going ice skating.

"I can't," Evergreen told him. When this got a dark look from the slayer though, she glanced up from filing her nails to insist, "Seriously, I can't. I never learned."

"I must confess," Freed added, "that it is a skill I am lacking as well."

"What's with you guys?" the slayer complained. "How do you not know?"

"We were a bit busy in our formative years," Freed offered simply. "Surviving."

As the slayer looked off them, perhaps feeling a bit of remorse for his harsh tone, Bickslow only took to snickering. His little wooden babies began to do much the same.

"Ah, boss!" He patted at his chest then, the seith did, as his tongue tumbled from his mouth and they all got a good look at his guild marking. "I would be happy to teach the baby boss how to ice skate."

"You weren't," the slayer went right back to griping, "asked."

"You don't know how to either though, huh?" the seith asked. "Else you wouldn't have come to us, yeah? So it sounds like you need me."

"I don't need anyone."

Other than his little tiny baby demon dragon hatchling.

And yeah, the actual demon too.

"Perhaps," Freed suggested then, glancing around the table at the others, "we can make it a family affair."

"Don't have affairs with your family, dude." Bickslow's tongue slurped right back up in his mouth. "Freak."

"Wha- That is not what I meant!"

"Keep it in your pants."

"Bickslow-"

"What do you actually mean, Freed?" Ever asked with a roll of her eyes, really just wanting this conversation to die already.

After sending his friend the darkest of glares, he looked to Laxus once more before explaining, "We all lack in this category and, well, I am certain Lana will hardly be an expert on her first venture. Certainly it will make her feel better, should we all learn along side her. Right?"

"I," Ever began after the others thought on it, "can't."

But she could.

And she would.

They all would. Laxus rose then, to go see the Master and inform her of this while Lisanna, seeing him dip into the back, used this to her advantage and came over to goof off with the others rather than work. Easy jewels could be so straining sometimes.

"It's me," Laxus called out after knocking his knuckles against the heavy door of his wife's office. "Demon."

"Oh, dragon, come in, but don't let anyone else in, alright? I'm really swamped."

"Just me," he assured the woman as, upon entering, he found her desk swarmed with papers and the woman with a pair of glasses on, looking over something rather official, it seemed. At his entrance though, she only pushed them up as she looked to her husband.

"What's up?"

He came over first to give her a kiss before falling into the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Can't come check on my woman?" he questioned, but she only continued to stare at him, waiting for a true explanation. Sighing some, he added, "Lana wants to go ice skating."

"Okay," she said slowly as she blinked. "Is that…. You're not going to be weird over something like this, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Dragon, you get weird over every new thing she does."

"Do not."

"Laxus, I'm really busy-"

"She's my only daughter," he griped. "Should I not think that each and every milestone is important and noteworthy?"

Mira only sighed at him though and, after sulking for a moment, he knew he had to continue.

"Well, I don't know to do it," he admitted to his wife then. "Ice skate. And neither does the Thunder Legion. Well, stupid Bickslow does, but who the fuck trusts him with anything?"

"Uh, I trust him with my sister."

"That's your bad judgment."

"You're talking to your master, you know."

Oh, he knew.

It had been more than a point of contention, when Mirajane captured his once attainable dream, becoming the guild master in Makarov's death, but time healed most things. That was so far behind them then. And, after seeing all the work that his fie put in, day in and out, for the guild to run smoothly, he figured he didn't even want the job.

It would eat too greatly into his dragon-hatchling time.

Plus…

He wanted Lana to see it. Her mother in that way. Not just as a barmaid, which was fine, yeah, but… Mirajane was one of the few female guild masters around, and of the top guild in all the land. He liked that. Even if he didn't always.

"Freed thinks we should all go out, together, and learn how to ice skate," he told the woman then. "With Lana. So she doesn't feel so bad, about not being great at it."

'That sounds nice."

"Yeah, I thought-"

"But I know how," his wife told him with a slight grin. "And so do Elf and Lisanna."

"Of course."

"I'm sorry. Does that ruin things for you?"

But he only shrugged a bit, Laxus did, as he said, "Better than only Bickslow. Besides, Lana will probably listen to you better."

But Mira gave him a sad look again as she said, "I'm serious about being swamped, Lax."

"It doesn't have to be today. Tomorrow-"

"I'm behind already, because people keep destroying every town they visit and I'm completely confused on how to handle what Natsu did in-"

"It's fine. Mira." He rose from his chair once more, leaning over the desk to give her one last kiss. "We'll do it without you."

"I'm sure Lana won't miss me much," she insisted to her husband and maybe not.

While the girl loved her mother, she seemed to find annoyance with her far more often than any other adult in her life. Mirajane seemed to be the disciplinarian and, while Lana respected her mother, she could find this a very annoying quality.

But Laxus had kinda wanted his wife to go. With them. Even before all the others were going to go. Especially now that they were. She'd been busy with the hall so much recently and he'd only just returned from an S-Class job and he just…

"See you at home," he offered over his shoulder, but she was already busy with her work once more.

Since the demon was out, he only had Lisanna find someone to cover for her and then they all set off, to locate Lana and Elfman. They were very busy in the park already, where Elfman was being directed by his niece (and some other random children she seemed to have made friends with) to roll them the biggest of bases for a prospective snowman. Laxus tried not to let the vain in his forehead pop right out.

It did throb though as he patted his daughter on her soft, white locks.

"C'mon," he said as the other kids seemed sad to see her (or at least her big, burly uncle who was at their whim). "We gotta go get you some ice skates, huh?"

Oh, yes. They did.

And the others as well.

It was the best trip to the market ever, Lana felt. Daddy bought her some new mittens too, as Uncle Bickslow explained she should never leave her fingers down on the pond for long, should she fall.

"Else someone might skate right over then," the acrobat warned. "And then..."

He just shook his head as he closed his hand tight, miming some severed fingers, maybe. As Lana recoiled in horror and Lisanna griped at her boyfriend, Freed only assured her that they would not allow this to happen.

"Are you gonna skate too, Daddy?" Lana asked as she held hands with him, on their walk back to the pond. "Is that how come you got skates?"

"Yep," he agreed as, the closer they got to the pond, the bigger the knot in his chest began to grow. It wasn't so much that Laxus didn't wanna skate with his daughter, but rather, it was that he'd never done it before and therefore didn't know if he'd be good at it or not.

And while he hated failure, he hated it much more when it occurred before the eyes of Lana.

As they all sat in the snow, ditching their boots for their new skates, Lisanna was quick to race Bickslow onto the ice, both finding ease in this. Lana was whining to Freed, who was lacing up her skates, to hurry because she wanted to get out there too!

"Speak," Ever sighed as she seemed rather lackluster in her effort, "for yourself."

Oh, she was.

"Here, Lana!" Bickslow, who'd been happily skating circle around those kids, those cats, out there on the big frozen pond, came rushing back over to the edge of it as he held out both hands, waiting for them to be filled with the little girl's. "I'll help ya, huh?"

Laxus very much so wanted to be the one to lead his daughter out onto the ice and help her out, but he found it to be a good thing, probably, that he wasn't as the first thing he did out on the ice was tumble back on his butt with a hard thump.

"Careful, Laxus," Elfman snickered as he skated by with the wobbly Evergreen holding tight, for once, to one of his hands. "You'll crack the ice!"

He thought he was so fucking funny. Idiot. Fucking idiot. As Laxus growled and shoved up, he looked for Freed, hoping, honestly, the other guy was having as hard a time as him. Then they could commiserate together. But somehow, even though he claimed to have never touched an ice skate in his entire life, the man was busy doing figure eights across the pond.

"It's amazing, Laxus," he called to the man as he came whizzing passed. "I must have repressed it, but yes, I recall now, my father and I, skating every winter, before I left home."

Oh, fucking great.

Laxus fell again and that was it, he was done, fuck this shit, but just as he was about to sulk away, Lisanna came skating up to him with a giggle and outstretched hands.

"Come on, big brother Laxus," she offered with a tilt of her head. "I'll help you."

"Don't need help," he grumbled, but her grin faltered then as she actually leaned down to take his hands in her own.

"Do it for Lana," she insisted as he got to his shaky feet once more. "If she ends up liking this, you'll have to do it all winter."

What horror.

And it would be fine, because Mirajane could join them, later, if he just learned (or at least became a bit more stable) now, but…

He'd just wanted the demon there.

That was all.

And it wasn't enough, her little sister being around. Her doofus brother. Their daughter, Lana. Each had a bit of the woman in them, but it just wasn't enough.

It was complicated. All of it. But he and the demon's relationship especially. Things had been a bit tense, recently, and he just kind of wanted them to do this. Together.

That was all.

But Lana only fell twice, when she tried letting go of Bickslow's hands and, as the sunset, she only let Uncle Elf carry her home, exhausted from her busy day. They were all probably going to go their separate ways, with Elfman shrugging Lana off on her father so he and Ever could go argue over where to get dinner while Bickslow and Lisanna just trailed behind the pair, hoping if they picked the right victor in the match (it was almost always the Lady of Stone), they could trick their way into a free meal. Freed was energized, however, by his discovery and was most keen to figure out what other repressed memories were lurking about.

Laxus felt like this was a bad idea (and questioned how he'd even go about that), but was too down to deal with it in that moment.

It was as they were leaving the park, however, that they ran into her. Mirajane. She seemed in a hurry too, but spotted them rather easily (they were sort of an unmistakable group) and rushed to their sides.

"Are you leaving already?" she asked with a bit of a frown.

"And never," Evergreen griped, who'd been fallen on, by Elfman, crushed, honestly, and they would be arguing over this one for weeks, "coming back!"

"It was," Elfman yelled, "an accident!"

"Men don't make accidents, I thought?" Lisanna mused. "Everything is on purpose."

"Your boyfriend fell on you on purpose, Ever," Bickslow whistled lowly. "And not even the good kind?"

Freed was not riding too high to miss that and found himself asking, and regretting while doing so, "What is the good kind?"

But as the seith opened his mouth to explain, Mirajane only shook her head.

"I rushed all the way here," she complained, just a bit, looking at her husband. "Through my paperwork. I tried really hard to… I just can't believe you guys are already-"

"Sun's going down," Bickslow said. "I can only hang around the kid during daylight."

"Why? What are you?" Freed asked, again, regretfully. "A vampire?"

"A man with a social life," the seith bristled. "Unlike some of us."

But Lisanna only hummed. "Here's an idea."

And she reached over to take Lana from Laxus then. The girl was too old to be carried, honestly, however, and was too heavy for the woman, but Lisanna just quickly pawned her right back off on Elfman.

"You and Laxus go skate. Together." Lisanna beamed at her older sister. "It's a really nice night out."

No.

No.

Laxus mood had run foul now, after falling and hurting himself, honestly, and the moment was ruined and...and…

"Someone," he muttered, "has to check on the dogs. No one's been home for hours and-"

"I'll do it," Freed offered up easily enough. "Perhaps caring for them will trigger even more memories."

And Mira had questions (a lot, actually), but Lisanna was only shooing the others along and she'd mostly wanted to skate with her daughter, honestly, but…

"It has been a long time," Mira remarked when she and the slayer found themselves alone. "Since we had a date. Lax."

She was smiling up at in, in a way she usually didn't anymore, and he could tell she was tired, he knew he was tired, but…

Well…

"Has it?" At her nod, he only let out a long sigh before saying, "Let's just walk, huh? Around the park? And maybe get something to eat after? I really don't wanna fall again. I think I bruised my-"

"The Thunder God is afraid of a little bruise?"

"It fucking hurts, Mira. And it's not like in a battle. You have no adrenaline or-"

"Then I'll just have to hold your hand." And she moved to do so then, gripping it tightly in her own. "And we'll go real slow. So you don't fall. Okay?"

"Demon-"

"Don't you trust me? Dragon?"

With his life.

Which is why he fell back into the snow, to put on his skates once more, while Mirajane only transformed into some and, when he took her hands, it felt so much warmer than with Lisanna.

So very much.

.

Full Series

[mrneighbourlove]

Burnt Heart: Ch 8. What Comes Around...

Zannah deeply harmed Zizi. Her actions against her and her husband cut her deep into the Lorliedian. Revenge was ironed in Zizi’s mind, and she spent nights imagining ways to make Zannah suffer in her own personal way. However, as fate would have it, sometimes Karma lent a hand out into the universe.

One sunny morning, it was peaceful at Hyrule Castle. Suddenly, casting a shadow over the Queen, the long serpent body of the great Dragon Fel’lath appeared before her. “Queen Zarazu. I come before you in time of a sudden crisis upon the Empire.”

Covarog and Zarazu were outside in the courtyard playing a quiet game of checkers. Ba'puu and Umbra'lee were there, semi-circled around the couple. Over the years, Covarog had gotten used to the dragon constantly being around. There were a few changes, of course, when Ba'puu and Umbra'lee became a mated pair. Hatchlings arrived, grew, then moved out of the nest. There was hardly ever any peace outside the castle because of it. Not to mention, all of the hatchlings had a horrible habit of stealing chess or checker pieces for fun. Yet now, there was finally some silence and all was right within the world... So the king thought.

Ba'puu raised his gargantuan head to acknowledge Fel'lath. As time passed, Ba'puu was growing larger and larger, just like his sire before him. Now, Ba'puu was ever bigger than the palace itself, yet still insisted upon seeing his human 'mother'. Trilling, the water dragon looked at Fel'lath from snout to tail. "What happened to you?" Ba'puu asked. "You look like shit."

"Ba'puu..." Zarazu's voice held a chiding tone. "Fel'lath... what happened?"

Fel’lath had indeed looked better. His claws had dirt crusted on him, and his beard was covered in crusty earth. “Nature has not been kind. Over an hour ago, a massive earthquake struck the secondary island of El Tahu. Many are dead, but more concerning to the Emperor, is that her children are trapped alive almost half a kilometre under ground after the earth swallowed their tower whole. She requests a powerful earth dragon or Zemalji to assist her. Assistance from Danjur would be too late.”

Zarazu was trying to brush some of the dirt away from Fel'lath's snout when he relayed the news.

"An earthquake... oh, spirits, usually a tsunami follows right behind." Zarazu was no stranger to this type of disaster. She had experienced it with the Zoras. Luckily, there was minimal damage and only a few injuries due to the Zorans living underwater, but there were many homes that were affected. "My sister is the Earth Sage... but... I..." She exchanged a glance with her husband. "I'll mention it to her. For now, I can send a few earth dragons and Zemljas, but even they cannot dig so deep without necessary risk. Too much pressure. Please ensure that Zannah understands this."

“Ah. So Zizi is the only one who can safely master the Earth?”

"... that deep into the ground? Yes." Zarazu explained to Fel'lath, using an analogy. "I may be able to control water at my beck and call, but even I cannot swim so deeply into the abyss without the pressure crushing me. You have the gift of flight, but can only fly so high until you can no longer breathe. Do you understand what I'm saying, Fel'lath?"

“Then I will waste no time on pride. Or waste time the living have left. Always good to see you Ba’puu.”

"Please inform Zannah that I will send what help I can, but as far as my sister?" Zarazu clasped her hands together, sighing. "That may take some convincing, Fel'lath. I can only ask... I cannot force."

"I will inform Admiral Corsaire to ready some supply relief ships." Covarog told Fel'lath. "Inform Zannah for me."

“I am aware of all your concerns. Thank you, and goodbye.” With no wings, Fel’lath gracefully levitated into the air, snaking his way through the sky. When he quickly found his way to Kahli’s residence, it seemed he accidentally scared a couple of tailed young adults intertwined and kissing on the deck chair. The girl appeared to be a cross between a Dal and Waku. The boy was from Uskar if his smell was correct. The girl stood, a quickened voice breaking from her. “F-father!”

Fel’lath simply smiled, curling on the lawn. “Do not mind me. Lovers should be allowed to mind their business.” It seemed his deep, fatherly voice at least calmed some of the younger children watching afar with awe.

Stigr, no matter how long Hyrule and Uskar had been allies, was still not able to get used to dragons. It was programmed into his head that there was immediate danger. He nearly bolted out of his skin when Fel'lath landed in front of the house, plastering himself and Grievous up against the wall, tail straight up.

"Fucking son of a two faced warlock, how the FUCK does something so big sneak up so quietly?" Stigr cursed in Uskarian.

"Oh fuck an Abyssian, it's you." Urboro heard the commotion from her baby sister's interrupted smooching time. She knew the dragon. Knew who the dragon belonged to. And was sorely tempted to tell him to piss off. "What do you want?"

“Hello, Urboro. My, how you’ve grown.”

Grievous was terrified. Was this dragon after her? Did Zannah grow spiteful towards her father? All she could do was watch in paralysis and silence as the dragon’s whiskers floated up and down in the air magically.

Fel’lath once more, only radiated calm and kind energy. “I know what Zannah did to your mother Urboro. I know what she did to you. However, I would not be here if it did not concern innocent lives. The Empire needs Zizi’s magic to once again save its citizens. More specifically, I ask Zizi would save Athena and Griffith from certain death.”

Inside the house, Fel’lath picked up that Kahli and Zizi were arguing. It seemed the man was insistent Zizi stay inside and that he would handle this new development outside.

"Kahli, I told you once before, and I'll tell you again, I will open upon the earth and swallow that dragon to the bowels of fucking hell if he even so much as puts a whisker on you!!!" Zizi was having a hard time trying to get past her husband to tromp outside. He had her around the waist and was holding her back. If she really wanted to get free, she probably could, yet she did not want to hurt her husband. Ever again. "You let go of me this instant!"

Urboro heard the commotion inside and quirked an eyebrow. "I agree with Mom about you trying to harm my Dad, but my question is this," She took a sip of her lemonade. "Has Zannah finally gone senile? Of all people, she's asking my mom? Has she forgotten what she did?" She then turned to her sister, assuring her. "Not you, Grivy, you're a sweetie, unlike this fuck here." Urboro then snorted. "Stigr, calm your tail, Fel'lath doesn't eat horny monkeys."

"Does he eat non-horny monkeys?"

"Same difference."

“I’m a vegetarian little children. What’s more, this is for the sake of innocents I come, not Zannah’s ego. She would prefer someone else. I see no reason to deny.”

Kahli stomped out, pulling both Grievous and Stigr by the tails to get in the house. “Zizi, look after Grievous and her monkey boy.” The Waku stood his ground against Fel’lath. “Great Fel’lath. I have nothing but respect for you, but I must have respect for myself. I do not wish the Empire to come here.”

“True. I am not Empire. But I come on the Empire’s behalf. No, I come on the Hasai’s behalf. Lives are in peril Kahli.”

"My name is Stigr---" The door was promptly shut in the Uskarian's face. He had an inkling that Kahli did not like him as a suitable choice for Grivy. Either that, or it was one of those alpha-male ego things. He couldn't quite place it. "... I still don't think your father likes me."

Meanwhile, Zizi was cursing in five different languages and demanding that she be let outside, despite Urboro trying to calm down her mother.

"Mom, seriously, Dad's got this shit."

"If that dragon hurts him, I'm going to be making a purse out of his skin!!!!"

“I’ve come here today to speak to your wife.”

“What?” Kahli immediately took a battle stance, fire shimmering between his fingers. “No. You don’t get to take her from me.”

“Your fire no longer has a chance of hurting me. Besides. I never said I would. I will simply stay here until she hears my plea.”

The biggest mockery to Kahli’s ego was watching Fel’lath yawn, and start to sleep on his lawn.

"DAAAAAAD!" Urboro shouted from inside the house. "Mom is---"

Zizi busted through the front door, almost knocking it off the hinges with a face of rage. At her feet, on the left side, Urboro was holding onto an ankle, and on the right side, Grivy was holding the other ankle. Despite Zizi's age, she still managed to drag her legs forward. She had raised fifteen kids, all of whom had clutched at her legs at some point. Stigr stayed out of the mess, at least wanting Zizi on his side if Kahli was not.

"YOU!!!" She growled at Fel'lath.

"... she got loose."

Fel’lath opened one eye to her, still relaxing on the ground. “By Vatra. Such fire.”

Grievous was terrified to see her step mother be so primal. Kahli turned, forcing a gulp from rising. “Zizi. Get back in the house.”

"The hell I will, this is that stinking pet of Zannah's and I want it off my land immediately!!!" Zizi tugged on her right leg, glaring down at Grivy. "Sweetie... let. Go."

"Don't let go." Urboro told her sister.

"Urboro, Grivy, you listen here, I'm the mother, you will respect me, I said let go!"

"Mom, please calm down, Fel'lath isn't here to hurt Dad---"

"I don't give an Abyssian's ass why he's here, I want him gone!"

“I never knew that Dragons were the pets of others. Did you?” Fel’lath looked in the direction of Zizi’s companion dragons. “You have the fury of Vatra in your heart right now Zizi, instead of the calm serenity of Zemalji. Trust me, I’ve met them both. And that is the key phrasing. Trust me. I am not here to bring you pain of any kind.”

"You're a pet, they're companions, you blindly follow Zannah's every whim, they don't follow mine! I have every right to be furious!" Zizi snapped at Fel'lath. "Trust you? Trust you?! Let me tell you where trust got me with Zannah, Fel'lath! Nothing but humiliation, grief, and a fight that nearly tore my family apart! Why should I believe one fucking word you say?!"

“Because I came to you against Zannah’s word. Her children are about to die. More Hasai are going to die. It seems karma struck against Zannah, if you believe such things. Not to long ago an earthquake hit the island home of her children’s residence. I’m sure if you concentrate, you can feel them trapped terribly far, deep within the earth. I came to you to save Hasai lives. Not improve the quality of the Empire.” His whiskers brushed up and down the earth. Zizi could feel by the rumble of his belly against the earth that not only was Fel’lath conveying the truth, but he was sad.

"..." Zizi quieted for a moment. There was dirt covering the dragon and he was always particular about his appearance. She stepped onto the ground and listened for time. A disturbance in the earth settled around one of the Empire's islands. Innocents were hurt. Homes were destroyed. And there... she stopped. There was a wave coming, a tsunami. It followed natural disasters like this. "I feel it." She told the dragon, curling her hands into fists. "... I swore I'd never go back to the Empire. I didn't want anything else to do with Zannah. But you are right... her people are innocent. They had no part her actions." Zizi sighed, furrowing her brow. By the spirits, she did not want to do this. Was this a test? Was this what Zemlja meant when he told her think carefully upon her actions? Maybe not an act of revenge but... an act of grace?

“Then you will accompany me to the island?”

“No. Zizi, let them suffer in isolation.” Kahli grasped her shoulders, Grievous and Urboro still holding on. “I won’t let you be taken from me. I won’t let the Empire hurt you.”

"... what if... some of your other children are there?" Zizi spoke very softly.

That got both Kahli and Grievous to let go of Zizi. Kahli frowned, his golden eyes staring down at her. “... You aren’t going without me.”

"Someone needs to stay to watch the little ones." Zizi looked at Urboro and Grivy. "Can you look after your little brothers and sisters?"

“Of course.” Grievous gave Zizi a squeeze of her hands. “You’ll be careful, won’t you? I don’t want to lose someone so amazing after barely getting to know them.”

"I'll be all right, we'll both be all right." Zizi assured Grievous with a smile. "We'll look after each other. We always have." She then leaned forward and whispered into Grivy's ear. "Don't let Urboro near my stove."

“She’s a terrible cook. Got ya.” Grievous got the meaning.

"I heard that!"

"We'll be back as soon as we can." Zizi promised the girls and then took a slow breath. "Ari'phompha and my other dragons of the plantations will join us. I think they too can sense something is amiss."

“Climb on my main and we’ll be off.”

Kahli was the first to climb aboard, reaching a hand out to his wife. He felt grateful that she took it. With her by his side, Kahli held her around the hip as Fel’lath took off into the air. “Zizi... I’m sorry for being a terrible husband to you.”

"We're past this now, Kahli," Zizi held around her husband's waist as Fel'lath took off into the air. "You were cornered. There was nothing you could have done. I reacted badly. We both hurt each other. The important thing is that we moved past this and we'll be stronger because of it. I'm not going anywhere."

“I should never have hurt you.”

"The same goes for me." Zizi admitted to Kahli. "I shouldn't have hurt you either. We both have done things we regret. But dwelling on them will only bring more grief. Let's focus on what we have."

On the island, the Emperor was in panic. Her clothing was dirty, her hands bloody from clawing at crumbled brick to reach her children in vain. She was ordering medics to aid the wounded, and franticly pushing workers to clear the debris.

“Move faster! If more die it will be on your heads!”

Standing at the beach house, she saw Fel’lath and a group of Earth Dragons fly in.

“You’re back! Good. We mustn’t waste any more time.”

The Emperor would suddenly falter when she saw Zizi and Kahli step off the dragon’s main. “What? You two? What are you doing here?”

"... I won't kill her." Zizi had promised her husband before landing on the ground. "I won't attack. I won't do anything to start a war between her and my sister. I'll be okay. I swear."

Though as soon as the pair were on the ground, Zizi was highly tempted to beat the snot out of Zannah. Yet, she had to focus on the bigger picture. There were innocents here that needed her help. The earth was still unstable and another aftershock could occur at any given moment.

“Fel’lath. Why did you bring her here?”

“Zannah. She can save your children.”

The Emperor paused, planting her feet into the sand beneath her. “Zizi... you aren’t going to just let more innocents die, are you? It’s not in your nature. Of course you’ll help, won’t you?”

"I won't let innocents die. Though, I will say the same thing to you that you told my husband all those years ago when he asked for mercy." For all her rage, Zizi kept an eerily calm face. No even a slight twitch of a cheek muscle. She uttered one single word. "Beg."

It was if a bullet had traveled through heart with that single word. It took a moment to register if it was even real to the Emperor. “What?”

"Perhaps you've gotten hard of hearing with age, so I'll gladly repeat myself." Zizi once again said. "Beg."

Zannah looked out to the ocean stealing the water, then back to Zizi. “Are you trying to blackmail me? My children are going to die if you don’t hurry on your end.”

"For that, you can apologize too. Not only to me, but to my husband." Zizi held up her hands, stabilizing several structures on the surface. She had the citizens' attention now. Good. She wanted an audience. "Like I said. I won't let innocents die. Though my skills may or may not reach your children. I wonder..." She paused choosing her words carefully, not mentioning death, neither denying or confirming Zannah's statement. "What kind of pain would it cause you? Like that black hand of yours? Or perhaps worse? Can the self-proclaimed 'god' of the Hasai not even save her own children? If you're a deity, then go ahead. Save your children. Let's see that accumulation of power help you now."

“Stop this. You think you can speak that way to me? Do you feel I cucked your husband? I have the power to save everyone here except my children. I’m a master of fire, not earth. I bring war against the very forces of nature, but I can’t heal or rescue my children. Zizi, please, you’re the only one who can save my children. You have the power here to do that, not me. You have their lives in your hands. If that tsunami even comes close it could shift the earth further. Please, you have to save them. They’re the only blood I have left!”

"... I did not hear begging neither did I hear an apology." Zizi then glanced at the horizon, not even batting an eye. "And that wave is getting closer."

Zannah’s sanity dwindled, and for once, this wasn’t a situation she could blast apart. Zannah dropped to her knees, looking up at her only hope. “Zizi. I’m sorry I hurt you and your husband’s feelings in my act against you. I’m sorry I sacrificed our friendship for the sake of my people. I’m on my knees here. I can’t lose my children! I can’t lose more family!”

Kahli shrugged, looking at the growing wave. “Least you already bury them. We should go Zizi.”

“No! You can’t! You have to save my children! Now! I can’t do it!”

"... I want you to remember this moment. I want you to recall how utterly helpless you feel." Zizi squatted down to look Zannah in the eye. She still betrayed no emotion on her visage. There was just a sparkle, a flicker of... absolute loathing in her eyes. "I want you to recall feeling of despair. That's how I felt then. I thought I had lost my husband. I knew I had lost who I considered a friend. All because of this lust for power, for control." She upturned one palm. "I warned you once long ago that your blasphemy, calling yourself a god, would come back to haunt you. I think this is a fair warning from the deities, don't you agree?" She then upturned the other. "Remember how one Zemlja who you thought was insignificant and who you dared to hurt still came to your rescue... for a second time. You owe me two debts, Zannah. One for rejuvenating your island all those years ago. One for saving your children now. I will collect on those debts. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow... but soon. And then, you will be the one who will not be able to defy me." The Earth Sage stated bitterly. "You're a horrible friend, you're a leader who uses her people as pawns, and you're not a deity, you're far from it. You're nothing but a power-hungry brat. Just like your brother before you. You'll never be the kind of leader you want to be."

With her peace said, Zizi brought her palms together, closing her eyes and concentrating. The children were deep in the earth. What kept them trapped? Mining equipment? No. A secret passageway? No. Was it... simply the earth crushing them? Perhaps. No time to explore with her magic. Roots started to swirl up and cover both Athena and Griffith to protect them during their journey to the surface. The wall of water, on the other hand, was threatening to tower over the island.

Being deemed Earth Sage had its perks. She worked hard for that title.

Slamming one hand on the ground, the earth rumbled, shaking and cracking open. There was a giant chasm lining the beach to consume some of the water. However, that would not be enough to stop it. Glowing green from head to toe with magical energy, Zizi summoned forth an interlocking wall of dirt, roots, vines, and foliage. It sprouted forth from the land, higher than any of the buildings, the height of the wall of water... and held true when the immense wave smacked into it.

Kahli crossed his heart, watching Zizi channel the power of her spirits magic through her. She truly was Zemlja incarnate.

Zannah said nothing in return, her pride in tatters, no words or witty comeback to give. However, when she saw the state of her children as they raised up from the earth, her panic came back to her. She pushed past Zizi to get to them. “My babies!”

Athena and Griffith were not unscathed from the quake swallowing them. Her son’s legs had been crushed, everything below his kneecaps turned into a red paste. Her daughter’s face was... dear god, it was unrecognizable, but she was alive upon feeling her pulse. Neither was conscious as the Emperor started to heavily cry. She carefully held her daughters head close to her chest, Zannah’s eyes expanded wildly in a sense of madness. The last time she held someone like this was her deceased twin. “Oh god. Oh my sweet little angels.”

Kahli turned to see what had Zannah so riled, his attention on Zizi’s magic stopping the wave. “Zizi, are you feeling all—! Oh gods…”

Zizi was gritting her teeth. And sweating. The weight of the water was more than she expected. It felt like she was trying to hold the whole ocean back. The wave was not draining into the split in the earth as quickly as she thought it would. She was shaking, her feet sliding as if she was being pushed back by an invisible force.

"I... I can't..." She managed to speak, almost sounding guttural with the magic influencing her body. A small whimper escaped between her lips, her fingers starting to bend out of place from the unseen weight. "I-It's... so h-heavy..."

Zannah turned to the wave crashing outside. It seemed that she would need to step up to protect her nation after all. Placing both her children down, she raised both her hands in the air. The clouds in the sky turned black, suddenly swirling around and blocking out the sun, except one beam that shined on the Emperor. Her eyes glowed with the intensity of rubies. The ground beneath her feet sizzled.  With her voice speaking to the sky, she released a quiet chant for the gods to hear. “Hell from below. Heaven from above. I call upon all my power. War, war, war, war. This horseman will leave its wake. Nothing will be spared from the roar of this chosen god’s final stake.”

From above in the sky, kilometres of lightning shot down into the tsunami. From deep in the sea, the water boiled as a wall of tremendous fire burst above, flames burning off the top of the magic barrier. Zizi’s wall of earth allowed Zannah to successfully decimate the crashing water, evaporating the wave down to a safe level. Kahli was terrified by the power that radiated outside, and he couldn’t even see most of it, just feel it. Nature was at war with each other in all its elements. With her magic sizzled, Zannah crashed to the beach, exhausted. “You might be the master of the earth, perhaps a goddess... but I am the God of Fire that walks this plane.”

Exhausted, her attention returned turned to her children, too tired to cry. Her rational mind was weakening after unleashing such power on the ocean’s attack. “My sweet, sweet twins...”

Zizi felt some of the weight be removed and nearly stumbled with her steps, yet still stood pushing back. The earth was swirling violently under the water. The ground was shaking once more, rumbling with aftershocks.

"That's... not the wave I'm worried about! The first wave... isn't the worst!" She panted, reaching out to touch Zannah on the shoulder. Her magic allowed the empress to see the impeding doom. "See what I see!"

How long would she be tested? The Emperor truly hoped that it wouldn’t have to come to sacrificing her humanity, but she would take that step if need be. “Then I’ll burn the entire ocean to cinders.” Zannah meant it. She would do it if she needed to. Her rage and fury built, ready to break the limits of her body, mind and soul.

Kahli was visibly worried, looking to his wife. She was a Sage. She was supposed to know what to do. “I don’t doubt you two could do something like that, but is there any other options?”

"You can't burn away the entire ocean, you egomaniac!" Zizi snapped at Zannah, the pressure getting to her. Focus, focus, she had to focus. Her sister was not here to redirect the water... wait. That was it! It could work. Whistling loudly, she obtained the attention of the other earth dragons and Zemljas that had arrived to help. "Help me form a split!!!"

"Split?" Ari'phompha was the first to approach. "You think that will work?"

"It's got to, I can't hold up the entire ocean." Zizi told the old dragon. "The second wave is always the worst. More power, and more speed."

"Like a needle into a thread."

"Exactly." She instructed. "Go tell the others. We only get one shot at this." Holding out her awkward fingers to husband, she left no room for argument. "Wrap them back into place with my belt."

“You can do this Zizi.”

Zannah charged her magical energy to its current maximum limit, a sinister energy cackling from her. All it would take is one snap of energy, like cutting a ribbon with scissors, for her to break her limits if she had the desire. “If you fail, I won’t. Take your shot Slatki.”

Zizi ignored Zannah and was praying under her breath.

"Mighty Zemlja, creator of the roots which run deep, the vines which spiral freely, the trees which grow strong, the flowers in ever beautiful bloom, I pray to you, give me the strength to protect the innocents here, I ask of you to give me your hand, your unrelenting command over the earth..."

Upward the split started to form from the oceanic plate. It was simply a wall of earth from mixed rock, melding together. With the help of her other follow Zemljas, and the earth dragons, the wall was rising... steadily... steadily. Grunting, Zizi held it together with brute force. This had to work, there was no other option. Yet when it seemed the wall would not be tall enough, just before the wave struck, it shot upwards, exponentially.

There stood no longer Zizi. But Zemlja himself.

Zannah felt a small sense of relief fill her. She wouldn’t have to become like her brother to save her people. There was a sense of serenity as the wall simply... stopped the wave. There was a crash outside, but then there was a peaceful calm.

Fel’lath eyed Zemlja carefully. Been a very long time since he seen the spirit. Least in this realm.

Zemlja was a quiet spirit. Impossibly large, the size of an oak tree, with leaves for hair and bark for skin. Even his feet resembled tree trunks. Usually, he had nothing too much to say except words of wisdom. However, this time... he looked sad at the destruction. The land was in tatters. Homes were demolished. Crops were uprooted. Yet, all this could be salvaged, but lives were still lost.

"Magic incarnate..." Zemlja spoke to Kahli and to Zannah, his voice very deep. "This was our gift to the Lorleidians. My follower has used her talents well. Despite her apparent hatred of you," His pupil-less eyes glanced in Zannah's direction. "She hates to witness suffering. To her husband, her mate," The spirit of the earth blinked slowly, looking over Kahli. "You care for her, as she does for you. Long together, will be your years. Yet, I carry word of warning for the future," He foretold, "Balance and Chaos will meet, as will Maker and Destroyer... you will have to choose which side you wish to be on. However, grudges and strife will have no place in this final battle. Green empress," He forewarned, "If you declare yourself a deity, you will have a target upon you, your loved ones, and your homes. Loose this quest for power and be content with what you have lest risk losing everything. Young Waku of fire," He added, "You left behind a life of battle, yet when the day comes, you have two paths, yet which will you take? Will you fight once again or stay behind to watch over what is yours? Beware the Black Dragon and old faces..."

Then he vanished from Zizi's body.

Zannah looked on, flabbergasted. What the hell was it even talking about? Fuck it. Fuck all of them. Her energy sizzled out her finger tips, needing to find a drain out into the world from how much gathered in her. Once down sizzling, she dragged herself to reach her children. “You can leave now Zizi.”

Being a host for Zemlja, even for a short amount of time, felt like Zizi was walking on clouds. To Zemlja it was a few minutes, to her, it felt like an eternity. She sat above the world, watching the stars pass by... and listened. She listened to what fate had left to unfold for them. Once her body was returned to her, Zizi actually felt... rejuvenated. Perhaps it was a gift from her earth spirit as thanks.

"... I will ensure the structures are stable before leaving." Zizi looked to her husband, brushing some dirt off of him. "Let's go make sure there is no one underneath rubble. Then I will leave you to whatever whims you have left, Zannah."

“Citizens! Stop gawking at the sorceress and help your fellow neighbour! The Prince and Princess need immediate medical attention! NOW!!!”

Her fury snapped the people back into action.

"Maybe you should beg for a Dusa next." Zizi muttered under her breath, walking along the rumbled pathways to sense if there were any others who needed help. She gently lifted pieces of houses, trying to undo any dangerous and unsteady pieces. So far, there were only a few people who needed help. Moving a few beams or trees was nothing.

Zannah furiously struck Zizi across the face with the back of her hand. Her children were becoming her breaking point. “Fuck you bitch!”

Kahli saw a full-on lioness fight would take place if he didn’t step in. “We’ll leave Zannah. We’ll leave. I’m certain the Queen of Danjur isn’t too far behind, and the Earth Dragons can assist, but we’ll go.”

Zizi didn't move when she was struck. Matter of fact, she had promised Kahli she would not fight. And she would hold true to that promise. Though, she didn't promise against one of her age one tricks. Zarazu and Zolori always warned others not to get Zizi mad.

"You messed with my family, Zannah." The Zemlja then actually... laughed. "But look at you now. Zemlja was right. Claim to be a deity when you're nothing but a brat and there will be a target on your back. And now your people can view you as you are. You're not their savior anymore..." Her green eyes flickered upward at the Empress. "I am."

A few of the Hasai looked their way, seeing the Emperor shouting at the Zemlja who had helped them. Murmurs started across the survivors of the disaster. This wasn't right...

“I’ll burn your entire country to ground if they die. I wouldn’t hesitate to wag war just to see your little family burn to ash. You probably organized this disaster didn’t you.”

One of Zannah’s royal guards saw knew his Emperor was being... careless, to put it lightly. “My Emperor. If I may, I think this catastrophe has weighed heavily on all of us. The royal princess and prince aren’t in stable condition yet. We should go accompany them to a hospital.”

Zannah looked down at Zizi, her golden eyes filled with madness and fury. It was honestly a coin flip if she’d attack with greater force. She didn’t turn away from Zizi when she answered her guard. “Yes. We should all be so grateful to have as much time as we can with our children.”

Finally, the Emperor turned, her heart plummeting when she laid eyes once more on her twins.

The Hasai people were shaken by today’s events. Zizi was indeed correct about being a saviour. But they also saw Zannah’s power. And truth be told, it scared them dearly. No one would dare speak such a thing now, but with the condition of the royal twins as they were currently, perhaps a regime change would be possible.

Kahli, finally, turned to his wife, placing a hand on her shoulder and examining her cheek. “You going to be alright?”

"Huh. Didn't know that stupidity was added to the mixture. You might claim to be able to win against me, or my husband, but I do have a good memory." Zizi did nothing but smile. "If you attack us... oh my, that's right." She pretended to be surprised. "If you attack my kingdom... you loose Annuciata. Your fuck buddy. Your mate. For good. She will not wage war against us. Seems like you're not only a brat, but stupid and forgetful too." She knew her not snapping and lashing out at the empress was weighing on Zannah's last nerve. She would not be the one to give in this time. When Zannah turned her attention to her children, Zizi flinched when Kahli touched her cheek. It was a little tender, but she would be all right. "Oh, I'll be fine, Kahli." Zizi assured him. "It's just a bruise, nothing more. Come... you are right, we shall leave. Let's go home and leave these ruins to Zannah."

“We can take one of the Earth Dragons back.” Once out of ear shot, Kahli ran a hand down his face. “That was very, very risky of you. She’s not mentally all together.”

"I know she's not," Zizi climbed on top of Ari'phompha and then offered Kahli her hand. "I wanted to see her break."

“If she didn’t lead an army that was fanatically driven to her, I might agree with you.”

"It's of no matter now, Kahli. I got what I wanted... and the people are safe."

Kahli nodded, giving his wife a close hug. With this, they could truly put the Empire behind them now. “Let’s go home Zizi.”

Zannah stayed by her children’s side, lamenting her failure. Why? Why did this happen to her? The strong were supposed to lead others into prosperity. The strong didn’t need to beg.

It took almost twelve hours, but suddenly, there were Sky Gliders filling the sky across the Empire. All of the floating ships were dropping supplies. Food, fresh water, medicine, and blankets... all of it was dispersed. From the largest of the Sky Gliders, Annuciata looked for Zannah. She could see that Hyrule and other nations had sent assistance, but she desperately wanted to see if the Emperor herself was alright.

Zannah, even as her people were being helped, stayed by her children. It took a direct message from T0-D to let Annuciata know the Emperor could be found at a hospital center.

Annuciata, for the first time in her life, actually looked disheveled. Her hair was frizzy, and she was wearing pants and a blouse and boots. She fit all the taboos for a Danjuran, royal woman to commit for a diplomatic visit. Then again, this was not the usual of visits so she supposed this slight curtness could be overlooked. When the robot appeared on her ship, Annuciata almost hit him with her fan she was so startled. Though, she did thank him for the message and had her ship land.

Climbing down the ladders from the ship, Annuciata started to call out for the Empress.

"Zannah?! Where are you?!"

“I’m here.”

Griffith’s legs had to be sawed off from the kneecaps to get rid of the damaged handicap. Athena had white, bloodied bandages wrapped completely around her face. Both the twins were put into forced comas at the moment. Zannah had scribbled maps of island for updates, but it looked she hadn’t moved much in her time since being beside them, if at all from her chair.

"I came as fast as the Sky Gliders would fly!" Annuciata hurried up to Zannah, huffing for air. "And... oh dear goddesses..." Her eyes fell upon Athena and Griffith and it was only she could do not to retch. Breath in. Breath out. "What... what happened?"

“A category 6 level earthquake hit the island. The earth itself swallowed their shared tower home. As they become swallowed 500 meters downwards, Griffith’s legs became crushed by the crust of the earth. Athena had sharp gravel scalp her entire face. They’re on deaths door Annuciata.” Zannah’s voice was cold, tired, and defeated.

"I... I can begin a search for healers... the best healers!" Annuciata had known the twins since they were smaller. She wouldn't let them suffer like this. There had to be a solution! "Where's Tod? I can get him to send a message to Queen Zarazu. She knows some of the best healers! There's one in Uskar, where Kanisa lives, she delivered Kanisa's baby, oh what was her name? Neera? Nana? No... Naira! That's it! We could get her and I could get a few surgeons from Danjur and maybe Labrynna would send us some of their top-notch healing potions..." The queen was rambling.

“It’s not fixable, even by regular magicians of the healing arts. I asked Hylian mages that came to assist my people. They said the damage took too much away. They can’t create the necessary matter to grow my son’s legs back. Or give my daughter her smile once more. A god appeared to save my people due to Zizi’s interference. But they did nothing to save my children.” Silent, angry tears were coming down her face as she kept her focus on her children. “They called me a brat. They made me feel I deserve this as my personal punishment. But who deserves this kind of hell? WHO!?!” Zannah screamed as she threw the maps of the table in an act of frustration. Raising her arm, she brought it down, snapping the wooden table in half.

Annuciata jumped at Zannah's outburst. Listening to her words, she did not know what to say to comfort Zannah. This was a situation where she had no experience. She lost her mother to illness. Her father died of a heart attack. But thinking the heavens above were against her? Looking at Athena and Griffith, the Queen of Danjur was at a loss for words, but something had to do.

Gently, Annuciata put her arms around Zannah's shoulders.

"I... don't know what to say to make you feel better. I don't have much experience with the supernatural." The queen spoke very quietly as to not agitate Zannah further. "I was always told that the deities are a mystery to us. There are things we do to please them, and things we do that displease them. I don't know what you believe, but... this could be a test. This could be a joke. This could simply be a natural disaster. Take your pick, but if it comes to it..." She took a slow breath. "I can always make Griffith a pair of legs, and... and I'm sure Eleonora would know something about growing artificial skin for Athena."

Zannah sobbed as the Queen spoke to her and held her. Annuciata was the only one she’d let her emotions down around. Taking deep breaths, she tried to breath more. “Zizi said I was nothing but your ‘fuck buddy’. That I’m nothing. Is that true?”

"... wait, Zizi was here?" Annuciata sounded shocked. "She actually came here?" The brief thought of why crossed her mind. What would Zizi be able to gain by coming here? ... unless it was karma really being a bitch. "I'm... I am quite surprised that she did come, love. Especially with... your history." She tried to put it lightly. "And as far as her comment, I'm sure she was just goading you. I'm here, aren't I?"

“She humiliated me and castrated my people’s belief in me is what she did.” Finally, Zannah turned to look at Annuciata. Her eyes were pink and puffy from all the crying she did. “What are we? I’ve never been your girlfriend; we’ve never been able to wed... is she right? Is that my title? A brat who’s found herself becoming a glorified concubine?”

"Love, I hate to be the logical person, though I'm sure she felt humiliated when she found out what you did to her husband." The Queen of Danjur was trying her best to remain... somewhat neutral. "Yet it doesn't excuse her behavior if she did influence your people somehow. Besides, if you were a glorified concubine, then wouldn't we be having sex all the time instead of running our countries?" Annuciata placed her forehead against Zannah's, stroking her hair to calm her. She tried to keep a bit of humor in the situation. Maybe it would help ease Zannah's worries. "I can't say that title sounds too bad if it means I get to retire. More time with you." She chuckled lightly, "And yes, you can be a brat when you don't get your way. But I still love you."

“I... this ruins everything. I thought I could step down as Emperor soon and give the throne to...” The Emperor couldn’t even finish that sentence. “They’ll never be in the condition for it.”

Zannah rested her head against Annuciata’s warm bussom. “I almost lost control today. I was so close to becoming a monster. I threatened to invade Hyrule just to kill Zizi if my children died. I was so angry...”

"You have a right to be angry. It's okay to be angry. It's not okay to lash out at someone who had nothing to do with this. She's the Earth Sage, not a killer of innocents." Annuciata held Zannah tightly, sighing. "At least... at least Zizi came. She may have done so for whatever reason, but at least she came to help. Imagine how much worse it would have been if she didn't. I love you but I can't stop an earthquake with my machines." The Queen of Danjur then told Zannah, "Let's... let's just focus right now on the twins. I'll start sketching some prototypes for Griffith and get a message to Eleonora. It won't hurt to try, will it?"

“No, it won’t ... can you stay for a while and hold me? I’m scared.”

"... it's okay to be scared too. Everyone gets scared." Annuciata kissed Zannah's forehead. "I'm not a goddess or spirit or deity of any kind, but I'll do my best by you and the twins because I love you. Regardless of whether we're wed or not, people who love each other do their best by them. I'm not going anywhere."

“I love you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Zannah was worried that by scorching Zizi, she was the one left with a burnt heart.

"I love you too, Zannah. Our situation is unique, for sure, but we're stronger for it." The Queen of Danjur then took a look at her lover with a quirked eyebrow "... maybe next time you'll listen when I tell you that a bad idea is a bad idea?" Annuciata jested lightly, "And don't worry too much. We'll figure out a solution for our babies."

Our. That meant the world to Zannah coming from Annuciata. “Will they be alright here without us?”

"Love, they're simply sleeping. Let Tod watch over them while you get some rest." Annuciata assured Zannah. "I'll make sure everything runs properly. You'll trust your people in my hands for a few hours, won't you?"

It was almost midnight by this point. The Emperor nodded, taking Annuciata’s hand. “It should have been me... I’m so tired.”

"How about we move you and the twins to my Sky Glider? It's no palace, but has a bed for each of you." Annuciata suggested. "I could have my soldiers move a bed into the twin’s room. That way, you'd feel better keeping an eye on them when you wake."

If they woke. Zannah slowly kissed Annuciata gently, her lips tender and light. “Once I feel safer knowing they’ll be stable, I’m going to spoil your kind soul so much. I owe you too much my love.”

"Make love, not war, Zannah." Annuciata obtained the attention of a few guards. "Please escort the empress and her children to my personal Sky Glider. Make sure they have what is needed and then return to help distribute supplies."

"Yes, my queen."

“It’s Emperor- never mind. Let’s go to bed…” Zannah almost laughed. Nothing would be same for her going forward, she felt that in the air. Perhaps fate would have been better for her if she simply had left Kahli and Zizi alone.

________________________________________________________________

Previous Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/612606875698085888/burnt-heart-ch-7-burning-bridges-repairing Crossover with @ridersoftheapocalypse Shared world with @s-kinnaly

[alexius-fr]

Chapter two

@lindwur-fr @mask-fr @indulg3nce-fr @kagira-fr @slighteyewing ( @khadjin-fr im sorry it doesnt seem to want to ping you!) If you’re not on the list for pings but want to be, let me know! 

A few weeks passed and Murdoch adapted to life with a new child quickly, as he had raised many children in the past, and Azar wasn't all that different from a normal hatchling. Apart from the excessive grooming and horn maintenance he needed, that was.

The first week Azar got a lot of inquisitive looks from the others, but he was quickly accepted and the other Ancients also took a liking to him, apart from Kael. Kael was never much of a fan of children however, and he was being very good about the time that Azar inevitably consumed, cutting into Murdoch's time to meet with the council and rule the keep.

Kael was Murdoch's secondant, the aspect of Death and Shadows that took care of any and all threats before they became too large a problem. Murdoch often referred to him as the shadow behind the throne, something Kael always rejected with a smile.

When Murdoch woke up that morning it was to Kael's impatient voice behind the door.

“Murdoch, you missed the meeting again!”

Murdoch groaned but didn't lift his head immediately, still feeling tired from the night. Azar had kept him up until far later than his usual bedtime and he was experiencing the drawback fully.

“Murdoch?” Kael asked, the door opening.

“Yeah- come in, I guess.” Murdoch yawned widely, feeling something resist the movement in his beard, Azar squeaking offendedly at being woken up like this. Although Azar understood a lot of words now, he still communicated mostly in squeaks and noises. But some words were starting to become routine, like 'Food!', 'Play!', 'Yes' and 'No!', the latter being by far the most common.

Kael entered, holding an account of what had been discussed during the meeting, laying it down on Murdoch's desk for later.

“How is the little one?” Kael asked, his voice no longer annoyed, but interested instead. Kael was always pretending to be cross with Murdoch, but most of their relationship consisted of good natured teasing and Murdoch liked his brother a great deal.

“Thank you, Kael. Azar is doing well, although I suspect he will want food in the very near future.” Murdoch stretched and shook lazily before walking over to his desk and reading through the document with sleep-thick eyes.

Azar had caught on to Kael's presence and stormed him enthusiastically in order to greet him with an affectionate rub. Azar was now almost the same size as Kael, and Kael struggled to stay on his feet during this genuine assault of adoration and lots and lots of fur. His expression was one of endurance and patience but an equal measure of displeasure. It always made Murdoch laugh.

“Get him away from me please.” Kael stated in a monotone voice.

“Azar, leave your uncle alone.” Murdoch muttered while reading through the document, Azar drooping his ears in response, but listening none the less.

“What's this about an unidentified group of dragons being signalled in the north of the Southern Icefields?” Murdoch asked, Kael straightening his feathers with dignity.

“It's exactly what it says. My scouts could not come close enough to them to identify them. They do think that the group is head our way, though. And they are scared, Murdoch.” “Your scouts, scared?” Murdoch frowned with disbelief.

“They describe them to me as giants with terrible horns, lead by a dragon that embodies the winter itself. His footsteps leave frost on the ground, and if you look him directly in the eye you'll freeze.” Kael sounded more than a little sceptical, but then again he always did. Murdoch mulled it over in his head but was quickly distracted by Azar, who stood in between his front legs, looked up with playful eyes and wiggled his body as his tail swept from side to side.

“Alright, alright, you'll get food in a minute.” Murdoch assured him, Azar smiling happily.  

“Do you believe those rumours?” Murdoch asked, turning to Kael. “Not even a little.” Kael rolled his eyes. “Ordinary dragons are scared easily. I wouldn't take them too seriously.” “What of Basalt?” Murdoch asked. Basalt was Kael's right hand and overseer of his spy network.

“He's doubtful, but he has not seen the dragons himself.” Kael replied with honesty. “I'll order him to have a look for himself, we need a more clear description before we can take action.” “Agreed.” Murdoch nodded. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome. I'll take care of it. Seems you have more urgent matters to attend to.” Kael frowned when he saw Azar attempt to pull Murdoch along to the kitchens by dragging him by the tail with his mouth. Murdoch chuckled and freed his tail with a simple swift motion, nodding gratefully to Kael.

“Yes, so it would seem. I will see you for dinner, then.”

“May the deities protect you.” Kael bowed shortly and then left, leaving Murdoch with Azar as they made their way to the kitchen.

-- 

They didn't hear about the group of dragons again for a few weeks, and Murdoch had too many things on his mind to really concern himself with something that might not even be true, so he focused on teaching Azar, who was progressing leaps and bounds with his draconic and physical training. He progressed far faster than Murdoch had expected, and he couldn't be more proud of his son. Azar grew into young adulthood, now considerably larger than Kael but nowhere near as big as Murdoch yet. He had long, clumsy limbs and his shaggy fur wouldn't stay down no matter how much he groomed himself. But the biggest change were his horns, that had started growing sporadically and seemed to take no direction in particular. 

Those weeks turned into months, and the peace had perhaps made Murdoch complacent, because when Kael stormed in during that morning lesson of draconic with a panicked look on his face, Murdoch was caught off guard.

“Murdoch- They-” Kael panted and looked dishivelled. It was odd to see his usually calm and collected brother be this urgent, and Murdoch knew this was a serious situation immediately.

“What is it, brother? Take a deep breath and explain.” Murdoch said, leaving the lessons for what they were, approaching Kael. Azar followed, curious as always.

“They're coming. The group of dragons we saw, a few months ago. They're heading to the keep as we speak. I saw them. I didn't want to believe it but- I saw them, Murdoch. They're not like the dragons we know. They're like- like him!” Kael pointed at Azar, Azar flinching at the hiss Kael produced. Murdoch stepped in between on instinct, giving Kael a reprimanding look.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Have they expressed hostility?”

“No. They haven't expressed anything.” Kael shook his head, slowly coming down from his shock and backing out of his aggressive stance. “They're marching toward the keep and they won't stop for anything. They haven't spoken a word and straight up ignored the guards trying to stop them. I ordered the guard to let them through lest anyone gets hurt.” Kael sighed and fussed with his feathers nervously. 

“Well done. Have them guard the wall and the courtyard and let's go out to meet them. Where are Rye and Liv?” Murdoch asked, getting ready to go outside and meet a potential threat.

“They're mobilizing as well. Rye was adamant we prepare for battle but you know Liv, she wouldn't hurt a fly.” Kael scoffed. “She'll be the death of us with her passiveness.”

“Now is not the time for such concerns, brother.” Murdoch said, sharply. “Let us focus on the threat at hand. I will see you in the courtyard.”

“As you say.” Kael bowed his head and with a last suspicious look at Azar, left the room.

“Can I come?” Azar asked, while Murdoch donned his armour. “Kael said they look like me. I want to see them!” “No, Azar. It's too dangerous.” Murdoch shook his head. “If they are here to attack us I can't be responsible for your safety. Stay here. Watch from the window if you must, but do not go out to the courtyard until told otherwise, do you understand?”

“Yes father.” Azar nodded obediently, but the shimmer of rebellion was lost beneath his excess manes, so Murdoch did not see it as he turned around.

“Good lad. I'll be back soon. If they do turn out to be hostile, remember the-” “-the escape hatch behind the painting. Yes dad.” Azar assured him.

“I shouldn't have asked, you're always such a clever boy.” Murdoch smiled with no small amount of pride. “I will see you soon.” “Good luck.” Azar nodded, and then Murdoch was gone, the door closing behind him.

Azar sighed, dissapointed but also feeling restless. What if those dragons really looked like him? He'd always been curious as to why he didn't look like his father, but Murdoch would never speak of it other than the fact that he found him as an egg and didn't know who his actual parents were. Azar sat silently at the window that overlooked the courtyard, seeing his father walk out onto the oval square and the rest of the ancients bow to him.

He didn't want to stay here, behind the stained glass windows, hidden. He wanted to see the strange dragons up close. His head and his heart battled furiously and Azar didn't notice he'd held his breath until he emitted a deep sigh.

And then the doors of the keep opened.