Sgt. Byrd's Base, Midday Gardens (Forgotten Realms)

Squinting from a flash of entry, after soaring across cloud-strewn heights of mana-powered transition, Spyro's vision adjusted to the shaded geometry of the world beyond the portal, only to jerk into an abrupt twist upward, causing Elora to bounce her chin off Spyro's neck, and then clutch onto the central handle of her seat as her companion narrowly evaded crashing into the wall ahead. Tilting into an upward arcing soar alongside a prominent and tall-windowed wall, orbiting along tinted glass-paned cobblestone pillars in what was discerned to be a circular atrium, Spyro grunted from the narrowly successful redirection.

"Should have been a little more warning!"

"We are flying kind of fast!"

"I thought all air portals make us fly the same speed!"

"Maybe in the dragon realms they do!"

Glimpsing a flash of magenta in the corner of her vision, Elora whirled aside, seeing the dark profile of a bird looping over in a corkscrew turn, and then aligning to their ongoing curve, feathers rippling as it joined them in formation. Lips parting as sternly cocked eyes scrutinized both of them above a prominently long and narrow beak, and then noticing the bird's distinct beret on its brow and the cobalt-colored bosom between its fuchsia wings, Elora's suspicions were confirmed as the creature's beak parted.

"Unknown avion, you are in restricted airspace!"

"Huh?!"

Startled by the new and distinctly accented voice, Spyro glanced aside mid-flight, seeing the pointed facial shaft of a large hummingbird easily keeping formation along their circular glide. Seconds later, his glance at the also-flying creature abruptly ended as his wingtip brushed against the wall, and he distractedly turned tighter.

"Sorry! We're here to see someone about -."

"You will see not-a-thing unless you lower your gear and land immediately!"

Obliging to the stern feminine command of the bird, Spyro turned lower and tilted his wings back in braking, lowering in a steady descent and plopping onto the thick carpet of cool grass beneath. Hopping free in dismounting and intent on defusing the situation, Elora put her hands together, but her hooves remained in place as the large hummingbird lowered in front of them both, remaining aloft with a blur of wings.

"Oh, two are as one? I see now."

"Yeah, she's with me. We would like to meet with James Byrd if possible."

Halting her orbit in hesitation from the sensitive name spoken, squinting at the dragon that sat back onto his rump, Spyro countered the stare of the yellow-trimmed bird with unyielding rigidity in posture and expression.

"To whom is it that seeks to rendezvous with monsieur Byrd?"

"Spyro, and my partner. Mate. Elora."

"Understood. Did both of you serve with the Sergeant's unit?"

"Sort of. He and I both fought the sorceress and her minions. I guess we're comrades, so..."

Seeing the bird's stare soften, nodding her head left left and right, she looked aside to the still-speechless faun, and then tilted toward Spyro once more, lowering her guard with a further softening of her brow.

"In that case, soldat Spyro, le résistance welcomes your return."

"Cool. Thanks."

"As it is, violette lézard, you were described in the sergeant's debriefings a good while ago."

"Does that mean we're able to see him?"

"It does. You are cleared, but will be escorted for security."

Looking up to a higher perch as a hefty hangar door began growling open, the effortlessly hovering avian began back into a circumference of inspection, and upon nearing Spyro's horns one revolution later, she lowered nearer, turning aside her prominent point and eying the seated beast with an alluring flutter of lashes.

"At least one of duex is flight capable. Such sturdy ailerons deserve feathers, monsieur dragoon."

Maw parting, computing the flirtation regarding his wingspan, Spyro elected to jam his gullet shut to avoid speaking, and the simpering hummingbird then turned away and rose aloft.

"Do follow along, amoureux!"

Exhaling from the audacity of the airborne creature that whirred higher into the atrium, Elora's nostrils flared with a further indignant puff, and she slumped back over Spyro's backside, drooping onto the saddle. Tightening her posture for his subsequent launch and powerful flaps into the air, spiraling upward, the mammal's brow narrowed, crosshairs locking onto the escorting enlistee they were now following through the structure. Swooping over elevated platforms and ducking lower behind his bobbing head as they soared beneath the crown of a short tunnel, met with a wave of lava-sourced heat and sparkles of large green crystals studding the cave walls, she then squinted from the blast of sunshine that reflected along her boyfriend's scales as they exited the cavern network. Filling her chest with a sampling of the local air as they steadily gained altitude alongside the verdant cliffs and prominent dark teal architecture of the base, her fur prickled with scrutiny.

His wings ARE handsome, they DON'T need feathers, and they're... There's more of you? Great.

Blinking as another magenta and cerulean hummingbird aligned beside their escort mid-flight, their vaguely discerned chatter of greeting and information exchange seemed harmless, until both birds glanced back at the flying couple in tow, one after the other.

"Oi, they are ample, aren't they?"

"If only he was feathered, mm?"

"Even without..."

Allowing a frown to properly decorate her expression, Elora's ears lowered in annoyance from their voluble chirps of ogling, hardly lessening as the second of the avians turned away in a sweeping departure, her giggle echoing among the cliff walls. Tilting steeper toward a large rock outcropping, the fabric of a camouflaged tent entered their vision, and the flying creatures turned in a glide down toward the open space beside it, causing Spyro to spread his legs forward for the looming landing. Halting succinctly onto the shelf with a hefty bounce of shock absorption, Spyro awaited Elora's dismount, and then stood upright on his hind legs, arching back in a stretch. Keeping right beside her mate's movements and steps forward, Elora glared at the tail feathers of the hovering bird that tucked beneath the low foliage-decorated tent.

"Sir! We have intercepted the arrival of an unknown air unit, though they claim to be allied."

"I beg your pardon? Unknown in what manner?"

"We've never seen either of them here, sir. There's two, but they arrived as one. Purple dragon, and a faun, sir."

"Purple drag... Ahhh, that one must be comrade Spyro."

"He stated that he fought alongside you sir."

"That he did. Spyro and, whom?"

"His rider, sir."

Hearing a shuffle of worn gear and a plop of flat feet, the olive drab of a helmet peeked out above large eyes and the stubby features of a dark blue penguin, and the commanding officer blinked, confirming the presence of a standing and waving Spyro and someone furry and new beside him.

"I see."

Waddling forth into the sunlight, Byrd's battle-hardened eyes rose up along Spyro's much taller stature, and over to the cross-armed faun beside him.

"Will you be needing backup, sir?"

"Negative, they are friendly units."

"Roger."

"You are clear to return to your patrol pattern."

"As you wish sir."

"Good flying, Gabrielle!"

"Thank you sir!"

Peeping past Spyro's stature as the flirtatious soldier eyed both of the non-avians coyly before departing with a whir of feathers, Elora then noticed the playing card stuck into the band of the penguin's helmet, lowering further to the short bird patiently standing at attention in front of them both.

"Now, I am certainly familiar with Spyro here, though he's grown a bit bigger on me. However, miss, I don't believe we've been properly acquainted before. James Byrd, nine-double-oh-six-eight of the Air Corps."

Smiling from the dutiful greeting of the penguin barely half her height, Elora bent lower, hands landing on her forward knees.

"Elora, of Avalar. Spyro's girlfriend."

"Ah, thought so. Right then, welcome to my base of operations, miss Elora. Do excuse the hummingbirds... Duty as airborne units seems to, ahem, puff them up a bit."

"More than a bit."

Glancing toward Spyro's remark with a hint of amusement, James then turned about face and waddled under the shade of the tent again.

"Do come inside, but avert your radar from the table for a moment, sensitive documents."

Following his waddle and ducking beneath the low hanging cover, and then electing to sit on the patchy earth anyway, Elora eyed her boyfriend beside, again on all four paws as the sergeant rolled up a map with his feathers.

"Secret plans?"

"Classified, soldier. Though I am back from a bit of a spell of rhynoc hunting... I'm sure you remember the lot."

"Oh, we've dealt with a few rhynocs alright. Even after roasting the Sorceress."

"Yes, well, it seems a number of them have found new leadership, though we haven't quite pinpointed who they are, or if there's more than one in charge."

"That can't be good."

"Bah, even so, their numbers are much fewer anymore. By no means are we about to let some magic maniac imprison our kind again either... Thankfully we've got that rabbit girl as an informant these days."

"Bianca."

"That one. She's rather useful when she isn't trying to end us, isn't she?"

"She's my friend."

"Swell. Anyway, while I'm pleased to see you again Spyro, I must ask. What's the occasion? Its not as if we're holed up anywhere close to either of your home realms."

Noticing Spyro's wordless yield to her, the faun looked at the sharp-toothed faces painted on the rounded tips of the objects affixed to the penguin's shoulders.

"Spyro told me that you might know a thing or two about ranged weapons."

"Perchance."

"Those are rockets you're carrying, right?"

"They are indeed. D-B-X-nine BAM rockets. This lot is both ranged and heat seeking. Designed them myself."

Leaning closer and inspecting the harnessed metal-armed contraption, Elora hummed as the penguin turned in place, granting her a better side view.

"I assume this isn't quite your cup of tea... Considering that bayonet on your hip."

"Maybe not rockets... But something. Thinking more along the lines of a bow."

"Bow, and arrows?"

"Something like it."

"Old fashioned, but no doubt lethal. If its weaponry you're after... As a matter of fact, I've been intending to head to Avalar as it is. There's an arms dealer I know of in that dome city."

"Dome city?"

"Metropolis."

Nodding from Spyro's question and Elora's answering, James propped his wings onto his sides, webbed feet padding closer to Spyro. Inspecting the leather pad and its various straps affixed, the sergeant then peeped up to Spyro's large irides.

"If I may be so inclined... Did you have this made?"

"We did. This is my, um, saddle."

"For the misses, right. Talon's Tannery?"

Both of the couple's mouths dropped from his correct guess.

"H-How did you know?"

"I recognize the stitching. Our forces have bought much in the way of tactical attire from their shop on the Harbor."

"Talon and Conner did a great job on it."

"That they do with all their creations. Anyway, onto brass tacks. You seek weapons, and I seek munitions. I believe we're due in for a journey to Avalar, humm?"

Eying the other, and then rising onto their feet and palms, backing out from the tent, both Spyro and Elora watched with interest as James waddled past them to the edge of the outcropping, motioning them to follow with this stubby wings.

"Are you with me?"

"I am."

"We are."

"Then come along, young ones! I'm curious to see how two fly as one anyway."

Metropolis, Avalar

Skittering to a halt with thick slaps of clawed paws and webbed feet, concluding the latest of several portal travels between worlds, Elora gingerly stepped out of the saddle's stirrup straps, placing her hooves onto the patterned tile of the portal room's foyer. Pushing himself into a rise upward, propping his tail against the floor behind, Spyro's upper arms began and shortly ceased prying at the buckle around his plated abdomen, patiently waiting as Elora twisted the iron loop up and pulled the straps apart with more precise dexterity. Electing to scoop her into an embrace, squishing the mammalian female into his frontal muscle and resting his snout atop her wind-swept locks, her arms curled around his sides with a murmur, idle hands still holding the limp leather bands.

"Love you."

"I love you."

Looking on past the whispering and twisting couple to orange-illuminated hallways stretching further, Sergeant Byrd patiently awaited their return to the present objective, tongue clicking between his beak. Eyebrow perking as Spyro freed the saddle pad from his arms, offering it to his auburn-furred mate that bundled the whole thing up and shoved it within her deceptively spacious backpack, James then propped his wings on his sides, harness audibly shifting.

"Ready to proceed?"

"Yup."

"Yes."

Ambling forward with a steady waddling gait, joined thereafter by the longer strides of dragon and faun, the trio entered the tunnel of steel and shaped concrete, heading for the first of several elevator tubes further. Seeing the descending levitation of the large disc in question, lights flickering as it settled to a landing on the antigravity pad beneath, the lone shiny passenger stepped off, strutting toward the approaching creatures. Discerning the lanky and wobbly robot as that of a Robotica Farmer, tipping his mesh hat to them in passing and clanking through the portal behind, Spyro was then struck by returning memory of fending off farm-related incursions.

"Hey, Sarge."

"Yessir."

"The first time I came across this world, the robots were dealing with an invasion of farm animals."

Grunting, both as a laugh and a contemplation, James flapped up onto the awaiting elevator platform, followed by Elora's easier bound, and then Spyro's slower amble, distracted by recollection.

"Do tell, lad."

"Ahm, well, there were cows with lasers, and rocket pigs, oh, and that was the first time I've seen sheep in space ships."

"I say. Sheep, flying?"

"Yeah, heh, sure could have used your rockets then."

Smugly jostling the explosive munitions perched on his shoulders, Byrd looked skyward as the elevator groaned to life, rising through the cylindrical shaft with a hiss of changing air pressure.

"How did you dispatch the sheep?"

Peeping to a curious Elora beside, adjusting the strap of her backpack on her shoulder, Spyro glanced opposite to newly revealed land masses bordering the opposite side of the city dome.

"One of the bots had a dual powerup gate going. Flight and super flame."

"Ooh."

"Knocked those sheep right out of the sky."

Humming from Spyro's distinct and reminiscent quote, Elora led the procession with a hop off the elevator, producing a sharp echo of her hooved landing among the flat walls.

"Dogfighting, hm? An ace like you would be a valuable member of our squadron."

"Maybe."

"If you ever desire further action my friend, we've got you more than covered."

Humored by the penguin's offer, the purple dragon tilted his horns.

"As tempting as that sounds... I've fought enough bad guys and battles these past couple years. Elora and I stay busy with our own adventures too. I'm good for a while."

"Fair enough. The offer is open if ever you change your mind."

Imagination rippling with fiery explosions and flying debris, the potential for purposefully inflicted chaos tickled the Peace Keeper within, casting a distant wistful gaze onto Spyro's reptilian brow.

I might.

Metropolitan Armory, Metropolis, Avalar

Leaning against a stack of large crates, as the only sentient being not speaking to the worker robots, Spyro lazily looked on as a forklift hovered across the open air armory, devoid of the previously seen ice sheet that revealed various blast marks and impact scars on the flat concrete. Seeing the sergeant eye the arriving crate with a nod, he then glanced aside to the nearer purchase counter, with racks of shiny laser-powered weaponry gleaming behind the floating robot manning the selection. Seeing Elora reach into her backpack, producing the brilliant colors of numerous gems and placing them in a line onto the counter, she then plucked a dark-colored T-shaped weapon off the surface, and with several turns of the arm-length object in her grasp, she peeked toward her awaiting boyfriend with a gleam of growing interest in the new acquisition. Placing her hoof into the ring in the very front, her elbows spread outward in a strong pull toward her chin, and the distinct click of a locking ratchet held a quartet of cables taught, keeping the flexible limbs back in a tightly wound curve.

Turning the empty weapon up into the air, and then butting the shaped stock into her shoulder, a trigger pull then released the locked slide, and the weapon snapped with a startling release of tension, and a breath visibly puffed the faun's cheeks. Twisting back as a quiver of flighted bolts was held over the counter by the patiently bobbing robot, Elora then collected the tube of ammunition, slipping its band over her shoulder.

That's your bow thing, huh?

Rising from his lean as his girlfriend trotted over, visibly wiggling with excitement, Spyro's ringed nostrils puffed with amusement from her teal-eyed delight, and she propped the contraption onto both of her arms in presentation.

"Isn't this thing wild?"

"What is it?"

"They call it a crossbow."

"Gonna shoot some stuff?"

"Obviously. Now, and lots of times later."

"Cool."

"Wanna see how it works?"

"Of course!"

Chin rising and cheeks aglow, Elora turned and began toward a series of impact-scarred targets across the armory, listening to the clawed thump of her mate's paws just behind. Drawing to a halt on the paint-marked target range, she tilted the crossbow down, repeating the earlier motion of tugging its slide back with a bracing of her athletic leg in its pull ring.

"This is how you get it ready, and then..."

Following her arm's reach back behind, fingers searching for and clasping around one of the arrow shafts, she lifted the long and sharply-pointed rod from the quiver, piquing Spyro's curiosity as it turned down to a near-horizontal landing on the barrel channel of the stock.

"...You put the arrow here, and now its ready."

Observing her digit's motions, forming around the new weapon's streamlined contours, the crossbow rose level against her shoulder, and the dragon beheld the sight of his mate firmly poised with a ranged weapon.

"Aim, with the front part between the rear parts, and then..."

*KA-CHINK*

Whirling aside as the bolt departed with potent velocity, found seconds later to be firmly embedded into the lower corner of one of the ballistic targets, both creatures exchanged raised eyebrows from the new experience.

"Wow."

"Sure goes fast."

"I'll say."

Reaching back to the quiver for another, brushing her fingertips through her hair to alleviate an errant itch, Elora plucked the second bolt from the quiver, only to shrug her backpack free from her shoulders, lowering it to the laser-singed concrete. Stepping aside and seating himself next to her enchanted satchel, tail weaving with interest, Spyro admired Elora's motions as she readied the crossbow again.

*KA-CHINK*

Grunting as the next bolt stuck into the opposite side of the target, still too low, a hint of dismay graced Elora's comely features, only to be shrugged away.

"Need to practice."

"You just got it."

Flitting toward the lavender beast beside, her cheek curled with a tingle of mirth.

"Might be here a while."

"A while like a month?"

Smiling more, her teeth peeked from between her lips.

"Not that long."

"A week?"

"A few hours. Unless you want to stay here overnight."

"Do you want to?"

Vision orbiting around the steel and concrete architecture, inhabited by robots that probably knew nothing of plush comfort, her flat nose wrinkled from Spyro's query.

"Probably not."

Curling back with a firm tug of steel cables, fetching and loading a third bolt onto the crossbow, fully aware of Spyro's sizeable irides devouring her physique just beside, her tongue pushed out to the side of her lips as she aligned the sights of the composite arbalest.

*KA-CHINK*

Pleased to find the bolt had struck the target higher from a slight tilt upward, her arms sank in a moment's rest.

"That was better."

"Yeah. I think they go down on their own. That's why the first two are there."

"Good ol' gravity, huh?"

Rolling aside with a blossom of mirth, she reached over and drug her fingertips along the orange flesh of his nearer wing.

"You fight it more than anyone."

"I feel like gravity weighs more on dragons. That's why a bunch of my elders are fat."

"A lot of them are really buff too."

"Gotta be strong to overcome stuff."

Tracing her digits along the bony structure of his wingstems, led lower to the muscle of his broad shoulder supporting his flight surfaces and front legs alike, her tail flitted with a momentary pass of vision along his masculine flank.

You overcame tyrants and monsters, and you weren't nearly as strong then as you are now... "Being strong on the inside helps too."

"Probably."

Blinking as a light touch tapped on the meat of his weaving tail, Spyro glanced behind his shoulder, seeing Sergeant Byrd beside his appendage, motioning him aside with a point of his feathers and a smile forming onto his beak. Slinking back from beside a preoccupied Elora manipulating her armament, Spyro began to follow the smaller avian, only for the penguin to point to the top of the Metropolitan dome as he neared.

"Up for some reconnaissance, lad? Up there."

Squinting toward the glinting crest of the great curved and translucent ceiling, mildly dubious of James' intent but deciding to join the dark blue soldier anyway, both male creatures began flapping upward with swoops of wings. Fully expecting the turn of Elora's attention to their noisy gains of height, Spyro's drooping forelimb swept across in a guilty wave.

"Ahm, gonna go somewhere babe, be back in a little bit!"

Despite the initial concern of leaving her behind and being chastised for it, the faun simply admired Spyro's powerful self-levitation, and her briefly-freed digits spread in a wave to match his.

"Have fun!"

"Love you!"

"Love yoouuu!"

Relieved, and now fully focused on keeping with the Sergeant, Spyro swooped forward and powered through several turns of alignment, rising in a steady ascent. Discerning the lesser labors of only bringing his own mass through the air, his throat buzzed in a grunt of contemplation, only to be distracted as one of the penguin's feathers drifted away from his wing, twirling past on the crest of an oceanic breeze that swirled past the contours of his wing bones.

She's probably glad I'm doing something with a friend. We've been together every day for... At least a year. Not that I'll ever be tired of being by her side, but, its good to be apart sometimes. You remember how much you miss them, and that's how you know how much you need them.

Discovering there was in fact an observation platform affixed to the top of the dome, both units of the airborne reconnaissance angled down into a glide toward it, with Spyro outpacing James slightly, claws scraping the patterned and weathered steel as he bounded into a landing and halt.

A dragon needs his treasure. I need her, every day, and I'm glad she can handle that.

Turning around on all fours, deciding to remain in a quadruped stance considering his comrade's limited height, Spyro ambled up beside Byrd, joining the avian's gaze towards other great domed towers, silhouetted and shrouded in the shallow ocean's mist.

"I've been wondering something lately, and you're the sort that might understand."

Brow quirking toward the smaller creature beside, Spyro sat on his rear, taking in the fresh sea breeze brushing his crest.

"Yeah?"

"I've been in on this combat work for a lifetime... Love it, and its been a hell of a ride, but, after all of it is said and done... What have I really accomplished, right? I'm not making history or changing the world... Just been blowing away brutes and gambling my luck doing so."

Leaning aside, slightly surprised by the dump of honesty, Spyro looked on to the passing of thin and low cloud formations.

"You helped me take out the sorceress, and freed your whole realm."

"Perhaps, but you paid for me to get out of that blasted bear's cage in the first place."

"Wasn't a big deal. Got those gems back."

"Even so, lad, I got captured. Soldiers shouldn't wind up like that."

"Well, they do, and what matters is that they come back in the end to fight again."

Irides meeting, James eyed Spyro firmly.

"You speak as if you've been enlisted."

"I haven't, but I know dragons that are."

Piquing the penguin's curiosity further, Spyro's snout rose higher toward the heavens.

"...Back home, there's a whole clan of dragon-kind that are exclusively warriors, trained from their youth. Combat is all they know."

"I say."

"We call them Peace Keepers, because that's what they do for us."

"Keep the peace, right."

"Being a Peace Keeper means going out into battle when called upon, and its totally normal to take pride in slaying and destroying, to protect the weaker dragons of our clans."

"I'm sure it comes naturally for your kind, with the fire and such."

"It does, but the drive to fight and protect becomes pretty obvious for those that hatch as Peace Keepers."

"Are you one of them?"

Hesitating, from the return of a once-confusing consideration, Spyro slowly nodded.

"Partly. I'm mostly an Artisan, but... Once in a great while, we're the ones that wind up saving the day."

Smiling from the dragon's revelations, of hierarchy and similar profession, James patiently awaited the return of Spyro's huge purple eyes.

"I suppose you would know, liberating this place, and all the rest of Avalar."

Sharing a firm exchange of nods, and then standing to his feet with a smirk on display, Spyro shrugged, flicking his wings outward in a preperative motion.

"I took some hits, but what I gained was worth every bit of it!"

Bounding forward into the air, flattening into a broad glide, the lavender beast glanced aside mid-turn, smiling as the Sergeant easily kept pace with his air speed. Wingspans rippling from errant gusts, both creatures soared in paired formation around the perimeter of the giant dome, inspecting the structure's modern planes and gleaming facets of concrete, steel and glass in passing. Coming across the open-air armory at a lower altitude, soaring over with near silence, the dragon's curiosity was immediately drawn to the open space below, glimpsing an auburn-furred Elora notating something on parchment, leaned back in a seat on a crate with the crossbow pointed down, hoof perched on its pull ring.

Continuing a second revolution around the great round structure, Byrd neared Spyro's horns, squinting at the scaled reptile in flight.

"I'm surprised, lad!"

"About what?"

"I didn't know dragons were the sort to date other creatures!"

"Dating isn't really a thing back home! Elora is something special though! She's the best treasure I've ever found!"

"And she feels the same?"

"Oh yeah! I won her heart by saving the day and kicking ass!"

"The lasses do love heroes!"

"Yup!"

Nearing the armory once more, making an effort to slow his glide, Spyro turned opposite, finding the laser-scorched courtyard steadily gaining in detail, and his shadow darkening beneath his chest that met his feet with a hefty plop onto the concrete. Puffing with relief, he then shoved himself upright, attaining balance and trodding toward the seated faun that steadily grinned more from his approach.

"We're back."

"You two shoot down any more sheep up there?"

"Not this time."

"Sadly we were without targets. Speaking of that matter..."

Realizing the arms dealer android was otherwise absent, with the shop's blast doors closed and locked shut, James began waddling toward the armory's entrance.

"...I'll catch up with you two later on."

"Okay!"

"Seeya, sarge."

"Until next time, young ones!"

Saluting Spyro and nodding toward Elora, Byrd hurriedly tromped away with an amusing slapping of wide feet, leaving the couple looking on for a moment until he disappeared within the interior shade of the city passage.

"How's the shooting?"

"Going good. Kind of. Still working on things."

Padding toward the target Elora shot at with increasing curiosity, seeing a full quiver of arrows studded all around it, Spyro's footfall slowed as the distinct clicks of Elora's hooves approached from behind. Finding his girlfriend materializing beside him with the crossbow slung behind her back, she reached forward and began yanking each of the bolts out of the heavily-impacted rubbery wall.

"Looks like it works pretty good."

"It does. Its hardly heavy and these arrows fly really fast."

"Awesome."

"Need to try shooting it while riding you."

Blinking from the matter-of-fact statement, his big eyebrow perked.

"Riding me?"

Lips tightening, from her boyfriend's expression and his suggestive interpretation, she turned toward him to hide her flitting tail, cheekbones rising with barely-contained mirth.

"While you're flying."

"Ah, hum. Thought so."

Pulling the last bolt out, openly grinning as she turned away, Elora began toward her bag on the crate further back, tail weaving teasingly above the strut of her rump, luring Spyro along shortly behind.

"Dork."

Glimmer, Avalar

Laying outstretched on the flat-cut top of a giant ruby-colored gemstone, mounted on top of a large open-pillared dome and out of sight of the resident rodentia heard retiring to their dwellings, Spyro lay beside the tan leather of his own saddle pad, much more accustomed to residing upon the hard-edges of precious rocks than his mammalian mate, prone and caressing the coarse hills and valleys of his forelimb muscle. Looking on beyond her also-crimson hair, recipient of fading evening light reflecting from the mineral's cut and polished angles, his vision lazily connected his own constellations between the stars peeking through the descending dusk.

"Elora."

"Mm?"

Feeling her drifting fingers cease their drag, dually distracted gazes eventually aligned amid the hums of large insect life.

"After I first met you, and even later on... I didn't ever expect you to end up being armed, like you are now."

Moving her leg, with her sheathed dagger shifting on her hip from the movement, she tilted further, letting bangs tumble along her brow.

"Neither did I."

"But... Now you are."

"I am, and... I've realized over time, that you've faced off against so many dangerous creatures and opponents... And all along, I haven't ever fought anyone or anything."

"Right, yeah."

"Now that we're together on all these wanders, to places far away... We're out where we don't belong pretty often, and... I feel like I've been lucky so far."

Seeing his brow tighten, his firm furrow spelled out an unspoken consideration he didn't want to entertain.

"...You have known enemies, and I'll be facing them with you, so I don't mind being prepared. For anyone and anything we deal with together."

Hoisting his captured arm higher, shedding her hand and draping it across her slender stomach and flattening her worn leaves, his limb tightened in an intended embrace.

"No matter what, Elora... I can't let any harm come to you if I can help it."

Easily nudging closer into his physique, her flat nose drug up beneath his chin, lips nudging into the finer scales guarding his gullet as his clawed paw spread onto the small of her back.

"I know."

"You're my treasure, and you're mine forever."

Managing to kiss his neck more despite the grin of elation forcing her lips apart, she arched back in a stretch, upper knees and bosom finding gentle landings along his frame.

"Forever?"

"Forever, and ever."

Orlichen Village (Outer Realms)

Maybe this is one of those places that doesn't like open carrying weaponry... "Unfortunately this is a little big to just put away, my apologies."

"We don't serve your kind here!"

"What, no fauns allowed?"

"No mercenaries!"

"Merc- What? I'm not... These things are just for -."

"Just for spirit robbing! We know what you do!"

Backpedaling from the offensive shouts and swipes of a large frying pan through the open air of an eatery's eminences, with an increasing number of eyes startled and sternly squinting towards her, Elora hurried her retreat towards the doorway behind.

"I'm leaving, alright? You don't have to keep, swinging that!"

Ducking out of the passage with a clatter of hooves and shuffle of backpack and holstered weaponry, she then halted a few bounds beyond and turned about face to the wart-laden gnorc cook bursting through the wood-paneled door in pursuit. Glancing higher, arm shooting up and clasping the arriving open palm of a muscular purple limb, Spyro's large presence was revealed, perched on an angled rooftop that already drew the wary attention of creatures near on the street. Hoisting Elora up out of range with a heave, with the grimace of labor turning into an annoyed glare at the arriving suspect as the crossbow-armed faun clambered onto the roof and straddled his backside, Spyro's arm extended towards the hapless gnorc, its motions and expressions both frozen in alarm from the presence of the genocidal reptilian threat yanking the iron skillet from its grasp.

"Need to borrow this."

*CLANG*

Delivering the cooking iron squarely onto the top of the now-silent Gnorc's skull, dropping the creature flat to the ground in a thorough stunning, Spyro grunted with a laugh, and flung the iron aside, bouncing it off the rooftop and sending it twirling into parts unknown.

"Why's he so mad?"

"He thinks I'm a spirit stealer or something. Might be the crossbow."

"So we're not sticking around?"

"Nah. This isn't the only settlement, and... Gnorcs."

"Yeah. Gnorcs."

Humming from his sneering affirmation of the unsightly minions, labelled condescendingly as cannon-fodder and nuisances, Elora tightly gripped the central strap of the saddle.

"Ready?"

Shoving her hooves into the stirrups, she exhaled with a mild shiver.

Spirit stealer... Is that what they call bounty hunters? "Ready."

Bracing herself as the he tilted level, the couple launched forward into an immediate ascent from the roof, and Elora twisted back from the clatter of roof tiles tumbling free, kicked loose by the potent shove of his back legs. Allowing the whole of the village to grow smaller in her view, ivy-laden buildings framed by the trailing edges of her boyfriend's wings flapping on both sides, her heart beat with a hint of unease.

Sure glad we can get away easily, thanks to you.

Flitting lower to his weaving tail between her swept locks, one hand freed itself from grasping the middle handle, spreading unseen onto his bobbing neck beside his rippling crest.

We're lucky, so far.

Bergenday Crossroads, (Outer Realms)

"Wouldn't they have been tired of failing by now?"

"That's the thought. Blind loyalty or huge amounts of determination."

"Its not even a fight of attrition. You and the other dragons just wipe them out."

"Yup. Its easy nowadays, now that we know their weaknesses."

"Post invasion."

"Mm. At some point, you have to wonder who thinks its still worth the effort, since they keep... Hold on."

Clawed and hooved footfall halted on packed dirt just past the cut soil of a path's intersection, as angry cries of desperation and howls of anguish emitted from a location yet-unseen, and the distinct strikes of iron and wood implied a conflict ensuing near, drawing the couple's eyes into a combined sweep along the curving road.

"That's a battle, right?"

"Sure is, and... That way. See the particles?"

Paw thrusting beyond a cluster of thick bushes near, sparkling comets of released spirits escaped their corporeal domains and hurried away, and Elora stared at the phenomenon with morbid fascination.

"Those are creatures..."

"Dying, yes."

Leaning forward, drawn by curiosity, Spyro padded forth to get a view of ensuing skirmish, only for a startling fury of footfall to cause him to halt again as the awkward armor clad flails of both dwarves and imps stumbled onto the path ahead. Witness to the subduing and subsequent beating of one pair versus the other, with the dwarves ceasing movement, their stubby swords were taken and dually wielded with spike-studded clubs, and after a trade of glances, the devilish creatures scurried along the ground in a low-hunched pursuit, glimpsed by the couple already retreating in a hurry and disappearing around the rocky hillock and its cluster of thick bushes.

"Do you think they're-."

"Yes! Grab your knife, bow, something!"

Alarmed by Spyro's warning and the approaching skitter of pursuant things, glimpsing his hunching onto all fours a short distance beside, horns forward, Elora whirled her slung crossbow around her shoulder, dropping the front low and stomping her hoof into the pull stirrup, tugging the cables back with a fierce grunt. Digging into her spacious satchel and hurriedly plucking a bolt free, slapping its length onto the central channel of the stock, her eyes widened as the malevolent grins of stubby-horned and narrow-hooved midgets widely rounded the corner, plundered weapons raised in their arms. Leveling her crossbow towards the closer of two opponents heading directly towards her, her fingers tightened, absent of hesitation from the quick-footed threat, allowing the taught cables to snap forward and send the feather-flighted rod directly into the slender demon's throat. Finding the impish entity tumbling backward from the projectile's force, melee weapons flung free from its grasp, the sharp cry of immense pain was matched by the other imp to the right as it sailed through the open air even further than its rolling comrade, also violently redirected by Spyro's goring horns.

Crossbow lowering, and throat undulating with a swallow of realization, seeing the bolt sticking out of the now-limp being, Elora flitted toward Spyro as he grunted, pushing himself upright.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm fine." I think.

Looking on as the dispatched opponent began fizzling into white flakes of dematerialization, the distinct orb of its maligned spirit particle pried free from the imp's chest in escape, and the otherwise silent area surrounding implied the resolution of the prior battle hardly glimpsed. Waiting until the remainder of the fallen being vanished from the world in dissolution, Elora began forward to the scarred armor left behind, staring at the heap as she neared.

I ended you. You don't get to end me. That's... Just how it is. Sorry.

Plucking the fallen bolt from its deposition on the ground, her teal irides narrowed as she looked it over, seeing the tip darkened with leftover ooze of the imp's innards. Bending down and wiping the sharp tip back and forth into into the earth, making sure it was satisfactorily denuded of the being's remains, she nudged her backpack down onto the crook of her elbow, pushing the lethal rod back into her quiver among the others.

"That your first kill?"

Hesitantly twisting aside to a nearing Spyro, the faun produced a reluctant nod, affirming what her beating heart was not happy to admit. Finding Spyro's large paw landing on her shoulder, and then sliding across her shoulder blades, her ears lowered.

"...Least you know that crossbow does its job."

Lifting the lightweight length of the half-moon-shaped launcher into view, she looked over the metal curves that easily delivered someone's demise in her grasp.

"Yeah."

"Hey."

Vision nearing Spyro's sturdy legs that stepped nearer, she closed her eyelids.

"...I know your years as a kid were way more peaceful than mine, but... It got to a point where half of the occupants of any world I went to, attacked me on sight."

Rising to his snout, and his weary eyes further that saw much more violence than she could imagine, Elora remained still as his wistful gaze became pointed.

"Once you've taken a life to spare your own, you get used to wiping out more. I promise."

"I'm not sure I want to."

"That might be tough."

"I know."

"You're carrying two things that are meant for taking lives, and people recognize that, so..."

"I know, its just... I bought them, to keep both of us safe."

"They will, and you'll have to get used to hurting others, to stay safe."

Eyelids sinking shut, leaning into him again in a seep of deflation, their postures turned together, bringing them into a proper embrace of squeezing arms.

"...Now you know what its like, being a dragon."

Sunrise Spring (Forgotten Realms)

Patiently peeling the remainder of red and orange skin from a Wumpa fruit with her dagger, and then turning the blade toward the stem and lopping it in half with ease between her fingers, Elora twisted aside and offered the half with the stem to Spyro. Patiently awaiting the parting of his maw and the revelation of his pointed teeth that easily took in and mashed the sweet and tangy fruit, she then eyed the elegantly struck E on the blade's sides, decorated by the growth of flowers that only bloomed with the silvery color of forged steel.

This thing is sharp.

Returning the dagger to its sheath resting by her folded leg, she then brought the remainder of the juicy treat to her big teeth, jamming it into her cavity of consumption.

Does a good job cutting things... Probably does a lot better stabbing others.

Looking on to her crossbow and its matching quiver, both flat on the grass near the bank of the clear-watered lake beyond her hooves, Elora eyed the larger lethal device she carried around, only for a stream of radiant color to peripherally distract her, reflecting on the rippling water. Discovering that the rainbow trail en route to their position was that of Bianca, as the practicing sorceress materialized in front of them both, just beyond the shade of the tree, Elora's ponytailed hair drifted up past her collar, rising to the stature of the rabbit waving her hand across in greeting.

"Heya 'Lora, Spyro."

"Hi, B."

Finding the cloak-laden mammal kneeling, eying the crossbow flattening the grass as she lowered in front of the reclining couple, Bianca then presented a cloth sack to her faun friend.

"What's this?"

"Got some special bolts for ya, since you're finally using that crossbow for more than just target shooting."

Rolling her eyes from the remark, Elora inspected the offered trio of objects, revealed to be three narrow splash potions fitted onto the ends of arrow shafts and wrapped in cloth of their own.

"...Results will vary depending on what and who you hit. Ooh, and don't drop these if they're not wrapped in the cloth."

"Okay."

"Hunter found that one out the hard way."

Eyebrow perking from Bianca's giggle, Elora eyed the partner of one of her oldest friends.

"...Is Hunter alright?"

"He's fine. Just a little staticy still."

Both of the female's heads turned to Spyro as he also chuckled lightly.

"Did he get zapped?"

"From dropping a jar of lightning, yes."

"Was his fur..."

"All big and poofy? Yes."

"Heh. Wish I could see that."

"I don't think he'd live that down... Knowing how you two are."

Folding his resting forearms in intersection, Spyro shrugged.

"A little embarrassment is good for him... Keeps his head from getting too big."

"Says the biggest head around here, horns."

"Hey. His horns are handsome."

Leaning aside, Bianca winked toward Elora from her passive defense of her mate.

"Anyway, 'Lora, let me know how those work for you, once you use them."

"I will. Might be a while."

"Or it could be in a few moments. Never know."

"Maybe. Then you could see them firsthand."

Leaning back, squinting into the plentiful sunshine, Bianca nudged aside one of her ears with her shoulder.

"Pretty sure we are the only souls even in this realm right now."

Fondly eying her purple companion resting beside her knees, Elora lowered her digits onto Spyro's head, palm flattening behind his nearer horn as her thumb curled around the spiraling point.

"Like I said... Might be a while."