Chapter 20: A Smack in the Face
In a deep slumber, Cynder wrestles with thoughts and images in her head that she cannot understand. Until suddenly, a sound fills her ears, and she quickly realizes that she is sleeping. A calmness fills her heart, and the black dragoness stops shuttering with fear from her imagination.
Like a cat's purr, but as loud as a chainsaw, Cynder knows the sound of her husband's snore. It is a noise most dragons make while they sleep, and a sound that Cynder has missed for two long years.
Her sparkling green eyes open with the light of the sun coming through the hole in the roof, and a smile fills her face knowing she is home. Cynder nestles her muzzle into her favorite pillow, and takes a deep breath, however, is shocked not to smell her own scent, in fact she smells nothing. A thought that bothers her for a second, but then is quickly dismissed by the feel of a paw resting upon her side.
Her eyes focus upon the purple arm, draped across her body, and she quickly grasps onto it pulling it to her chest.
"Thank the ancestors..." She says out loud with great relief. "...it was just a nightmare!"
The young dragoness holds the paw of her husband tightly, waiting for him to grab her too, however, Spyro's arm never flexes.
Cynder begins to turn her body over towards her husband, when she is startled by a voice from the living room.
"MOM!"
She knows that voice, and her eyes open wide. They fill with the site she was not expecting. Her son, but he is only a couple of years old.
Cynder begins rising to her feet, when a second voice holds her still with fear.
"Is she awake?" Remarks Malefor, as his silhouette now fills the doorway beside her young child. His eyes show great concern, as if he is worried for her life.
"Cynder, are you OK!" He asks, and the black dragoness' eyes fill with tears, not understanding what is going on.
The large purple dragon, picks up the small whelpling in his arms, and holds him close to his heart.
"Let's let Mommy sleep...Malefor..." The large dragon remarks to his son, then looks back down at the resting black dragon with a deep fear in his eyes. "...she has had a very bad experience, and we need to let her rest."
Cynder can hear the fear in his words and can see the pain in his eyes. He genuinely feels a deep concern for her.
"I will be just outside if you need me, my love!" The large dragon remarks with great emotion, and Cynder cannot believe what she is hearing. She is frozen solid, not able to move a muscle, and can feel her anxiety return. Malefor lowers his head, with the pain of a husband's fear, and walks away with his young son in hand.
"This is impossible..." She says, her heart pounding with a great fear. "...I love Spyro, not him!"
Suddenly she remembers, and looks down at the arm grasped against her chest. Tears fill her green eyes as Cynder uncovers the appendage draped across her body.
It is no longer a vibrant purple or warm with the blood of his pulse. The arm is cold, gray, and hard as stone.
She quickly turns over, and her heart stops, as Cynder's eyes fill with a terrible sight. Spyro, lying beside her, frozen solid like a statue.
She reaches her paw out, touching him gently upon his muzzle and suddenly a small crack develops where her talon comes in contact with him.
"NO!" She yelps, as the crack begins to expand fast, covering his entire body. The black dragoness becomes consumed with raw emotion, watching the only dragon she has ever cared for break apart.
"NOOOOO!" Cynder cries louder, and quickly wraps her arms around him, but Spyro crumbles in her grasp. His brittle body changes to dust before her tear-filled eyes, and blows out of her life forever through the gap in the ceiling.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She screams as the top of her lungs, popping up from her stomach quickly, and feeling a sharp pain in her right wing.
Her eyes focus, but she is more shocked than ever, as her vision is not of her home, but that of the hospital room where she has spent the last few days.
Cynder's ears ring with the sound of alarms going off, as her blood pressure skyrockets, and she turns her head to the left. And even though her pulse doesn't show it, Cynder quickly calms down from the experience of a terrible dream. However, another sound rings in her soul, and her eyes open wide with a great feeling of joy.
"Cynder..." Spyro remarks weakly from behind her. "...are you OK?"
The black dragoness, not caring about the pain in her wing, swings her body around to see her husband.
"Spyro..." She says gleefully, overcome with the sound of his voice. However, her happiness fades fast as she notices his injuries.
"...What happened?"
Spyro lowers his head, lying in a bed next to hers. His wings held out to the left and right, heavily bandaged like Cynder's.
"I don't really remember..." The purple dragon remarks with grogginess in his voice. Spyro looks up at his wings, and Cynder can see confusion fill his eyes. The purple dragon pause for a moment, then looks back over at his wife.
"Cynder!" He says with surprise. "When did you get here?"
The black dragoness gives him a slight smile, then lowers her head with disappointment. She can see how medicated her husband is, and Cynder cannot help but become a bit angry. She can feel the anxiety of her last moment with Spyro returning, and the secret she is keeping from him.
"How can I tell him now..." Cynder remarks to herself, staring at her husband eyes, and knowing he will not understand a thing she says...
Suddenly the black dragon gets a very weird idea.
"Maybe I could tell him now..." She says to herself seeing a good opportunity to practice this speech. "...he won't remember a thing anyway."
Cynder looks back up to him and can see the smile on his muzzle, but that smile is not making her feel any better. She's sure it will come off his face the moment she mentions his name.
"By the way, Cynder..." Spyro quips, his voice distorted with the intoxicating value of the pain-killers coursing through his veins, loosely saying whatever is on his mind at that moment. Spyro tries to stare his wife in the eye, but she keeps moving around on him. He closes his eyes tightly, not to get nauseous, and finishes his thought with a smile across his muzzle.
"...Malefor wanted to say hello, but I think Gaven threw him in the brig."
Cynder's eyes open wide, and her jaw drops to the ground. She is flabbergasted by his words, but even more so as Spyro lays his head back down on the bed and begins to laugh.
"WHAT?" She yelps with complete shock, suddenly feeling like she is dreaming again, believing that she will wake up any second, and find herself in a worse situation.
Cynder smacks herself across the face, and quickly feels the pain. Then looks back to her husband with shock. She does not get the reaction she was expecting.
"You slapped your face, Cynder..." He remarks, now uncontrollably laughing, and the alarm on his bedside monitor begins to sound. The purple dragon is practically delirious, with tears pouring from his eyes, as he looks upon his wife. "...why would you do that silly!"
Cynder can only feel depression, seeing her husband is in his right mind. She lowers her head back down to the bed, and closes her eyes. Tears begin to soak the pillow under her muzzle as the sound of her husbands laughter burns in her heart.
"Why is Malefor here?" She says to herself, rubbing the cheek she just smack, her eyes focused back to Spyro. "Why is he laughing about this?"
These thoughts consume the young dragoness, until the sound of the door opening gets her attention.
"Cynder..." Dr. Stanley remarks, as he enters into the room. "...is everything alright in here?"
The black dragon picks her head up, and turns her attention to the man walking up to her. The light in the room, reflects the moisture built up in her eyes, and Dr. Stanley can tell already she is quite upset.
He glances over at Spyro, and is shocked to see he is awake.
"Spyro!" The doctor remarks with a bit of anger in his voice. "Go back to sleep right now, or I will give you another shot!"
The purple dragon's eyes quickly hold focus for more than a second, and his laughter stops abruptly. He remembers the pain of the last injection, and the deep fear he has of needles. Spyro lowers his head back down, and closes his eyes. Heavily medicated, the young hero is snoring again in seconds.
"What happened?" Dr Stanley remarks, placing his hand upon Cynder's muzzle to calm her.
"He knows about Malefor..." Cynder replies staring at Spyro, and wondering what else happened while she was out. She turns her head to the white-robed man. "...I should ask you that question, Jaxon."
Dr Stanley lowers his head with full knowledge of who is in the portal station, and how unhappy his patient will become if he confirms it.
"A lot has happened today, Cynder..." The doctor replies with indifference. "...somethings good..."
Dr. Stanley removes his hand from Cynder's head, and grasps a remote from the table to their left.
"...somethings bad!"
With the click of a button, the video screen in the room comes to life with a disturbing picture.
"NO!" Cynder remarks with anger, seeing Sparx lying in a hospital bed, no longer thinking about Malefor.
"He's alright, Cynder!" Dr. Stanley says replacing his hand upon her shoulder, holding Cynder from getting up. The doctor lowers down face to face with the concerned mother. "I swear to you...Sparx is fine, he is just exhausted from a terrible fight."
"A FIGHT!" She screams, and Spyro's snoring stops once more. His eyes open again looking around the room with total confusion.
"When do we get to open the presents Mom!" He remarks with a child-like quality in his voice, then quickly passes out again.
Dr. Stanley chuckles for a second at the zonked dragon, then focuses his attention back to Cynder. With a large smile on his face, he unhooks her injured wing from the restraint.
The black dragoness, trembles for a moment, seeing the doctor grab her broken wing. However, she can feel the gentleness in his movements, and relaxes her body with confidence in his ability.
"I think it's about time we moved you from intensive care, my dear." He says, slowly folding her wing down with great care not to hurt her. "You apparently have most of your strength back, and I think Spyro could use the 'peace and quiet' this time."
He gently braces Cynder's wing against her flank, and releases the brake on the wheels of her bed. Dr. Stanley disconnects the monitors from Cynder's arm, and places his hand on her paw.
"Besides, I think you will be just as happy with your new roommate." He remarks with a smile, and Cynder's attitude changes in an instant, knowing exactly who he means.
The doctor pulls on the handles of the bed dislodging it from the spot Cynder has spent the last four days, staring at the same walls. A deep feeling of joy fills her heart just to see the scenery move, but her eyes turn to Spyro and she feels a little of that happiness inside of her leave, as she's moved away from her love.
The doctor stops for a moment when Cynder gives a slight whimper in her breath, allowing the smitten dragoness to watch her husband sleep for a few more moments. Her smile returns seeing the joyful look on his slumbering face.
"He seems happy, Jaxon.." Cynder says, and turns to look into the blue eyes of a good family friend, her voice filled with a deep want. "...what did I miss?"
"I think it better to let Sparx explain it to you." Dr. Stanley says, as his smile gets wider. "That young dragon is very proud of his dad, and I'm sure he would love to be the one to tell his mother all about it."
The black dragoness' eyes begin filling with tears again, but this time tears of joy. She can hardly lay still, as Dr. Stanley pushes her through the door, and down the hallway to her son's room.
In a smaller room down the hall, Sparx lays curled up on his stomach in the large bed, contently waiting for a guest he knows is coming. His heart begins to race, as the door of his room opens, but his eyes show shock as Cynder is rolled in.
"MOM..." He barks with a bit of worry in his voice, not expecting to see her. "...What are doing here?"
Cynder can see the surprise on his face, however, she quickly becomes upset when Sparx does not smile. He is almost unhappy to see her.
"Why...do you want me to go somewhere else" She remarks, and he snaps out of his moment of anxiety when he hears the anger in her voice.
"NO!" He retorts, looking at Cynder with a deep feeling of regret for saying that. "Of course I would love for you to be here with me, but..."
The young whelpling turns his eyes away, and he pauses for a way to tell her who is coming.
"BUT WHAT!" Cynder, remarks getting angrier, and Dr. Stanley, still rolling her into position beside Sparx, becomes concerned.
"He's not coming now...is he?" The doctor asks Sparx, and Cynder snaps her eyes up to her friend.
"IS WHO COMING?" The black dragoness barks, believing she already knows who. Her anger-filled eyes return to her son, whom cannot look at her.
Suddenly the door opens again, and Sonic the Hedgehog walks in to the small room. His eyes open wide seeing Cynder in the room, and his focus turns to Dr. Stanley.
"You couldn't wait could you!" The blue hedgehog barks with anger staring at the old doctor. "Spyro told you not to rush this meeting, but you had different ideas."
"She needs to know, Sonic!" Dr. Stanley retorts, then folds his arm across his chest, staring at the blue hedgehog.
The blue Hedgehog rolls up to the tall doctor, staring up at him with a deep anger.
"You are not a psychiatrist, you're a surgeon..." Sonic looks over to Spyro's son, and his eyes fill with regret. "...I don't know if he should come in here now, Sparx!"
"If you talking about Malefor..." Cynder cuts in, then looks at the faces of everyone, as their attention is drawn to her. "...I know he's here...my husband told me..."
Her eyes then lock on her son's
"...but why is he coming to visit you?"
Sparx lowers his head, seeing the rage behind her glare, remembering that same look in her eyes from the day she left Malefor's Lair with a death-defying jump.
"Because your stubborn husband thinks your son can learn something from this dragon..." Gaven answers from the door, as he enters the crowding room. He gestures his hand out the door, and returns his focus to both injured dragons. "...I don't understand his reasoning sometimes, but Spyro is not stupid, and I may actually have to agree with him for once."
"Wait a minute!" Cynder remarks with shock staring into the Portal Master's eyes. "Spyro WANTS that son of a bitch to be near my son?"
"MOM!" Sparx yelps pulling her attention to him, and she is startled at the anger in his eyes. "He is nothing like you made him out to be, and I wanted to see him...that is why he is coming to visit."
Malefor slowly walks into the room with his head down in shame, hearing Cynder's disapproval from down the hall, and the argument between mother and child regarding him. The large vibrant purple and gold dragon, turns his head towards the black dragoness, then quickly turns away seeing so much hatred filling such beautiful eyes.
"Please, forgive what I have done Cynder..." He remarks with his head down, then forces himself to look at her. "...I never wanted this, but I was given little choice."
Cynder looks into his eye, and once again is startled to see her husband looking back. She has known him only as the Dark Master, and while in such turmoil being imprisoned in a hell-like atmosphere, she never even thought to gave him benefit of the doubt. However, still hearing the pain in his voice, and now seeing the resolve in Sparx' eyes for him, Cynder finally decides to lower her guard, and let him in.
"Please...everyone leave!" The black dragoness remarks, and her son sinks further into his bed with depression.
"Everyone, but you Malefor" She adds, and Gaven looks at Cynder with a defiant stare.
"Out of the question...I cannot leave a prisoner alone..." He beings saying, but Cynder is quick to finish his thought.
"...Unless a Skylander is present with a rank of Lieutenant or higher!"
Her green eye's blink sharply, then focus upon the Portal Master.
"Am I not still a Commander, Master Gaven!" She remarks with a stern tone.
The Portal Master lowers his head and gives a slight chuckle.
"Dr. Stanley...Sonic...lets go!" He says, then looks back up at his Commander, still lying in her hospital bed.
"I will be watching Cynder..." Gaven barks, pointing at the window behind him. "...and if I don't like what I see, you will not be happy with the rank I'll drop you down too."
Cynder nods her head, then her eyes return to Malefor, burning a hole into his soul with her stare.
Gaven turns to follow the doctor and the only Skylander left in the station the can walk a straight line, out the door. He stops beside the large purple dragon and places his hand upon Malefor's flank.
"Tell her everything you told me..." He remarks, and looks back at Cynder with a smile. "...she will understand that dragon she knew is long dead..."
His eyes return to Malefor, and his words of confidence overwhelm him.
"...and now...only this proud purple dragon remains."
The Portal Master looks back at Cynder, and can see the change in her attitude from his speech. He walks from the room, with a good feeling inside, however, he is quick to reappear in the large picture window to keep vigil.
Malefor feels the fear of being in an uncomfortable situation immediately, and cannot help but to remain silent. His eyes never look up at the black dragoness that he has caused so much pain, but he can hear Cynder beginning to breathe heavily with anger.
Suddenly the sound of talons striking the steel floor force his eyes up slightly, and more fear fills his heart as Cynder painfully gets down from her bed.
Sparx also watches with anxiety, knowing he cannot move from his bed, seeing his mother approach Malefor with rage in her eyes.
"Don't do it Mom!" Sparx cries, but she pays no attention to her son. Cynder is focused on one thing, Malefor's eyes, as they finally look up and lock on hers.
Cynder stops in front of the large purple dragon, and stares out the window at her superior officer. His eyes showing the discomfort of her first actions. She then returns her intoxicating green eyes to Malefor.
Not a word is spoken, and the silence in the room begins to make Sparx nauseous. He watches with concern as his mother stands muzzle to muzzle with his foster-father, not fully knowing what he means to him.
Suddenly Gaven and Sparx hold their breath as Cynder raises her right paw to strike, but Malefor just closes his eyes and positions his face for her to hit him. The large dragon waits with anticipation for the young dragon's anger, and does nothing to prevent it, hoping it will allow Cynder to let out some of her rage. However, he is surprised as seconds tick by, and he feels no impact.
His suspense turns to shock when his neck is grabbed tightly, and his head yanked down. Malefor opens his eyes to see Cynder's back and bandaged wing, and is startled feeling her chest against his in a warm embrace.
"I never thanked you, for rescuing my son and I, Malefor..." She whispers in his ear, then pulls his head back to look in his eyes. "...and I am the one who is ashamed, I never believed you, even when I knew you we not the same dragon."
Cynder looks over at Sparx, then back to Malefor and lowers her voice to a softer whisper.
"I could never forgive you for what you made me do, and how it is ruining my life to this day..." She remarks with a deep pain that Malefor understands right away. "...I can't look my husband in the eyes without feeling the pain you caused, and knowing how I am the one..."
Cynder pauses, looks at her son again, then tries to contain her emotions.
"You can't understand how this feels Malefor!" Cynder begins to cry from her memories of a life long ago, but one she cannot forget. Her voice becomes so soft that the large dragon before her can barely hear it.
"I killed them..."
Malefor finally returns her embrace, and lowers his muzzle against the black dragoness' neck.
"I'm so sorry, Cynder...if I would have known how our lives were to play out..." Malefor raises his head with tears flowing from his eyes. He looks down at the young dragon before him, and flashes to a moment in her life he regrets. "...I would have never sent you there."
Malefor releases his hug, and turns around quickly with a great pain in his chest.
"It was wrong for me to return...I will leave you and your family alone..." He remarks with a somber tone, then strides towards the door. "...I have done enough damage already."
"No!" The young whelpling barks from his bed, and Malefor halts his exit. The large dragon looks down at the son of Spyro and Cynder, and a smile crosses his face knowing his former child will be safe in such caring arms.
"I must go Sparx...I do not belong here with you." He says holding back his emotions, trying not to show the young dragon his pain. "I want you to know how much it meant to feel respect, once more..."
He turns his eyes to Sparx and can no longer hold back his tears, seeing them flow from the distraught dragon. However, Malefor smirks, and quickly makes light of another dark moment in his life.
"...even if that respect was from such a tiny little whelpling."
Sparx forces a smile across his muzzle, recalling how annoyed he would get at his adoptive father for calling him small, but then is overcome with his emotions, watching Malefor walk out of his life forever.
"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, as the door opens to the room, and once again Malefor halts his exit.
The purple dragon turns his head back to the dark dragoness, whom has her head down in painful thought. Cynder mulls over Gaven's words before, that Sparx can learn from him, and becomes a bit defensive.
"What can you teach my son, that my husband can't." Her eyes focus up, back into Malefor's, and he turns completely around to give her his full attention. "Why would Gaven say, my husband, thinks you can help his son."
Malefor closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. He knows this is his last chance to talk to Cynder, and he uses his most humble voice to answer.
"I cannot teach him anything about life, that is Spyro's job, and I wouldn't dare try. He must learn how to become a man from his father" The large dragon says, looking over at the concerned youngster. "However, he had a great influence from the beginning, and I never had to teach your son right from wrong, learning that lesson well from his mother."
Malefor returns his eyes to a grateful smirk upon Cynder's face, his true personality finally getting through to the black dragoness.
"I can do nothing more than teach him to use his remarkable abilities..." Malefor says with apprehension, remembering how angry Cynder was the first time he offered to train him. "...and I don't think that is what you what, so therefore...I have nothing for him."
Malefor once again turns around, and heads for the opened door.
"But you do!" Cynder exclaims, grabbing the purple dragon's tail, stopping him in his tracks. She walks along side Malefor, standing before him and the exit, and steps forward, moving the large dragon back. Cynder continues to plow him backward until he is in the center of the room.
"You have plenty to make up for..." She remarks, turning her head back up to peer into his startled eyes. "...and you will make good on what you owe me...what you owe Spyro"
Cynder lowers her head with a slight grin, hearing the deep sigh coming from Malefor, knowing that for once she controls him. The young mother looks over to her son, and can see his eyes are open wide, and his ears are pointed forward waiting with anticipation.
"Sparx...you had better get some rest if you are to train with this dragon..." She says, and a smile fills her face as her son's tail begins to wag uncontrollably. Cynder returns her eyes to Malefor and continues with a bit of sarcasm that makes the large purple dragon blush.
"...as I remember...his training regiment can be quite demanding!"