I was going to update on Monday but I forgot :p. So here it is instead. Enjoy
~Whisper
"That's…that's…impossible?" Spyro said shocked. "I mean, how could that be…?" It even seemed Volteer could not offer an explanation. Jingle's smile disappeared and he frowned.
"I told you I would create more questions than answers, I don't quite understand how it can be either, I mean look at me, I look to be a teenager…I think it was caused when they injected me with that…thing…," He said closing his eyes.
"Who did…and what was this thing that they injected you with?" Volteer inquired. Jingle's features strained as if it pained him to think. He swore silently and opened his eyes.
"My memory will only allow me to remember bits and parts, I'm afraid I forget…so don't get your hopes up for details and it might take awhile," Jingle began. Ignitus settled down as did the others.
"We have all the time in the world," He said pressing a button. The restraints released around him and he slumped forward. Slowly getting up he eyed the dragon suspiciously.
"Aren't you afraid I'll escape?" He asked rubbing his wrist. Ignitus smiled and shook his head.
"I think you'll stay…besides, you wouldn't get very far. We may be old but don't let that fool you, we could easily come together and overtake you," A small smile crept across his lips as he began his tale.
"I grew up on an island far away from here, in the Great Sea. I had a mother named Gale, a father named Volar, a little sister named Chloe,…and an older brother named Drake. I had some friends too but I can only remember two of them, Hailey and…Sickle," He shivered when he said the last name as if it had come from the depths of his mind. "…anyway my father worked at some sort of weird lab…I forget what it was called but it was the pride and joy of the island. One day it changed leadership to this shady guy called Gnar. He was a jet black dragon who enjoyed power, a lot. So one day he set up tournaments to single out the strongest on the island. Sickle won the first one, then my brother, and then one year I won. Those who won were offered a deal to gain "ultimate" power if they would take part in an experiment involving a new compound they had found while digging in a gem mine. Those who refused quickly disappeared, not much of a choice. Everything after that is a real blur, I remember being led into a room then being injected with something and then it's all fragmented from there. I drifted...I met countless, innumerable people...I've been all around the realms...and lived many lives. The last thing I remember clearly is being led out of a city west of here and attacked until I fell unconscious. I woke up in the snow and was pulled out of it by a female dragon with black scales and a large scar on her back," Spyro's head jolted up as he seemed interested in the new information.
"Did she give her name?" Spyro asked anxiously. Jingle shook his head.
"No, she was very reserved and seemed a little detached as well. We didn't ever talk about where she came from…she had a large scar on her back and had this…sad presence about her," Spyro shot across the room and grabbed Jingle.
"Where did you see her?" He said shaking him.
"West of here…she's long gone now, she left one day and never came back, I figured she had her reasons so I just silently thanked her for saving me," Jingle said surprised by Spyro's sudden outburst. Spyro flew out the door and was heard galloping down the long hallway. Jingle brushed himself off. "What was that all about?" He questioned. Ignitus's normal jolly mood became very solemn as he scratched his head with a claw.
"A while ago, a dragon meeting your description named Cynder disappeared after a big fight with Malefor…we assumed her to be dead," He said. "Apparently, though, she's not…,"
"Why would she run away from her friends?" He inquired. Ignitus shook his head.
"That, my friend, is a story for another day…," He sighed. Jingle, however, was intrigued.
"I shared my story with you, now I think it's only fair you tell me this one," He said. Ignitus laughed bitterly and peered at him.
"Fair enough…well get settled again," The elders sighed except for Volteer who smiled and happily settled back down.
"I do like a good story," Ignitus glared at him and began.
"While Cynder was still an egg there was a raid on the Dragon Temple by Gaul the night of Spyro's birth, and she was stolen and taken to Malefor. There she was raised and under the influence of Malefor's powers, she grew to adult size at an incredible rate, even though she was the same age as Spyro. She was an incredible threat and almost succeeded in freeing Malefor…but somehow Spyro defeated her and when she was free of his horrible influence she returned to normal size and was no longer evil. That's when Cynder and Spyro became friends, but she was still guilty for causing so much pain and suffering, so she ran away and was recaptured by Gaul. When Spyro killed Gaul he had to stop time to save both himself and Cynder. Three years later they woke up from their hibernation and with help from everyone we finally put Malefor to bed…and Spyro and Cynder never seemed closer. However…they had some sort of falling out, Spyro would never talk about it but they still remained good friends and iut seemed like whatever had happened was healing. Spyro's attention then turned to another dragon, Ember, who you saw earlier with the Professor. Unfortunately his long time friend Flame also had a huge crush on her…this led to some problems obviously…which is as far as I'll go into that situation without Ember's permission…it's a very sad story and not mine to tell. Anyway…Cynder in her jealousy, rage, and hopefully more to her new influence to a dragon claiming to be Malefor, she attacked Spyro and Ember bringing both of them to the brink of death and outting them into a deep sleep. She then went to this new dragon to aid him but when things looked most dire she turned back to our side but was horribly injured in the battle between Flame and Malefor and we presumed her to be dead. Spyro still greatly cared for her and it hurt him very deeply to loose two of his friends in one day," Ignitus finished coughing. "But now you say you saw someone who looked like her…this could be the best news I've heard in awhile...if it's in fact her," Jingle still couldn't quite piece together something and pried for more information on Flame.
"So how did Spyro and Ember get out of a comma…and who is this Flame?" Ignitus shook his head.
"I told you, it's not my place to tell you. Ask Ember if you want to hear the rest of it…but for now I think your story checks out…but I would encourage you to go with Spyro to go find Cynder…I fear that if it isn't her Spyro might not come back to us," Jingle shook his head.
"I don't think that would be wise…besides he would not accept my help and I don't like putting my snout where it doesn't belong," Ignitus pondered the thought and then seemed to come to a conclusion.
"I'll tell you what, if you go help him then I'll get rid of this nasty file with damages totaling up to 5000 gems to the town…done by none other than you," Jingle still refused.
"You can't expect me to pay for something Spyro himself caused," He said stubbornly. No matter what Ignitus said whether it was from money to idle threats Jingle would not budge, he did not want any part in this. Terrador had gotten up and walked over to the door when they had started arguing and opened the door, and to his surprise, Ember, Bianca, Hunter, and Elora fell into the room.
"What in the…were you listening in on us?" He asked as they picked themselves up.
"Why of course not, why would we be doing that?" Ember said embarrassed that they had been caught. Ignitus laughed and invited them in.
"There was no need for that, we would have happily invited you in, though I fear we're almost done," Ignitus chuckled. "Since you all undoubtedly already know what's happening Ember, and you're the only one who has young wings, would you go with Spyro?" As soon as it had left his mouth Ignitus knew the question had been stupid.
"I…I…don't think that would be wise, for both my sake and Cynder's," She said bitterly. Ignitus quickly caught the venom in her voice and denounced the idea.
"You're right, sorry, but someone needs to go with him…it's not safe and without Sparx around anymore...," Just then an idea popped into Ignitus head that he thought just might work. He pulled Ember aside and whispered something in her ear not even Jingle could hear. After a long pause Ember gave a sigh and nodded. "Okay Jingle, if you go with Spyro, Ember will tell you the rest of the story pertaining to Flame, and I'll even pay the damage to the town…how about it?"
"So you want me to go help the Chosen for 5,000 gems and a story?" Ignitus bit his lip.
"Yes...," Jingle starred off into space and sighed. His help really could be used here...and even though he wasn't particularly happy about helping the person that got him into this mess but something about his earnest in finding his friend reminded him of someone for whom he once cared deeply for, and he could never forgive letting what happened to him happen to someone else.
"Fine…I'll go," Then he turned to Ember and gave her a hard stare. "But...when I return with the Chosen and this Cynder...I would like to hear your story...if you wouldn't mind. It is not my nature to be nosy but...this subject interests me greatly." Ember nodded.
"It's not a problem...and since you've already agreed with it I'll just tell you right now, if that would be alright with you," A huge sigh came from the group and Terrador immediately retreated out the door.
"If this is a private story, I'll just leave right now," The rest of the group piled out except for Volteer who was anxiously awaiting Ember to start. Ignitus reentered and drug him out much to his flamboyant complaints. Ember motioned for him to sit down and began telling how Flame had saved the world...and ultimately won her heart.
"Not awhile back there was a dragon by the name of Flame. He was bright red-orange and was not very special at all. He wasn't athletic, nor was he a genius. In fact...he was quite ordinary at that. Nothing quite stuck out about him...except for that fact that he was always pestering me. It was obvious right off the bat that he was in love with me, but alas, I was already infatuated with the one and only Chosen of legend, Spyro. Still, he did not give up on me and for countless years he tried and tried again to win my heart. However...none of those attempts ever worked and he was left more often then naught, heart broken and alone. Who could compete with the Chosen? Ironically, my attempts at winning Spyro's heart were just as fruitless. As time passed however, we all became good friends with each other. When Spyro would be fighting evil, we would be right behind him. Apparently as a way of coping with his hopeless love for me...he took up the hobby of singing. Now nothing else stood out about him...not his looks, brains, ability, nothing...except his voice. He had a special voice...and from winter through fall he would stand out on a ledge and sing. At first it started out as nothing more than boredom, but people began to hear his voice. They began to call him the Moonlight Phantom, and conjured up wild stories of his handsome looks and mysterious identity. Flame, being to mischief maker he is, decided to play alone with it and rode it out until one night...when I discovered him. Now I had always heard about him and even sometimes heard his singing...but in none of my craziest dreams could I have guessed that the voice belonged to Flame. When I heard him singing and realized what I put him through...I felt so cruel. He cared about me more than anything...and it was finally time I showed him the same. However...love is never so easy and I could never get over the fascination that Spyro presented to me. One night at the fountain when I was with him...we kissed in the audience of the same Cynder Spyro just now ran after. In rage and jealousy...and a dark presence in her mind, she struck both me and Spyro down with all she could muster. We went into a deep comma...and Flame was...heartbroken. Before these events had taken place a team of humans and a green dragon had come from the Human Realms to tell us of a great threat on a our planet. A meteor that had impacted our planet millions of years ago...was actually an engine of destruction that could activate at anytime. Inside the meteor, however, was lucid-like crystals with unmatched healing power. With hopes of reviving both me and Spyro, Flame set off toward the meteor site. Cynder, who had run away after she attacked us, met him there and Malefor had yet again raised his ugly head in an attempt to destroy the world. There was an epic battle. With new found power from the meteor, Malefor unleashed and army upon the realms. Flame battled him. He fought against all odds. He fought, and fought...and fought," A tear slide down her cheek. "Until once again...evil was put to bed. With crystal in hand...he returned to us. Sadly...the crystal was to small to revive both of us. Flame had to make the impossible decision...of who to save. His best friend...or his love. He couldn't do either and with the crystal in hand he poured the power of it...and himself...and revived both of us. We were all so happy...and Flame had, for the first time in his life, saved the world...and gotten the girl," She stopped. "He had poured so much energy into saving the world and us...that there was none left for himself..and so...he passed away in my arms shortly after saving me," She smiled as tears began to slide freely down her face. "He is the only one, that will truly have my heart," Jingle got up without a word and strode over to Ember. With one careful flick of his claw he wiped away a tear and gave her an embrace.
"Thank you for your story," And without another word, he exited the door and went after Spyro.
