All four Dragons landed in the entryway of the Dragon Temple. The sun was setting down beyond the horizon, bathing the two couple's backs in the waning sunlight, and signaling that another day was drawing to a close yet again.

"Looks like we'll have to wait until tomorrow to gain our freedom." Flame broke the silence.

"It's not like the night will go on forever." Cynder responded. "I'm sure you can live another night alone."

"You know, I've been thinking, what would the other's think if they knew?" Spyro asked as the four walked through the corridor.

"If they knew we could sleep together?" Ember questioned in return, receiving a nod from Spyro. " I guess we have to try and keep it from them. Instead of just walking through a door, we may just have to use a window instead."

"I suppose that's a good idea." Spyro replied, stopping at his door. "I'll see you guys later sometime." He said towards Flame and Ember, receiving a farewell from the two, and leaving himself and Cynder at Spyro's room. "It's nice to see that they fixed my door so quickly. Looks brand new." He joked, admiring the framework.

"At least they fixed it, I guess. Although you're not going to be staying long."

"So we're going to be sleeping your room then?"

"Not all the time, but, I like my room. It's quiet and out of the way."

"Meaning that were more alone." Spyro clarified, causing Cynder to nod slowly, a sly grin forming. "Cynder, you know that I don't want to risk us becoming parents."

"There are other things we can do Spyro."

"I know." Spyro turned around and faced back down the corridor they had come through. "But right now, I'm starved. Lets get something to eat."

Dawn broke and the sun's light streamed through Cynder's curtains, bathing her in a soft light. Specks of light caused by the Dragoness's scales danced around the room as she shifted her face out of the direct sunlight. As the sun had risen though, Cynder's attempt to continue her sleep was swept away by the increasingly powerful rays of light, heating her scales above what was considered a comfortable temperature to the black Dragon.

Forcing herself up to her legs, Cynder stretched out her forelegs and tail, taking a step forward and mirroring the motions with her hind legs and head. The female Dragon walked to her window and moved the curtain out of her way, allowing her to look out and see if anything had changed from yesterday.

Nothing had, yet anyway.

Cynder leapt out her window and flew over the Dragon Temple to the other side to see if Spyro was awake. She knew the answer was no, as Spyro enjoyed sleep much more than herself.

Drifting over the roof of the temple, Cynder descended to the other side and swooped around and pulled up at Spyro's room, perching herself on the windowsill and looking in on to her purple mate.

Spyro had himself curled tightly, his head resting atop his four legs and tail wrapping around the limbs holding them in place. Cynder considered waking him, but he looked so cute. Maybe he's cold. Cynder thought, stepping into Spyro's room and onto his bed. She softly lay behind him, draping one of her wings over her mate.

There was no reaction from Spyro at all, and Cynder watched to make sure he didn't wake up. But all she could see was the rise and fall of his body. Cynder curled her head around, lying it over her wing, closing her eyes and resting, if not just for a short while. Although she has known Spyro for sleeping in often.

"So that's why Cyril has been acting so strangely." Volteer spoke the words toward Terrador, who was standing before Ember, who had just informed the other two Guardians of her relationship status with Flame. "That at least explains his actions, so how do you explain yours?"

"I can't. I acted against the rules because I wanted to. Because I hated being alone as myself, and I didn't want to lose-"

"Alright, your reasons don't matter. What's done is done." Terrador cut off the pink Dragoness. "Why are you telling us this if you somehow managed to convince Cyril to not inform us?"

"I am telling you both because an agreement was made between me, Flame, and Cyril. If I was to inform you both, and adhere to the consequences that each of you deemed necessary, then Flame and I would be allowed to share a room."

Both Volteer and Terrador exchanged glances. Questioning the reason Ember and Flame had come before them. A door behind the two Guardians opened, revealing the third Guardian to the assembled Dragons. "Ah, Cyril, good that you're here." Volteer started.

"So Ember has told you both?"

"That she has, but we both refuse to believe that you would allow Ember and Fame to share a room if this meeting took place."

"That is correct." Cyril confirmed, continuing to speak at a volume Ember couldn't hear.

"Are you sure?" Terrador asked, as if not believing what his fellow Guardian had told him. Cyril nodded once, then turned around and left the two remaining to consider what they should do about the issue.

"Ember, I want you and Flame to meet me in the training room after Volteer is finished." Terrador started. "I shall be there until midday." He turned his attention to Volteer. "That is all I have decided so far."

Terrador then left through the same way Cyril had. "Now Ember. Tell me, when did this happen?"

"About three days ago."

"Hmmm, that means we need to run a few tests." She knew from Cyril that this is what Volteer would have come up with. "Follow me please." Volteer turned to his right and headed out a different door then Cyril and Terrador had taken.

The two walked down the corridor and ended up in another room almost on the exact opposite side of the building to where the Dragon's quarters were. "It has been many years since I've had to do one of these." Volteer muttered to himself, searching the cupboards and cabinets lining the walls of the room. Several beds lay on the far side of the room, with a bear table centralized in the room. "Just take a seat, Ember, I need to find a few things."

Ember followed instruction, moving over to the middle bed on the far side, finding it almost twice as comfortable than the one in her room. Immediately she lay down and relaxed.

"Ah, there we are." He let out a sigh of relief for a reason unknown to Ember. Turning around while holding a fairly large jar, placing it on the center table. Lifting off the lid, the electric Guardian pulled out what looked like a short, yet slightly wide, rod. "Now, these are fairly fragile, so you must be careful when you handle it."

Volteer stepped forward to where Ember was lying. "what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Well," The electric Guardian flicked off a cap covering one end of the device. "See how this is clear now?" He motioned to the other end of the rod, receiving a nod from Ember. "About five minutes after you insert the other end into your vagina, it should change color. If it turns blue, you are pregnant, if it turns red, you are clean." Volteer handed the rod to Ember and turned around, picking up the jar and placing it back into the cupboard. "I'll leave you for ten minutes and be back to check the results."

"But won't I be able to tell the color myself?"

"Why of course, yes, you would. But there are other tests that I wish to run before you must be off to Terrador. I Shall inform Flame of the happenings and bring him here. Seeing as he's probably wondering where you are right now."

Volteer exited the room while Ember considered what choice she had. And that was none. Rolling onto her back, she prepared herself to get tested, without becoming over stimulated.

"Ah, Cynder. We were wondering if you were ever going to turn up." Terrador started, looking upon the young Dragoness. "Why did you wish to arrange a meeting with Volteer and myself?"

Midday had passed, and Cynder had arranged with both Terrador and Volteer to meet at this time. Spyro was standing outside the door, as per Cynder's request, as Cyril had stated that it was she who had to inform them, not Spyro. "I'm actually here because of Cyril." The two Guardians spoke a few words between themselves.

"Go, on." Volteer motioned with one of his forepaws.

"And because I'm her, I actually have to tell you that I haven't exactly followed the rules. There-"

"Stop there, Cynder." Volteer interrupted the young Dragoness. "Does this, by any chance, have anything to do with the reason Ember was here earlier today?"

"Ember had already seen you both about it?"

"See? I told you." Terrador rolled his eyes as Volteer continued. "So, if this was for the same reason that Ember was here, that means you and Spyro are mated, correct?" Cynder simply nodded. "And so you have the same agreement with Cyril?"

"Yes."

"very well, both you and Spyro shall follow me, as there are some things that need to be sorted out."

"And when you're done you can both find me in the training room." Terrador added, who immediately turned and left the room.

Cynder moved back to the doorway and waved Spyro back inside, both Dragons following Volteer down the same passage Ember had many hours ago. Entering the same room as before, Volteer immediately went straight to the right cupboard and pulled out the same jar.

"I remember when I had to do this several times a day." The electric Guardian observed of himself. "Just like before the war." He pulled out one of the rods, noting how few left there were. If this kept up he would have to get more of them made. He passed the rod to Cynder, "Alright now, within five minutes we'll know if you are to be parents or not."

"Wait, so Ember did this test earlier today?" Spyro asked.

"Yes, she did. Now-"

"Are her and Flame to become parents?"

"Fortunately no, at least not this time. Thankfully, though no one was at fault. But that's not any concern of yours." Volteer returned his attention to Cynder. "See how there is a cap on one end? If you take that off, and insert the end into your vagina, it should tell us whether or not you're to become parents." Volteer turned around to leave the room. "Spyro, it is advised that you are not in the room during this process. Instead there is something else you must do."

Spyro followed Volteer and left Cynder alone, moving across the hall, a different room was entered, this one almost a mirror to the one they left Cynder in. "Why is this room the same as the other one?"

"But it's not the same, Spyro."

"It looks the same to me."

"Ah, Spyro, You're so naïve."

"Then what's it for?"

"At the moment, it's to keep you away from Cynder. But it might have a use depending on what the result may be."

Spyro moved down to the end of the room and lay on one of the beds. "Can you tell me what Terrador is planning?"

"I could, if I knew what that was. But unfortunately, I don't. Although you could ask Flame and Ember if they were around, they both spent all morning in the training room."

"Which would explain why I never saw them." Spyro cast a nervous glance to the floor.

"Relax, Spyro. It can't be much worse than what Cyril put you through the previous day."

Both Spyro and the electric Dragon crossed the corridor, alerting Cynder to their presence at the door before proceeding inwards. Spyro immediately look for Cynder, who had a look of relief on her face. Holding up the rod, a clear red filling the center of it, indicating that they too, were safe from parenthood. Spyro immediately bounded across the room and nuzzled against Cynder, who returned his affection. "Alright you two, enough." Volteer's voice forced separation between the two young Dragons, however, Volteer took a more solemn tone, lowering his voice to whispers entirely. "But it could be what I feared."

"So we can go to Terrador now?"

Volteer returned his attention to the two young Dragons before him. "Yes, yes. He shall be waiting for you." Volteer watched as the two Dragons left the room and headed towards the training area.

"This is good then. We don't want Hatchlings running around again, it was hard enough all those years ago."

"Yes, but I'm worried about both Spyro and Cynder."

"Why is that?" Cyril, sounding genuinely concerned as Volteer always took matters seriously.

"As you and I both know, it's the purple Dragon's genes that get passed down through generations until the next one is born."

"Yes, go on."

"Well, if my theory proves correct, then we may never have another purple Dragon after Spyro if Cynder is unable to conceive."

"How are you sure?"

"Many of the test I had run on Cynder during, and just after the war were to detect magical residues on her." Volteer's voice grew solemn, as when he discussed his fallen mate. "These test led to several conclusions that indicated that some sort of magic was at work on her body still. But I could never figure out why." Volteer's voice grew quieter still, just above a silent whisper, so much that Cyril had to strain to hear him. "Now I understand, I believe that Malefor foresaw that Spyro would fall for Cynder, and , eventually, take her as a mate."

A cold, dreadful realization was starting to dawn on Cyril. "What does this all mean?"

Volteer's voice stayed at it's barely hearable tone. "It means, well, it means that somehow the magic Malefor cast on her is still working now, rendering Cynder unable to bear young. Although the source is still unknown to me, I believe that I might still be able to undo what has been done."

"If what you're telling me is true, then we may have some bad news for those two, and I'm sure they won't take too kindly to it."