Obligatory Disclaimer: I'm not the guys that own Spyro: Gateway to Glimmer (Ripto's Rage!), not selling it, nor profiting in it's electronic publishing in any way; Not that the new guys running Spyro games care about poor Elora anyhow. Sheesh.

Author's note: I sent this to Razzek, the web's biggest Elora fan. I can't remember what happened; if she replied to me about it, or if it even got received. Not a clue. So, Razz, if you're reading; this was written with you in mind!

Another Author's note: My first published drabble piece since my Nooblish Escaflowne fic back in forever-ago. Yay!

I had an OC in mind when I wrote this; someone to keep Elora company. If you see my deviantArt gallery and find a faun drawn there, then you've already seen her! I will not put her into play until I'm even slightly sure of a good way to pull them off. For now, this is just an internal monologue from Elora's POV. If you guys think it's of decent quality, do review or email me, and maybe I'll continue where this leaves off.

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The Autumn Plains were quiet and serene as they always were. It was almost eerie how the birds slowly chirped and warbled, but nothing else could be heard all around, except the prevailing winds and the creaking of trees.

Elora was deep in thought, her hooves dipped into the pool under the shadow of the grand castle, lightly making ripples across it and gazing down at the bottom, where the orange and red leaves had settled across the tiles. The faun slowly pulled her hooves up from the water and tucked them beside her, her expression now reflecting back at her with a morose frown. What was it that was bothering her? Him, of course. He, the great and powerful flying purple sheep-roaster, of course. He, who promised to return with a good bye kiss, and never did, and never would.

And now this! She felt so strange. It had been an age since she had last seen him, she knew all too well he was gone for good- and she should move on- find herself a nice Satyr in Fracture Hills. But her heart sunk at the thought- just as the leaves had sunk to the bottom of the pool. She couldn't settle; there was always just too much to do. And in the hours she had to herself, she came to this pool, and contemplated the leaves, and hovered around the gateway to Fracture Hills and spited her every moment for not telling him to stay.

She had gone, once, through the old portal in Winter Tundra that would take her to the Dragon worlds. She found him, but what she found, she did not like. He was still the hero dragon, saving worlds and locals and gathering the spoils of victory. They had barely spoken.

And all the while, her heart ached for the hero that rescued her world. He couldn't even leave behind the one decent guy around; that being Hunter. As forgetful as he was, as stupid and sport-obsessed, at least he was survivable. Athletes did not good husbands make, she reasoned. Yet still it seemed, that the reason the Autumn Plains were so quiet, was because there was no one left around to fill it with song and laughter. Or even the terrified bleating of sheep as they were burnt into slightly crispy butterflies. Everyone had marched on through after him, except her. She was just too busy. There were whole lands to clean, buildings to repair, lives to put right. She had work to do, a kingdom to look after now, and she was too busy.

Too busy looking after a kingdom with no one in it.

Elora hugged her knees and stared at herself in the pool, her hooves hanging over the edge, and a single, tiny tear hung on her slightly muzzle-like nose. She heard the swift clip-clopping of another, smaller faun, and rubbing her eyes she looked over her shoulder and beamed.

"Well hey there! Where's the fire?" She called out to one of the blue-skinned fauns from Magma Cone.

"In the volcano, of course!" He cheerily replied. The fauns of Magma Cone weren't exactly praised for their wit. In his small, childlike hands- paws almost, lacking two digits, he held a party hat out to her.

"We're having a party! Fauns and Satyrs only; You're invited!"

Elora smiled weakly as her heart shattered, and passing back the party hat, she shook her head. Standing, she started walking towards the castle, letting the shorter faun follow behind her. "I can't, Sweetie. I'm… I'm just too busy right now."

(( I changed my thought pattern to write this- The dialogue is as close to the game characters as possible, the style of the game's script. The style of the narrative, as well, was written with the Autumn Plains playing to itself on idle while I typed. If you have the game on you, set it up there and read this while you're there for full effect. It wrenched my heart out to write this. Please, take the time to tell me if you'd like to see me carry on with an OC; I can't leave her alone like that!! Thanks for reading, look out for more recent work from me soon.))