A/N: I had this idea bouncing around while I was playing Year of the Dragon. Also, I'm plugging Malefor, Cynder, Ignitus, Volteer, Terrador, and Cyril just because. Malefor is not evil, at least, not yet. For now he's just a babysitter.

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Sometimes I feel like I don't belong here. Not that I really don't; I really do. I'm a Magic Crafter, and all Magic Crafters have four horns instead of just two, and longer wingspans than the other dragon clans. But the wingspan doesn't really apply to me yet because I'm still just a hatchling. Anyway. The reason I feel like I don't belong here ...

For one thing, I hadn't even hatched here in the Magic Crafter home world. Just a short while ago, an evil Sorceress on the other side of the planet (in the Forgotten Worlds, elder Cosmos said) had her henchmen Rhynocs come on our side of the world and stole all the new dragon eggs. The robed thieves steal dragon eggs whenever they get the chance, but at least they don't go anywhere else. Thieves are a strange bunch.

Anyway, yeah, I hadn't even hatched here. I was hatched by another dragon, our very own hero, Spyro. He found my egg in some cursed tomb of the Midnight Mountain home world, at the end of a huge slide shaped like a snake. That was not where I would've liked to hatch. I'd rather have hatched in the giant armored spider cave of the High Caves than some place like that. Oh, well. Anyway, that's where I hatched. I was taken to the Magic Crafter home world by some faerie's teleportation spell, where some adult Magic Crafters greeted me.

Education is very important for a Magic Crafter. Every clan has to have some sort of education in order to be a productive member of that clan's society. Artisans create works of art and read and write books, Peacekeepers study the arts of war, Beast Makers create monsters out of ordinary creatures, and Dream Weavers make the dreams other creatures have. Magic Crafters ... we're responsible for making new forms of magic and spells. It's from our clan that the Dream Weavers and Beast Makers sprung thousands of years ago, though Dream Weavers look the part more.

I do belong here. The blood of the Magic Crafters flows in my veins. But all the other hatchlings that Spyro rescued are already buzzing with spells to exterminate those annoying druids, wizards and such. I'm a Magic Crafter ... that can't use magic. Already I'm Spyro's age when he took down Ripto in Avalar, and I can glide, breathe fire, charge (four horns are better than two!), hover, swim and dodge roll. But I can't use magic. It's the one thing I can't do. It bothers me more than anything else because I'm a freaking Magic Crafter.

Cosmos tried to make me feel better. She always tells me that I'm just a late bloomer, that not all Magic Crafters come into their power immediately. But the hatchlings that are much younger than me are already brimming with spells. I can't even conjure a butterfly for my dragonfly. Stardust is quick to point out that Spyro didn't need magic to do great things. Like take out Gnasty Gnorc, Ripto, and the Sorceress. I'm grateful to her, because what my dragonfly says sounds and feels more like encouragement than what Cosmos says. But it still bothers me.

Since I can't use magic and really have nothing better to do (except learn how to fly, but Crystal Flight is not my cup of tea) than to chase the mountain sheep around, I decided to visit other clans and see what they thought of my little ... predicament. My hopes aren't very high, though--if the elder Magic Crafters can't figure out what's wrong with me, chances are no one else can, either. But I'll still try. It's better than just chasing sheep all day.

There was someone else who wanted to visit one of the other dragon clan home worlds. I said that thieves are a strange bunch. They are. In fact, one of them happens to be my friend. Sidos, a red robed thief who stole not only immature dragon eggs but also gems. Sidos tells me that Spyro had a heck of time trying to catch him in the Treetops. But the elders tell me that Spyro can actually fly now, so if Sidos decides to steal something again, Spyro won't have much trouble catching him. He's not a little hatchling anymore, either ... unlike me.

The balloonist asked us which world we'd like to go to. Sidos said he didn't care, he was just bored. So I told the balloonist to take us to the Artisan home world. The hot hair balloon was cramped with me, Sidos, and the balloonist all crammed in at the same time. I had no room whatever for my wings. Stardust snickered at me the whole way. I glared. Fortunately, despite the distance from one world to the next, it didn't take long at all.

Tuco the balloonist dropped off me and Sidos at the docks of the Artisan world. There were Artisans and their hatchlings going about their daily businesses, which amounted to creating artworks, mostly sculptures. I began trotting toward the grassy meadow where the Sunny Flight portal rested. The Artisan home was much sunnier and warmer than the Magic Crafter world. As I trotted past dragons, Sidos glided behind me. He didn't mind the glares the other dragons gave him.

The elder I was looking for, Nestor, was supervising a smelter he "hired" some gnorcs to build. The gnorcs were making something; I could smell the molten metal and hear the peal of hammers on anvils. Every so often Nestor would say something or spit fire in the smelter, and the gnorcs would behave accordingly. I padded on the grass toward them. The gnorcs paid us no mind, but Nestor turned around with a smile that showed off all his glimmering, razor sharp teeth. I thumped my tail on the ground somewhat nervously. It bounced right back off the springy grass.

Magic Crafter elders were tall, too, but there was something about Nestor that made him tower over any other dragon. I was especially aware of a kink in my neck as I looked up at him. Yikes. I wouldn't want Nestor mad at me. But when Nestor looked at me, his eyes had a kindly look. He shot one glance at the gnorcs before he curled up in the grass, so I didn't have to look up to see him.

Nestor puffed out a jet of white smoke as I sat down, with my forepaws in front of me as was polite. I also folded my wings. Stardust perched on one of my wings, on the knuckle bone. Her transparent wings stopped buzzing. Beside us the ringing of the gnorcs made a sort of music. Sidos put his hands behind his back and watched us, that wide grin unmoving. I wonder what thieves look like under their robes and turbans.

"Daystar, was it? You're one of the hatchlings Spyro rescued from the Sorceress."

I nodded, my claws making small grooves in the soft earth underneath us.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something."

Nestor quirked a brow. "What would that be, young one?"

"I'm a Magic Crafter that can't use magic, and I want to know why."

Few were the disgraces of dragonkind that led them to be outcasts. Even fewer were the dragons who did not have the abilities of their blood clan. Nestor decided to approach this case with care. He pondered for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Have you spoken with your elders about this?"

It was an extreme breach of dragon code to assume the upbringing of another clan's young, unless the hatchling had been adopted into the foreign clan. This includes matters of abilities. Teaching another clan's hatchling how to use his or her innate abilities falls under this breach of code. I shrugged, my wings moving up and down.

"Yeah, but all Cosmos says is that I'm a late bloomer, that I'll grow in my powers with time. But I haven't."

"If you don't mind my asking," Nestor said, "where did you hatch?"

"Some cursed catacomb, at the end of a snake slide in Midnight Mountain." I supplied.

Sidos chortled. "Might that cursed tomb have something to do with it? Or did a Rhynoc drop you when you were still an egg?"

I whipped around to face Sidos, eyes narrowed, sparks shooting out of my mouth.

"Shut up, don't even joke about that!" If my inability to use magic was because of some stupid Rhynoc dropping my egg ... ooh, I will not be happy about that.

Nestor ignored him.

"What about the other Magic Crafter hatchlings?"

I hung my head as I turned back to Nestor. "They're younger than me, and they're buzzing with spells already, before they can even glide. I can glide, hover, swim, charge, dodge ... but I can't use magic." My brow furrowed. "Why?"

"The Forgotten Worlds were losing their magic, because we were banished from there eons ago. Maybe the dying worlds drained your magic."

"But I should be able to use it by now!" I protested. "I've been living with dragons for years! If that happened, it should've returned!"

"Calm down, Daystar." Nestor said. "I don't know what happened to make your magic disappear. But it certainly isn't magic deprivation, we know that. But whatever happened might lay in the Forgotten Worlds. You wouldn't mind going back there, would you?"

I pondered about it. Half the adult dragons and hatchlings, thanks to Hunter the cheetah, agreed to settle in the Forgotten Worlds. There were still clans there. I bet the Forgotten Worlds were brimming with magic by now. It's been years since the last Year of the Dragon. Finally, I nodded.

"No, not at all. If it means recovering my magic, I'll do anything."

Nestor stood up, that broad smile on his face. "Good. I don't want you and Stardust going alone. Go to another home world and bring a friend along, just in--"

"He's not going alone." Sidos interrupted. "Because I'm going with him."

"Sidos?" I asked, confused. Nestor and I exchanged glances. When was the last time a thief and a dragon cooperated? They could be friends, but ... this was just too weird. The red robed thief nodded adamantly.

"Still," Nestor remained firm. "Go get a dragon friend. I doubt Sidos can breathe fire."

"I could," Sidos replied. "Just get me a bottle of booze and a lighter."

I shook my head. "Thanks, Nestor." I looked back at the smelter where the gnorcs were working. "What are you making?"

Nestor's voice was proud. "Dragon armor." He said.

"I see." I remembered seeing the three armor sets Spyro wore whenever he had to fly off to some battle. The armor was only three pieces to a set, but they had some fantastic enchantments. I wanted armor of my own, but despite all the gems I have saved up, it's not enough for more than one piece of a set. Moneybags was expensive to buy from. Moneybags ... I'll bet he's an okay guy, but I heard that he was going to sell a dragon egg in Avalar! Naturally, Spyro got that egg back, too, but still! Who in his right mind ... not Moneybags. Bah.

Artisans are generally jealous of their own creations, oriental or practical. But Nestor is not an ordinary Artisan. After I replied, Nestor had a knowing look. He went to the treasure chest that rested beside one of the gnorcs, popped it open, and took out three pieces of silvery armor. A warrior set. He beckoned me over. I obeyed. The armor was heavy as Nestor equipped me with the braces, tail piece, and helmet, but it made me swell with pride. My own armor set. I bristled.

"I can keep it? I don't have to pay?" I couldn't help but ask. I was just too shocked.

"I'm not Moneybags." Nestor chuckled. He dragged out another chest. "This set is for whoever you're planning to bring along. I have a feeling I already know who ..."

I flushed, grateful that unlike other creatures, you can't tell when a dragon was blushing. I didn't object to bringing an armor set for her, but I did cringe at dragging a heavy treasure chest to and fro. Sidos picked it up, moved it slightly to the left and abruptly set it down again. He turned to me.

"Incidentally, I have a gift for you, Daystar."

I quirked my brow as he rummaged in the depths of his crimson robe. He withdrew a short mantle woven of shimmering gold cloth. Just looking at it took my breath away. Sidos ignored my flabbergasted objections as he fastened the cloak about my shoulders. I could feel Nestor's confusion, growing exponentially. Thieves took from the dragons; they didn't hand us gifts! But Sidos is an extremely strange thief. He's not like the common blue ones. Though that didn't stop him from stealing from us occasionally.

With Nestor's blessing and good luck wishes, I bounded off for Marco the balloonist, Sidos right behind me. How he can carry that heavy chest and still run at that freakishly fast speed is way beyond me. Thieves are just weird like that.

Marco dropped us off at the Peacekeeper home world. Titan greeted us as we shot past him (maybe he eyed Sidos a little suspiciously). The Peacekeepers were always at war with something: this time an army of gnorcs allied with Rhynocs. That's almost as strange as Sidos, being a thief, being also my friend, helping me, and giving me gifts. Nonetheless we ignored it as we charged through the battlefield. Cannons blazed and I could hear the gnorcs and Rhynocs on all sides fighting with the dragons. Many of the adults flew in the air, sweeping down and setting everything, mostly enemy encampments, on fire. The fires blazed, making the canyon heat of the Peacekeeper home world that much hotter.

Sidos zoomed past any enemy trying to attack him and the chest he carried. I felt especially brave with my new armor that Nestor gave me. Even if I couldn't do magic, I still had my own abilities. I tackled one gnorc to the ground, flamed him, and bit a Rhynoc arm so hard it broke in my jaws. I leapt and glided, on the lookout for the dragon I wanted to accompany me to the Forgotten Worlds.

I found her emerging from the cave where the Ice Cavern portal lay, gliding out of the reaches of gnorcs. Magnus smashed those gnorcs, and she hovered to the ground. Her blood red scales glistened in the harsh sunlight. I bounded toward her, heart racing.

"Vivian!" I called, Sidos matching my speed. He could have easily gone much faster, but this was his kindness, I supposed. The red Peacekeeper crouched, ready to fight, but she eased out of her stance when she saw me dash toward her. She quirked a brow at Sidos, but I shrugged. Thieves ...

"What brings you here?" She asked me, Rhun, her own male dragonfly, buzzing around her head, shining a healthy gold. "We're in the middle of a war."

I couldn't help but chuckle; the sound was drowned out in cannon fire.

"Aren't you always at war?"

She shrugged. "A Peacekeeper's job is never done. Why are you here?"

"I want you to come with me to the Forgotten Worlds!" I had to raise my voice over the sounds of battle engulfing us. Her golden eyes went wide.

"What? Why there?"

"I'm trying to find out why I can't use magic!" I replied, ducking as a cannonball shot over our heads. Sidos dropped the chest in front of Vivian. The lid popped off and her armor set spilled on the ground. Without a word, Vivian set to equipping herself with the armor. She was straightforward like that. She also knew the armor had been for her, so I wasn't complaining.

Vivian stood up tall, surveying the chaos of war all around us. She shrugged and shouted over a gnorc charge, "Sure! I'll race you to the balloonist!"

I didn't think it was a very interesting race, since the balloonist was just a short ways away. But I nodded anyway, and we dashed to the balloonist. I didn't know what would be waiting for us in the Forgotten Worlds, but I hoped that whatever made me unable to use magic would be there. If it was something tangible, I wanted to beat the crap out of it before I came back.