Disclaimer: I do not own any Spyro franchise characters. They are owned by Activision. I only own my own OCs.

If you don't like my story, then just don't read it.

Enjoy

X~ ~ ~ ~ ~X
~Chapter 10~
X~ ~ ~ ~ ~X

Cyril was in his quarters waiting for Shard. Shard had told him that he'd tell him today what he choice would be.

X ~ Flashback ~ X

"So, what you're trying to say is that even though I haven't been specifically trying to get your attention to be a candidate, you still took notice of the work I've made?" Shard asked.

"That is correct, young Shard," Cyril said, "Before offering you the candidacy, I've spent two years observing your talents. You weren't just handed the opportunity. You have earned it."

"I guess that makes me feel better. And I'll think about it and let you know tomorrow if I'd like to continue or not," Shard said before heading towards the door.

X ~ End Flashback ~ X

Cyril was in fact feeling uncharacteristically anxious. It wasn't because of the wait, it was that he most likely knew what Shard's answer would be. Cyril was looking forward to having Shard as the new guardian. But now that he knew that Shard never wanted to be a guardian in the first place, he could guess what that meant.

That was when Terrador came into the room. Terrador saw that Cyril seemed anxious, "Is something bothering you, Cyril?" Terrador asked.

"I'm just waiting for Shard," Cyril said, "We had a talk, and he told me that he never wanted to be a guardian in the first place. He said he'd sleep on it and tell me today."

"You mean he's not back from the Human Realm yet?" Terrador said.

"The Human Realm?!" Cyril exclaimed, "What is he doing in the Human Realm?!"

"Fog ran away and was tracked to Alec's portal," Terrador explained, giving the short version, "She he requested that Quarry and Shard come to help him find her in the Human Realm."

"Is Alec CRAZY?!" Cyril exclaimed again, "Doesn't he realize how much those two don't get along?! And you're just as crazy for letting them-"

"I also had a talk with Quarry," Terrador interrupted Cyril's musings, "I tried not to give to much away. But I told him that there's more to being a guardian than just brute strength. You could say that this is a field test for him."

"Are you sure you made the right choice?" Cyril asked.

"To be honest, no. But then again, I can't be sure that not letting him go would be the right choice either," Terrador said, "For now, we just have to trust that Alec knows what he's doing. But what's this about Shard not wanting to be a guardian?"

"It seems that he never wanted the attention that being a guardian would bring to him," Cyril said, "It seems the only reason he accepted the offer was because he believed nobody in there right mind turns down an offer like that."

"And yet he's spent all this time humoring you," Terrador said, "It's a shame that he doesn't want to be a guardian. He would've made a fine ice guardian."

"Well, he said he'd think about it," Cyril said, "So here's to hoping."

"If you're concerned as to why they haven't come back yet, why don't you go through the portal to check on them?" Volteer said as he came up from behind them.

The two guardians turned around in surprise, "You've been here this entire time?" Terrador asked.

"And you haven't said anything until now?" Cyril added.

"I didn't intend to disturb the two of you. Nor did I intend on eavesdropping," Volteer said, "However, if the two of you do not wish to encounter the Human Realm yourselves, I would be willing to volunteer to go and check on them for you."

"It would be nice to know what is happening there," Cyril said, "And since you are volunteering, we will accept your offer."

"Although I'm not pleased that Cyril made the decision for me, I do accept your offer as well," Terrador said.

"Then I'll be off," Volteer said before leaving the two remaining guardians.

"It figures that little brat would be causing trouble again," Cyril said, referring to Fog, "I just never thought she would go as far as to go to the Human Realm to cause trouble."

"Well, in the Human Realm, Alec does have the advantage," Terrador said, "He understands his world better than any of us. And since Fog is unfamiliar with that world, Alec will be able to simply outsmart her."

"Either that, or her lack of knowledge will just cause that much more trouble," Cyril said.

X~ ~ ~ ~ ~X

"How's Fog holding up?" Spyro asked.

"Her temperature is holding at 103.3," Alec answered.

It had been three hours since Fog took that turn for the worse. But her temperature has been holding at 103.3 for two hours now. And the only reason that's good news is because it means it's not going up. But the scan that I took indicated that she didn't have any virus to cause a fever like this. Everything leads to the fact that Fog should be healthy.

Suddenly, the portal activated and an old man came through. He had brought a cloth to wrap around himself, implying that he knew of the Human Realm's decency rules before hand. This could only mean that he was one of the guardians.

This old man's age implied he was a guardian. He didn't have a muscular build, so I could cross off Terrador. So that narrowed it down to either Volteer or Cyril. I suppose it's possible it could be Ignitus as well. But I doubt he would just randomly show up. Let's see...his hair was dirty blonde...or what's left of it anyway. He had a beard, which is a detail I wouldn't have expected. And he had amber eyes. If nothing else, his eye color gave away his identity.

"Can I assume that's you, Volteer?" Alec asked.

"I must admit that I am impressed that you were able to identify me considering how different this human body is compared to my dragon body," Volteer said.

If I didn't know before, the way he talked...and talked, and talked was a dead giveaway to Volteer's identity.

"It was an estimated guess," Alec said, "To be honest, I could tell that you weren't Terrador. And by your eye color, I made a guess. I see you thought to bring a cloth to wrap yourself in."

"We have known one another for six years now," Volteer said, "I think I'd know a little about how humans do things now."

"Fair enough," Alec said, "So what have you come here for?"

"Terrador and Cyril are becoming concerned because Shard and Quarry haven't come back yet," Volteer said, "I told them that I would come here to check on things."

"Well, Shard and Quarry are doing okay," Alec said as he motioned towards the two said humans working together, "We were all impressed when Quarry chose to put aside his personal feelings and work along side Shard to help with Fog. However, the situation with Fog isn't good. She has a high fever. And I don't want to send her through the portal with a fever, because I don't know what will happen."

"Hello, Volteer," Pat said as she came up to Alec and Volteer, "Last time we saw each other, I was a cheetah. I'm Alec's mother, Pat."

"Ah, yes. I remember you," Volteer said, "I must say, it sure is a different experience here in the Human Realm."

"I apologize for ending this conversation abruptly," Pat said, "But I am helping to keep an eye on Fog. I guess Alec once again thought that my experience as a mother would help."

"That is alright," Volteer said, "You may tend to Fog now."

"Since you're here to bring information to the other guardians, I feel that I should tell you to inform Terrador that Quarry had acted admirably by agreeing to work along side Shard," Alec said to Volteer, "And I was surprised at what Shard said about choosing not to be a guardian."

"Cyril said he was waiting for Shard so that he could tell him what he decided," Volteer said, "It seems Cyril will get his answer. It's a shame though. Shard would've made an admirable ice guardian."

"Well, don't count him out just yet," Alec said, "Shard did say that he would help Quarry be better qualified to be a guardian."

"Considering the rivalry between them, I'm surprised how they are willing to work together like this," Volteer said, "When Terrador and Cyril find out, they probably wouldn't believe what I say and think I've gone senile. They'd have to see it for themselves."

"They've always been friends. They just didn't know it," Alec pointed out, "However, I did find out something interesting about Fog's past. It seems that Fog is in fact not an orphan. At least not in the conventional sense. She is in fact a clone of Cynder, intended to be her replacement as the Terror of the Skies. But certain things went wrong and she ended up like this, a confused dragoness who didn't know what to do with her life."

"That truly is fascinating," Volteer said, "This certainly would explain why she kept insisting that she doesn't have any parents."

"Well, biologically speaking, her parents would be the same as Cynder's parents," Alec said.

Once I said that, I came up with a theory about why Fog might be so sick when there is nothing causing it.

"Excuse me, Volteer!" Alec exclaimed, "I think I may have an answer as to why Fog has an unprovoked fever! But I have to run a test to make sure!"

Alec then went over to his computer and checked the most recent scan of Fog. It was a scan taken just five minutes ago.

"Cynder, can you come here for a minute?" Alec asked.

"What is it?" Cynder asked as she came over to Alec.

"Is it alright if I take a scan of you?" Alec asked.

"I guess," Cynder said reluctantly, "But what for?"

"I want to compare your bio-signs with Fog's," Alec said as he started a scan on Cynder, "The only thing keeping you and Fog from being the same person is not having the same body. I think I have a theory that may help us figure out why Fog is sick."

Alec then finished the scan and overlapped the information with her bio-signs with Fog's. And other than the fever, they matched up identically.

"What are you looking for?" Cynder asked.

"I think the concept of cloning works differently in the Dragon Realm than it does in the Human Realm," Alec said, "Cloning in the Human Realm creates a genetic carbon copy. However, they have their own life force and bio-signs. However, in the Dragon Realm, cloning is a full copy, life force and bio-signs and all. Because of this, when you two came through the portal at different times, it recognized the two of you as being the same person. Recognizing this, I think the portal's energy is trying to rid this world of the second identical life force."

"There's just one problem with that Theory," Cynder said, "I'm the one who came through the portal second. I'm the one that the portal should've recognized as the copy. And therefor, I'm the one who should be the one the portal is trying to get rid of."

Damnit! I was so close to trying to figure out what was wrong! But Cynder is right. Fog is the one who came through first, and Cynder is the one the portal should recognize as the copy. Now I'm back to square one.

"That was the only theory I had," Alec said, "Now that that theory is no longer valid, I don't know what to think about Fog's condition. And I'm worried about her."

Pat then came over with a look of worry, "Fog's temperature rose to 103.8," Pat said, "And that's not all." Pat then lead them over to see Fog, who's skin was beginning to tear apart. Wounds were beginning to open up all over her body. Fog was lucky that she was unconscious.

"I do believe that this is not a good thing," Volteer said, "This world is allot different than the Dragon Realm. But I believe that this is not something normal for any realm."

"Other than some possible rare skin conditions, this is not a normal thing to happen," Alec said, "And this just makes the situation that much more critical."

"I think you may be overreacting a little," Pat said, "A skin condition doesn't necessarily mean it's bad."

"But the problem is that this is happening, and I don't know what's causing it," Alec said, "And if I don't know what's causing it, I don't know how to take care of it."

To be honest, even if my portal was trying to rid the Human Realm from a copy, I wouldn't think it would be causing so much pain to the supposed copy. Then again, I guess the copy can't just vanish. That would defy logic in this world. And even though something like that might work in the Dragon Realm, here in the Human Realm, whatever the portal does still has to follow the laws of physics here. Then again, that would also explain why there's nothing actually causing it. I still don't think that would explain the fever. But considering that theory was disproved, it doesn't matter if it explains anything or not.

"Maybe it's somehow connected to the fact that Fog is younger than me," Cynder theorized, "Or maybe because I've been to this world before. Or maybe her connection to the Dark Master's dark powers."

"I don't think it would be age, since the age difference would help the portal to recognize that there is an age difference," Alec explained, "And when you were in this world before, you may have been technically been here by this world's standards. But as far as your form in the Dragon Realms, it was no more than a dream. When you came here, you had no quantum structure. And therefor, no memory of you being here. As for her connections with dark powers, you have a bigger connection with his dark powers than Fog does."

"Well, you said she's a clone, right?" Volteer asked, "Could that have something to do with Fog's conditions?"

"That's...actually a possibility," Alec said, "I'll have to check the scans on a different level to find out." Alec then began checking Fog's scans to see if Volteer's theory was valid.

Quarry and Shard working together?! ...I think a pig just flew past my window... And I almost figured out what was wrong with Fog...until Cynder explained how logic works.

And now Fog's body is being torn apart.

Please R&R.