Author's Note
This author's note might be a bit lengthy, and is unnecessary for understanding the story, so you can skip it if you want.
It's been... a while. Like a long while. The last true story I published here was two years ago. Two years ago. Back when the world decided it was about time to start the apocalypse finally. What am I supposed to say? I don't think I have a true excuse. I was busy sure, but it was almost entirely down to not having the motivation. I'm sure I had the time, I just didn't feel like using that time. And so here I am, two years later. I haven't done nothing, I just haven't done enough. I've written a poem here and there, and biggest of all I am on the side working on a chapter story. It's not super impressive, but I'm proud enough that I do want to show it off. Unfortunately it's not at a point yet where I want to show what I have. I need to finish rewriting a chapter before I can truly show off what I have so far, and when you can't show anyone or get advice or encouragement, it becomes veryy difficult to convince yourself to actually work on it. I'll get it done eventually, I just don't think it'll be anytime soon.
Now for specifically this story you're about to read. I started this story a year ago. A whole year ago, actually more, I started working on this story. When I said I struggled with motivation, I wasn't kidding. It was right as I finished rereading the series, and I wanted to explore the characters in Darkstalker again, because who doesn't? I wanted to make this big. I wanted to really show off my skill, and craft something that really hit the places it needed to hit. Originally I was going to make this a three part series, with each "story" exploring a big aspect of Fathom's recovery. And then a year went by and I just wanted to get this finished with. I might still work on another chapter later, y'know in a year from now, which is why I'm still giving this chapter it's own title. I'm proud of the first half still, if I'm honest, but I think it falls apart a bit near the end. At that point I just wanted to wrap it up, and by that point I had read over through it so many times it was all just words to me, and it had been so long since I had read the books that I was worried I'd stray too far away from their actual character. So here we are now.
I hope you enjoy what I do have nonetheless though. There were still some parts I enjoyed writing, such as the beginning and the experimentation with dialogue. At the very least, I hope you can appreciate the journey I had to go through, and the journey you're about to go through with Fathom and Indigo.
A Start
Click.
Alright… Where… Where do I even start with this one?
My name is Fathom. Prince Fathom of the Seawings, to be precise, although I have a feeling that that title has long since been revoked. I presume that you have heard of me before, unless my existence was covered up after my disappearance. I am the second animus of the Seawings, and one of the only five known animus dragons on this continent. I was born into the palace life much like any other hatched among the nobles. I was a well-behaved dragonet; listening to classes, following instructions, seldomly getting into trouble. I was always accompanied by my best friend, Indigo, who got me into trouble herself as often as possible. She wasn't a noble like me, but instead adopted and raised in the palace life. This didn't bother me at all. Not once did I ever think about that with her.
As we grew up, our companionship never wavered. On the contrary, it grew stronger. Every moment by her felt like the most perfect thing imaginable. Every second around her made my heart speed up. Every word, every action, every teasing sentence and swipe of a tail made me smile and laugh with joy. Life had its issues, yes, but with her in the picture, it was more than just worth living for. She completed me, just as I completed her, although perhaps we did not know it at the time. And when things became worrisome, rough, or uncertain, she was always there to make one thing certain; she would always stand by my side no matter what may come. I hope this gives you a good idea of how much she means to me, and how she ties in with my life.
I digress. I shall assume my reputation precedes me, and you know of the events that shroud my past. If you don't know who I am, or what I've done, I believe it shall all be made apparent in due time.
…
There is a reason I am saying all of this. I am here to tell you my story. The story that most may not have heard of. I am best known for the two animus dragons I brought down, but seldom for much else. After the fall of Darkstalker, my name, just like many others, disappears off the pages. But my story was not over on the night of Darkstalker's final day. You see, people enjoy talking about the things heros do. People like a good story, a tale about what the hero did to save the world from some evil villain. But even if the hero brings down the villain, the villain still tears away at the hero after they're gone. There is no true escape from the past. The hero may have saved the world, but at what cost? Forever their mind shall be plagued with memories of the loss, the bloodshed, the cruelties they had witnessed. Forever in their dreams they shall always see the villain, always hear their bitter words, and always feel that haunting chill. No matter how far you run, you cannot escape. So even though the villain has been put to rest, the two shall continue to fight each other, even after the page ends and the book closes. This is my story on how I beat the villain for good, the story that takes place after the epilogue is written and after the book is tucked away. This is the story of how I overcame that darkness… and the lesson of how sometimes you need a little bit of help to win that battle. Sometimes you need the time to heal, and the neverending love and support of one's you hold dear. This story has more than one hero.
Our story begins on the night of Darkstalker's final day. It begins after the enchantment has been woven and the dice have been cast. It's a dark night, filled with tension and fear. Evil things that have happened, and the evil things that will happen. Two dragons fly in the dead of night, the rays of the moons illuminating them from above, like a guiding light through the void below…
Two dragons flew in the dead of night, cutting through the inky blackness, save for the piercing light reflected from the two disks that hung in the sky. There was a light breeze that whispered through the air, gliding over their wings. The ground underneath rushed past them, a vast sand covered expanse that stretched as far as the eye could see, rolling dunes that flowed along with the landscape below. During the day the Sand Kingdom was blanketed in a stifling heat, scorching the earth and deterring anyone not accustomed to the desert. At night however, with the sun retired, the land was now pleasantly cool, the only respite given in such an unforgiving kingdom. The two particular dragons that flew over the sand weren't fitted to the climate at all, and vastly stood out among the dry scenery. It was difficult to make out against the black backdrop of the night sky, but with the help of the moons, small details could be gleamed, glanced at, taken in. One of the dragons was clad in sea-green scales that reflected the light, and with each beat of his wings, the swirls and patterns under the membrane became apparent, betraying his royal blood. The dragon that flew beside him was slightly smaller, although hardened by the years of training she had received. Her scales were dyed in a rich indigo colour, contrasting the companion beside her. No patterns were illuminated over her wings, just the normal bioluminescent scales that covered all Seawings, making their origin blatantly obvious, if their silhouette didn't already make it clear. What the two had in common, however, were the constant glances towards each other, and the unwavering urgency of their flight. It was as if they were trying to run away from the night itself. Every now and then the green Seawing would peek behind themselves, as if expecting something to be following them. Or someone. The Seawing was panting softly, wings trembling with each stroke, tail starting to drift slowly.
We've been flying for over two hours now at this pace. I don't know if I can keep this up much longer. Should I ask to rest? The prince thought to himself, wavering in his flight slightly. He had never been a strong flier, and after his rather sedentary lifestyle he had grown a bit out of shape. Marathons like this one always winded him, and it felt as if his wings were slow and heavy, dead weight that threatened to drag him closer to the ground. An image flashed into his head; a stout black dragon, with a line of icy scales along his side, and a silver raindrop under each hate-burned eye. In his talons he held a scroll, lines of commands scrawled over the parchment. And in front of him, an Icewing, blood stained sand, and a dagger resting upon the ground. The Seawing blinked away the memory, and took a shaky breath. No. No. I can't stop. I can't rest. Not until I'm safe. Not until we're safe. At this he looked over to the rich purple dragon beside him, as if reassuring himself that she was still there with him.
The Seawing noticed his gaze however, and after looking over him carefully, she finally spoke up. "Fathom, we should take a break now."
The prince was drawn back into reality at his name. "Hm? Oh. No no, I'm fine. I don't need a break." He lied through a wince. He couldn't take a break. They had to keep flying.
His companion studied him again, and then declared with certainty in her voice, "We're taking a break."
A spark of fear danced in Fathom's chest, and he shook his head. "Indigo, we can't. What if it doesn't work? What if he comes after us?"
"Fathom look at you. You're about to fall out of the sky." Indigo pointed out. "We're safe now. Just take a bit of time to rest."
Again he shook his head. "I'm fine. I can keep going." He insisted with a huff.
"We're taking a break."
Fathom opened his muzzle to protest, before closing it with a sigh. He knew through all his years with her that arguing was futile. Once she came to a decision it was, for all intents and purposes, set in stone. "Alright… We'll stop for a bit." He looked around, surveying the surroundings. Technically the Sand Kingdom was the battleground for the Icewings and Nightwings, although Fathom knew that the actual fighting took place further northwest of them. Still, despite the complete lack of another living dragon, and their purposeful efforts to stay away from the kingdoms, Fathom was on edge. He turned to ask something to Indigo, only to see vacant space. That spark of fear danced around again, as worst case scenarios flooded his mind, until he spotted her, already descending down to the dunes below. Fathom spiraled down slowly, and landed onto the ground beside Indigo with a soft thump. The sand below was cool to the touch, but the coarse grains between his webbed claws only felt irritating to the Seawing. It was only once he folded his wings in, that he realized with a grimace how painfully sore he was after the flight. His wings burned, and his tail felt heavy. Fathom turned over to Indigo, who was already sitting down. For a moment, neither of them spoke. All Fathom could do was take her in, from her rich purple eyes, all the way to the tip of her frill covered tail. It was the first time since they reunited in the Nightwing's palace that they were truly alone and unoccupied. She's still as beautiful as the day I saw her last… The thought flashed into his mind unprovoked, before he pushed it away with a slight shake of his head. Fathom sat down in front of her, his claws sinking into the ground below. "Euch… I forgot how uncomfortable desert sand was." He muttered, almost to himself.
A slight smile crossed Indigo's muzzle at his words. "I never liked it either. I much prefer the feel of the soft beach under my talons." She commented.
Fathom nodded. "Yeah. The beach is so much more comfortable. It just feels… right." A dull longing grew in him at the thought of the warm sea and the welcoming beach. There was another silence that spread between them, a break in conversation as they simply rested their wings. In the desert the silence was true and pure. No birds were here to chirp, no animals to fill in the noise, and no trees to whisper to them. All there was was silence, save for perhaps the faint trace of wind if they strained their ears enough. And then it was finally broken. "So… What… What now?" Fathom asked, tossing that unspoken question into the air for all to hear. It was that question that lingered with them, followed them from the Night Kingdom, and that they both pointedly ignored. Now, however, it was hard to pretend otherwise, as the prince brought light the question that plagued his mind ever since they had chosen a direction to fly.
Indigo looked at him carefully, hesitating in her speech, before taking a deep breath. "Fathom… Honestly your guess is as good as mine. I wish I knew…" She admitted.
Fathom fidget with his talons, looking over them solemnly. Such a normal part of all dragons, but a part of him he had learned to hate. If he thought about it hard enough, if he looked close enough, he could almost still see the red soaked blood covering his paws. He sighed softly, and turned his attention back to Indigo. "We can't go back to the palace… We're never going to be able to go back to the Sea Kingdom Indigo. After all of this, we might not be able to go to any kingdom." I'm never going to ever go back home. I'm never going to see the Sea Palace again. The Seawing prince suddenly realized with a rush of sadness. With all the events that had transpired over the past day, he hadn't given anything else much thought. Now that he wasn't preoccupied though, the weight of what happened was starting to sink in.
Indigo looked at him with confusion, trying to follow along. "Why wouldn't we be able to find refuge in the other kingdoms? Surely Rainwings would be more than willing to accept us, for example." She pointed out.
Fathom hesitated slightly, trying to figure out how to best put it into words. "Well… After all of this, rumors of animus magic are just going to spread. People are going to get suspicious and scared… which… they should be, but it's not unlikely we won't be welcome for a while. Besides… it's kinda hard to hide who I am, y'know?" He said, gesturing to the swirls under his wings he held up. He sighed once again, and let his wings droop. Oh how different this all would have been if he wasn't born the way he was. "I'm an outcast Indigo. If I go back to the Sea Kingdom they'll have me executed. If I go to any other kingdom they might turn me in, or just end up doing the same. Where could I even go?" Fathom shivered slightly, although not because of the chilled night air. That familiar thread in his mind began to tangle itself in his thoughts, and now that he was free of physical toil, he was beginning to unravel his emotions.
"You're overthinking things again, Fathom." Indigo chided softly. "The Rainwings would be more than happy to take us in, you know that. I'm sure we could convince the Mudwings to accept us as well… Although I don't exactly agree with their… culture." She admitted.
Fathom was quiet for a bit. He knew where his mind was going, where that thread was taking him. This is all my fault isn't it?... I don't want to hurt her because of something I've done as well. She doesn't have to live like this. The lump in his throat grew, struggling to get his thoughts out. He fought back and forth with himself, feeling the thudding in his mind as thought after thought pierced through him. He kneaded the sand below, as that strand unwound itself in his mind. "You don't have to stay with me you know. You can still live a normal life." He suddenly uttered, almost whisper-quiet. Each word was almost excruciating to him, and he had to force it out. He knew it wasn't what he wanted, and he knew her response before she even said anything, but it was like that one foul thought was untangled and escaped out against all rational thought.
It took a second for Indigo to process the words, and then another painful second for her to realize what he meant, before she violently shook her head. "No no no no. Fathom, Fathom, I am not leaving you. Not now, not ever. I meant what I said back in the palace… and I know you did too. I'm never going to leave you again, no matter what you may say. This is my normal life for me, my best life, the life I want to live." She stood up, and took a step towards Fathom. "Wherever we go… wherever we end up finding refuge, I will go there by your side. You mean more to me than I could ever say, and you know that, don't you?" With that, Fathom meekly nodded. He felt clouded with emotion, like a knot was in his chest, and he couldn't get the right words out. "I won't leave you Fathom." She gently pulled him into an embrace, wings wrapping around wings, as she held him close against her, pressing her head softly against his. It was the best feeling Fathom had ever known. He wanted to stay like this forever, to be in her cocoon all day. He felt safe with her, like nothing else existed in the world except the two of them. Her gentle embrace quelled his inner turmoil, and he felt at peace in their own little universe, with just him and her, as everything else faded into the background. She looked into his dull green eyes, and then said softly, "It's okay to be with me, Fathom. You're not a danger to me, and you never will be. I want to be with you more than anything in the world, even if it means I can't go back. I don't want to go back without you… I love you."
If the hug was the best feeling in the world, those three words she uttered was the best sound in the world. It was like the perfect notes of the perfect melody, ringing over and over in his ears, circling his mind again and again. He felt all tingly and warm, like just those simple words rekindled the heat in his soul, the compassion that burned like a bonfire in his heart. What was he thinking, hiding his feelings away? What was he thinking hiding them for so long? "I'm sorry…" Fathom whispered. "I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. I don't mean it. I never would. Indigo I… I love you too." So long he had to go with his emotions unspoken, so long he had to stifle his feelings and hide his thoughts. Being able to utter those words felt like a weight had been lifted off his mind. It was so freeing, so liberating, to finally say his admiration for her unabashedly. Each word felt so sweet upon his lips, so wonderful to finally say. He wanted to do it again. "I love you." And again. "I love you." And even more. "Moons Indigo, I love you more than you can ever know." With that he gave a gentle squeeze of his wings, pressing his muzzle against hers and breathing out softly. Now that that sinister thought had been cast away by rationality, all Fathom could think about was how wrong he was about keeping himself from her. What was he thinking? Why would he ever tell her to leave him again? Why would I ever spend a day on this planet that I couldn't share with you? "I'm never going to leave you. Never again." He promised. "No matter where we go I'm never leaving your side again."
A faint smile crossed Indigo's face, and her rich purple eyes glimmered in the moonlight. "That sounds like a good plan to me. Actually, an amazing plan. The best plan. That'll be my plan too." She said, a bit of her former self returning to her voice. She gave him a gentle squeeze with her own wings in return, and then pulled away slightly, so that the two could look each other face to face. "... You're amazing Fathom, no matter what you may think." Indigo stated simply. The look in her eyes, and the expression on her face said more than words ever could.
Despite the heavy topics, and his mind still tangled in foul thoughts, Fathom found that he couldn't help but smile slightly in return. "You're biased."
Indigo crinkled her snout and gave him a gentle poke with her tail. "Hmpf. Well maybe I am, but I quite like it that way. Accept the compliment, silly."
Fathom let out a wavered chuckle, his throat still constricted with emotion. "If… If I did I'd be lying."
The purple Seawing looked up at him with a glare, giving him another poke. "My words are the truth. You're amazing. Amazing. Say it with me."
He shook his head in amusement, a glimmer resurfacing in his eyes. Suddenly a flash of a warm beach, torch smoke tickling his snout, and red sand. Then it was gone. His smile faded away as his mentality resurfaced with ill intent, and his words caught in his throat. Fathom turned his head away with a shaky breath, unable to look her in the eye. "I… can't. I wish I could."
The playful stubbornness Indigo had put on melted away as she saw Fathom start to retreat back into his shell. She placed a paw on the side of his muzzle, and gently guided him so that the prince faced her again. Fathom winced slightly as he was forced to put his attention back on her. "Fathom… Oh Fathom, what am I going to do with you?" His tail flicked slightly. Is this what she really thinks of me then? That I really am just a burden? Before that thought could expand though, she continued. "I'm not going to give up on you. I won't let you give up on yourself either though, okay? I know it's been rough but… I need you to not give up on yourself. Fathom, I…" She trailed off for a second, for once not quite sure how she wanted to place her thoughts in words. "I believe we can… start anew. All of that fake acting, all that emotion hiding, it's all behind us. No one can stop us anymore Fathom. It's just you and me now. You and me. That means you too. I… You make me happier than anything in the world. I want to see you happy too. So I'm not giving up on you Fathom, and I never will. I just need you to not give up either."
Fathom blinked in surprise. I guess I never looked at it that way… A new start?... Then, where do I even start? Where do we even start?... Fathom scraped at the sand with his talons, thinking to himself quietly. "Well I…" He trailed off, doubt creeping into his mind. He took a deep breath, tried to shake it off, and then looked at Indigo. "... Alright. You're right. You're right. I want a new start too." And he realized that he truly did. He was tired of hiding from her, and he was tired of pretending. I'm scared of what the future has to bring, I'm so so scared of what might come next, but… I'm never going to see what happens next without her again. "I want a new start too," he continued, "and I want to put it all behind me… but, where do we even begin?"
Indigo tilted her head slightly, catching onto the deeper meaning of his question. "It's not going to be easy. I think right now we need to focus on someplace we can be safe." Fathom nodded slowly, following along with her. "You say that we can't really go back to any kingdom again… but I think it's not as bad as you expect. We don't have to live the high life, or in a populated area. No one on the outskirts will know us. We can live almost wherever we want, as long as we don't get involved. I bet we could even live by the ocean still as long as we stayed away from the Sea Kingdom." She pointed out.
Fathom was already frowning in disagreement, but he couldn't help but think over what she had said. If anyone ever found out from the Sea Kingdom we'd be on the run again… but what if they never did find out? But it's a possibility, and then me and Indigo wouldn't be safe. But… I miss the feeling of the sea. Another pang of longing fluttered in his chest, nostalgia sweeping over him. It felt like so long ago that he had been swimming through the ocean without a care in the world, teasing Indigo, laughing at her tomfoolery. It felt like a lifetime ago that he would carefully carve little creatures for her, laugh at her jokes, and talk about his sessions with his grandfather. A chill went over him as memories of that night sprung up, and he wrestled to contain them. And then the years he was left alone, as an outcast, the dark days and numbing hours alone and ripped apart from the life he had lived. His world was so meaningless and so grey, so empty and devoid of light. He didn't live those few years, only endured.
Indigo noticed his expression change, and she gave him a gentle squeeze with her tail. "I'm sorry Fathom. I shouldn't have brought that up. I know what you're thinking about right now. We don't have to go anywhere near the Sea Kingdom again, you know."
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and then shook his head. "No no, it's fine. Truthfully… I miss the Sea Kingdom. I miss my home. I kinda do want to go back… but it's just… painful." He admitted. "I know I'll never see the palace again, or anywhere else we were before, not while Pearl is queen… but I still want to feel the ocean at least one more time."
Indigo looked thoughtfully at him, tapping her talons gently on the sand. "... I think you're right about one thing. Going by the Sea Kingdom is too dangerous, and I quite honestly wouldn't mind if I never saw the palace again. But the Sea Kingdom isn't the only place the ocean is at, you know. The whole continent is surrounded by it."
"The Seawings take up a large part of it though." He pointed out. "And the Skywings control all the coast along the top, and we know how they feel about… my kind." Fathom said with a wince, remembering the flash of horror upon the two Skywings' faces. "And then there's the Icewings, although it's too cold there anyways, and then the Nightwings control the peninsula… used to at least." Not if Darkstalker had anything to say about it. That's the last time anyone will be in that kingdom, isn't it? Fathom felt his chest tighten as he was reminded why they were in this scenario in the first place. The beautiful Kingdom of Night laid out in front of him; the flicker of torchlight, the elegant masonry, his room by the palace, and the distraught face of his best friend, shoving the scroll into his talons, and saying her final goodbyes. He curled his claws into the dune below, trying to calm himself. Indigo was silent, watching him carefully, listening to what he had to say. Eventually he spoke again. "Indigo… I… I want to go home. I want to go home… but I don't have a home to go to anymore." He managed to get out, his voice cracking as the emotion laced words escaped..
His words were met by another sudden envelop into her wings, getting pulled close to her as she tried to comfort him within her warm embrace. "Fathom… I know. I know… I want to go home too." A brief pause. "I'm sorry. Moons, I'm so sorry Fathom, that it all turned out this way. I shouldn't have let this all happen." She whispered out, the sudden pain that cut into her voice stunning Fathom into silence.
The prince pulled away from her slightly, looking over her with confusion. "W-what? No, no, no. What are you talking about? How is this your fault?"
Fathom felt her wings tremble slightly, and then she spoke up. "I had one job Fathom… I was supposed to protect you. I was supposed to keep you safe… I wasn't even able to do that…"
Fathom blinked. For a brief moment his own hurt faded away as confusion replaced it. "I… What? Indigo, what do you mean? This isn't your fault at all. If anything it's mine. I'm the one who let all of this happen. You did protect me. You helped me so much. And you still do. Moons if… if it weren't for you, if it wasn't for knowing that you were still out there somewhere, I… well, I might not have made it through all those years…" The prince let out a soft breath, letting the discomfort of his revealed vulnerability wash away. "You saved my life, Indigo… In so many ways, so many times. You can't blame yourself for what happened. You had no way of knowing. It was my mission to stop Darkstalker after all…" He closed his eyes briefly, trying to ignore the flashes of his torch-lit eyes in the darkness, before opening them again in resignation. Fathom looked down at Indigo gently, the dragoness still held near him, as she avoided his gaze. She stayed silent, claws scratching into the sand. Fathom hesitated, his mind swirling back and forth through thought after thought. Then slowly, he reached a paw down, and then gently settled it on her chin, guiding her gaze reluctantly back to his, just as she did earlier. She looked up at him briefly, before blinking and looking away from him slightly. Fathom took a deep breath, and then began to speak. "Look, I'm… heh… I'm not the best at this," He admitted. "And I know I have no room to speak, but… don't be too hard on yourself, okay?" The Seawing scoffed. "I know, I know… I can take my own advice. But please know that I don't blame you for anything that has happened. Quite the opposite. I… I admire you. I'm proud of you. I'm…" Fathom let out a soft breath. "Heh.. Moons, I'm so so grateful, and so so lucky, that I have you here in my life. What would have happened if you didn't come here? What would have happened to me if you weren't here? If you didn't protect me? If you didn't pull me back whenever… whenever Darkstalker started pushing me away? I don't even want to imagine…" Fathom took a breath, and before Indigo could open her muzzle further as she began to say something, cut her off and continued. "Look, that's all to say, you have done more for me than you're giving yourself credit for. You saved my life, Indigo. And… well, you give me one too. You've done more than you tell yourself… I need you…" The prince hesitated, pausing to study over the dragoness in his paw. He was about to add something, before she spoke up.
"Fathom… y-you big sap." She said with a choked voice, looking at him with emotion-filled eyes, and an equally emotional smile. Fathom gave her a sheepish smile in return, his tail swaying ever so slightly. Indigo pressed into his grasp slightly, wiping away stray welling tears with his paw. She let out a wavering breath, and then took one in. "I just… I care about you, I care about you a lot. I… love you, and I don't want to lose you again Fathom. I don't ever want to lose you again." She brought a paw up, and settled it against his own that rested below her muzzle, slowly lowering them both as she gazed up at him. "And… maybe I am hard on myself, but it's only because I want to be the best I can for you. I push myself to be the best for you. Everything I've done, I've done for you. And, just… I've been so close to losing you, so many times recently, I'm scared that it might actually happen. And I guess… I guess I turn all that fear around to myself."
"I…" Fathom trailed off, and then pulled her close to him, enveloping her in his wings as he held the Seawing against his chest. "Oh Indigo… You're already the best for me. You are the best I could ever ever ask for, and so much more. And… I'm scared about losing you too. I'm so very scared. I can't imagine a world without you in it. I don't want to ever lose you again." With that he gave her a gentle squeeze within their embrace.
Indigo leaned against him gently, letting him hold her close, before slowly she looked up at him from between his wings. "... Well then, let's don't."
The prince blinked and tilted his head slightly. "Say again?"
Indigo pawed the sand beneath her, taking a breath and continuing. "... It sounds like we both don't want to lose each other so… Why not focus on being closer together instead of worrying about how we'll lose each other?" Seeing Fathom's look of confusion, she continued. "I mean like, right now for example, let's focus on getting somewhere safe. And instead of worrying about… about what could have been, let's just, focus on what's here and now?" The dragoness seemed to get caught on some of the words, almost as if pushing them out. "We can… We can dwell on the past later. Right now we need to focus on us, where we are… and where we want to go."
Fathom stood there for a moment. Oh Indigo… If only you saw strength in weakness. I know you're hurting like I am. He didn't bring his thoughts up however, instead pondering over what she suggested. "Well, I want… I want to go back to the ocean." The prince started. "I don't want to go back to the Sea Kingdom. I miss it, I miss everything that used to be there. But we can't go back. Besides, I think it's best I leave that all behind… You're right… there's nothing left there for me." Fathom shivered slightly as memories poured in, before he took a breath and continued. "I hate the desert, and the Sky Kingdom is off limits after… after what happened." The Seawing flicked his finned tail slightly.
"That leaves the Ice, Rain, and Mud Kingdom then, although it's not like we can live in the Ice Kingdom." Indigo jumped in. Fathom tilted his head slightly, following along. "So really, it's the decision between the Rain Kingdom, and the Mud Kingdom."
"... And I think I already know which one we both prefer." Fathom ventured, watching for her reaction.
Indigo let out a soft huff and bobbed her head gently. "Unless you secretly like mud in your scales and in between your talons, then I think we're settling on the Rain Kingdom." She confirmed. "Besides, the sea at the Mud Kingdom is… a bit too close to the Sea Kingdom for my liking."
A brief silence. "Yeah… You're right I'm sure." Fathom admitted. "And the Rainwings are probably more accepting anyways." He pointed out. "I think the coast along the Rainforest would make for a good place to end up. Maybe an island near the mainland perhaps? Who knows what we'll find once we're there."
The indigo dragoness nodded in agreement. "I think it would be a good start at least. And we need a place to start. It sounds like this is it." She let her eyes wander over the Seawing, settling her gaze upon his. "We should get moving soon before it gets too late. Are you feeling rested enough to continue now… love?"
A warm fuzz tickled through his scales as Fathom heard her last intimate word. The prince looked over his shoulder, back towards the direction of their original departure. No tall buildings, no diamond-skinned Nightwing, no enchanted scroll, no black-sand soul reader. Just lazy rolling dunes, and the gentle twinkle of the clear night sky above them, with the two full moons shining down across the land over the couple. Just the two of them. Him and her. Fathom turned back towards Indigo, and gave an ever so slight smile, a soft gentle root of smile over his sea-green muzzle that complimented his soft gaze back perfectly. This is where we start.
"I think… I think I'm ready."