Chapter 7
Family Reunions
I can't belive how long it took me to make this chapter! I'm sooo glad its done! Only 2 (or 3) more chapters to go!
Please review! 3
Aquarella set Aurora down and two female ice dragons took the little ice dragoness away to the city's infirmary. Aquarella stretched out the cramps and cricks while the hatchlings slowly gathered closer to her.
"Why are they staring at us?" Ember asked as she and Puff pressed themselves into her front legs.
"Because they all thought that Spyro and Cynder were the only surviving eggs." She answered; Spyro spotted a familiar yellow dragon headed their way.
"Volteer!" Spyro called.
"Oh Spyro, how wonderful, stupendous, glorious! You've all returned!" Volteer exclaimed excited as he came to a stop in front of them. "The other guardians will be thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed to see you all!"
"Volteer, was the medicine made?" Aquarella inquired, cutting off Volteer's excitable ranging before he got too carried away.
"Yes it was, they'll give it to her at the infirmary." Volteer answered.
"That's good to know, thank you Volteer," Aquarella said gratefully. "Is there a place for the hatchlings to rest nearby?"
"Yes, we had a place set up right next to the infirmary." Terrador answered as he and Cyril flew down to them.
"Good, dusk is here and I don't want to make them fly all the way to the temple after such a long day." Aquarella said, relieved.
"There wouldn't be room," Cyril added. "After Malefor got his claws on the place it's been an absolute wreck."
"We've been working on repairing it, but it will take time." Terrador said.
"I hope you get done quickly. You have twenty new students to train after all." Aquarella told him.
"Train?" Malak asked in confusion. "Who are these three, Aquarella?"
"These are three of the guardians I told you about." She answered. "Volteer the Electric Guardian, Terrador the Earth Guardian, and Cyril the Ice Guardian," She pointed to each of them as she introduced them.
"What about a Fire Guardian?" Ember asked.
"Or a Wind Guardian?" Zephyr demanded to know.
"There isn't a Guardian for either of those elements at this current point in time." Terrador informed them.
"Aquarella, how did you get trained if you're the only water dragon?" Sinaaq inquired.
"She trained under me," Cyril said. "Ice is the closest to water so she came to me for training."
"Don't believe a word of that nonsense I was forced to train under him, I wanted to train myself but my parents wouldn't allow it." Aquarella replied dryly. "Trust me I pity you ice dragons that have to train under him."
"Hey! I was an excellent instructor!" Cyril protested.
"Yeah, for ice dragons! I'm not an ice dragon but you kept try to treat my water power like it was ice!" Aquarella retorted.
"It was similar! You simply didn't want to train!"
"Rubbish! My power wasn't anything like your ice attacks! My powers worked a lot different!"
"Not that much different!"
"Yes they were!"
"No they weren't!"
"Alright enough squabbling!" Terrador cut them off sternly. "Let's get you all to the hall where you're staying." They followed him while Cyril and Aquarella continued to quietly bicker about his training and her element. Some of the children ran ahead of them or spread out to the sides as they looked around. The rest of them stayed close to Aquarella. None of them strayed farther than 2 dragon lengths away from Aquarella.
"How are the repairs on the city coming?" Spyro asked.
"Well enough, there are more dragons here, along with the moles, so the repairs are going faster here then at the temple." Terrador answered.
"How long do you think it will be before the last of Malefor's destruction is repaired?" Cynder asked.
"Perhaps a few years, but when it is all gone it will glorious to see the world at peace." Terrador replied.
"Sounds good to me," Flash said to Nina. Terrador finally noticed the two dragonflies.
"Who are these two?" he inquired.
"My mom and dad," Spyro and Sparx replied.
"Really? How intriguing, interesting, fascinating!" Volteer exclaimed as he took notice of them as well.
"Does he always talk like that?" Flash asked.
"Yep, not as bad as Sparx sometimes though," Spyro replied.
"Hey!" Sparx protested.
"Speaking of parents," Blaze cut in. "When are we going to meet ours?"
"Tomorrow at earliest," Terrador replied.
"Really?' Aquarella said, startled.
"Yes, we've been sending out messengers all day to various places announcing that you've come out of hiding with your clutch." Cyril answered.
"You have to of started doing that the instant I went underwater with Spyro and Cynder." Aquarella said in amazement.
"More or less," Volteer agreed. Terrador stopped in front of a building.
"Here is where you're staying; the infirmary is the next building." Terrador said as he nodded toward it. "Can you get them settled in Aquarella; there are some things we need to oversee."
"Heh, yes I think I can handle something that simple." Aquarella replied. The three guardians took off into the sky and Aquarella led them into the building.
"Aquarella, over here," Called a male fire dragon. Aquarella lead the children over to the room he was standing next to.
"Fuego can you tell me if there's a place for me to stay in the infirmary next to Aurora?" she asked the fire dragon.
"Sure, most everyone with minor bangs and bruises have left already, and those with the most serious injuries are in the larger infirmary on the other side of the city." Fuego replied.
"Good to know, thank you, Fuego." Aquarella said as she walked into the room after the children. A few of them had already made themselves straw nests and were lying down.
"Are we really going to meet our family tomorrow?" Kytheron asked. Everyone's eyes shifted to Aquarella and the chatter stopped.
"Yes, all of you will see your parents if not tomorrow then the next day." Aquarella confirmed. The excited chatter started up again and Cynder and Spyro exchanged uncertain glances which Hargen saw.
"What about Cynder and Spyro's parents? Are they coming too?" Hargen asked. An odd look, that no one had time to interpret, flashed across Aquarella's face before she answered.
"I'm not sure who Cynder's parents are but I can look in the Pool of Visions and see if I can find your parents." Aquarella replied.
"And…mine?" Spyro asked uncertainly.
"Everyone knows your family, Spyro; they became rather famous for laying the purple egg. They aren't hard to find." Aquarella answered as she turned and started out of the room.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Blitz asked.
"I'm going to be staying in the infirmary with Aurora, get some rest my hatchlings; you are going to have a very big day tomorrow." Aquarella called as she left. For a moment everyone stared at the doorway, startled by her sudden departure.
"I think tomorrow is going to hurt her more than she wants to admit." Puff murmured, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Sheshouldhavestayedwithus." Penagar commented quickly.
"Too fast, Penagar." Blitz and Zaps scolded automatically.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly as he ducked his head. "I said that she should have stayed with us."
"I think she was crying though." Puff said softly. The others looked at each other then returned their attention to Puff. "She would never do this unless she was going to cry."
"That's true," Icica confirmed.
"I can understand that, no mother wants her children to see her cry." Nina added.
"But she isn't their mother, she's their guardian." Flash pointed out.
"She's been raising them all these years; she's their mother in every sense of the word except for blood." Nina scolded gently. Ember stood up, walked over to the doorway, and looked out it.
"What are you thinking Ember?" Flame asked as he joined her.
"You remember how we used to sleep? Before Aquarella started encouraging us to sleep on our own?" Ember asked, loud enough for everyone to here. As everyone looked around Zephyr walked over to Puff.
"Terrador said the infirmary was the building next door right?" he asked her. She nodded and all the children looked at each other before charging out the door laughing and chatting.
"Come on!" Zephyr called to Spyro, Cynder, and the dragonflies. They followed the others out of the building and into the infirmary. It didn't take long to find Aquarella and Aurora; they were in the second room, a rather large one too. Aurora was on a nest next to a spirit crystal and Aquarella was resting on a large nest right next to Aurora's.
"Children!" Aquarella yelped, startled as they all rushed into the room. "What are all of you doing here?" She watched them start pushing more nests right up to hers. "What are you up too my hatchlings?"
"We wanted to spend the night with you, since we're all together for sure this night." Puff said as she nudged Aquarella's wing up. Both of her wings went up out of habit and everyone started curling up next to her. Aquarella's expression changed from startled to a gentle, motherly look.
"Aren't you too old for this?" She said gently.
"Nope," Pengar replied as he curled up next to Malak and Electra. Aquarella smiled as she watched all the children settle around her sides, she glanced up at Cynder and Spyro who were hovering near the doorway.
"Come on," Aquarella called them over. Slowly they wandered up too her, at her inviting head nod Cynder curled up in Aquarella's arms against her chest and Spyro curled up next to Cynder, Aquarella flared out her wings then draped them across the children like a blanket. Then she lowered her head gently across Cynder's and Spyro's backs. Nina, Flash, and Sparx landed on Spyro's back next to Aquarella's head.
"Talk about being a snug bug." Sparx commented.
"Good night," Nina said with a slightly scolding tone.
"Night," Sparx said. Everyone said their good nights and everyone dreamed well that night.
"Hey! Where are we?" demanded a cross female voice, it startled everyone awake.
"Aurora!" Puff yelled, Aquarella raised her wings and Puff jumped from her side to Aurora's side. "Do you feel better?"
"I am awake," Aurora growled. "Yes, I do feel better not shaky and hot and weak." Aurora returned Puff's head rub affectionately. "Where are we?" she demanded to know grumpily.
"Warfang, the dragon city," Aquarella replied, unbothered by Aurora's rudeness.
"Is she always like this?" Spyro asked as he stood up and stretched, the dragonflies were already off his back.
"Yep, mostly only after something happens that bugs her, getting sick would fall under that." Aquarella said with laughter in her voice.
"What is Warfang?" Aurora wondered. Aquarella laughed out right and stood up, stretching out as she did so and moved away making the others get up and stretch.
"You get Aurora caught up on the events that got us here, I'm going to go get us some breakfast." Aquarella said as she headed out the door.
It wasn't till the sun was in the center of the sky that the first of them came. The hatchlings were running around the town near the pool that Aquarella was resting in. Aurora was well enough to be out of the infirmary and was laying down with Puff on the pool edge. Cyril was talking to several moles nearby, Terrador and Volteer had gone back to the temple with Aquarella earlier and had stayed there when Kane had shown up to help with the stone masonry. Aquarella had yet to disclose what she had seen in the Pool of Visions. She refused to talk about it, saying she would discuss it with them later.
Two shadows circling made everyone look up. Two earth dragons were overhead, slowly they started descending, Aquarella came out of the pool and the hatchlings gathered around her.
"Aquarella," the earth dragoness said in greeting as she and her mate landed in front of her.
"Terra, Jet," Aquarella nodded to each of them. "I'm glad to see that the two of you are well."
"Are these all of the children?" Jet asked as he looked over them.
"Yes they all survived." Aquarella replied as she looked over to the earth dragons at her side.
"And our child?" Terra asked gently.
"A girl, I called her Spice just like you asked." Aquarella said gently as she nudged Spice forward with her front leg. Spice took a few uncertain steps forward and looked up at the two earth dragons studying her.
"Mom? Dad?" Spice tested the words uncertainly. Terra laughed and cried at the same time and reached for Spice. "Mommy!" Spice ran into her mother's embrace, and the three of them cried and laughed.
"Yikes, Puff, hit me if I act like that when our parents show up." Zephyr grumbled. Puff rolled her eyes and smacked him with her tail.
"Oh my child, my sweet daughter," Terra babbled. "Thank you, Aquarella! Thank you so, so much."
"You're welcome." Aquarella replied gently as she smiled at them. Terra and Jet pulled out of the embrace and smiled happily at Spice.
"Shall we go home?" Jet asked Spice.
"Home?" Spice repeated.
"Yes, it isn't too far from here." Terra replied.
"Yes! I want to see it!" Spice said excitedly. Terra laughed and nuzzled her daughter's nose.
"Thank you again, Aquarella." Jet said as Terra took flight with Spice following. Jet took to the air after them as Spice turned around and looked down. She flew back down and landed in front of Aquarella. She nuzzled Aquarella's chest as Aquarella leaned down and brushed her head across Spice's body in a petting motion.
"I'll still get to see you right?" Spice asked tearfully.
"Of course, I'm not going too far." Aquarella said gently.
"I love you, Aquarella, thank you for taking care of me." Spice said as she nuzzled Aquarella's chest once more, then raced off, and took off into the air after her waiting parents.
"Good-bye!" the hatchlings called after her.
"Bye-bye!" Spice called back.
"Good-bye," Aquarella whispered. Nina flew up to Aquarella and studied her a moment.
"Are you alright dear?" Nina asked quietly in a kind voice.
"Yes, I'll be alright." Aquarella murmured. "Saying goodbye doesn't hurt forever right?"
"It is hard," Nina acknowledged softly. "But knowing you raised them to the best of your ability and that you raised them right makes it easier because you know they'll be all right."
"Yeah," Aquarella replied closing her eyes against the tears. She opened them again when she had them under control. "Thank you, Nina."
"You're welcome," Nina said as another shadow circled around overhead. "Oh, another one?" A fire dragoness circled and landed in front of them.
"Flare! Where is Voltage?" Aquarella asked as she peered into the sky.
"He didn't make it," Flare replied. "He died on the beach after you went down."
"Oh no," Aquarella gasped softly as she strode forward. "Flare, I'm so sorry." She nuzzled Flare's chine and gently brushed away one of Flare's tears with her nose.
"It's alright; he told me that I had to live, for my child, before he passed." Flare hiccupped. Aquarella turned and faced the hatchlings.
"Flame, come here please." Aquarella called. Flame blinked, startled, before he slowly made his way out of the group. Two more shadows flashed by overhead, just as quickly as they appeared they landed. "Hurricane! Wind Rider! I'm glad to see you two,"
"We are glad to see you as well!" Wind Rider the wind dragoness said.
"Puff? Zephyr?" Hurricane the wind dragon called out.
"Daddy?" Puff asked as she peered at him from under her brother's wing.
"Yes, that's me Puff." Hurricane rumbled kindly.
"Daddy!" Puff bolted from her brother's side and raced to her father and Zephyr ran to his mother.
"Mom!" Zephyr yelled happily as he gave his mom a hug. The four of them formed a group hug as Aquarella returned her attention to Flame as he walked back over to her.
"Thanks, Aquarella, I'll miss you while I'm gone." Flame told her as the two of them nuzzled noses in farewell.
"Just try to stay out of trouble." Aquarella teased him gently. Flame laughed and raced around her to Ember.
"I'm going to do this before I leave, because if I don't do it now I'll lose my nerve." Flame said to the bewildered Ember, right before he kissed her. He pulled back, winked at Ember's blushing shock, and raced back to his mother.
"Oh, my, oh!" Ember stuttered as she placed her claws on her burning cheeks. "Eeek!" She flipped her wings forward to hide her face from the world till she gained control of her shock.
"You're as ornery as your father!" Flare said as she and Aquarella laughed. Flare and Flame took off into the sky as Zephyr and Puff said their farewells to Aquarella as well, just as they were doing so another fire dragon landed.
"Aquarella, there you are." He rumbled.
"Magmus, how are you?" Aquarella greeted him. "Ember, can you pull yourself out of your wings to see your father?" Ember's head popped out from behind her wings and she stared in shock.
"Daddy!" Ember raced toward him. Puff walked over to Hargen and paused to speak with him.
"I'll see you again," Puff said softly.
"Of course," Hargen rumbled. "We'll see each other every day when we train." Puff smiled and kissed his nose, causing her father to growl a little bit. Wind Rider simple placed her paw on his head and pushed it down to the ground.
"Oh stop that," she murmured as she smiled at Hargen and Puff blushing faces.
"But-!" Hurricane started to protest but was cut off when Wind Rider added more pressure.
"Let it go," she instructed.
"Humph, fine," Hurricane grumbled as Puff came back over to the three of them. The four wind dragons took off as more dragons came. It continued that way for the rest of the day. The families coming in and collecting their child until only Sinaaq and Hargen remained.
"Will we have to wait till tomorrow?" Sinaaq asked as he looked up at Aquarella.
"You might have to, I don't know where your parents are at, they may be far away." She answered.
"Don't be so sure," rasped an old voice. Aquarella turned around and stared in shock. "Going to stare all day girl?"
"Hydrax!" Aquarella sputtered. "You're still alive? You have to be pushing 1000 years by now!"
"Ha, ha, still a funny girl, huh?" the ancient ice dragon growled at her.
"I haven't lost any of my humor; after all, I have been raising 20 hatchlings." Aquarella pointed out.
"True," Hydrax acknowledged. "I've come to collect my grandson."
"Why haven't Frío and Frostia come with you?" Aquarella asked in bewilderment.
"They didn't make it," Hydrax replied softly. "Frío fell in battle and Frostia, my beautiful daughter, perished while trying to protect his fallen body."
"Oh, no," Aquarella breathed in shock. She turned and looked down at Sinaaq, he blinked up at her then looked at Hydrax.
"I'll never meet them?" he asked in a lost, little voice.
"Oh, Sinaaq," Aquarella whispered softly as she gathered him to her side with her wing, giving him a hug. "It's ok, Hydrax will raise you well, he trained me when Cyril's training got on my nerves." Sinaaq laughed a little bit as he turned his attention to Hargen.
"Looks like you'll be the last one to be picked up." He teased. Hargen let out a low rumble of laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, yuk it up." Hargen retorted. Hydrax studied Hargen with quiet eyes.
"Who is this?" he asked.
"Hargen, Crystia's and Rockerick's son," Aquarella answered.
"They aren't coming," Hydrax said gently. "Crystia died on the shore protecting you as you left with the eggs, and Rockerick died in the same battle as my daughter." They all stared at him in shock. Hargen looked up at Aquarella as she glanced down at him.
"Where will I be now?" he asked in a lost voice.
"I-ah," Aquarella stuttered while her mind tried to work. I don't know, I never once considered that any of my children would come back and be entirely alone. "You can stay with-,"
"Me," Hydrax interrupted. Aquarella lifted her gaze to him. "You have other obligations now, Aquarella, you can't watch over them forever you know."
"Hydrax," Aquarella started.
"It's fine, I'm not so old that I can't watch two boys." Hydrax said kindly.
"Thank you, Hydrax." Aquarella replied gratefully. "Good to see that kind heart of yours peeking out from all your gruffness." Hydrax harrumphed and walked away, expecting Sinaaq and Hargen to follow him. Both raced over to Aquarella and gave her a hasty good bye.
"I'll see you two soon, he lives in Warfang after all." She told them. After they raced off after Hydrax she looked up at the sky. The sun was close to setting and she still had one more thing to do. "Come on you guys, we need to go find one of the guardians." Cynder, Spyro, and the dragonflies followed her as she started walking toward the front gate.
"So, now what?" Cynder inquired.
"I have something to do, but I can't do it just yet." Aquarella replied quietly. Spyro studied her, worried about her sudden downcast attitude.
"You'll see them all again," Spyro said, trying to sound reassuring. Aquarella laughed softly.
"That's not the main thing that's distressing me right now." Aquarella said to him. As they reached the gate they found both Terrador and Cyril speaking with several moles and dragons. "Wait here for a bit." She said to Spyro, Cynder, and the dragonflies. "Terrador, Cyril, may I have a moment of your time?"
"Of course," Terrador said as she walked up to them. They held a quiet discussion for a while, it got heated several times, but Aquarella seemed to win whatever disagreement they had.
"Very well, we can do that." Cyril agreed grumpily.
"Thank you," Aquarella said as she walked back over and stood in front of Spyro. "You are coming with me for the night; I have something I need to speak with you about."
"I'm going-" Cynder started.
"To stay with us," Terrador interrupted her. "You, Nina, Flash, and Sparx are coming with us to the temple for the night."
"But!" Cynder protested.
"No, buts," Aquarella replied. "This is between me and Spyro, he can tell you later if he wishes, but for the time being it's just between him and me." She turned and headed toward the stairs that would take her to the top of the gate. "Come along, Spyro." Spyro glanced uncertainly at the others.
"Go," Nina urged gently. "I think something is plaguing her, go with her so she can get it off her chest."
"Ok, I'll be back," Spyro said as he glanced at Cynder.
"I'll be waiting," she replied. Spyro smiled and raced after Aquarella who was getting ready to take off from the top of the gate.
"Where are we going?" Spyro asked later. They hadn't been flying long, but Warfang was behind them now.
"To where you were nested, before you were brought to the temple." Aquarella replied. "There," She pointed down at a cave in a grassy hill. Aquarella crashed in front of it, while Spyro landed next to her.
"You ok?" Spyro asked as Aquarella pushed herself to her feet.
"I'm fine, it's been a long time since I've been here." Aquarella said, more to herself than to Spyro.
"This is my parent's home?" Spyro asked as he followed her inside. The inside of the cave was covered in grass; it was soft to walk on.
"It was," Aquarella replied as she settled herself down on the grass. Spyro froze at her words, and was uneasy at her tone.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Spyro asked, uncertain that he wanted to know the answer.
"I'm going to tell you about your parents, Spyro," Aquarella said softly. "You may not like me by the end of the tale though."
The area they are in when the parents start coming is the same area that you get to put out the fire in the building in the game.
