Disclaimer: I dont own Spyro the Dragon, or the other characters. But I did write the story.

Goodbye

The first thing the dragon feels is the brush of soft, damp grass at his underside. The next are the rays of incandescent sunlight, beaming down upon the world's savior in thanks. Its warmth washes over the young male, and causes those ever purple scales to glow.

His eyes barely open, and then immediately shut when the lights are too bright to handle at first. After all, he's been used to the dark, shadowy hell that Malefor had created; his immediate memories were him and Cynder's struggles through those the fiery pits to get to his lair. He shuddered, still feeling the pricks of molten rocks that struck him when shot from boiling lava.

When the world blurs back into focus, the purple dragon finally opens his eyes wider, until he's able to view the stretch of lush green land before him. There's a moment of utter bewilderment at the beautiful sight until the realization finally dawns on him: He's in Avalar.

Shooting up to all four paws, Spyro is awake, alert, and darting his head and eyes from one side to the other, taking care to make sure this wasn't a blissful dream, since the world he was currently beholding was a beautiful one.

Overhead is a sky that's perfectly clear, and blue. The land is green, and nearby is the peaceful sound of a rushing stream. The best part of course being that it was all very, very real.

And yet despite the picturesque scene, and the realization that he was, thankfully, not dreaming, there was still a certain heaviness in the dragon's chest that he just couldn't shake, and that was due to the one major thing missing, or rather, the major one missing.

He calls her name, but there is no answer. Had this been more than three years ago, surrounding creatures would have shuddered at the sound. But now she was like him: A hero, and thus deserved the hero's welcome Spyro knew awaited them both. But Cynder was nowhere to be found.

He's frantic, yelling out her name, and a series of pleas, pleas for her safety, for her to answer him, for her to not be gone forever, all of which still went unanswered. The existence of this brand, new world is now an afterthought to the absence of his best friend.

Strong wings beat the air as he takes to the skies, hoping that a view from overhead will reveal the black dragoness down below, but this too is fruitless, and after hours of searching, Spyro sinks to the land exhausted, prior exhaustion already straining his poor body.

He lands softly, and struggles to stand, his legs wobble and then give out, sending the dragon with a desperate wail to the soft green grass from which he rose.

His voice is hoarse from yelling her name, but he tries again. Crying out a desperate, though ragged "Cynder" which, like the other calls, disappears into calm, peaceful silence. Spyro slowly starts to accept that Cynder is gone.

-x-

The Cave is dark, but a pretty sort of dark. It's the kind of dark she likes, where the smooth rock walls are littered with groupings of colorful crystals that sparkle like stars. She feels surprisingly at home.

"She was a troubled soul, never given the chance to be anything but evil until Spyro. Nevertheless, while the purple dragon with unadulterated strength, valor and courage pieced the world a new, the black one was the direct cause of the unimaginable darkness unleashed onto the innocent…"

The voice, as it read from a book for sure, sounded sad but also incredibly familiar. Even if she knew the sentiment was about her, Cynder darted into the cave to the source of the voice with utmost excitement. After all, she had seen the owner of it perish in the fires of Malefor's Hell.
But what she beheld, when she found the source of the voice, was not what she had expected to see. The dragon's majestic red body was now a bright, crystalline sort of blue. Glittery scales decked out with darker markings. Big, battle scarred wings were tucked onto his back neatly. But other than this regal appearance, the elder's face remained unchanged.

"Ignitus.." She whispered, drawing his attention from the book.

He stared at her for a moment, in a sort of stunned silence, but that look, while turning into a momentary smile, then melted into one of utter sadness. He was happy to see her, yes. But her appearance there spoke volumes. The confusion showed in her eyes, and instantly broke his heart.

"You're..different.." She said, edging her way ever closer. Ignitus looked away, not looking forward to answering the question she was about to ask, the one he knew was coming.

"I've been given a great responsibility, now that I'm-" He paused, and watched as she tilted her head in expectation of an end to that statement. All she got for the moment was a heavy sigh. "I'm watching over the new world that you and Spyro have saved.."

This distracted her momentarily, and her face lit up, as if that had been a teeny, tiny fact she had forgotten.

"Spyro! Oh right! Where is he?" She looked around, bouncing around the elder, and around the large fountain of crystal in the center of the cave, slowing only when she realized her friend was no where to be seen. Her excitement gave way to confusion once again. She looked to Ignitus for an answer, and only when his gaze turned sad did realization of her reality slowly start to creep in. "Ignitus.." She whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady as she edged a step closer.

The elder dragon closed his eyes, and hung his head. This simple gesture was enough for the younger one, who eyed him in disbelief for a moment, before such gave way to undeniable sadness. Nevertheless, she tried to tell herself she knew this was how it was going to end up. After all the things she had done, what right had she to a second chance?

"And Spyro..?" She dared to ask again. At least if he had lived, then perhaps that would give her peace.

He looked up at her tear stained face, watching as those twin trails ran silently down her cheeks. She didn't' cry audibly, but then again she never did. Ignitus was surprised to see those tears at all.

Silently, he approached her until her head was against his chest. He crouched, wrapping his wings around them both, and she felt nourishing warmth that enveloped them both. When she looked up from the embrace, she saw a sort of crystalline aura encase them, and grow brighter and brighter, until she could no longer see. She shut her eyes.

This ethereal glow did eventually dissipate, and when it did, Cynder blinked and found she was in Avalar, a newly constructed Avalar, but Avalar nonetheless.

Her gaze moved slowly from left to right, taking in the rich beauty of this new world, and then she finally saw him: The other dragon was stretched out on the grass, heavy head sadly laid onto his paws. He had long since stopped crying, and instead only sniffled every so often, reaching up to lazily swat a straying tear that might have slipped out.

"Spyro.." Cynder called softly from the spot where she stood a few feet behind him. The sound made the other dragon's eyes go wide from where his head still laid, but he lifted it and looked skeptically over his shoulder.

Words evaded him when he first saw her standing there. He questioned it briefly, but there was no mistaking it. There wasn't another dragon in the entire world like her, he thought to himself as he rose and turned to face her. Eyes fixed adoringly on her.

"Cynder.." With a new found vigor, he pounced upon her with a joyful cry, expecting fully to tackle her to the ground, just to cuddle her affectionately. Sadly, he would find this wasn't to be when instead of her smooth, scales, Spyro came in contact with the cold damp earth again. Dumbstruck, he sat there for a moment, staring at the grass before struggling to his feet just to face her again.

This second time, with her returning his gaze sadly, Spyro noticed the ever so slight transparency of those glittery black scales, still shining like stars in the sunlight. He shook his head in disbelief.

"N-No..It can't be.." He started, while Cynder stepped up to him, and pressed her ghostly cheek to his.

"I came to say goodbye.." She whispered. Spyro squeezed his eyes shut tight.

"Don't leave me..We beat Malefor together, we built this new world…You can't leave me alone in it.." He pressed his head tighter to hers, and nuzzled. Yet he felt nothing. He knew he was nuzzling air. "It's not fair.."

She placed a transparent claw over his. "Don't think like that, Spyro. It's not like I'm gone totally.." It was a good thing to say at the time, but she knew, as well as he did, that explaining that any further would just add unnecessary pain. To say she would be there in spirit seemed so cliché. Cynder winced at the thought of it, and forced a little smile then. "My best friend…" She started, before stepping back from him, and turning so that she was half facing him and half facing the horizon, where the sun had just started its descent. "Come fly with me..one last time.."

Spyro sniffled, and didn't bother to do anything about the tears that escaped. Letting them slip down his cheeks, he nodded, and stepped up alongside her. With a flap of wings, the dragon and the apparition took the sky, and for the rest of that day, they flew side by side as they once had.

There was laughing, and playing, and a general appreciation for each other as they zipped along the gradually fading sky. The air took on an ever so slight chill as the sun grew lower and lower, but neither paid it any mind. Cynder stared ahead of her when things quieted, when the laughter died a little, and a somber silence befell the two, and she reflected on her life, and more importantly, how Spyro had saved it. She smiled wide, and breathed in, never having felt so alive. That is until Ignitus' familiar voice sounded in her head.

"It's time to come home, Cynder.."

Saddened, she nodded and looked back at Spyro, who had been returning her smile. Slowing her flight, she stopped flapping, and then lowered herself to the ground, her head slightly hung. She dreaded ending her last day with him.

Concerned, Spyro followed her, softly touching down in front of her.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, who shook her head sadly and then forced a small smile. Stepping up to him, she leaned forward and planted a soft kiss to his cheek.

"I love you, Spyro." She whispered, just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. And in the last flash of day as it turned to night, her image faded, until it, like the day, was gone. Spyro was alone.

"Goodbye, Cynder.." He brushed a tear away and sighed before turning and taking the path home by foot. The strength which he had previously had seemed to escape him once more, such that he did not have enough to fly the way home. Step after labored step took him further down the path beneath the sparkly night sky.

-x-

She watched him leave through the window of the fountain of crystal in the center of the Chronicler's Cave.

"Welcome home" He said to her, when he realized she was there. She smiled in response, albeit sadly and turned her attention back to Spyro. Ignitus stepped up beside her, and watched him as well.

"He'll never be alone." He told her in a reassuring tone, his neck craned down so his head was at her level. "You can speak with him. He will hear you in his heart..always."

She had gone to respond to that, but Ignitus was already on his way elsewhere, leaving her to her private thoughts and feelings, and time with Spyro. Turning her attention back to the front row seat of his life, she noted that he had stopped, and was sitting staring up at the bleak, dark sky.

In Avalar, overhead the starts sparkled, probably brighter than they ever had, Spyro noted. His eyes scanned the span of blackness, littered with those sparkly little specks. The sight brought him a sense of peace which he only obtained otherwise when he was with her. The night reminded him of her. It suited her.

As if to emphasize that, a gentle breeze rustled the grass surrounding him, and in turn wrapped around him as well, caressing every inch of him lovingly. He closed his eyes and relished in the feeling. It was a pleasant reminder that he wasn't alone.

His head leaned back again, eyes opened and fixed to the sky. A small smile had found its way to his face. "I love you too" He whispered to that dark, sparkling night.

-end-

Reviews are nice :)

-Seren-