No Greater Disaster

AN: So this is something a bit different than the stuff I usually do, but after watching Raya and the Last Dragon, I had this idea pop into my head. It took a few days for it to marinate, but yesterday the full picture came to me, and I was so excited about writing this that I couldn't fall asleep last night.

Anyways, most of the people that are going to read this are probably the ones that already read my other stuff, so I'll say this for them. I haven't stopped working on my Wings of Fire content, but I wanted to do something a bit different for a little while. Though Dragons Change Chapter 30 will be out within two or three weeks.

The other thing I wanted to say is that this probably won't be as long as my other stuff, but it will not be short by any means. I reckon it'll be about 30k words or so. But enough of all that...

Disclaimer: I do not own Raya and the Last Dragon.

There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontent. And there is no greater disaster than greed.

-Lau Tzu

Chapter 1:

It was a peaceful day in Heart. It was one of those hot, lazy days where everyone wanted to stay inside, and those who had to be outside merely went at their own pace. There was really no need to rush, anyways. Each tribe still had their own chiefs, yet Kumandra as a whole had been at peace for almost two years now.

It was still a tentative peace for now, but after five hundred years of fighting, no one really wanted the wars to continue. So, tentative though the peace might be, it seemed to be enough.

Heart was a naturally peaceful region anyways, so many of the residents took advantage of this slow day to relax by the lake shore or merely stay inside and visit with friends. It truly seemed that everyone in Heart, both dragon and human alike, had no cause to worry.

Except one…

Pengu was currently pacing the length of the main room in his and his siblings' house. It sat on the shores of Dragon Lake a few miles from Heart's Palace—upon Sisu's request, of course. Not that any of them minded. Heart was a beautiful, peaceful land, and they all had wanted to settle here originally, anyways. But Sisu's friendship with Raya was the reason they settled so close to the Palace itself.

Speaking of which, Sisu was currently at the Heart Palace with Raya—a normal occurrence—and Jagan and Pranee were both swimming in the lake. Under normal circumstances, he would join them and spend the last few hours of the day having fun and joining in their merry laughter.

But these were not normal circumstances. For it was the whereabouts of their youngest sibling, Amba, that made him so restless with worry. She had gone to explore Spine with a few of her friends. He had had no problem with that—many dragons had left to explore the different parts of Kumandra, himself included—though he did make her promise to be back within two weeks.

That was a month ago.

His other siblings weren't aware she was missing, and he intended to keep it that way. He didn't want to worry them needlessly. Chances are that Amba merely got distracted and lost track of time in her enthusiasm to explore. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened, but she was normally back within a few days with a sheepish smile, an apology, and a promise it would never happen again—which it did, and several times at that.

But two weeks…she had never been gone this long.

And he was done waiting. It was time he went looking for her, but…he wasn't as familiar with this new world as he should have been. He would need help, and luckily for him, his sister was friends with Kumandra's Dragon Protector.

With his decision made, he left his home and headed for Heart's Palace. "Hey, Pengu! Where are you going?" a familiar voice called. He stopped and turned to the lakeshore where Jagan had called from. Pranee was still in the water, but she was looking to him and waiting for his answer, too.

"Just for a walk," he answered with a small smile. "I will not be too long."

That seemed to be enough for them as they went back to what they had been doing before. His smile fell as his gaze lingered on them for a moment more. He turned away and started walking to his destination, already feeling guilty for keeping the truth from them. While it would be faster to simply run along the raindrops, the hour-long walk would give him time to think.

Like any dragon, he enjoyed playing and having fun, but he also liked the moments of peace and quiet. Being the oldest of five siblings and one of the most—if not the most—influential figures among dragonkind, he often became a bit overwhelmed. Though he doubted anyone, including his siblings, realized that. He was remarkably good at keeping up the appearance of the strong, confident leader they thought he was. Of course, he actually was a strong, confident leader, but he also had his own worries and concerns that he never let anyone know about.

The long walk was remarkably soothing if a bit tiring, and as he crossed the bridge leading to Heart's capital, he found himself smiling at the awe-struck humans he passed. He didn't travel much. As leader of his not-so-small community, he was often busy and so rarely had the chance to visit any of the human settlements.

Because of that, when he actually did make an appearance at one the human cities, he often received such stares…and a welcome fit for a king, more often than not. He found it funny that the humans thought so highly of him, yet he was like any other dragon. The only thing special about him was his reputation amongst his own kind, and even that was hardly deserved. He may have created the dragon gem, but his wasn't the only magic to power it. Though perhaps he was being a bit too hard on himself. No other dragon thought to do what he had, after all.

Either way, it didn't matter. He couldn't change what the humans thought of him. He made his way through the town, the people clearing the road for him as he passed and walked up the long staircase to the Palace.

He was greeted at the top by Chief Benja, who bowed and gave the traditional greeting. Pengu bowed his head in greeting as well. "Welcome, Lord Pengu, to Heart. To what do we owe the honor of your visit?" Pengu had to stop himself from chuckling, as that would be seen as rude. But the fancy titles the humans bestowed upon him never failed to amuse. "We just finished our evening meal, but I could have some more made if you wish?"

"That will not be necessary," he replied, to which Benja bowed his head in acceptance. "I came to speak with Raya. There is a matter I could use her help with," he explained.

Chief Benja seemed surprised by his statement, but he didn't react other than to say a quiet, "Ah…" before pointing him in the direction of Raya's room and asking if he wanted a guide, to which he replied that he did not.

He followed the Chief's directions: a right, followed by the first right, and then the second left, last door in the hallway. It seemed Raya liked her peace and quiet as well, being so far away from everyone else. The door was ajar as he approached, and he could hear both Raya and Sisu's voices coming from within.

"Do you ever get tired of playing?" Raya yelled playfully.

"Pfft, No! Now get back here, so I can tickle ya!" his sister responded. Then he heard Raya laughing followed by his sister's laughter. Despite the possible severity of the situation, he couldn't help but smile at the continual laughter.

He was so glad his sister had found a friend as great as Raya. The Heart Princess had helped Sisu find her confidence—something neither he nor his other siblings were able to do. And though Sisu was extremely playful, even by dragon standards, Raya didn't seem to care. His sister could finally be herself around someone without complaint, and he was grateful for that.

He knocked on the door, and the laughter subsided a bit when they heard it. "Someone's at the door! I got it!" Sisu called. The door swung open to reveal Sisu's smiling face—a smile which grew wider when she saw who it was. "Pengu!" she greeted excitedly before turning back to Raya. "Hey look, Raya! It's Pengu!"

For her part, Raya was just now getting up from the floor. She seemed more surprised than anything to see him, and he couldn't blame her. The two of them had only spoken twice before: once during the celebration after the Druun were defeated and the other when Sisu invited her over to see their new home. And both times, they had only spoken for a few minutes before he had excused himself.

"What's up, big bro? How can we help ya?" He smiled at his sister's antics. It was the small, affectionate one he reserved for his siblings, and they all knew how much that little smile meant.

"I wanted to speak with Raya for a few minutes," he said. "Do you mind postponing your tickle fight for now?"

He noticed Raya blush, but Sisu feigned indignance. "Aw, come on, dude! I was winning!" She sighed then smiled again. "But, I suppose a temporary cease fire won't hurt anything…" she grinned back at her friend one last time before bounding down the hallway, and he could just hear her say that she would be in the kitchen before she was too far away.

He shook his head in amusement before turning his attention back to Raya, who was still staring at him, unsure of what to make of his visit, no doubt. "May I come in?" he asked, and she shook herself out of her stupor.

"Oh, uh…yes, of course!" she fumbled a bit with her words but seemed to compose herself when he entered and she closed the door behind him. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting you of all dragons to knock on my door and ask to talk to me."

He hummed at that. "Understandable," he relented. "I know we have not spoken at great length in the past, so it must come as somewhat of a shock for me to be here." Her expression confirmed that he had guessed right.

He found himself looking out of the open balcony doors and upon the setting sun. "You seem troubled," he heard her say.

He released a small sigh and looked to her, gesturing to the balcony. He walked out and gazed at the last remnants of the sunset as Raya joined him. "I am," he eventually confessed. "You are a good friend to my sister, and you carry the title of Dragon Protector. But I have to ask: Is that merely a title…or would you be willing to help me?"

"Help you?" she asked, surprised. He nodded. "Of course I'll help, but what would you need help with?"

"My youngest sibling, Amba, went to explore the lands of Spine with a few friends. She promised to return within two weeks," he explained. When she didn't seem to understand, he turned to face her fully. "That was a month ago," he revealed, to which she finally began to understand the gravity of the situation. "I fear for her safety."

"Does Sisu know?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. And neither do Pranee or Jagan. I did not want to worry them in case it was nothing, but I cannot simply sit and wait any longer. But I do not know these lands as well as you, and you also have friends in Spine that could help find her."

She nodded. "Alright…I'll help you. Sisu and I will leave first thing in the morning," she began to turn away, no doubt to begin preparing, when she saw him shaking his head.

"No. Sisu stays here. Until I know for certain what happened to Amba, I will not place another of my siblings in potential danger. I will accompany you," he declared, and his tone brokered no room for argument.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Are you expecting trouble?" she asked.

"I always expect trouble," he replied. "That way I am either prepared to face it or am pleasantly surprised when there is none."

"Okay…" she acquiesced. "But what am I supposed to tell Sisu? And, for that matter, what are you going to tell the other dragons?"

He smiled, having already thought of that. "My brother Jagan thinks I am pushing myself too hard. He believes I should take a break for a few days, and what better way than by asking you to introduce me to your friend Tong? I believe Sisu will be delighted that I have taken an interest in getting to know her friends."

She nodded, clearly impressed. "So do you want me to explain things to Sisu or will you?" she asked.

"I will. And we shall leave at first light," he said as he turned to leave. He opened the door into the hallway before pausing. "And Raya?" He turned to her and bowed his head in thanks. "Thank you."

She nodded. Then he turned and left.

With that done, he headed towards the kitchens to speak with Sisu. He found her sulking outside the kitchens as a thoroughly amused Chief Benja looked on. If the rice covering her face was any indication, her escapades hadn't gone unpunished. She turned to see who was coming when she heard his footfalls. Her eyes widened, and she tried to brush the rice out of her fur. "I swear this isn't what it looks like, Pengu! Chief Benja booby-trapped the rice!"

Pengu looked to the Heart Chief, who only shrugged. "It was meant to stop hungry mice, but I suppose I will have to settle with hungry dragons," he said with an amused smirk.

Sisu glared at the chief. "Well, you don't have to rub it in," she huffed.

Pengu chuckled before picking a piece of rice off his sister's nose. "Come on. You can wash up on the way home."

She joined him as he walked away, though she seemed a bit curious as to why they were leaving. "I know it's getting late, but Raya and Chief Benja don't care if we stay all night."

"She might tonight," he replied. "She has to get up early tomorrow morning."

"She never mentioned that," Sisu complained. After a few more steps, she stopped as if coming to a realization before she caught up to him. "Does this have anything to do with what you two talked about? You aren't keeping secrets from me…are you, big bro?"

He smiled at her, though he felt guilty on the inside since he was, in fact, keeping secrets from her. "No secrets," he promised. "Jagan wants me to take some time for myself, and I asked Raya if she could introduce me to Tong."

Her eyes lit up in excitement. "Hey! That sounds like fun! The three of us, visiting with friends, getting into trouble, having fun!" She did her little happy dance that he always found adorably funny. In fact, it made him feel worse with what he was about to say.

"Actually…" he began, not letting his inner emotions taint his words. "I wanted this journey to just be Raya and I."

"W-what?" she stopped again, and this time he could hear a tinge of hurt in her voice. "You…don't want me to come?"

He stopped, too, and turned back to her. "I know that Raya is your friend, and I know how much she means to you. Yet despite knowing this, I have not gotten to know her as much as I would like. I wish this trip to be a sort of bonding experience between her and I—one where we can learn more about the other."

She studied him for a while with a quiet 'hmm' before finally relenting. "Alright. You have been working too hard, in my opinion. And I guess it's kind of cool that my best bro—don't tell Jagan I said that—wants to get to know my girl, Raya, better. How long will you be gone," she asked as they continued their walk.

"A few days. Possibly a week," he answered.

"That long!?" she cried. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime? I'm going to be bored out of my mind!"

He chuckled. "It will go by faster than you think. Besides, Jagan and Pranee were playing water tag when I left," he said with a sly smile.

She chuckled mischievously, "Ooh…Now there's something I'm good at! Now come on! The faster we get there, the faster I'll be able to kick their tails!" She jumped into the air and started running. He smiled and joined her.

It was dark by the time they arrived at their home. Sisu washed the rest of the rice off her in the lake, though she was thoroughly disappointed they didn't get there in time to face off against their siblings in a game of water tag.

While Sisu was doing that, Pengu entered their house to see the amused expressions of his other two siblings. "I guess 'not too long' means almost three hours to you, huh?" Pranee playfully admonished him.

"I went to Heart and spoke with Raya," he explained.

"I bet Sisu was excited to see you," Jagan said. When Sisu entered, he looked back to him with a smirk. "Did they throw a feast for you, too? Or at you, I should say?"

"What!?" Sisu cried. "Are you saying there's still rice on me?"

They shared a laugh before Pranee approached her and beckoned her outside. "Come on. Let me help with that." Their sister begrudgingly accepted and the two of them went outside, leaving him alone with Jagan.

"So…what did you speak to Raya about?" Jagan asked.

"I decided to take your advice," he replied. "I asked Raya to take me to Spine and introduce me to Tong. I believe it long overdue for me to truly meet Sisu's friends."

"Uh huh," Jagan responded, not sounding convinced. "I know what you're really going for, brother, but I'll tell the others that story if you promise me to bring our sister home."

Pengu looked to him in surprise before eventually nodding. He should have known Jagan would see through his attempts at secrecy. He always left his brother in charge when he left for a reason, after all. Jagan may have been the second youngest, but he was always more observant than their sisters. He was a quick learner, too, which is why Pengu had decided to teach him about the responsibilities and duties of being a leader when he showed interest. "I promise," he agreed with a nod.

He didn't stay up for much longer after that. He went to his room before the other two came back in, so he told Jagan to fill Pranee in if Sisu hadn't told her first. It wouldn't do to be tired when he and Raya set off tomorrow morning. After all, it would doubtless be a long day.

AN: So yeah, it's a bit different than most of the RatLD fanfics I've seen. I'm focusing on the dragons rather than the people (but that's normal for me).

And Pengu will be the main character in this story. I honestly don't know why I like him so much since he had less than five minutes of screen time total and no voice lines at all, but there's something about him that I find interesting. I hope I introduced him as a character well, and that the other characters we're already familiar with like Sisu and Raya aren't too far off from how they were in the movies.

I look forward to what everyone thinks.

Until Next Time

AdmiralCole22