Jarek couldn't get last night's events out of his mind. He had gone to bed just as usual and had a good sleep, but when he woke up, he found his claw upon his cheek: the very spot Sisu had kissed. He assumed it had been instinctive; he certainly didn't have it there when he went to sleep. Yet there it was again. He wondered if it was because of that dream.

He had been in an underwater domain. Strangely he found himself able to breathe, but that curiosity was short-lived for he remembered he was a water dragon. As he swam about the cold depths, he soon found a second shape slinking through. It moved flawlessly, stopping as it noticed him floating. The figure swam up to him, halting just at his face. Jarek's eyes looked into the figures', and soon a single name escaped him.

"Sisu?"

She nodded, and then she moved in locking their lips together. When the dream ended, Jarek remembered waking up feeling hot, along with his claw upon his face. Once more, Jarek found himself unable to take it away, forcing himself to remove it and return to sleep. But even then more dreams of Sisu plagued him. They were consistent, but oddly he felt happy. And it lasted as morning followed.

Jarek stood outside as Dragontown came to life, and even awake, Sisu didn't leave his mind; or rather she couldn't leave his mind. And it quickly dawned on him he wasn't letting her. He wanted her in his mind and held onto it for as long as he could.

"Hey man, what are you thinking about?" Jagan's voice tapped at his eardrums.

Jarek didn't respond and continued to remain focused ahead. He wasn't focusing on anything in particular. He could see a dragon family; a mother, a father, and a child. The child was laughing, the mother was telling the child something, probably to slow down as he ran off, and the father said something, probably reassuring that their son would be fine. Seeing all of this only furthered Jarek's belief that dragons were very much like humans.

And oddly, Jarek found he was enjoying this sight for some reason.

"Hello? Kumandra to Jarek?" Jagan's claw waved in front of his face.

Finally, Jarek snapped to attention as he roared slightly in confusion. It always surprised him when he roared or growled. It was moments such as those that showed him his "dragon" was showing.

"Huh? What is it?" Jarek asked.

"You are!" Jagan remarked, "Dude I can tell something's off about you."

Outside of Sisu, Jagan was his best friend in Dragontown. Within the six months of Jarek being a dragon, he and Jagan were stuck like glue; of course, barring the moments he was with Sisu.

"Yeah, I've just been having something on my mind, had some weird dreams last night," Jarek answered.

"Dreams?" Jagan was intrigued, "Do spill."

Normally, Jarek wouldn't appreciate such personal prying into his business, but Jagan had practically become his brother so he felt comfortable. Holding it in forever would do him no good.

"It was about a girl," Jarek said.

"A girl?" Jagan's voice rose in surprise, "Huh, what? You having "certain" dreams, because you are well past the age man," Jagan chuckled.

Jarek's head stood erect as he realized what Jagan meant, "No! Not one of "those" dreams, I'm not a teenager anymore."

"Yeah you're lucky you skipped dragon puberty," Jagan remarked, "You think humans have it bad, hoo boy! You should have seen Sisu when she was developing."

"Developing?" Jarek's eyes grew wide and vivid images rushed through his head,

He pictured how Sisu might have looked as a child, then a teenager, and then the lovely dragoness she was today. Jarek literally shook those thoughts from his head the minute he realized he found Sisu "lovely".

"Come on man just tell me. Talking it out will help," Jagan assured.

There was no delaying it, "Okay, I've been thinking about this girl," Jarek admitted.

"Anyone in town?" Jagan asked.

"Yes."

"Anyone I know?"

"Yes."

"I know a lot of people in town, so let's just cut this short and tell me okay?"

A small part of Jarek's mind held up the rope holding the bag of admission, containing Jarek's innermost thoughts and feelings. Jarek knew he was purposely delaying its descent, fighting with all of his might. The more he held it the more the struggle made his muscles ache. And with any ache, it needed to be relieved.

So, Jarek dropped it.

"It's your sister," Jarek spilled the beans.

He turned around to study Jagan's face, "You've been thinking about my sister?" Jagan's face held no distinct emotion, "Tell me, is your heart beating?"

"Yes," Jarek immediately answered.

"Like, really beating, like it's about to burst out of your chest?"

Jarek placed a claw to his chest and found it was beating like a drum, "That's a "yes"."

"Do you feel warm? Hot even?"

"Burning up."

If Jagan's expression wasn't readable before, it was now, "Whoo man! You are so in love!"

Jarek's eyes widened and bulged, "In love!?"

"That's exactly how I felt when I realized I had the hots for Reela!" Jagan admitted, "You are absolutely, positively, actually in love! Man Pranee is going to be so happy!"

Jarek lowered his eyes into a confused glare, "Excuse me?"

"I mean it was bound to happen, what with her stuffing you full of sweets and all. Man, I bet she's going to make the wedding cake herself. Mark my words you are going to have a Ba bod in a year!" Jagan laughed.

"Woah, wait it's not Pranee!" Jarek panicked.

Jagan halted his laughter and looked at Jarek questionably, "Not Pranee? Amba? Wasn't sure if she liked boys; or girls for that matter."

"It's not Amba."

The revelation it was'nt Pranee or Amba took Jagan two minutes to recover. He looked as if he was wrestling with his thoughts, trying to ascertain who else it was. Then he recalled he didn't have only two sisters; he had three.

"SISU!?" Jagan's voice spread throughout Dragontown.

Somewhere in the river, Sisu popped her head out of it and asked, "Someone call my name?" When she received no answer, she shrugged and dove back under.

Back in Dragontown, the inhabitants likewise shrugged and resumed their daily lives, but Jagan was a different matter altogether, "You're in love with Sisu?"

"Dude, keep your voice down!" Jarek shushed.

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting that. I mean, I could see Pranee, possibly Amba, heck some part of me thought maybe you went both ways and Pengu would have some love, but Sisu? Jagan wasn't sure how to comprehend that.

"And what's wrong with Sisu?" Jarek asked, his voice rising with an offended vocal.

"Hey, I'm not saying there's anything wrong, I just well I couldn't picture Sisu being in love," Jagan said, "Maybe as a sister-in-law or a cool aunt, but not someone's girlfriend."

Jarek sighed and hung his head, "Well it's true, I'm in love with Sisu," Jarek realized, and as the realization came to be, he didn't find anything wrong with it, "Thing is, I haven't told her."

"You haven't told her?" Jagan questioned, "Yeah it's making sense now."

"I don't know what to do!" Jarek panicked, "I've never been in love before! I don't know how it's supposed to go!"

"Dude calm down, just take some deep breaths," Jagan cautioned.

Jarek did as he was told and took several breaths. Slowly, he felt his heart and lungs relaxing.

"Okay, okay, I'm fine," Jarek told himself, finishing with two final breaths.

"So you're in love with my sister. What are you going to do about it?" Jagan asked.

That question bore into Jarek like an insect's stinger. It was all out in the open now, and Jarek knew there was no way he could hide it any longer. Eventually, it would eat away at him until he was nothing left but a rotting corpse; maybe not literally, but figuratively he would be a mess. There was no denying he wouldn't be able to contain this. He knew one solution.

"I have to tell her!" Jarek declared.

"Atta boy! Go get her!" Jagan cheered.

Sisu had headed down to the river, so he knew where to find her. Wasting no time, Jarek scurried away off to confess his heart to the dragon he loved.

"I really hope it doesn't backfire on him," Jagan said as Jarek hurried off.

He said nothing of this when Jarek confessed his feelings for Sisu, but Jagan hoped this would work out for another reason: he hoped he would gain a brother-on-law in the process. Selfish as that sounded, he missed the feeling of having one, and he knew Jarek would make the perfect brother.

But, he was getting ahead of himself. There were no signs of wedding bells yet. The idea of Sisu finding love never crossed his mind. Sometimes Jagan felt she shared no interest, just like Amba, but she had won over Jarek.

He supposed it wasn't surprising. Sisu had taught Jarek all there was to know about being a dragon, and he in turn had become a close friend to her. Now the time had come to see just how close that friendship was; for friendship always had a chance of blossoming into love.

XXX

Sisu exhaled a pleasure-filled breath as she emerged from the water. A swim in the river always perked her up; not that she was feeling upset, but just swimming underneath the depths was where she truly felt free. Seeing as her magic was swimming itself it felt right; as if it was where she was meant to be. However, there were plenty of places she liked besides the water, and knew she wouldn't be able to stay underneath forever. On land there was good food, family, and friends, it wasn't as if she had a chorus praising the beauties of the water, but she knew where she was meant to be.

"Sisu!"

Before Sisu could shake herself off, Jarek's voice called out to her. She looked ahead and noticed his sleek form coming to a skidding halt.

"Woah there Skippy! Is everything okay?" Sisu noticed Jarek's face looked pensive.

Jarek's pensiveness gave way to urgency as he spoke, "Sisu, I need to talk to you!"

Sisu's eyes grew concerned as she heard the panic in Jarek's voice, "Okay just calm down, just tell me what's

going on."

The longer Jarek gazed into her lovely orbs, the harder he found it to look away. Shaking his head, he spoke, "I just wanted to talk to you that's all."

"Oh? What about?" Sisu asked.

"I just...I just wanted to talk about us," Jarek admitted.

"Us? Okay Skippy, I get the feeling you're about to admit something," Sisu replied concernedly.

Jarek could feel his heart beating again. His breaths became heavy, and his throat was starting to dry out. Quickly he swallowed, adding some moisture to his tube. There was no delaying this.

"It's just, we've been friends for months now right?" Jarek rhetorically asked.

"Yeah, six months in counting I think," Sisu guessed.

"And sometimes when people, or dragons, know each other for a long time, they start to think about one another more," Said Jarek.

"Yeah that's generally how it goes," Sisu said.

Jarek swallowed again, "Sisu, what I'm trying to say is, I like you."

Sisu waved her claw playfully, "Oh thank you, I like you too Skippy!"

"No, I really, really, like you," Jarek reinstated.

Sisu's eyes lowered in confusion, "Yeah, I really, really, like you too."

Jarek sighed, knowing Sisu didn't understand what he meant. Sisu wasn't stupid, but rather naive; and it seemed so in regard to love.

"Sisu, I like you," Sisu was about to say something before Jarek finished, "in a way a guy likes a girl."

The blue dragoness blinked as Jarek's words bounced around in her head. In seconds it hit her like a ton of rocks.

"Whoa! Oh man whoa there!" Sisu suddenly exclaimed, blushing furiously as she did, "Okay, didn't expect that!"

Jarek watched Sisu intently. Dread started to fill his soul, as Sisu's reaction indicated this was not happy news.

"You like me!? Are you sure!? Really!?" Sisu asked frantically.

Bowing his head, Jarek replied, "Yes, I do."

Placing both of her claws to her head, Sisu stood on her hind legs walking back and forth, then grabbing her tail as she stated, "No, no, no, you can't like me! I mean I'm me!"

"What's that got to do with anything? You being you is the reason I like you!" Jarek insisted.

Sisu let go of her tail and relaxed her stance, "Skippy, I got to level with you, I'm not exactly girlfriend material, I mean look at me, I'm not the best dragon in general."

"What? That's crazy!" Jarek exclaimed.

"I'm serious! I mean you saw me the first night of the festival, I made a pig of myself," Sisu reminded, "Also I snore sometimes, I tend to drool, and also I shed a bit during-"

"Sisu just stop this! Why are you putting yourself down again? I know you said you're afraid of letting people down, but I don't care about any of that! I like you for who you are! Meeting you was the best day of my life and I want to be with you forever!" Jarek let it all out.

"Skippy you don't want to be with me!" Sisu shot.

"I do, I knew it the minute you kissed me!" Jarek shot back.

"That kiss was a mistake!" Sisu stated.

"No, it wasn't!" Jarek argued back, "Sisu, I love you."

Panic filled Sisu's eyes and they quickly locked onto Jarek's. She shook her head letting out a tiny whine as she did so. The panic slowly subsided as Sisu looked into Jarek's bearded face. The more she stared, the more she found it difficult to look away. She felt something in her chest but then brushed past Jarek.

"Sisu!" Jarek called after.

"I have to go!" She shouted.

The dragoness quickly hurried off back to Dragontown. Jarek was left alone with his thoughts. At the moment, he felt extremely stupid. But most of all, he felt something inside him break.

He assumed this was what "heartbreak" was. He had no idea it was literal.

XXX

Sisu didn't care where she was going. She just had to get away from the river. The farther she was the better. All the while her mind burned with thoughts. How could Jarek say that? Part of her thought he was playing a joke. He and Jagan often became a joking pair whenever they were together, but Jarek was alone, and she knew he meant every word.

Finally, Sisu lay behind some random house. She wasn't sure which house it was, but she needed to stop for a moment. Her thoughts had dulled as if ointment was applied to the mental burn. Yet despite her mind healing, her heart still ached. And with that ache came tears. Sisu couldn't remember the last time she cried. She was the happy one, the optimistic Datu who helped bring together the saviors of Kumandra. And now, one of her best friends had just confessed his true feelings toward her, and she felt confused.

"Sisu?"

Sisu quickly shot her head up, turning to the left and right before going back to the right. There, as if summoned by chance was Amba. How her little sister found her was a mystery, but Sisu quickly realized she was behind "her" house. She supposed she did it unconsciously, but she had run back towards her home.

"Are you crying?" Amba asked, half surprised, half worried.

Sisu sniffed and wiped her arm across her eyes, "Yeah, sorry you have to see me like this Sis."

Amba hurried to her sister, putting her claws upon her shoulders, "Sisu what's wrong?"

Sisu sniffled again before answering, "It's Jarek, something's happened."

"Is he okay?" Amba asked slightly alarmed.

"He's not hurt it's just-just-just, he said he loved me!" Sisu shouted out.

Amba gasped removing her sister from her grasp, "Oh my."

"What am I going to do, he likes me and well I just don't know what to do!" Sisu lamented.

For a moment, Amba remained silent. Sisu was in a delicate state, thus a lighter approach was required, "Do you love him?" Delicate, but blunt.

Now it was Sisu's turn to gasp, "I don't-I don't know."

"Sisu, think real hard, just look deep in your heart," Amba kindly instructed.

And so she did just that. She sat there and thought deeper than she had ever thought before. Thinking at such a level wasn't simply a matter of the brain, but also the heart. And her heart was hard at work. It beat against her chest in rapid succession. her rib cage becoming a drum, and her heart was the rhythm.

"I don't know, I just well, when he told me he loved me, I wasn't disappointed," Sisu admitted.

"Really? How so?" Amba inquired.

"I mean, I was freaked out, but him telling me that wasn't exactly a bad thing," Sisu's voice trailed with confusion, "At least I don't think so."

Amba, ever the perceptive one, granted her sister a warm smile, "I think you know what your heart wants deep down."

Sisu gazed at her sister, "Huh?"

"Sisu, I've been watching you and Jarek for a long time now, and since the two have you met, you've had a connection," Amba said.

"Amba what are you talking about?" Sisu asked.

"Come on Sisu, you know it too," Amba continued, "And I think Jarek figured it out sooner."

Sisu looked deep into her heart, not literally as that was physically impossible, at least not without open-heart surgery being involved.

"Do I love him?" Sisu asked herself.

That question was what weighed upon her the most. Yet when she asked it again, she found he mental weight had lightened. Slowly she came to a realization, something she had hidden from herself, and she knew what she had to do.

Without another word, Sisu widened her eyes and zipped off. Amba remained behind and grinned, "Well it looks like our job is done."

Coming from behind the house, Jagan added, "Good thing I told you about that little conversation Jarek and I had."

"Still, I worry what Pranee might think?" Amba said worriedly.

"Don't worry, I have a good feeling everything's going to work out," Jagan assured.

And so the two matchmakers waited to see the fruits of their labor.

XXX

If misery had company, Jarek would be in full attendance, "Stupid! I'm so stupid!" Jarek berated himself.

He had been this way since Sisu left, but what did he expect would happen? When confessing love to a friend, there was always a risk of ruining the friendship. What had transpired had clearly been an awkward moment for Sisu. For goodness sake, he had been her student! Granted they were close enough to the same age, (in dragon years that is), but the relationship between a student and a teacher was sacred. But, then again, they had transformed beyond such a relationship, instead viewing one another as equals. And now it appeared that the relationship had been destroyed.

Jarek was so lost in his thoughts on how he could salvage this, he didn't see Sisu approach him.

"Jarek?"

Jarek quickly looked towards the sound of the voice and his eyes lit up, "Sisu."

Sisu stared intently at him, "We need to talk."

"Sisu I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said those things and-"

"Jarek! It's completely fine. You gave me a lot to think about," Sisu interrupted.

The black dragon blinked curiously, "I did?"

Slowly, Sisu took a step forward, "I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right," Sisu admitted, "I am hard on myself, I do put myself down a lot. I get so worried I'm not what everyone expects and I just want to make everyone happy and...I guess I'm babbling aren't I?"

Jarek held back a chuckle, "I guess so."

Sisu took another step, "It's just, no one has ever said "I love you" besides my family, but looking back, you've practically become part of the family."

A feeling of dreadful acceptance began to leak into Jarek. "Part of the family" sounded something along the lines of her viewing him like a brother.

"But the thing is, I don't think of you as a brother."

Sisu's words halted the dread Jarek was feeling, "You don't?"

Sisu took several steps until she stood face-to-face with Jarek. Her lovely eyes remained calm and fixated on him, "I realize now that kiss was more than just friendship. I didn't at first but now I know for certain." Sisu leaned in, "But I have to know for sure."

Before Jarek could ask what she meant, Sisu locked her lips with his. She held it for several seconds; each one was more precious than the last. When she finally broke away,

Jarek's stunned face greeted her.

A smile spread upon Sisu's face, "That felt good."

"I'll say," Jarek replied dreamily.

Sisu chuckled, "Well, I got my answer. I want this. I want to be more than friends with you," Sisu stated, "Dangit Jarek I love ya!"

"You love me?" Jarek asked.

Sisu nodded with her ever-present smile.

Jarek's mouth hung open, trembling with each breath, "YES! SHE LOVES ME! SHE REALLY LOVES ME!" Jarek leaped into the air, using the moisture to propel himself, "WHOO HOO!" He cheered.

Jarek landed with perfect precision, his grin growing wider as he did. Sisu replied with a laugh, "Whoa, Skippy, easy there!"

"I'm sorry, I'm just-I've never been this happy before!" Jarek's words were an understatement, "So what do we do now?"

Sisu grinned seductively, "Well, how about another kiss?"

Jarek's grin matched his love's, "I can do you one better."

Swiftly, Jarek grabbed hold of Sisu, twirling her around and then bending down until Sisu was held by Jarek's mere touch. Lowering himself, Jarek kissed Sisu deeply and passionately. They held for as long as they could, only stopping when they needed to breathe. When they returned to Dragontown that night, they were the happiest couple one would ever see, because that's what they were: a couple.

And so the two dragons united under the bright sky. It was a new day for two souls had been united.

Jarek had just one question, "Sisudatu?"

"Yes, sweetie pie?" Sisu chuckled at her pet name toward her love.

"Will you marry me?"

Sisu's answer was quick and without hesitation, "Oh heck yeah!"

Another kiss quickly followed. It would seem wedding bells would ring throughout Kumandra, for Sisudatu, vanquisher of the Druun, was now the fiance of Jarek, the luckiest man in Kumandra. And at the moment, Jarek felt that title was appropriate; for he was indeed a lucky man. No, a dragon.

Y/N: Yeah I ended with a proposal. It's based on a Disney film so it felt appropriate. But don't worry, we have one more chapter after this.