Welcome back! Last time we went back into the past and witnessed the timeline of how Ignitus met an ice dragoness named Glacia, how they fell in love and eventually conceived a hatchling. That hatchling being our resident purple dragon Spyro (bet you didn't see that one coming.) But before the newfound family can have a happy life, Glacia decides to help out ally troops at Concurrent Skies… never to be seen again.
So now we return to the current time of Spyro and Cynder two years after 'The One'. I wonder what's going to happen? Read and find out!
By the way, as well as the Spyro franchise, I don't own anything (besides Glacia) that is seen or mentioned.
(Chapter 2: Seven Seas of Rhye)
The Artisan Valley, Eighteen Years Later…
(SPYRO's POV)
Cold. Fearful. Hopeless.
Those were the three things I felt as I looked upon this strange land in front of me, heavy torrential rain and strong winds whipping across on my face like a wave crashing against a rock. Lightning crashed and lit up the skies, a powerful noise of thunder piercing my eardrums afterwards.
What is this place? Why am I even here?
Where is Cynder? I need to find Cynder!
I tried as best as I could to get a good look at my surroundings, squinting my eyes through the vicious rain and wind to look past the monstrous weather. All that I could make out in the distance was an array of enormous crystals placed in front of a dark tower of some kind. Wasn't there a book series about a dark tower? If so, I don't remember reading about it…
A cloaked figure stood on top of a cliff overlooking the dark tower, the cloak rapidly flapping in the wind, surprisingly still covering the figure well. I knew instantly that the figure was a dragon due to its four-legged form. A few glimpses under the flowing cloak saw that the dragon had icy blue scales, similar to Cyril's. Its face was covered by a hood, slightly elongated at the front so I couldn't see their eyes.
Who was this dragon? Why am I dreaming about them? And how is this connected to me besides the obvious answer of 'being the purple dragon'?
I tried to speak up and get their attention, but my voice was instantly drowned out by another crack of lightning. Come on I've got to say something, I need answers!
The hooded dragon then slightly turned their head towards me, as if they knew that I was there. Please tell me this wasn't one of these situations where two creatures are having the exact same dream for some reason… anything but those dreams.
"The time approaches… be ready," the hooded figure muttered. The voice was that of a female.
Before I could speak up and ask the barrage of questions that filled my mind, another lightning strike filled the sky. This time it was much brighter and managed to almost burn my retinas and the entire landscape turned white, a familiar blaring noise screaming into my ears…
(-)
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
With a frightful gasp, I quickly opened my eyes and shot straight up into a sitting position. A cold sweat caked my face as I breathed in and out in an almost frantic manner.
Huh? What happened? What's going on?
I gazed around at my bedroom, the morning sun giving the room a perfect amount of light as it crept through the window above the bed. I groggily turned towards the bedside table where the alarm clock was blaring loudly as usual, the time reading eight o'clock flashing every couple of seconds.
Instinctively I reached out a paw towards the alarm clock and slammed the button on top to shut it up. I couldn't help but smirk as the alarm finally silenced. One of these days I needed to get a new alarm; the constant blaring noise was starting to get on my nerves.
Once my alarm went silent, I yawned and rubbed my eyes before looking around my bedroom again. I slightly smiled at my surroundings, thankful that I was back in my flat rather than that scary-looking realm I was in before.
What was that place anyway? Did I have a vision about some assassin-looking dragon? Odd, I haven't had a vision in years. It's been too long, way too long. Better not mention this to Cynder yet; she might not approve of me dreaming about a badass female dragon… who knows how she'll react.
Speaking of Cynder…
I darted my head to the other side of the bed and saw my girlfriend still sleeping soundly, completely underneath the covers, being completely unfazed by the alarm… again. It's funny to think that Cynder used to be up and about before the alarm set off, but lately she's been so exhausted that she now sleeps through an alarm. On a positive note, I get to see her even earlier than I did before. So that's something…
Five years since Malefor was defeated… the five happiest years of my life. I owe it all to Cynder because without her, I'd still be a social outcast. I've seen couples last a long time but I've also seen them last a couple of months or so. But with Cynder? Everything was perfect, sure we have the odd squabble now and again, but doesn't every couple?
"Cynder…" I murmured while nudging the lump on my bed. "Honey, wake up…"
Cynder started to stir, moving slightly on the bed. Eventually the blanket lifted to reveal a half-asleep Cynder turning towards me. Odd thing was that she was sleeping on the other end of the bed rather than sleeping on a pillow.
"Huh? What?" she groaned, her voice croaky. "What time is it?"
"Eight o'clock," I answered. "The alarm just went off…"
After hearing the time, Cynder rolled her eyes and slumped back into a sleeping position. "Five more minutes…"
I chuckled. "Sure, if you want to be late…"
Cynder looked back at me. "I don't start my shift till eleven though..." she protested.
"Exactly, you need to be up and about," I tried to convince her. "If you oversleep then you'll be late, it has happened once before and I don't want it to happen again."
My girlfriend went silent for a moment, only quietly groaning under her breath. That's usually when she realises that I'm right about something but is too stubborn to admit it. "Alright, alright… I'm getting up and having a shower," Cynder mumbled as she started to lift herself off the bed.
"Cool," I said as I got up out of bed, kissing Cynder on the cheek. "I'll make breakfast…"
Before leaving the bedroom, I attached my red bandana to my neck and straightened it out so it looked nice and tidy-ish, before heading out into the hallway to go into the kitchen. Man, I really need to iron this thing…
Now you're probably wondering why Cynder mentioned something about her shift starting at eleven. Well it's quite simple really, Cynder has a job.
We've lived in our flat for about three years now and before we turned eighteen, our rent was taken care of by Ignitus and the rest of the Guardians because we weren't old enough to pay rent for ourselves at that time. So we made a deal, once we turned eighteen then we had to rely on our own income. That meant we had to get jobs…
While I had my half of the rent sorted out from the errands and bounties I do across the many Dragon Realms, Cynder had to get a job to pay her half of the rent. Thankfully since no one knew of her history with Malefor, she could get a steady job anywhere.
After many successive interviews, she eventually secured a position as a sandwich artist at a local submarine sandwich establishment. The place was decent enough and the food was amazing, but it had suffered a lack of business in the past due to a false rumour that managed to put off everyone's appetite in their sandwiches. I too avoided the place when it first opened but when Cynder assured me that the rumours were, and I quote, 'bullshit', I started to visit it more and more.
Before Cynder had got the job, I previously offered for her to join me on my errands where we could take bad guys down together and split the bounty if one was offered. However she refused for a simple reason; she wanted to live a peaceful and normal life.
For thirteen years she had lived under Malefor's roof, the atmosphere full of hate and violence. Her mind was always on the fight, always trying to impress her adoptive father, always training herself to kill me. Now that she was free from his influence, she just wanted to live like any dragon in the Valley, and I'm going to make sure that happens… she deserves it after all.
I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed a wrapped loaf of bread from the fridge, clutching it gently in my maw as I strided over to the toaster. I placed the loaf on the counter, grabbing a couple of slices of bread from the wrapping and popping it in the toaster. I decided to make Cynder's first before making mine.
As the toast was cooking, I then wandered over to the living room towards the windowsill where Sparx had been sleeping. Sparx had seen better days, his once bright golden glow now diminished to a lighter yellow. Due to his aging being faster than dragons, he now had a scruffy beard and black horn-rimmed glasses.
Seeing him like this scared me; I had just begun to live while Sparx's life was almost finished. Even though he had long retired from being my protective shield, it was still nice to have him around. He and I were practically family in a sense. However, when that day comes, I have to be ready…
"Morning, Sparx!" I said cheerfully as usual.
Sparx, who was still asleep, rolled over and opened his eyes, small black irises tiredly glaring at me. Am I the only one who's active in the morning now?
"Geez, Spyro… What's a dragonfly gotta do to get some decent sleep around here?" he muttered through a series of buzzes.
I frowned. Typical Sparx. "We're going to see Ignitus today, remember? I need you up and ready…"
Sparx scratched his head. "Oh right, I forgot about that…" he said before he looked around and ushered me into a whisper. "Is the she-devil coming with us?"
I sighed, annoyed at Sparx's nickname for Cynder. "No, Cynder isn't coming with us. She's got work till five-thirty…"
"Oh thank the dragonflies."
"But…" I continued. "We are going to pop by the restaurant and pick up lunch on the way back."
"Ah fu-"
I cleared my throat before Sparx could finish the rest of what he was saying, the sound of toast conveniently popping out of the toaster ringing through the house around the same time. "Anyway… breakfast?" I asked.
"Just the usual…" Sparx grumbled.
I smiled and quickly dashed back to the kitchen, grabbing honey out of the fridge. I then grabbed a plate from one of the bottom cabinets and placed the perfectly cooked toast onto it.
Just in time, too. As I turned around, I saw Cynder sitting on her haunches near the kitchen doorway. She looked like she just got out of the shower as she was drying her horns with a towel and her black scales slightly shimmered in the light. She must've snuck by me when I was talking to Sparx…
I beamed. "Hey, how was your shower?"
"Refreshing, just what I needed," Cynder replied, giving me a playful smirk afterwards. "But… it would've been even nicer if you joined me."
"Maybe…" I chuckled as I spread honey on Cynder's toast. "Next time, perhaps?"
Cynder calmly grabbed my maw and turned it around so I was facing her again, before giving me a soft kiss on the lips. "Deal," she whispered, resting her head on my shoulder afterwards. "So what are your plans today?"
"Well Sparx and I are going to visit Ignitus and the others; it's been a while since I've seen them," I replied, passing the toast to Cynder. "Last time I went for a quiet visit, I came back with an errand in Luau Island!"
"Just don't let them pull you into a situation you don't want to be involved in…" Cynder advised. "You have a right to say no, you know that right?"
"I know..." I said, smiling at her. "Besides if they don't listen, I'll just threaten them with a visit from you. It worked when we went to Dragon Shores a few years back…"
Cynder laughed and playfully prodded me in the side. "Maybe next time I'll try giving them 'the look'." My eye twitched in fear at the mention of 'the look'. "Works on you so it might work on them."
After looking at the clock above the doorway briefly, Cynder then uttered a disappointing sigh. "I better get going, don't want Azhi to have a cow at me… again."
I gave her an exaggerated upset look. "Aww already?" I pouted.
Cynder smirked and rolled her eyes at me, not falling for my emotional tricks. "You may look cute with your puppy dog eyes, Spyro… but that hasn't worked on me once," she said.
I shrugged. "Eh, worth a try."
Cynder then wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll see you this afternoon, yeah…"
I rubbed her arms. "You'll still be up for tonight, right?"
"Of course!" Cynder exclaimed cheerfully. "I wouldn't miss it."
I leaned in and gave Cynder a nuzzle. "I love you…"
Cynder happily returned the nuzzle. "I love you too…"
After a brief minute of nuzzling each other, Cynder and I separated from our loving embrace. As my brain was still buzzing from the affection my girlfriend gave me, Cynder made her way out of the kitchen.
"See you later, sweetie!" Cynder called out as she exited the kitchen.
"Have fun at work!" I teased.
"Ha ha."
I heard the front door both faintly open and close which told me that Cynder had left. After the door closed, I immediately began to make breakfast for Sparx and I. Thoughts of me and Cynder flowed through my mind like a lazy river at an aquatics centre. For some reason, the future quickly came into mind.
What was my future with Cynder? We've been dating for five years now and it seems like our bond is getting stronger every day. So what is the next step? Marriage? Kids?
I immediately blushed deeply at the thought of a potential marriage and family life with Cynder. Now is not the time to be thinking about that… We're both eighteen, neither of us are ready for that step. I'm not even sure Cynder even wants that life…
Someday, Spyro… someday.
(-)
After breakfast, Sparx and I left the flat and traversed down the road towards the Dragon Temple, where the Guardians resided. It's been months since I last visited the Temple; I've just gotten so busy over time with doing hero work and spending time with Cynder while she's not working to go and visit them. Even if I had time to visit them, I would get anxious in case they surprised me with an errand.
Luckily for me, the pressure on resolving every errand in the Realms isn't just on me. After Cynder had a talk with the Guardians a couple years back, they started to recruit the Skylander Cadets to do some of the jobs that, in their opinion, wasn't worth my time. Sounds harsh but it's true.
As Sparx and I wandered through the town, I looked around at all the merchants and passersby that filled the centre. Even after five years, this town hadn't changed a bit. After seeing the other realms having castles or skyscrapers, it's good to live somewhere that was simple and wasn't trying too hard to attract tourists. Cynder certainly enjoys living in the Valley, a far improvement over the dump she lived in with Malefor.
The only thing that did change was my reputation. Before I knew of my purpose, most of the civilians were cautious whenever I walked by. I was the next purple dragon after Malefor and seeing what he did to the Realms made everyone scared of what I would become, as if being purple was some curse or something. That's why I chose to be alone; no one wanted to be my friend so why bother?
However that all changed when Malefor died; I was now noticed and treated as a hero and a saviour. Parents no longer held their kids closer to their person when I was around, instead they let the kids approach me. Kids were always my favourite part of my newfound fame; even after five years I would get hassled by a group of hatchlings wanting me to tell them how I defeated Malefor or to show off one of my elements. Girls especially would swarm me whenever they get the chance but they are usually met with a very jealous Cynder.
Speaking of Cynder, she also found fame as well. No, it wasn't because of her being the adoptive daughter of Malefor… no one knew of that and no one ever will. I might've slipped out that Cynder was there on my journey to free all the Guardians but I changed the story slightly so that Cynder and Malefor were never connected. I didn't even mention that Cynder once tried to kill me, I only mentioned that we came across each other out of the blue in Summer Forest. It wasn't like I was lying, but altering it so Cynder's life could be better in the future. I couldn't bear to see her being tormented. I love her too much to let that happen…
Sparx and I continued to walk through the marketplace, politely passing through passersby as they gazed at all the goods that the Artisan Valley had to offer. Sparx would occasionally fly to a vendor that would pique his interest, forcing me to go after him. For someone who was older than me, his speed was as young as ever.
"Sparx, come on!" I barked as I caught him at the fourth vendor he came across. "We don't have time for this!"
"What? I thought these clocks looked interesting!" Sparx exclaimed. This made me raise my eyebrow; since when did Sparx ever think that clocks were interesting?
"Well they're half-price at the moment if you're interested…" the dragon vendor pointed out, adjusting the sign that indicated the price of the clocks nearby.
The dragon had blue scales with a white underbelly and long yellow-white hair, even having a couple of strands on his snout. Clocks of various times were strapped to his neck and arms, and advanced mechanical goggles with horn-like parts were perched on top of his head. I recognised this dragon as Lindar, one of Alvar's friends. He was an inventor of sorts, manufacturing an assortment of clocks and jewelry.
"No thanks Lindar, we're in a hurry…" I spoke up before Sparx could ask to buy something.
Lindar's eyes widened when I came into view. "Spyro, my boy, is that you?!" he wondered. "Goodness how you've grown!"
"Yep, five years will do that to you…" I muttered awkwardly, rubbing the back of my head. "How's business going?"
"Same as usual, although it might be quieter as the season progresses…" Lindar chuckled. "How are you and Cynder doing? Not getting yourselves into trouble again I hope?"
I snorted, blushing slightly. "Trouble? Cynder and I? Never…"
Lindar gave me an unconvinced look. "Need I remind you of the time that Alvar and I caught you two under the bleachers at the ice hockey game a few years back…"
I blushed even more. Oh yeah, I forgot about that…
"We were young and stupid back then!" I protested. "Cynder and I are more mature now…"
"Good, good. Glad to hear that…" Lindar muttered. "So are you two thinking of taking your relationship to the next level?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know, engagement! Marriage!" Lindar exclaimed. "When are you going to pop the question?!"
I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Sure, I have thought about it, but aren't I too young to be even considering that? I want nothing more to marry Cynder; she's the love of my life after all. It would be a crime not to consider marriage in the time that she and I have been together.
But it's too soon… or is it? I don't know… I need to talk to someone about this.
"Uh, well… I don't know." I answered.
Lindar even gave a look of realization. "Oh I know just the thing!" he said before he went under his stall to grab something, the sound of metal jingling as he rummaged through his stock.
"What's he looking for?" Sparx whispered questionably in my ear.
"No idea…" I whispered back.
Eventually Lindar shot back up to face me and Sparx. "Ah, here it is!" he beamed, examining a small metallic object in his paw. "Have a look at this…"
"I'm kind of in a…"
I stopped talking as Lindar showed me a ring of pure beauty. It was a magnificent silver, shining in the early morning sun. On top of the actual ring itself was a gem of dazzling purple, the same shade of purple as my scales. It was a simple ring, albeit effective, but the radiance of it all made me think of the price. There's no way something like that is gonna be cheap.
"Oh wow…" I murmured, dreaming of seeing that ring on Cynder's paw.
Sparx merely scoffed. "Eh, I've seen better…" he buzzed under his breath.
"Do you like it?" Lindar wondered.
"It is beautiful…" I replied, reaching out to grab it. However once I was at claw's length of the ring, something in the back of my head made me retract my paw. "But I can't take it, I'm not ready to propose yet…"
"Very well… just something to think about," Lindar merely nodded his head understandingly, tucking the ring back underneath the vendor. "You'd best be heading off then. To the Temple, I presume?"
"Yep," I nodded as I started to usher Sparx away with my wing. "Thanks for showing the ring, Lindar…"
"Take care now, young dragon…"
I said my goodbyes to Lindar before heading back into the crowd as Sparx and I continued to make our way to the Temple, the thought of proposing to Cynder overwhelming my mind.
As we walked, Sparx flew into my eyesight which caused me to stop dead in my tracks in the middle of the marketplace. "Are you seriously thinking of proposing to the she-demon?" he pondered, folding his front limbs.
I frowned. What's with Sparx being so negative against Cynder? What's she ever done to him in the five years that she and I dated? "I don't know," I responded. "It's a big step for me and Cynder. We're just getting into adulthood, there's no need to rush things…"
"Good, good. Don't want you to make a decision you might regret," Sparx said as he stroked his mustache. "But if you do want to keep the Mistress of Darkness around for the rest of your life, I'll support you all the way."
I looked at Sparx in surprise, I didn't expect him to say that. I gave my dragonfly companion a small smile.
"Thanks, Sparx…"
()
Even after five years, the Dragon Temple still looked the same as always…
I gazed upon the roundish building that was carved from yellowish brown stone, a great archway with two large oak doors at the entrance. Ancient draconic was engraved into the walls and the archway, even I don't know what it means. Giant blue gems covered the walls, while three red gems were placed on each side of the archway. Agriculture had started to grow in the cracks of the walls, fresh vines covering them in a sea of green. Man, Hugo needs to clean this place up a little…
I looked up to the entrance of the Temple and smiled softly. It felt like going home after being away for a long time. Well, this was my home for sixteen years, Cynder's for three. So many memories could be found here, both good and bad.
As much as I loved the flat Cynder and I are in, I did miss this place. I missed that room where I spent most of my free time in, that room that was opposite to Cynder's (not that she used it, as she liked to stay in my room most of the time.)
"Spyro? You okay there?" Sparx wondered when he noticed that I wasn't going inside.
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him. "Huh? Yeah… just remembering," I replied before heading inside.
As I opened the door, everything was quiet inside. I shut the door behind me as Sparx and I started to casually walk through the Temple. The sun shone through the entranceway through an open skylight, allowing light to flow into the corridor. It looked empty but that didn't surprise me; the Temple was larger than it looked and the Guardians were probably tending to their duties in their rooms or at the Pool of Visions. However for a temple this large, how come it only fits four guardians and few scholarly moles? Makes you think if, at any point, there were other guardian dragons for the other elements as well.
Let's see, Ignitus' room wasn't too far away. As I recall, it was near the grotto… if not, he's probably in the Pool of Visions.
Sparx and I strolled through the many corridors that made up the Temple. I forgot that this place was kind of like a maze, especially since all the corridors and doors look the same. Back when I was little I used to remember where everything was, but now that I don't live here anymore, it has become difficult.
After a while, I eventually found the door to Ignitus' room. It was an aged dark red with the symbol for the fire element engraved and stamped in metal. The door wasn't much to look at but it did its job, informing you that this was the Fire Guardian's room. Well, one of his rooms, if he has to visit realm to realm.
Without any hesitation, I rapped on the door a few times. I only had to wait a few seconds or so before someone answered the door.
It was Ignitus, still calm and collected as always. The fire guardian smiled as he gazed down towards me. "Hello, young dragon… this is a pleasant surprise."
"Hey Ignitus," I greeted. "Do you mind if Sparx and I come in for a while?"
"Not at all, Spyro…" he said with a nod, stepping aside to let us in. "I was just doing a bit of light reading."
As I entered Ignitus' room, my eyes peered around its surroundings. The room was much more classical and tidy compared to my room. An elegant four poster bed draped in red and orange was inserted in the corner of the room, opposite the door. Two bookcases were built right into the walls next to the bed, presumably containing information about the history of the dragons or details about the fire element itself. In between the bookcases was an archway that led into a smaller room, which had a wooden desk and scraps of parchment scattered in tidy piles all over the place. No matter how many times I have gone into this room, I can never get used to how fancy it was.
"So what brings you here, young dragon?" Ignitus wondered as he shut the door behind him.
I turned to face him and sat on my haunches, rubbing the back of my head. "Well, I came to see you… you know, check if you were alright and stuff," I replied. Even with the Guardians, I can still be a little socially awkward sometimes. It's just how I've always been. "I've been just staying at home the last couple of days so I thought I'd go and be social for once. Oh, and to get Sparx out as well..."
Ignitus slightly chuckled. "That is kind and considerate of you, Spyro… We haven't had much of a proper conversation in quite a while."
"So how are things?" I asked.
"Good, good. All is well. Thanks to you, myself and the other Guardians have been able to take things more easier nowadays. Back in when Malefor was still alive, it used to be in constant worry and fear. So it's nice to just… breathe again," Ignitus answered calmly.
"Yeah same, it feels great to just walk around without being in constant danger all the time…" I muttered. "And what of the other realms, they're alright too?"
"They're fine, as far as I'm aware of…" Ignitus replied. "Both you and the Skylanders have been doing a fine job keeping the peace that we've struggled to maintain for many years."
I frowned slightly at the mention of the Skylanders. While it was great to hear that some of the cadets that were recruited after Malefor's defeat have been helping me out protecting the realms, something deep down inside of me is a little concerned for them.
There was a little part of me that feared the Skylanders mentoring the cadets, the very same Skylanders that used to bully me time and time again to satisfy their egos. Hopefully they matured in the last five years…
"What about Cynder? How is she doing?"
I smirked, all my concerns about the Skylanders immediately washed away by thoughts of my girlfriend. "She's great! I'm happy, she's happy… we're both happy," I responded cheerfully. "She started working at that sandwich place not too long ago and she's excelling at that…"
"That's good to hear," Ignitus said as he walked over to the bookshelf and started tidying it up a bit. "Although I thought she would've joined you in your errands…"
I shook my head. "I did offer but she wanted to live a life away from fighting. After all that she's been through, I don't blame her…"
"Neither do I, young dragon… and I'm partly responsible for what happened to her," Ignitus muttered, lowering his head in guilt.
"You did the best you could, Ignitus, everyone knows that," I remarked. "Cynder knows that, you told her yourself!"
Ignitus looked to me, the look of guilt still in his eyes. "I know, Spyro…" he then took a deep breath and put on a happier expression. "Anyway, I hope you and her aren't getting yourselves into trouble…"
Seeing that Ignitus was changing the subject, I cleared my throat and answered him. "No, we're not… I mean, we do tease each other a lot but nothing serious."
My paws shuffled uncomfortably when a recent thought came into mind suddenly. "Speaking of Cynder, there's something I need to talk to you about… something I can't discuss with the other Guardians."
I could see Ignitus' eyes widen in a panic but despite that, he still maintained his calm stature. Even Sparx, who was slowly flying around and looking at Ignitus' stuff as he and I were talking, looked at me in complete shock. Thinking about it, the words did sound a little dodgy.
"And what would that be?" Ignitus questioned, raising his eyebrow.
I took a deep breath before answering. "I'm thinking of proposing to Cynder…"
Both Ignitus and Sparx muttered in relief, something that puzzled me. I wonder what they were thinking about before…
"That's wonderful to hear, young dragon. I'm sure Cynder would be more than delighted by your proposal," Ignitus exclaimed, a warm smile on his maw.
I merely shrugged. "Well, like I said, I'm thinking about it. Haven't even bought a ring yet…" I murmured, slightly looking down at the ground. "But is it too soon to think about it? Am I even ready for it? I mean… Cynder and I have been dating for five years but at the same time we haven't even reached our twenties yet. I don't know… what do you think Ignitus?"
Ignitus took a moment to think over my questions but eventually he spoke up. "Well it doesn't really matter what I think," he approached me and placed his paw on my shoulder. "It depends whether you feel that you're ready to take that next step or not."
I slowly moved away from Ignitus' gaze as I pondered over what he said. As always, he was right. It's up to me whether or not I want to take that next step with Cynder. My heart is telling me that I'm ready and should go for it, while my brain, on the other hand, is telling me to think this over some more, perhaps wait a few years or so until I can ask her. Right now, I don't know which voice to side with at this point in time.
"You're right Ignitus… I just need to think it over some more," I finally said, looking back to Ignitus.
Ignitus smiled once again. "Very well. But remember that you don't have to rush yourself to make a decision, it'll just come to you when the time is right."
"One other question, Ignitus…"
"Yes?"
"Hypothetically, if I were to propose to Cynder, would you approve?" I wondered. "Like, you know, give your blessing and all that?"
Ignitus removed his paw from my shoulder. "Of course I would, young dragon," he answered before slightly cocking his head to the side. "But why ask for my approval rather than the other Guardians?"
I shrugged. "Well while I've thought of you, Terrador, Volteer and Cyril as my four dads, I always thought of you as more of my dad than the rest. You've been there to guide me through the good times, the bad times and the ugly ones as well. I just thought you would've wanted me to be with the right girl… someone that can see me as more than the purple dragon."
Although Ignitus was clearly touched about what I had said, there was something in his eyes that seemed different. Almost as if he was sad. But why would something so touching be so sad?
Maybe it was about his mate he mentioned to me a few years back. What was her name? Glacia? Maybe her and Ignitus never had the chance to have kids during the war or maybe they lost theirs a long time ago… I wasn't quite sure.
"Ignitus? Is everything okay?" I spoke up when Ignitus didn't say anything.
"Hmm?" Ignitus merely blinked a couple of times and shook his head a little bit before looking down at me. "Oh yes, everything's fine. Why don't you and Sparx run along, I'm sure you have plenty of stuff to do…"
I raised an eyebrow. Something about the way he said that sounded fishy. "Oh, uh okay, um… are you sure?"
"Yes, I just remembered about some paperwork that urgently needs doing," Ignitus said as he started to frantically pace about his room. "I suggest you and Sparx take your leave…"
I sat there in shock as Ignitus collected his papers from his bedside drawers. "Well ok then. I'll see you later, I guess…"
"Farewell, Spyro."
I gestured to Sparx that it was time to leave and he soon zoomed across the room to join me as I shut Ignitus' door behind me, still bewildered about what had transpired.
"Well, that went well," Sparx muttered.
I didn't say anything. I was still puzzled, Ignitus had never acted that way before. He never batted me away for work purposes, that was so unlike him. He always was willing to listen about what I would have to say, even if he had to work to do.
Did I say something wrong? When I mentioned he was like a father to me, he panicked. At least, I think he was panicking. It was as if what I had said had triggered something inside Ignitus' brain. A forgotten memory perhaps? Or maybe he was keeping something from me…
If only I could figure out what it was…
(CYNDER's POV)
"Here you go, miss. That'll be six gems…" I said, putting on my best happy voice for the customers in front of me.
The customers were a mother and daughter, both earth dragons with dark green scales and brown underbellies. The mother had long pointed horns and yellow fur that sprouted on the top of her head, also donning a pair of sunglasses that covered up her eyes. The daughter, meanwhile, looked very much like her mother besides from her horns, which were thicker and more jagged.
"Thank you. Glad you got my order right this time…" she remarked in a kind and friendly tone despite threatening to call the manager a minute ago.
As she and her daughter turned to leave, my happy face suddenly turned into an annoyed frown. Geez, what a bitch. All because I put 'too much' lettuce in her sandwich.
I looked to the clock above me and sighed. Urgh, so long until my shift ends… why does time go so slow during work times? It's like the universe wants me to suffer more than usual.
When I decided to pass the time by clearing some of the surfaces behind me, a fire dragon wearing a black half cap popped his head out from behind the kitchen.
"How's everything going, Cynder?" the fire dragon wondered, his thick accent being hard for me to understand fully. "You getting that food out okay?"
I cursed under my breath. Does he have to nag me everytime he sets his eyes on me? "Yes, Azhi… everything's fine," I muttered calmly.
Azhi was the duty manager of where I worked, not quite the boss of the entire establishment but the boss of me and the other employees. He and I have had our ups and downs ever since I started working, some days he's okay but other days he's just… unbearable.
On my first few shifts, Azhi was very strict with me. If I did something wrong while I was still learning the ropes, there was this look that he would give me that was a cross between disappointment and the look that someone gives when the other person is being bone dead stupid. It turns out that he does this with every new employee that gets hired, but why? Is he letting everyone know that he's in charge right off the bat? Surely being more friendlier and encouraging would be much better for morale…
Thankfully after my first few days, he started to back down a bit. However that didn't mean I was on good terms with him. There were times where he tried to interact with me and it never works out. One time I came back to work after taking a few days off sick, Azhi came up to me and asked me where I'd been. When I tried to explain, he told me that it wasn't good enough and that I was letting the team down. I was so confused that I couldn't say anything so I turned around and continued to sign in. It was only after an awkward silence where Azhi told me that he was only joking.
Needless to say, that's when I realised that Azhi and I were never going to get along… no matter how much he tried to relate to me or anyone my age. I know sometimes he's just doing his job but the way he does it is so… different.
Azhi soon retreated back to the kitchen as I rolled my eyes and continued to clear the surfaces. The place wasn't usually busy during the morning, but by lunchtime it usually began to get much busier.
I looked at the clock once again. 11:30... Spyro should be getting his lunch soon. The inevitability of seeing Spyro during my shift remains the only thing that keeps me going all day.
As soon as I ducked down under the counter, I heard a low buzzing noise blaring near the door. The buzzing was there to tell us if a customer was in the building in case any of us were hiding in the back. It's annoying but necessary.
I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself to serve the customer. Living in a fortress inside a mountain for most of my childhood didn't exactly help with talking to the public. Spyro, Sparx and the rest of the Guardians were easy because they were my family in a sense. I'm used to being around them but other creatures? That was a little harder to get used to…
"Hello, how may I be-?" I greeted as I stood back up, only to stop in my tracks when I saw who was in front of me. "Oh, hi honey…"
Spyro stood in front of me with a small grin on his face, Sparx flying next to him looking at the food through the glass. "Hey Cyn," he greeted back with a cute little wave.
I looked back to the clock then back at Spyro again. "Didn't expect you to be here so soon. I thought you were coming around lunchtime…"
"Well I was," Spyro started to explain, scratching the back of his head. "But um, my chat with Ignitus went shorter than I expected…"
I raised my eyebrow, Ignitus was no Volteer but he and Spyro always had long conversations. I wonder why it was shorter today… "Oh really?" I questioned. "Did he have work to do or something?"
"Yes… and no," Spyro replied, looking even more puzzled. "He said he was doing a bit of light reading when I arrived but while we were talking, he suddenly remembered about some paperwork he had to do and told Sparx and I to leave."
I shrugged. "He had work to do, Spyro… I'm sure he wouldn't have brushed you off intentionally."
"I know but it was the way he did it," Spyro explained further. "He looked so haunted and sad, like what I had said had upset him…"
"What did you say to him?" I wondered, growing more curious by the second knowing fully well that Spyro wouldn't say anything that would upset Ignitus. He looked up to the fire guardian so much that he wouldn't dare talk shit about him.
Spyro was about to answer until Azhi emerged from the kitchen and cleared his throat. Both of us quickly turned around to look at him, eyes widened.
"Cynder, what are you doing making small talk with the customers?" Azhi murmured, frowning at me intensely. Did he really have to scold me in front of my boyfriend of all creatures?
"Sorry about that Azhi, but I know him outside of work; this is Spyro… I'm sure I have mentioned him a few times." I replied timidly.
Azhi looked at Spyro, his eyes gazing up and down to get a good look until he eventually spoke. "So, you're the famous Spyro huh? It's a pleasure to meet you," he said as he walked over to extend his paw.
Spyro reluctantly shook Azhi's paw. "Azhi, right?" Spyro responded. "Cynder has talked about you a lot…"
Azhi's eyes seemed to light up slightly. "Really? Good things I hope…" he chuckled.
"Yeah sure," Spyro lied, trying to look as honest as possible.
"You didn't tell me that you were friends with the purple dragon, Cynder…" Azhi muttered, turning to face me.
I frowned. "He's my boyfriend actually."
Azhi's eyes widened in complete shock. "Really?" he queried. "You two are together?" Why was that a surprise to everyone?
"Yeah for five years now…" Spyro spoke up when he saw me looking a bit pissed off. "She means everything to me."
I couldn't help but blush slightly, not just from Spyro's kind words but also in embarrassment since Azhi was literally standing next to me.
Azhi raised an eyebrow. "Really? The two of you are a bit of an odd couple, aren't you?"
My claws clenched tightly on the floor at this point as I tried not to shout at him. What gives him the right to say that Spyro and I are an odd couple?! Does he think I'm not worthy of being with the purple dragon?! I didn't think I needed to be worthy to date Spyro! Who Spyro and I should date is of no concern to him!
Seeing that I was about to kill my boss on the spot, Spyro cleared his throat loudly. "S-Sorry, but can I order something now?" he spoke up loudly.
I started to calm down slightly, my claws slowly relaxing. Thank the ancestors for Spyro being there, he knows when I'm about to get angry so he knows how to defuse the situation. He always has my back…
Azhi looked at Spyro and nodded. "Oh right, of course," he said before turning back to me. "Carry on then Cynder…"
He then turned to leave. As soon as he was no longer in sight, I sighed and looked apologetically at Spyro.
"Sorry about that, Spyro…" I murmured. "Azhi can be a real dick sometimes!"
"It's alright, Cynder. There's no need to apologise," he assured me as he gave me one of his warm smiles. "Just don't let him get to you, okay?"
"I won't." I smiled back. It'll be a bit hard not to let someone like Azhi get to me, but if Spyro believes I can, then it can't hurt to try.
After I served Spyro and Sparx their sandwiches, knowing both their orders off by heart, Spyro tossed a few gems into the tip jar, winking in my direction.
"A tip of generosity for my lady…" he said, slightly bowing afterwards. Sparx was in the back rolling his eyes at us. Over the past few years, I've just learned to ignore what Sparx does.
I giggled. "How very kind of you, sweetie."
"I'll see you later," Spyro chirped as he and Sparx began to head to the door.
"See you later," I said, waving him goodbye and blowing him a kiss, Spyro 'catching' it and placing it on his chest as he closed the door behind him. I thought I could hear Sparx fake retching behind the door. Blowing a kiss isn't that gross, is it?
I just wish my shift would end soon enough so that I can spend some time with Spyro…
(-)
The time went by slowly but ultimately I was to escape from my sandwich prison at five-thirty, which was when the night shift took over. As I walked home, I passed by the Autumn Fair which was starting to pack with many of the Artisan Valley's citizens.
The Autumn Fair was a carnival-type event that the Valley had hosted ever since Malefor's defeat. Kids both big and small would dress up as their favourite fictional characters, or whatever character their parents thought they looked 'cute' as.
Spyro and I would always dress up, I never realised how much fun it was to dress up as someone from fiction until I met Spyro. Last year I was a wizard with glasses and a lightning scar on their forehead, while Spyro was a hobbit, complete with a green cloak and a golden ring.
This year however, was going to be a bit different…
I managed to get home while Spyro was having a nap on the couch, quietly sneaking past the purple lump to get to the bedroom. Once I was there, I made my way to the closet and pulled out my costume that was neatly folded and hidden away.
The costume consisted of a black hooded robe with tatters draping from the arms, or in my case, the forelegs, and had a spiked trim at the bottom. A mask was included, custom-made for a dragon, it was white with black eyes, nose and a mouth that was elongated so it looked like it was screaming.
Once I got the costume on, I looked at myself in the mirror to see how it looked. Not quite as good as the movie since the creature who wore the costume was more humanoid, but it would do. Before leaving, I quickly did a standard killer head tilt in the mirror. I mentally laughed, I'd always wanted to do that…
I stealthily crept back to the lounge where thankfully Spyro was still sleeping; he was always a quiet sleeper so I wouldn't be able to tell if he was asleep from just entering the room. I slowly approached Spyro, a mischievous grin formed on my face as I thought of the perfect way to wake him up.
I gently leapt up on top of him and edged closer to his face where I nudged his nose softly to wake him up. Spyro soon started to stirr, smiling at my soft nudges and soon opened his eyes. He was in for a big surprise.
"Boo!" I exclaimed.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Without any hesitation, Spyro instinctively punched me right in the face. The force of the punch caused me to fall onto the ground in front of the couch. Ouch… Okay, I certainly wasn't expecting that…
When Spyro heard my grunts and groans in pain, his eyes immediately widened as his face was filled with regret.
"Cynder?!" he exclaimed, quickly getting off the couch and helping me to my paws. "Oh my ancestors, I'm so, so sorry! Are you okay?!"
"Yeah, I'm fine…" I replied, taking the ghost mask off to rub my snout. "The mask absorbed the blow a bit."
"Ancestors, you scared me!" Spyro sputtered, still jittery from fright. "Why are you dressed as the killer from Screech?"
"It's my costume, you dumbo!"
Spyro then looked at me with realization, as if he just suddenly remembered why I had the costume in the first place. "Oh… Oh! I had no idea, you look super cool!" he acknowledged. "I thought you were actually Billy Loomis there for a second…"
"Too bad it couldn't stop me from getting punched in the face though…" I muttered with a smirk.
Spyro looked down at the ground, regret and sadness plastered on his face. "Again, I'm sorry for that… really I am, I didn't mean to hurt you."
I grabbed his paws tenderly and nuzzled him, to which he accepted. "I'm okay, Spyro. I've been through worse; a punch in the face is nothing compared to being stabbed in the stomach by you-know-who…" I murmured."Anyway, where's your costume?"
Spyro's eyes lit up at that moment. "Oh, I'll put it on now!"
He separated from our embrace and whisked off back into the bedroom. A minute later, he was back, wearing a tweed jacket and a red bowtie around his neck as well as a red cylindrical hat on his head.
"Ta da!" he exclaimed, showing off his outfit. I smiled; he looked so handsome in that jacket.
I cocked my head to the side when I looked upon the red hat on Spyro's head. "Spyro, what are you wearing on your head?" I asked.
Spyro beamed. "It's a fez, fezzes are cool…"
I chuckled as I put on my mask again. "Okay then cool guy, let's get a move on before the fair gets packed."
"Sounds like a plan, come along Cyn!" Spyro suggested, draping his wing around me as we walked out of our flat and towards the fair.
(-)
The Autumn Fair, when we got there, was reasonably packed. Dragons, cheetahs and moles in the Valley found themselves in various stalls and attractions that were laid out in the courtyard in front of us. The place was decorated in reds, oranges and yellows, ranging from bunting placed from stall to stall and the odd pumpkin or two that was placed in numerous spots across the area.
Children's screams and squeals of delight echoed through the air as they ran around, dressed as either superheroes, famous monsters or a particular TV, movie or video game character. Seeing the children always puts a smile on my face, not because their happiness is infectious but because it's the sound of freedom and peace… a freedom and peace that I never got to experience as a hatchling but now, thanks to Spyro, I can finally leave behind that old life of being 'Daddy's Terror of the Skies'.
"Wow, it's more crowded here than last year!" Spyro pointed out as he observed the crowd. He then turned to me. "So what do you want to do?"
As I thought about where to go, Spyro caught his eye on a particular stall nearby. "Ooh look, apple bobbing! I love apple bobbing!" Spyro exclaimed happily, as if he was a little hatchling himself. "Waddya say, Cynder? Up for a little challenge?"
"Ready to get beaten again?" I smirked under the mask.
"Maybe," Spyro smiled innocently. "If only the one dearest to my heart would throw the challenge…"
I laughed. Like that's ever going to happen! "You wish, purple boy!"
"Well, it was worth a shot." Spyro shrugged.
"Indeed, a shot that you missed completely…" I muttered. "Anyway, it's time I beat you for the third time in a row!"
"You're on!"
Spyro and I soon bounded at a fast pace towards the apple bobbing stall to secure a spot, laughing amongst ourselves. As Spyro made the payment and had begun to quickly retrieve all the apples from a large cauldron, I couldn't help but look out of the corner of my eye. I don't know why but something felt wrong… very wrong.
A young hatchling was wandering the courtyard, all alone… and scared.
The hatchling was difficult to describe but I knew that it was an electricity dragon since its tail and signature yellow scales were the only draconic characteristic that was showing. The rest of the hatchling was encased in silver armour, presumably made of cardboard and duct tape. Even though the hatchling wore a helmet with a t-shaped visor, I could sense panic and sadness in the hatchling. But what could make a kid so sad and scared at this time?
"Spyro?" I whispered, nudging my boyfriend while he was still apple bobbing. "Spyro?!"
Immediately, Spyro's head rose out of the water and he turned to me looking confused. "What's wrong? I wasn't going to drown or anything."
"It's not that, just look over there…" I said, gesturing to the hatchling.
"Oh, that armor looks sick!" Spyro awed, fascination in his eyes. "Is that Mand-?"
I frowned and elbowed him hard in the stomach. "Not the costume, doofus, the kid! They look upset, something's wrong!"
Spyro then turned serious. "Really? You sure?"
"I think so, judging from their body language…" I replied.
"Well, let's go see what's wrong," Spyro suggested, moving away from the apple bobbing stall with me closely following him.
We made our way towards the upset hatchling, the reason why they were upset becoming more clearer with each step.
"H-hello? Has anyone seen my mummy? Anyone?" he uttered, only to be met with complete neglect.
Why wasn't anyone helping him? Everyone was having too much fun and ignoring the pleas of this lost little child. Didn't they care at all?
"Hey, little guy… what's the matter?" Spyro spoke up gently with a smile.
When he heard our voices, the hatchling immediately darted his head towards us. "I've lost my mummy, I-I don't where s-she went! Please can y-you help me?" he whimpered, on the point of bursting into tears.
"Where did you last see her?" Spyro wondered.
The hatchling shakily pointed a claw to a stall selling jewellery. "O-Over there…" he answered. "I went to look at another stall and she disappeared…"
"Come on, let's see if we can find her…" Spyro said kindly as he led the kid and myself to the stalls.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Bronte…"
"It's nice to meet you, Bronte," I said, taking off my mask and smiling at the hatchling. "I'm Cynder and this is Spyro."
"Cool costume by the way," Spyro complimented. "Did you make it yourself?"
"Kind of, my mum did most of it…" Bronte answered, looking down at the ground shyly.
I looked at Bronte with concern. "You must be boiling in there, why don't you take the helmet off?" I queried.
"Can't do that, miss," Bronte shook his head. "This is the way…"
Deciding not to bring up the costume again, we eventually reached the stall that Bronte pointed towards. It was a jewellery stall, relatively more emptier than the other stalls. Guess no one was in the mood for jewels tonight.
"Excuse me but have you seen this kid's mother? This was the last place that he saw her and we're trying to see where she went…" Spyro questioned. "A dragoness, taller than me, possibly yellow scales, maybe looking for her son perhaps?"
The cheetah vendor stroked his chin. "Hmm, I think I saw a dragoness head to the information stall down there…" he answered, pointing to the right. "Maybe that's her."
"We'll check it out, thank you," Spyro said as they headed in the direction that the cheetah pointed out to.
Traversing through small crowds, the three of us strolled our way towards the information stall that was conveniently located at the entrance. There, standing at the stall, as the cheetah vendor said, was a worried-looking electric dragoness, her tail constantly moving as she bit her claws in a panic.
Was that Bronte's mother? I couldn't be sure since I haven't seen the little guy's face behind the helmet. You never know, it could've been some worried dragoness that had her satchel stolen for all we know.
"Mummy!" Bronte shouted out, bolting past us and towards the dragoness.
The dragoness darted her head to the sound of Bronte's voice and her face immediately turned to relief as she ran to her son. "Oh my ancestors, there you are sweetie!" she exclaimed as she nuzzled her son. "Don't you go wandering off again, you hear? You had me worried sick!"
Bronte's mother then looked at me and Spyro. "Thank you, thank you so much you two for finding him!"
"It's no problem…" Spyro muttered. "No problem at all…"
As the mother nuzzled Bronte for a second time, I felt a sense of warmth in my heart. If I didn't catch Bronte crying out nearby then who knows what could've happened? It felt so good to help someone; I could see why Spyro does it for a living.
As I was about to reach my wing out to drape around Spyro, Bronte looked back at me confusingly.
"Hey, where did Mr Spyro go?" he wondered.
My eyes widened. "Huh?"
I looked around to see that Spyro, who I thought was standing right next to me, had completely vanished. Where did he go? Why did he suddenly just disappear?! Great, I'm the one who's lost somebody now!
"Spyro!?"
(-)
I looked everywhere. At every stall, at every attraction, at every hidden social spot. No sign of Spyro. I even asked all the vendors if they had seen him nearby. I passed Alvar during my walkabout but unfortunately he said that he didn't see him either.
Oh, where was he? I hope he hadn't gone too far…
After searching for Spyro at the fairgrounds for half an hour, I decided to head to the flat to see if he went back. I could also search the streets on the way, the Valley was a small place… I'm sure he couldn't be too far away right?
Heading down the south entrance, a different entrance to where we found Bronte's mother at, I slowly paced down the many streets that led to our flat, my eyes darting all over the place for any signs of my purple boyfriend.
Somedays I wish we lived out in the woods; then I could've smelt Spyro out, but considering we lived in a small town, tracking him through the Artisan Valley's variety of smells would be more than difficult.
"Spyro!" I called out as I turned a corner. "Spyro, where are you?!"
No answer... as expected. Urgh, where is he?!
As I passed an alleyway, I thought I heard some shuffling noises nearby. Instantly, I turned to the noise to see what it was. I was so not in the mood to be mugged right now…
I squinched my eyes and saw a shape in the distance poking out of another corner. From where I was looking, it remembled the end of a dragon's tail. It wasn't a tailblade, but more round, like the shape of ice cream.
And I knew exactly who that tail belonged to…
I quickly made my way to where the tail was poking out and, as I suspected, found that it belonged to Spyro, who was sitting on his haunches with his fez placed on the ground next to him. He stared at the ground gloomily, his gaze fixed on a small puddle as he looked at his reflection.
He looked so… sad. But why? What could make him upset so suddenly?
"Spyro! There you are!" I sighed with relief. "I've been looking all over for you…"
Spyro didn't say anything as he looked away from the puddle and stared at me. His eyes were slightly blotched; he had been crying…
"Hey… what's the matter?" I wondered, putting my paw on top of his.
Spyro sniffed, trying to act as brave as possible. "It's nothing…"
"No... you're crying," I muttered, growing concerned. "What's wrong?"
"It's just…" Spyro sighed as he struggled to put his answer together. "What happened back there with Bronte and his mother…"
I gave him a puzzled look. "Why? Didn't you want them to find each other?"
Spyro's eyes widened. "Of course I did! That's not the problem," he clarified. "It was seeing them together, seeing her being so affectionate and loving. It made me realise something, something that I've kept buried within myself for a long time…"
"What would that be?"
Spyro started to tear up. "Seeing them together made me realise that I never had a mother in my life... and I felt like I missed out on an important part of growing up," he croaked, his voice shaking. "I know I've always had the Guardians, but even then… it's not the same. Who knows where my actual parents are, or if they even care about me..."
I grasped his paw even tighter. Spyro hardly ever talked about his parents; I always thought he was happy with his life as it was. But to hear him say all that? It was sad. I felt the same way when I was looking for my parents, until I eventually gave up realising that whoever birthed me was just a lost cause.
But Spyro's parents weren't my parents, there had to be a reason why they left…
"Wherever your parents are, I'm sure they didn't leave you intentionally… unlike mine," I tried to assure him. "The war with Malefor was raging on at the time; they were prime targets. They brought the one that could bring him down into the world. Who knows, Malefor probably wanted them hunted down."
Spyro didn't answer and simply looked back at the puddle. He knew I had a point but he didn't want to believe that it was true.
"Babe, the point is… your parents may not be here at the moment, but you still have a family that loves and cares for you," I continued. "You've got Ignitus, Sparx, the other Guardians… and most importantly, a girl that loves you very much…"
Despite his eyes still welling up, Spyro couldn't help but smile. "I know, thank you..."
Spyro then went to nuzzle me, which I happily accepted, his smooth scales, slightly damp around his eye, rubbing against mine. After a minute of nuzzling, we separated and gazed into each other's eyes.
"I'm sorry for running off…" Spyro then apologised.
"I know," I said. "Just promise me you won't do it again, okay? I was so worried about you…"
Spyro smiled once again. "I promise."
"I love you…" I whispered.
"I love you too…" Spyro murmured.
Our lips then connected, a warm feeling starting to fill up my chest. No matter how I felt whether I was happy, sad or even angry, I always felt at ease whenever Spyro and I kissed. Like I was on top of the world, my troubles simply went away at the touch of his lips.
Through thick and thin, through all our troubles… I want to be with him, forever and ever.
Woo, finally finished this chapter! Glad I could finish writing this before Christmas! Glad I could return to writing Spyro and Cynder again.
Anyway, since chapter 4 of Convergence won't be out till next year, this will be my last update of 2020. What a crazy year it has been for me and the entire world!
Now normally, I would tell what stories are upcoming in 2021 but since I've been focusing on this story and Convergence, I haven't really thought about what's next. I can tell you, however, that Infinity War and Endgame, which are part of the Crossover-Verse Trilogy, are in development. Probably won't be out this year but eventually it will be…
As for Spyro, I have a few new story ideas for our resident purple dragon. Two of which may or may not be collaborations with other authors… I don't want to tell you cause that'll spoil the surprise.
This is TARDIS1039, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Be safe everyone. Allons-y!