It was the first day of school at the local school when Urchin met Shell. She had flashed him to ask for a scroll he was reading. Urchin liked scrolls. He liked reading about places far away from the town he lived in. She asked for the scroll about the mountains of the Sky Kingdom, far up above even the top of the ocean.

Urchin was liked by the teachers, but for reasons other than himself. He came from a family that was well known in the Palaces for being guards of the crown. All males in the family were expected to follow in the exact footsteps of their fathers. The teachers were always making Urchin do work for them, treating him like his father had been treated by his teachers. Urchin didn't like it one bit.

But the one time Urchin told his father otherwise, he was met with a sharp whip on the back from his father's tail. "Don't say things like that!" His father flashed angrily. "Our family is one of honor and discipline! No time for insignificant dreams and useless interests! Everything you could ever want is under the ocean right here, and you still want more? Ungrateful!"

Urchin's father tore up the scrolls about enemy kingdoms, calling Urchin a race traitor, and kept other scrolls in places Urchin couldn't get them, calling them "for the adults."

All throughout Urchin's youth, he was punished for thinking beyond what his family wanted from him. When it became clear to Urchin that the only way he could live was by living how his family wanted, he accepted it, and became what they wanted him to be. Urchin began showing extraordinary discipline, followed orders exactly, and showed undying loyalty to the Sea Kingdom. His essay in school about how the Seawings were genetically fit for the world and had advantages other tribes didn't got posted up in the school hallway.

But above all other praise he got, he valued his father's acceptance and love toward him more than anything.

Except maybe one thing.

Shell had stuck by him throughout his years. And whenever he was around her, he felt like he didn't have to be someone anymore. He could just be himself. Shell was always more interested in the world beyond the sea. Something that Urchin talked about with her and her only. She was curious and would often get sucked into projects studying strange coral formations and the different colors on fish scales when the sun reflected off them. She had an undying want for unknown knowledge.

The two of them would often go on escapes out of the ocean and into the archipelago the Seawings owned. There were towns above the water, most of them destroyed by attacks on the Kingdom, but some still remained. There was a different culture up there than the towns below the ocean. More things from other kingdoms accessible. Shell knew many dragons up there. Urchin began to look forward to these times with Shell more than anything. Below the sea he was Urchin, the respected young student and the soon-to-be royal guard. Transgressions weren't acceptable, and duty was held above everything. Above the sea, he was Urchin, the free spirit and Shell's boyfriend.

When Urchin introduced Shell to his parents, she acted exactly the way they wanted Urchin's partner to be. Knowing her role and loyal to the crown. Through the good relationship Urchin had formed with his father, he let them get married.

It was the happiest day of Urchin's life. He moved away from his parents and moved into a house Shell's parents had gotten. It was in the same town, but wasn't as opulent as the home Urchin had lived in. Urchin did become a Royal Guard, where he kept with his tough demeanor, but at home, he had the option to live as he wanted. When anger and the old rhetoric began to get ahold of him, and he began to act like his father, Shell brought him back to the moment.

It was only with Shell that made Urchin realize he had a problem with vengeance. Most anger came from a feeling that something or somebody had made everything bad that happened, and a want to 'get back' at it. Shell would always start talking about going with life as it goes along, and not getting so hung up on things.

Sometimes, Shell would go off on "study trips" above water on her own. At first, Urchin didn't want her to go, because it could be dangerous with the war going on, but she was always reassuring him she wasn't going far, and she always returned safe, much to Urchin's relief, who would start to get sucked into his job a bit too much.

Shell kept a good number of scrolls to herself, writing in some, just reading others. Urchin tried reading one once while she wasn't around, something he felt intense shame for, but was concerned for her safety. There was one left out on a table, something she almost never did. Urchin couldn't understand what was important about it. Some fictional story about scavengers on a continent called Praebellia. Shell had marked it all up with writing about "Bornogo," "Souls," and "Tunnels." Urchin never let her know that he had read it.

When their first egg was going to hatch, Urchin felt nothing but fear. Fear that he would have to take up the role his father had left him. Shell's sister Angler was over when the egg hatched. He was a strong male for sure, the way he broke out of the egg like that. They decided on a name, Starfish.

But the time came soon after when Urchin's family and even the nobility of the Seawings congratulated him on his son, but to start the chain again. Teach him to be a guard. Home Urchin didn't want to, but work Urchin was all for it. He would tell the other guards about how he was going to start teaching early, so that Starfish would become one of the youngest guards in the palace's history, and a good one at that. Shell objected at home, which spawned the first argument with Shell. They eventually came to an agreement. Urchin would teach his son about being a guard like he was, but it didn't mean Starfish had to be one. Something Urchin didn't let anyone know.

Urchin tried to be a good father to the young Starfish, but he couldn't do it. He only knew discipline, the way his father raised him. There would be times when he lost his temper with his son, and felt tempted to whack him with his tail, but Shell held him back.

It was during these times when they started to drift apart. Shell spent more time on research and Urchin spent more time at the palace, sometimes bringing Starfish with him. The other guards got to meet Starfish and the young dragonet would look on in awe as the guards marched with their ornate spears and perfect formations.

Although Shell might have felt like Urchin was taking their son away, a couple years after Starfish hatched, a younger sibling hatched. Swordfish. Urchin saw none of the same potential that he saw in Starfish upon hatching. Shell ended up whisking Swordfish away sometimes when he was very young. To the point where Urchin felt as though Swordfish wasn't even his son.

The day when Queen Coral herself invited Urchin and Shell to dinner at the palace, King Gill asked the question. "Will your new dragonet also be a guard?" The entire table looked at Urchin and Shell. Shell looked at Urchin with a look Urchin would never forget. A look of betrayal. Urchin was compelled to say yes to the King's inquiry, but before he could open his mouth, Shell went off and left, leaving Urchin and the young Starfish at the table with the royalty.

Urchin returned home to find that everything had been how they had left it, except for a few things missing from Shell's research. Urchin held his two sons near him and cried. For the first time since he was a small dragonet.

When it became clear to him that Shell was not coming back, Urchin found himself at a bar up on the shores near a clifftop over the sea. A shady Seawing had offered him some seaweed spiked with some funky ingredients that made the pain feel numbed. Urchin had felt himself drifting into a world far from here with the weed and the alcohol. It felt nice for the first time in days.

A pale Sandwing with triangle designs on her wings approached him. She must have supported Blister, or else she wouldn't be here. Nobody reacted poorly to her presence. "Is anyone sitting here?" She asked, gesturing to the spot next to Urchin. "No…" Urchin said sadly and weakly. "My name is Jerboa." Said the Sandwing after sitting. She paused to tell the bartender she didn't want anything. Urchin didn't feel like he was awake. "I knew Shell." She said softly. "Knew…" Urchin said. "From where… her… research?" "… yes. I was a partner for her research." Jerboa answered. "Look… Shell isn't coming back." "I know that… that damn…" Urchin wheezed drunkenly. "No… I mean that she was killed. She died doing what she loved. I'm sorry." Jerboa said honestly to the near unconscious Urchin. Urchin said nothing, just looked down and took another drink.

"Shell told us about you. I've come to bring bad news unfortunately, but also offer an invitation." Jerboa said softly still. "If you want to know more about your partner, what she did, and continue her legacy, come join us." Jerboa slid a map to Urchin. It was labeled "Possibility" With two red x-marks at different locations. "She would have wanted you to know the truth too. She planned to tell you when you realized what the most important thing in life is." Jerboa said. "Come find us. Three knocks." She held out her claw and Urchin reached to meet hers. She dropped something small and metal into his. Then she turned and walked away.

Urchin looked at the earring. It was golden, and featured two dragon-like figures twisting around each other. Urchin decided to leave and go to bed, and then maybe he can think about this some more. He walked out of the bar drunkenly. The alcohol and seaweed affecting his movement greatly. He spread his wings and tried to catch a gust of wind, but instead slumped over and was blown off the cliff.

When Urchin woke up on the beach, all he was left with was an earring and sadness. He could hardly remember what happened. Only that he wanted more of that seaweed and he had to go back home to his sons. The ones who would carry on the legacy.

They were all he had.