Lost Illusion

by yiranY

In a land without humans, there is a Trapinch who lives in a time where dragons rule supreme. But little does he know that his life is not merely an ordinary one of growing old with the expected trials of life, but rather a story that will become a legend.

49. Chapter 49

The Noivern is flying away. Her rapid movements are unnatural, as if she is agitated.

"Nova." Rue tugs on my arm to get my attention, breaking my gaze at Sylvia's distant figure. "Let's go find Phendrene."

It takes me a moment, but I manage to look down. You came here to visit Phendrene, Nova. Not anyone else. I nod to her as I refocus my attention down to the other dragons. "Are we going to glide down?" I ask. "There aren't any other Flygon here. No Haxorus, either."

"True. Will they recognize us?" Rue voices her concern to Jet. "Our arrival won't cause a commotion, right?"

"I'm not sure." The Garchomp rests his chin on his claw as he thinks of an answer. "You didn't use any psychic abilities at your last festival, right? I think they wouldn't expect the psychic Flygon to come visit this place if he returned."

"I'm worried," Rue says, unconvinced. "If we surprise Phendrene, she will probably have a very emotional reaction, regardless if she's happy or angry. Not only will that garner attention, but people might put pieces together. What's the last the public heard of the psychic Flygon, Jet?"

"I don't quite remember. But most dragons were aware of such a character three years ago. I think he was most widely discussed among the Salamence."

Right. When I was still trying to uncover the identity of the prince, I went around the peripherals of the Zeal mountains, questioning every Salamence I came across. And that's really the most public I've used my powers… Other than the first time I did at Lyrl, but there were only Flygon there.

"So then, we should be fine," Rue continues. "We just need to meet Phendrene in private."

"Does it really matter?" I ask, becoming impatient to see Phendrene. "I know that people might recognize me, but so what?"

"Are you really asking us that?" Rue crosses her arms and glares at me. "We still can't have your identity public. What if some of the rebels get wind that Phendrene is related to the psychic Flygon? She would be in danger. Also, do you want Phendrene crying over you in public?"

Rue isn't wrong. Three years is a long time, long enough to make even Father emotional. "Okay okay, I get it." I deflect Rue's words. "But how are we gonna have her find us?"

"We can have Jet find her for us. Would you mind?" Rue turns to him and asks. "There are plenty of Garchomp, so it wouldn't be conspicuous for you. But make sure you don't tell her it's us, or she might get emotional. And we don't want other dragons to notice."

"Lots of specific demands, eh? Just wait here, you two." With that, Jet leaps off the edge of the hill.

"I wonder if there are any other dragons we know down there?" Rue says to me as we watch Jet glide down into the valley. "Maybe some of the other Charizard. Or some Sceptile…"

I remain silent as Rue's question bring my attention back to the spire in the distance. It takes a moment of squinting, but I spot an alcove at its base, which is surely where Sylvia is. I know I am here to see Phendrene, but… Maybe I could see her afterwards?

"Oi. What are you doing?" Rue reaches around and pulls my face over to look at her. "We're here to see Phendrene, not that Noivern. You better get yourself together."

I wince and take a step back at her words. "Stop that."

"Phendrene hasn't seen you for three years. Is this the way you're gonna present yourself as when she finally sees you?"

The way to present myself? Why do I need to present myself properly to Phendrene? She's… Phendrene. She's someone I can act myself around and not be judged.

"Hey! Didn't you hear what that Noivern said? She doesn't even want to see you! So-"

Rue stops immediately as I cover one of her feet in dirt, as I give her a furious glare. She understands my threat of burying her and averts her gaze quickly, and turns around to the slope. Her paws held together behind her back and her tail still, she stands as if she is keeping vigil.

What am I doing? Nova, get a hold of yourself. You've flown tirelessly for a week to meet Phendrene. Why does what Sylvia say to you matter? …

I take a seat and try to block my thoughts out with that of Phendrene. She is almost certainly going to cry when she sees us. Would it be strange to not cry in return? It's not as if Rue and I can pretend we've been away for three years, and feel the emotions with the same intensity.

I should still go and greet her. I head over and stand beside Rue, and look over the scenery. The few buildings of varying sizes are scattered mostly near the lake, though there is still a large field of grass and sparse trees.

I spot a Charizard tailing a Garchomp flying towards us from the direction of the lake. "Look," I call to Rue, and she raises her hand and starts waving. As they start to close in, I see that it is indeed Phendrene's face and figure. Jet comes up first and lands beside us, whereas Phendrene's wings almost falter and she nearly crashes into the hill. But she fixes her trajectory and soon enough, lands across from Rue and me.

Her face is more or less the same, her horn and brow bone soft for a Charizard, though she is quite a bit taller. But most strangely of all is her stillness. Her jaw has been slack since she came into view, and her steps are so timid that I am forced to approach her. The way she reaches out to touch me feels alien, as if I am some otherworldly creature instead of a Flygon. I can hear her uneven breaths, but still she does not say a word as she drags her paw across my chest.

Finally, something in her snaps. She lets out a cry, plaintive and wild, and leaps onto me. Phendrene sends both of us crashing into the ground, her arms wrapped tight around my neck. Her tears soak my scales as she wails, saying my name over and over again. I instinctively raise my head to be close to hers, but instead I see the two other dragons watching us. Jet's expression is an annoying grin, but Rue's is one of apathy. I decide to close my eyes and forget about it, as I too wrap my arms around her and bask in her warm embrace. Although her figure is slightly different, the contours of her neck and arms still feel the same as I remember.

"Well, I'll give y'all some privacy. I'll just be hanging about. Let me know if you need me." Jet's voice is accompanied with the sound of him taking off.

Not that Phendrene reacts to it. We've stayed in a relatively still position, but the rough ground (and perhaps the Haxorus's presence) begins to feel uncomfortable, and I gently nudge Phendrene. When she lifts her head, her snout only an inch from mine, I am greeted with a teary smile.

"Ahem. Nova, would you mind carrying me down first?" Rue speaks up, no longer frowning but still with a reserved look in her eyes.

"We can just head down together," I propose. "Just give Phendrene a moment."

"You wouldn't have privacy," Rue answers, her expression staying neutral. I'm not used to Rue making indirect comments like this. "All those other dragons would be swarming over you. Flygon don't live here."

"They would be all over you, too. Haxorus are rarer than Flygon," I tell her. "Come on. Just stay."

Rue sighs. "Alright."

Phendrene eventually falls still, and it takes a short while to convince her to get up.

"I'm glad," Phendrene murmurs as she wipes her tears. "I didn't think you would ever come back."

"Well, now we're here!" Rue gives her a rough pat on her back, to which Phendrene smiles. "Why don't we take a seat over there and catch up?" Rue suggests and points over to a small alcove.

"You two seem the same," she comments as she leads us over before sitting down, having calmed down. "What have you been doing all this time?"

"Nova got me to a human hospital in the outside world, and I inadvertently got a new tusk." Rue raises a paw to fidget with her prosthetic. "But that only took a few days. How should I put it… We are actually the same as three years ago. As in, we didn't leave for three years on purpose. We went forward in time for three years. Accidentally. The last time Nova and I saw you, for us, was two weeks ago."

Hearing this explanation makes me feel awkward. Phendrene must think that we have the same emotions as her, and have missed her for three years. It must be demoralizing to find that time has not passed for us. Instead of greeting an impartial old friend, both sides will be wondering what the other wants. For me, I wonder if Phendrene will act the way she had always been…

Phendrene tenses when she hears the news. "How could that have even happened?"

"Yes, he was. But to save me from blood loss, he tinkered with a bit of time powers… When we came back, we saw our home caved in."

"That's insane! So all this time… I thought you two were out on an adventure…"

Rue snorts loudly. "If you call being trapped still in time an adventure, then maybe."

"My mistake made us disappear for three years," I chime in, feeling that I should be taking responsibility. "I'm sorry, Phendrene. I don't know how hard these three years have been without us."

"It's all right. I… I managed to keep myself going." She lets out a meek smile. "Just wait until you see your father. He was pretty depressed when you two were gone."

"We met him already. He…" Rue pauses and looks toward me, unsure of what to say.

"He's fine," I reassure Phendrene. "But he is focused on the war. He wants us to return in five days."

"Ah. I can see how that is. …If not for the children, maybe I would tag along too," Phendrene suggests.

"No." Rue's firm statement startles us. I thought it was a reasonable suggestion. "It's too dangerous down there. You're not a combatant, you should stay here, where it is safe."

"But then… I won't be able to see you two very much." Phendrene's voice quietens as a melancholy grows in her gaze. "You're back after all this time… and you're going into battle again? And I can't even be there to support you…"

"Don't worry." I put my paw on hers, which makes her raise her eyes to meet my gaze. "Remember when I promised you to return alive?"

"Yes. It's… It's all I had been clinging to these years." Phendrene lowers her snout, and before I know it she is against my neck again.

"Hey, it's all right. I'm here now." I give her reassuring pats on her back as she clings to me. I look over to Rue and she is just staring at us, but when she catches my gaze she looks away.

Phendrene breaks the embrace a few moments later. I take this moment to ask, "How have you been, then?"

Phendrene pauses a moment, before looking to the sky. "I have been alright. The children are, too. So I guess you could say that we are fine. …I still remember when we heard the news of the Salamence being overthrown. It was so surreal. Nocturne was in my arms when Dad told me. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to grow up without going into hiding." She sighs as her wings droop. "Things aren't too good down south right now, I heard. But even if it the war effort fails, we dragons still have a future here."

Although her words are hopeful, I can tell just how bleak things were looking for them. Before I think of words of reassurance, Rue speaks up. "Hey, now that Nova and I are back, there's no way we'll lose the war!"

Phendrene still has that small smile on her face, as she answers, "I hope so."

"I know so," Rue says with confidence. "This new tusk cuts through things so cleanly. As long as I master how to use it, I'll slaughter them all."

"Enough, Rue," I say, becoming uncomfortable with her bloodlust. "Phendrene, are we going to have lunch soon?"

"Oh? Of course! You two could come down to the lunch hall with me."

"I'm assuming there's no meat here, either?" Rue comments with a snort.

Phendrene scratches her snout, embarrassed. "Only for special occasions. I guess today is a special occasion…"

Rue gives her a peeved look. "I'm just joking. Don't worry about it. Oh, but can we really head into the canteen like this? Will people recognize Nova?"

"You'll gather some attention, for sure. We haven't seen any Haxorus for three years. But I don't think many people know about the psychic Flygon," Phendrene answers.

Rue nods. "Okay. Let's keep it that way."

The slope isn't as steep as it looks. It takes a minute to glide down to the valley floor. I pass Phendrene and hover in the air for a moment before she leads us to one of the few buildings at the lakeside. There are quite a few children who shout out "Flygon!" as I pass over, perhaps out of novelty. I don't see anyone of my species here.

"Phendrene! Are these your guests?" a Sceptile asks at the porch of the hut, her voice rather inquisitive.

"Yeah! They're just visiting from down south. I'm going to get them some lunch."

"Welcome to Sanctuary! Hope you two enjoy your stay," the Sceptile says and extends her hand. "I'm Serene."

Rue walks ahead of me and takes it. "I'm Rue, and this is Nova. Nice to meet you."

"Your tusk looks pretty fearsome, how did you get it?" Serene asks, striking up conversation.

"Serene, maybe let them get some food first?" Phendrene cuts in, looking a little apprehensive.

"Oh, sorry! I'm sure we'll get to talk later. Hope you enjoy your stay!" she says, and her gaze turns back to a few Treecko playing in the distance.

We enter the door to find a dining hall with rows of wooden and stone tables. I notice all the Charmander and Charmeleon are sitting in the stone portion, which is to the left, and is also where Phendrene leads us. The tables are rather populated, though mostly with children, whom I feel more comfortable ignoring the pointed looks of. They are seated mostly in groups of their species, though there is one table with a Grovyle, a Gabite, and a Charmander.

"She didn't have too many questions," Rue comments as we navigate through.

"The Sceptile here hadn't been very involved in dragon affairs," Phendrene explains as she shows us a seat in the far corner. "But even most of the Garchomp and Dragonite probably don't know much about you two. But the Charizard at the festival-"

"Oh! Phendrene, are these…?" A Charizard with an apron has just walked out of the back rooms with a tray and bowls, her voice sounding vaguely familiar.

"Yeah, Nova and Rue. Keep it down, though," Phendrene answers. "Also, can you get us three bowls of porridge?"

"Ah, alright, let me get these over to the Gabite table," she says and heads on forward.

"Riel's here, too?" Rue asks, evidently knowing this Charizard.

"She… well, she has a mate. So of course she came over with her children," Phendrene explains.

"Wait, I don't remember her having children," Rue asks and puts her hand to her chin, as if trying to recall.

"Um, who is she again?" I say quietly as I watch Riel hand out bowls of food to the Gabite from afar.

"You met her once, on the day of the festival!" Phendrene says. "She was the first friend I introduced you to! Remember?"

I fidget my claws. "Not really? I mean, the name sort of rings a bell…"

"I mean, you can just get to know her now. She's really nice, so don't feel uncomfortable around her," Phendrene reassures.

"I… okay," I answer, preferring to let Phendrene decide things in this foreign environment.

"Wait, Phendrene," Rue whispers as she leans in. "Riel doesn't know that Nova is psychic, right?"

"No, of course-"

A loud yelp from a Bagon quiets the entire room. Riel who is walking by the table goes to resolve the dispute, and within moments the hall's volume is back to normal.

"It's rather noisy here," I comment, not feeling at ease with so many rowdy children. "I'm tired."

"I could show you to the dormitories, if you'd like," Phendrene suggests, concern in her eyes. "The male dorms are pretty empty, so I'm sure we can find you a bed."

"Wait, male dorms?" Rue repeats. "Does that mean… uh, you two won't… share a bed?"

Phendrene covers her snout and gives a small chuckle. "We can't, Rue. The other girls would gossip for ages."

"Does this mean I have to be in a dorm with them? Not the same room, right?" Rue asks.

"Actually, we're out of beds in the female dorm, so you'll probably have to sleep in my bed. I'll share one with Riel, since…" Phendrene's eyes pan to Rue's tusks, and Rue's gaze follows.

"Can I just sleep in the male dorms instead?"

"Rue! They'll gossip about you too!"

Rue frowns and crosses her arms. "Okay, but you didn't answer me. Who are we going to be in the same room with?" she continues aggressively.

Phendrene tenses and backs off a little bit. "Just Riel. Do you mind her?"

"Oh." Rue's demeanor returns to normal in an instant. "In that case, can't Nova just teleport in?"

"R-Rue, we don't have to sleep on the same bed!"

"What's this?" Riel's voice surprises the two of them as she puts a tray of porridge onto our table. There are four bowls of a grainy liquidy food, each with a wooden spoon sticking out. "Yeah, Phendrene and I can sleep on the same bed. You don't have to worry," she says as she takes the remaining seat beside Rue. "You don't mind if I take a seat here, right?" she asks, to which Phendrene gives a soft "Go ahead."

I sip a spoonful of the porridge, too hungry and tired to bother with waiting, and find that it is not as unappealing as it looks. The others don't begin eating, though, as Riel continues, "So where were you guys all this time? If that's something I can ask."

"It's complicated," Rue answers. "We're not entirely sure, either, but we were frozen in time for a while, which is probably due to some Legendary Pokemon."

"Oh! Well, good thing it's over now, right?" Riel says as she starts eating. Two spoons in, she pauses. "Is something the matter? Should I give you guys some space?"

Rue is just staring blankly at her bowl, whereas Phendrene is trying to avert her gaze from me. I decide to speak up to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. "No, it's fine. Rue didn't know how gendered dormitories work and wanted to sleep in the male dorm with me so she could have her own bed."

"Ah. Yeah, that probably wouldn't go over well. Phendrene and I can just sleep in the same bed! It's no big deal!"

"Actually, I can take this tusk off," Rue answers and gestures to her right prosthetic tusk. "So we don't need to bother you. I can sleep in the same bed as Phendrene."

"Well, whatever works! We can figure it out tonight," Riel says as she takes another sip.

"I guess so," Phendrene says as she fiddles with her spoon. "Riel, why don't you tell Nova a bit about yourself?"

"Right, I've only met you once," she says and looks to me. "I'm Riel, Phendrene's roommate here at Sanctuary. I have two Charmander hatchlings whom I'm raising here. My mate is a great fighter, so he's down south helping with the war effort. And my main job here is to cook and provide everyone with meals," she concludes, and glances toward Phendrene. "She focuses more on the caring and raising on children. You know, Nocturne bites everyone who handles her except Phendrene. Even other Garchomp moms."

Nocturne. Vie and Spire's Gible. "How are Nocturne and Melody?" I ask Phendrene.

"They're doing good!" Phendrene answers, her face lighting up. "Nocturne is really feisty and keeps on picking fights, even with older children, but it's pretty easy to calm her down if I sing her a lullaby. Melody is a lot calmer and takes care of her sister when I'm not around."

"Can you take me to see them after lunch?" I ask her.

"Of course."

I focus on eating and remain silent the rest of lunch. Riel starts explaining to Rue about how some species of dragons can only do some work. For example, Salamence can't be cooks due to being quadrupedal, and Charizard can't be farmers due to the fire hazard they present. Riel then tells us about a council of five elders, one of each species, that are in charge of resolving disputes. She is in the middle of it when a loud shout interrupts us.

"A Haxorus? And the psychic Flygon?"

A shiver goes down my spine upon hearing my title. I look to the door and spot a Salamence. In her eyes, there is an aggressive spark that makes me feel nauseous. I don't recognize her voice or her face, but somehow she recognizes us. "You've been away for three years and you just waltz into Sanctuary?"

"Excuse me, but I think you may have recognized the wrong dragon," Rue answers loudly.

"No way! Night told me everything! You just abandoned us! And now you're having lunch here?"

I am at a loss at what to do before the Haxorus taps me on the arm. "Teleport away with Phendrene," Rue whispers across the table. "I'll deal with this." With that, she stands up and steps towards the center of the room. "Yeah, all right. We are just having lunch! Got a problem with that?"

Panicking, I decide to just follow Rue's instructions. I wrap my arms around Phendrene and conjure the image of the mountain peaks. As soon as the Salamence begins her next line, I feel sunlight suddenly warm me as I open my eyes back to the peak of the hills we had first arrived on.

The first thing I mutter to Phendrene is, "So much for trying to hide my identity."

"Octavia's mate and child were killed when the rebels took over," Phendrene says. "She must have done her research."

"No, it's that Father searched for me with my aunt three years ago. I can't even believe she's my aunt. She's such an idiot!" I start to become frustrated and clench my fists.

"Calm down, Nova." She places an arm on my flank. "It's too late to worry about it now. I trust Rue to deal with it."

I take my time with a few deep breaths as a blast of cool wind washes over me. "You're right, I suppose." I recall the events immediately following up to this teleportation, and am surprised at how quickly Rue took control over the situation. "I don't know how Rue managed to get me out. And for her to take on all the inevitable questions alone…"

Phendrene pauses and stands up straight. I only notice just now that she nearly matches me in height after growing for three years. "We are expected to do these things for each other. I heard from Father how desperate you were to save her. And it seems like you succeeded."

I remember the sight of blood pouring out of Rue's tusk stump. My mind was so utterly focused on saving Rue, that I blocked out everything else. But of course, she would have done if my life was in danger.

" …You two should have left me behind to explain the situation," Phendrene says. "Rue took care of the children, too. You both should see them together."

"She's the most charismatic one out of the three of us. I wouldn't be able to handle the questions in a way that would satisfy the public, and neither would you."

"I suppose so," Phendrene answers, looking a little apathetic. "Hopefully it'll blow over soon. Maybe we should take this time to see the children."

I look downwards into the open valley. Most of the creatures have gravitated towards the lake, surely due to the commotion that had just been caused. "Where are the children? They're not next to the dining hall, are they?"

"No, they're near the dormitories. Come with me." Phendrene steps forward and spreads her wings before gliding along the hillside, flying around to the other side of the lake. I take a moment to give her a headstart, and stare at her figure. As much as I am familiar with the sight of her tail, I can't help but think of a Noivern whose tail I had been staring at…

I shake my head to clear my head of strange thoughts before diving down and following Phendrene. There are more houses over on this side, but perhaps due to its proximity to a cliff and a small waterfall, there are only a few Dragonair and Dragonite loitering around. An intrusive thought of my brother makes me wince and almost fly into the cliff, but I levitate myself back on track.

"Here. The hatchling residence is close to the female residence since it needs to be monitored more often, and far away from troublemaking teenagers."

Phendrene heads on forward and pushes the door open, and I follow her in. After the rowdy dining hall, I am surprised to find this place rather quiet, with only the idle chit chat of a few children. "This is the play room," Phendrene explains as she looks around. Her eyes light up when she looks at a corner, and she takes my hand to guide me over. On a pillow, a Bagon appears to be scratching a Gible on the back.

"Melody! Are you two playing?" Phendrene asks brightly as she bends down next to them.

"Counting Noc's scales," the Bagon, Melody, answers in a singsong voice as she turns her head over. "She has to stay still. Or I'll lose track!"

"Mel keeps messing up! It's not fair!" Nocturne complains, her syllables elongated in a very infantile manner. The last I've interacted with young children must have been when I was one myself. Did I sound this way when I was a child, too? "She messes up on purpose!" Nocturne continues as she jumps up a small distance into the air before falling flat on her face.

"You just made me lose count again!" Melody says as she sits back down on the pillow and pouts. "I give up."

"Not my fault. You're too slow!" the Gible shouts in response.

Melody remains rather still as Nocturne begins rolling around. Luckily, in this corner there are no other children. "I'm sure you will manage one day," Phendrene tells them. "Anyways, I've brought a special guest! Nova! He's a Flygon. Do you remember when I talked about him? He was the one who found your eggs!"

"Oh! I remember!" Melody answers and stands up. "My mom was a Flygon too!"

"Wait, you told them about Vie?" I blurt out at Phendrene.

Phendrene gives me an annoyed look. It is so unexpected I'm startled into silence. "Don't patronize them. They're smarter than they look."

"Okay, sorry…"

"Noc, come over and say hi," Melody chides her sister, who has fell flat on her face..

"No. Don't want to." Nocturne answers before chomping down on the floor, and I notice all the bite marks. "Blaaaargh."

Phendrene just laughs and picks her up. "Come on, Nocturne. That's bad for your teeth!"

The Gible doesn't answer in words and just nestles deeper into Phendrene's embrace. I find it peculiar that I can sympathize with a Gible.

"Nova! Where are you from?" Melody's question catches my attention.

"I was born in the desert, but for this trip, I came from the south," I answer, rather surprised that she has the mental faculty to ask such a question. "Novaria. It was where you were hatched."

"Oh, I know that. Is it dangerous down there? That's what everyone says."

"It can be, yes," I answer, not completely sure what I should say, since I don't know very much about the situation.

"Are you in the task force?"

"Um, I'm not sure yet. How do you know about it?" I ask, starting to be impressed by her.

"Phen taught me. Right?" Melody looks to the Charizard for approval.

"Yes! Good job on remembering!" Phendrene says, seated next to us as she strokes the pacified Nocturne. "You know, there's something new I can teach you today. Nova is actually related to you. He would be considered your second cousin!"

"Wait, what?" I say upon hearing it. "How?"

"Blight and Spire are cousins. Right?" Phendrene asks back.

"Oh."

Right. I am related to these two children by blood. And not even on Vie's side.

Melody rises from her pillow and stumbles over to us, placing her paws on Phendrene's lap. "Why is he my second cousin? Is he uncle Hale's kid?"

I'm about to interrupt again, but Phendrene rolls her eyes toward me in that very moment and I keep my mouth shut. "No, he's not! That would make you and him normal cousins. Not second cousins," Phendrene explains. "If your parents are brothers or sisters, that means you are normal cousins. If your parents are normal cousins, that means you are second cousins. Got it?"

"Oh. So… his parents are normal cousins with my parents?"

"Yep! Your father is normal cousin to his father."

"But why is he so big?"

"Well, his father is older than your father…"

The sound of something splattering onto the roof takes all of our attention as we stop. It takes me a few moments to realize that it is the sound of splashing water.

"How is it raining? The sun's still out!" I frown and turn to the window. Sure enough, I can see droplets darkening the ground, despite the sun being out.

"Sunshower," Melody says. "Right, Phen?"

"Yes, yes, very good!" Phendrene reaches down and pets her on the head. "Sunshowers are pretty common around here, Nova. Don't worry, it stops very quickly."

"I see. Melody sure knows a lot."

"Of course! She's a quick learner," Phendrene says proudly and gives the Bagon a few pets on her head.

As much I care for the children, I find it hard to connect with them. "I'll go help Rue diffuse the situation. It'll be more convincing with the psychic Flygon there," I say as I extend an arm out of the window. Sure enough, droplets begin to accrue on my paw.

"Are you sure. Do you want me to come with you?" Phendrene asks.

"I think it's better if you stay here. Even if they come over to try and bother you, I can force them to stop."

Phendrene has a worried look in her eyes as I stand up. "Are you sure? You can't hurt them, you know. They are just civilians. The elders would-"

"Telekinetically holding them back doesn't qualify as hurting them, does it?" I answer with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll go get Rue."

Phendrene doesn't look completely convinced as I head out of the room and take to the air. Gliding along the top of the lake, I spot the building that houses the dining hall, and notice that a small crowd has assembled near the porch. Rue and Jet are standing in the middle and across a few other dragons, one of which was the Salamence.

I land in the small clearing beside Rue. In an instant, the Salamence turns to me. "Oh, now he shows up," she says in a heavily sardonic tone.

"Nova, why are you even here?" Rue says to me immediately, looking exasperated.

"They have a problem with me, right?" I land next to the Haxorus and look across. Other than that Salamence that Phendrene called Octavia, there are perhaps half a dozen dragons beside her who appear agitated. "They can't have a problem with you. You're just a normal Haxorus. But they think that because I'm psychic, that I have an obligation to protect them."

"Damn right you do! You came over and kept on reading through our minds!" another Salamence shouts. He's the first adult male I've encountered at Sanctuary. "You should take responsibility for all the disasters that have happened to us dragonkind."

"Now, calm down y'all. Especially you, Basil." Jet moves in front of the male Salamence. "There are children watching."

"He lost four children during the revolution," a Sceptile comments, her voice soft but resolute. "He has every right to be upset at the psychic Flygon."

"First of all, his name is Nova. It's rude to call him by his species. Imagine if I called you the loud Salamence," Rue says with a finger out, and extends another. "Second of all, what do you guys want from him? He's just visiting Sanctuary. You are acting like he needs to be put on trial."

"We're not putting him on trial," the Salamence named Basil continues. Although he is replying to Rue, his eyes remain focused on me. "We just want an explanation from him. What was he doing while our loved ones were murdered?"

At that comment, I let out a loud burst of laughter. The crowd falls silent, and so do the dragons standing before me? "Is that it? Really?" I find it hilarious that they can come up with something so nonsensical.

"You better have a bloody good reason for laughing," Basil continues with a growl, baring his teeth.

"Or what? What will you do to me? I'm rather interested-"

Rue tugs me and I stop to look at her. With a tap of her tusk, I know to look into her mind.

What the hell are you doing? You don't know how to handle situations like this in public. Just let me do the talking.

Who cares? Why does it matter? I don't need to maintain a reputation. I can teleport them to somewhere far away or bury them in dirt.

Okay, but then no one will like you. We can have this discussion later. Stop talking.

When I start focusing on my physical surroundings again, I realize Jet has been talking in our stead. "But that is not malicious intent on his part! You can't blame him for that."

"Did you hear him?" a Charizard answers, pointing her arm straight at me. "He laughed when he heard that our loved ones were murdered. He doesn't know how it feels."

"I do! None of you know anything!" I roar and clench my fists, memory of my brother's murder coming back fresh into my mind. Subconsciously, I feel I have caused the earth beneath me to rumble, but I don't care. Rue taps me on the back again, but I swipe her arm away and step forward. "My brother was taken hostage by those animals. He was screaming for me to help him when a Scyther cut him right down the middle. Do you know what it looks like when a dragon is split in half?"

The only thing I hear in the wake of my shouting is my rapid breathing, as I feel my heart thud in my chest. I don't have time to observe any of their expressions. Suddenly I become much more self-aware, and think of the lecture Rue is surely going to give me. I don't feel like being in everybody's presence anymore, so I launch myself into the air and fly straight upwards.

I am quickly out of earshot as I ascend above the highest peak in the surrounding mountains. The other dragons are specks in the distance, many raising their heads to look at me. Desperately trying to get away from public scrutiny, I glance over the hills, and find that there is a shore in the distance. I didn't know Sanctuary was this close to the sea.

A turn of my wings and my trajectory changes as I hold my limbs against my body. The wind manages to cool my heated thoughts before I reach the water. I slip beneath the surface rather easily as I feel the water cover every scale, cleansing me of the stress and tiredness I've accumulated from the last few days. I close my eyes and relax, focusing on the sensations of the water, until I realize I need to breath and paddle up to the surface.

I am surprised to find that the water on my lips does not taste salty at all. Is this not the sea? I turn around and gaze at the horizon, to find that there are some mountains in the far distance that are barely visible. This must be a gigantic lake instead.

With the cool water clearing my thought, I realize that my mind has had a dull pain this whole time. Every beat of my heart, the sensation is felt more vividly. The exertion of the journey here must be catching up to me. I can't recklessly fly around like that. I push myself toward the shore, and settle under a crag which casts a small shadow. My feet find the stone beneath the water and with a sigh, I sit and lean against the cliff, letting myself be submerged up to my neck.

This is a nice place to rest. No strangers accusing me of neglect, and no Rue yelling at me for social misconduct. Perfect.

Now, if only my brother were beside me…

…

"Nova?"

Phendrene's voice startles me as I open my eyes. The Charizard is aloft in front of me before she swerves upwards onto the cliff, not being able to levitate in the air at one location. With her tail fire gone, I notice that the sky is dark, with only a faint orange on the horizon. "Nova, come up!" she says from above the cliff, out of sight. "Why did you have to hide here?"

"Who else is here?" I ask as I stand up, and a small chill assaults my torso as the water drips off of me.

"No one. Just me."

Her answer reassures me and I levitate myself upward and over the cliff. "I'm a little cold," I say and land next to her.

"Here, here." She shows no fear at my wet scales and wraps her arms around me. Instantly, the Charizard's warmth transfers to me at every point where she touches me. "You shouldn't have ran off. You could have retired to the dorms."

"Knowing the other dragons, they'd find an excuse to wake me up." And remind me of things I'd rather not think about.

"I'm sure they wouldn't barge into someone's private room."

"Rue would."

I feel Phendrene's head shift in mild surprise. "Are you hiding from her?"

"She's definitely going to lecture me when we head back," I say in a resigned tone. "She cares more about my public image than I do."

"She doesn't want your reputation to be sullied," Phendrene says. "She just wants the best for you."

"She's still annoying." I break from the hug and telekinetically collect the water droplets on Phendrene. The droplets coalesce into a ball and I throw it to the side. "Sorry for getting you wet," I say, feeling a little embarrassed. With her grown stature, this doesn't feel very appropriate anymore. At least no one is watching.

"I can handle a bit of water on my scales. Are you still cold? Maybe we should head back," Phendrene suggests as she takes my hand.

"What happened? Are the other dragons going to leave me alone now?"

"Rue and Jet talked them down, I think," she says as she leads me up the grassy hill.

"Where are they now? Why didn't they come with you to find me?"

"I don't know Jet well enough to ask him to come, and… I mean, I can't carry Rue."

I look ahead and spot the tall spire in the distance. In the fading daylight I manage to catch a glimpse of a Noivern perching at the top, but as soon as she notices me looking up, she dives off and disappears behind it.

"You really should stop running away whenever you're bothered by something," Phendrene's words recapture my attention. "It is really worrying."

I pause in my footsteps. The Phendrene from three years ago wouldn't have said something like that. She doesn't notice that I have stopped, and walks another step forward until the grip on our hands loosen and break.

"I know you don't like hearing it," she continues, "but it's the truth."

"You should have just left me in the water if you were going to lecture me," I retort, gazing at a patch of grass to our side.

"I'm not trying to lecture you, Nova, I'm just-"

"Then be quiet."

I look to her face and we just stare at each other for a few seconds. Eventually, she lets out a sigh, and says, "Okay, let me show you to your bedroom, then."

She resumes the trek up the hill, no longer holding my hand. I gaze upwards and see that it is still a while upward. "Wait. Are you planning on walking up?"

"Flying up there is too tiring. Not everyone can rise into the air effortlessly like you."

"Then let me." I dash up to beside her and grasp her arm. "Climb onto my back."

"Oh, I didn't mean it sarcastically." Phendrene answers, embarrassed. "I have wings, so I guess I can just fly-"

"You're lighter than Rue. Come on." I dash in front of her and present her my back. When she doesn't move, I grab her arm and tug her, and she falls in place onto my back.

Aside from the warmer temperature, her scales are also less coarse than Rue's. She also isn't really that much lighter, though if I only need to get her over this mountain, it shouldn't matter.

With a strong leap, I zoom into the sky and glide upward along the hillside. The grass and rocks are only lit in front of me, surely due to Phendrene's tail. For a moment, I almost feel like I am a Charizard. And as I cross over the peak, I find that the dale is dark, illuminated only by sparse tails of the Char family.

Gliding past the lake, I land noiselessly next to the nursery, careful to not disturb any slumbering infants. Phendrene's grip loosens and she hops off.

There is still some stray chatter, especially from the large building across us. That must be the female residence - the only building that is two stories tall, and crafted rather intricately out of stone. But most of all it is wide, and spans nearly the entire side of the lake.

"So, where are we headed?" I turn to ask Phendrene.

"You didn't have to carry me," she responds as she stares to the lake.

"I mean, it's less effort for both of us. Maybe I should just teleport you next time?"

"I don't understand." She raises her head and I see doubt in her eyes. "One moment you tell me to be quiet, and another moment you want to help me conserve my strength."

"I mean…" I begin to feel annoyed, remembering that Phendrene's perception of me had a three year absence. "Maybe we should just head to the male dormitories."

"Yeah."

Phendrene leads me past a smaller wooden building in front of it, but Phendrene leads me straight past it. She tells me that is just a separate building. Some of the Sceptile prefer to live in wooden buildings, and they built it themselves.

Half a minute later, we arrive at a smaller stone building that appears to be a third of the size of the female dormitory, though it still occupies a substantial piece of land. "There aren't many males living here, huh?"

"Only nineteen of them, not including you and Jet. But there are enough rooms for you and Jet to each have your own." Pushing the door open from the porch, Phendrene leads me into the lobby. There are doors to our left and right, but also one forward to a small garden in the center. Through a window I spot a Sceptile and a Charizard are sitting across from each other, engaged in conversation. Phendrene discreetly heads to the left door and leads me into the hallway.

I remember seeing this building from above. It was constructed as a square, with the center empty for a small garden. I had assumed it was one of the utility buildings, like the lunch hall or the farm storage.

"How many females are there?" I ask as we turn the corner.

"The last time we did a headcount, over a hundred," Phendrene answers. "But some of the mothers leave their children for others to care for. I feel like the numbers have been dwindling, if only because of the General's- I mean, your father's request for more personnel."

"Do you take care of other children, then?" I ask, curious.

"No, I am just responsible for Melody and Nocturne," she says from ahead of me. "I'm one of the few females that is not a mother, so I'm not the first choice when people are picking a caretaker for their children."

I hear a hint of disappointment in her voice, so I try to think of something to say that could cheer her up. "That's not really fair. If it means anything, I think you'd make a great mother."

Phendrene pauses in her steps briefly, but she doesn't answer before resuming. I can't observe her expression as she heads forward and knocks on a door, and I wonder if I what I said was insensitive. But before I can ruminate on that, the door opens and behind it appears a familiar Garchomp face.

"Ah! You found him," Jet says, delighted. "I'll take care of him from here. You better head back."

"Thank you," Phendrene replies softly, before heading past me. I open my mouth to say good night but she simply walks past me. I eye her tail to see any indication of poor mood, but she does not let it sink and holds it at its normal angle.

"Guess you didn't have enough of a break for those three years, eh?" Jet's boisterous voice brings my attention back to him. Leaning against the door frame, he points toward the next door down the corridor. "If you just want to rest, head inside that door. But if you want, I can show you around the building. Or we can just chill here. What do you say?"

"Um…" Before I can come to a decision, I hear the voices of the two sitting in the garden. The phrase 'psychic Flygon' passes my ear, and I request, "Can you close the window, first?"

"Oh? Sure." He heads back into his room and pushes the window shut, muffling the voices. The only thing left illuminating the room is a torch on the wall. "Don't mind them, though. Rue and I sorted out everything for ya. The elders have sanctioned your presence and those guys aren't allowed to bother you anymore. You know, she was gonna wait in your room to lecture you, but I talked her out of it. Still the same Haxorus, despite her new tusk!"

"…Thank you, Jet. For, um, both things. You don't seem to have changed much, yourself."

"Compared to others, maybe not. But three years is still a long time. Makes you look at a lot of things differently. Anyways, d'you wanna take a seat, or what?" Jet gestures his head into his room, and I spot an empty chair at a desk.

"Oh. Sure." After Phendrene's coldness, Jet feels like the only amicable person I can talk to right now. Plus, I don't feel sleepy at all.

Jet jumps onto his grey blankets and even bounches a little as I sit onto the chair. "Anyways, your father and Phendrene definitely changed more than I did. With you and Rue disappearing, and all. But for me… Well first, you didn't really know me all that well, did you?"

"Right. I suppose I meant that you just sound similar to what I remember."

"Huh? Guess you're not wrong. Not like something traumatic happened to me." He lies down and slouches against his pillow. "But I guess what I would say is different is that I became a lot busier. After your father recruited me, there was always something to do. But I guess that's the same for all dragons, eh? Unless you count the ones that just ran off into the wild…"

"The war seems quite serious," I comment, leaning my head and arms onto the chair's backrest. "Maybe we should just head back tomorrow."

"Whoa, really?" Jet sits up in surprise. "I thought you were here to visit Phendrene?"

"And I have. I've seen the children, too. Maybe I should be more mindful of our situation and get back to Father quickly," I suggest in the most nonchalant voice I can manage.

"Sorry, but if I may ask… did you two have an argument or somethin'?" Jet scratches his chin and frowns. "Did she get a mate?"

"No?" I answer reflexively, and then question my answer. She never said anything direct about it, but from her behavior… "Yeah, there's no way she has a mate." As I finish speaking, I realize that the question isn't really relevant. "Wait, why would that make me want to leave, anyway? I'm not visiting Sanctuary to court her!"

"Sure, but you took a while to say that," he says with a shrug. "So you obviously care about the issue."

I pause for a moment, trying to come up with an explanation, but Jet just shakes his head. "Never mind that, I'm not here to interrogate you. If you really want to leave tomorrow, you gotta ask Rue, too."

I sigh. She probably wouldn't agree to leaving, and would approach the issue much more aggressively than Jet has. "Let's see what happens tomorrow," I answer. "But enough about that. What about you, Jet? Did you find a mate? If you don't mind me asking."

"Hah? Do you think I look like I'm the type to get a mate?" he says and snorts.

"Yes? I think with your charm, you're bound to have plenty of suitors."

"Why, thank you! That is high praise coming from you," Jet says with a pat to his chest. "And you're not entirely wrong, either. But I don't think I'm ready to be a father," he says and lies back down, gazing at the ceiling in an indifferent look.

"How come?"

Jet gives off a chuckle, but does not look away from the ceiling. "Do I sound like a father to you?"

"I don't see how you don't," I try to give some supportive answer, but as I finish my sentence, he lets out a loud yawn.

"Sorry, I know I invited you to chat, but I think I'm gettin' a bit sleepy," he says and shifts up into the bed.

"Oh, I completely understand." I stand up and head toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"See ya."

As I open the door to my room, I note that the Charizard and the Sceptile are still talking. I take a brief moment to look at the room, but it has the same layout as Jet's. A bed in the corner, a torch on the wall, and a desk and chair which I have no use for. I sit onto the bed, not feeling very tired. I am wondering if I should try to lie down and sleep until I hear a familiar name being spoken, and I decide to eavesdrop.

"Phendrene? You sure she's related to the psychic Flygon?"

"Yeah! When Octavia barged into the lunch hall, he teleported out with her! Like when you head out with Serene. Sad."

"Man, we don't even have the energy nowadays. And I'm sure they would have made it less obvious if they were really sneaking out."

"Still. Phendrene's the only single Charizard girl. She's the best chance I got."

"Why don't you just find someone else? There are three or four Salamence girls that ain't got a mate."

"Yeah, but they already have children! And are, like, ten years older than me!"

"What about Yara? She just here taking care of her nephews, right?"

"Dude, I just want another Charizard. Other dragons feel too cold for me, you know. Also, it's kinda weird if your children isn't the same species as you. You get me?"

"Right. But still, just 'cause she's related to the psychic Flygon doesn't mean she's taken! Man up and ask her out!"

"Ahh, maybe. I'm not sure what to say, though. We haven't really had a conversation together."

"You could ask her for tips on how to care for your brother, right? One of the kids she's taking care of, a Gible, is the most raucous infant ever. And she still manages to calm the kid down."

"Huh, really. That's actually a good conversation to start with her. Damn, you always come up with good ideas."

A deeper voice suddenly sounds from one of the other rooms, interrupting the conversation. "We can hear you, you two!"

The Sceptile answers. "Yeah, but we're assuming you guys are cool and not blabbermouths."

"I don't give a shit about which girl you wanna fuck! I have to make the flight south tomorrow, so shut up let me get some sleep!"

"He could close the window," the Sceptile mutters.

"Let's head to your room," the Charizard says. "The psychic Flygon is gonna stay here tonight, anyway. We should watch our mouths. Don't want to get on his bad side."

"That's assuming he's into Phendrene. You know you can just ask her, right? There's no shame in it. …"

Their voice stops as I hear a door shut behind them. The silence comes so quickly that it makes me shift uncomfortably in my bed.

How can he say he wants to court Phendrene if he doesn't know her? Phendrene is so much more than just a Charizard girl. I still don't understand how people can seek out mates based off of appearance alone. Does it really matter that much?

Phendrene didn't say good night to me. Maybe she doesn't love me anymore. It has been three years, after all. But why does something feel wrong? I can lie in bed alone at Latias's place, but here? I remember how much I wanted to see her, to feel my Charizard press against my neck, but now I am alone.

I lift the blankets off of me, feeling agitated. I don't feel tired whatsoever, but there is no one to talk to. The only thing I can do is return to that ancient pastime of hurtling through the skies without a care in the world.

I am lucky enough to not encounter anyone on my way out. The sun has completely set and the stars have come out. A spring of my legs and a spreading of my wings and I am back in the skies. There are no more illuminating tails, but merely some small spots of light at the residences. Rue is staying with Phendrene, right? I wonder how they are faring.

I circle higher into the air and let my gaze go the scenery instead. Other than the lake, there are only hills in any direction. There is no moon in the sky, so I cannot spot any higher mountains in the distance. The highest place to perch here would be the spire.

The spire where the Noivern lives.

Feeling an ache in my heart, I find myself gliding over, my wings maneuvering me precisely to that alcove I saw her disappear into. I approach it so quickly that I don't bother to make my arrival silent, as my wings send a gust inward.

There is a torch before the corner turns. I walk inward, making sure each footstep is audible, until I stop right before the corner.

"Sylvia!" I call out, trying hard to stop my voice from trembling. "It's me, Nova."

The only thing that answers me is a breeze behind me, sending a small chill down my spine. I decide that the only thing I can do is to step forward, and around the corner, I spot a large bed beside a desk and many cabinets. And on the chair sits the Noivern, her back towards me.

"Sylvia? Are you alright?"

"I don't know you. Go away." Her words are harsh, but just hearing her voice is music to my ears.

"I didn't want to disappear! I'm sorry, I-"

"I don't care!" she suddenly shouts, as she wraps herself up in her wings. "You- you should go find that Charizard."

"What if I don't want to? What if I want to find this Noivern?" I ask boldly, and take a step up to her bed. The shadow the torch casts on me is now on the wall that she is facing.

"It doesn't matter," she murmurs as she curls up further.

"You don't really want me to go away. You heard the wind and my footsteps. You even heard me calling for you. You had plenty of chances to step out and push me off the cliff." My heart is uncertain as I say these words, but her lack of response goads me further as I take another step closer.

"Why?" she says, still facing away from me. "Why come to me now, of all times?"

"I didn't want to be gone for so long. I… I was trapped in time. Those memories of us at your house, down south? To me, they were merely from weeks ago. I still thought of us as… something."

Sylvia barely flinches as I put a paw on her shoulder. "Then why would you ask to visit Phendrene first?"

"Because she's like my family. And she always needed protecting, ever since we were young. She's not like you. You're strong."

"I'm not strong. If I were strong, I would've forgotten about you."

I don't know if that's supposed to be encouraging or discouraging, but I continue anyway. "Imagine if you were still with your team. But you've been gone for three years. Who would you worry more about, Icarus or Kelsey?"

"That's a stupid analogy," she spits before she tenses up. "How do you know about them?"

"I… when I visited the human world, I read up on you. I know about Team Serawings." I lean forward and reach my other arm around her, such that my hands connect at her mane. She doesn't move. "They said that you were the one with the best temperament on the team. That you never put blame on your teammates. That you were the only one… to not have bred any children." By now, I've slid down far enough such that my head is next to hers, as my antennae brushes against her ear. "To be special even among a championship team…"

"You're just trying to flatter me." For a moment, I think that perhaps she is going to flip out and demand me to leave, but she only turns around, making me take a step back and away from her. Finally, I get to see her face close-up. Her features are identical to as I remember, smooth and beautiful. But the fire in her eyes have vanished, I note, as her dull eyes focus on me. "The Nova I remembered wasn't like this."

I feel weak as I fall back to sit on her bed. She's not wrong. Initially, I only took a curiosity in her, and somewhere along the line I began to realize I liked her. But all those hours of reading up on her and being stunned by all her achievements had made me fall for her harder.

"I've been thinking about you a lot," I muster up the courage to admit. "In these two weeks that have passed for me, I thought I would return to you with only two weeks having gone by for you, too. I didn't know… that things would be this way."

Sylvia shows no sign of warming me up to me, and simply sits there and asks, "What do you want from me?"

"I… I want…" I take a deep breath and try to organize my thoughts. "I want to know what you have been doing when I was gone."

"I've done a lot of things. For one, I'm acting as a protector for the mothers and children here. Also, I got a mate, and had two children with him."

Her expression doesn't change at all as I freeze and find myself unable to move. Of course, it's been three years. This is the norm for adult dragons.

Before I regain my composure, Sylvia stands up and lets out a laugh. "Nah, I'm just kidding. I'm still single." With that, she leaps onto the bed, and her impact startles me as I bolt upright.

"That's not funny!" I yell, turning to her. "I actually believed it…"

"Oh, well, I'm not sorry." She rolls onto her back and covers her eyes with one of her arms. "That's not a fraction of what you put me through." Though she tries to make it sound like a joking matter, I can hear the deep grudge she holds.

"What did you go through?" I ask as I crawl over next to her. "Tell me. I'm here now."

"As if you would understand. I can handle it by myself."

From the increasing pace of her breaths, I can tell that she cannot handle it by herself. So I tentatively put a paw on her mane, and when she does not stop me, I shove her arm away to reveal a tear trail down her cheek, though her eyes remain adamantly closed.

"I will understand. I'm a psychic, remember? I can understand everyone." I reach my arm forward and around her neck as my arm slides against her soft mane.

Her body is heaving now, and when I press my face against hers, she finally turns and shoves her head into my neck as she begins to bawl. "I'm such a failure…" she lets out between her ragged breaths.

I wrap my arm around her back and hold her tight. "No you're not. You're a world-class battler who single-handedly dragged Noivern's statistics up."

"That doesn't matter!" She says as she continues to hyperventilate. "I- I'm useless out of an arena. I can't protect anyone! Not my trainer, not my…" A wail interrupts her sentence as she continues to weep into my neck.

"You're not useless. You're protecting all the mothers and children here. You should be proud."

Sylvia doesn't answer to that, and I decide to let her cling to me in silence. After a minute, she manages to reign in the cries and stabilize her trembling snout.

I let her be the first one to speak. "Nova, why did you care about whether I had a mate?" she murmurs.

"Because… because I like you," I answer.

I hear Sylvia let out what sounds like a giggle as she snuggles closer, her mane tickling my chest. "And what would you do if there were another male who liked me?"

"I'd, uh…" I pause, unsure of her intentions. "I'd probably, um, not-"

"You're supposed to answer that you'd challenge him to a duel, and you'd fight valiantly for the right to wed me."

"Um, alright. I'd do that, then."

"And when you win my favor, what would you do with me, then?"

"I'd take you-" I stop as my imagination starts to wander. "What are the point of these questions?"

Sylvia lets out a chuckle, and I feel a chill on my neck as she nuzzles my chin. "Just a silly fantasy."

"I'm here right now," I say, feeling confused.

"And… what about when we have children?" she continues as if I have answered her last question, with her words beginning to slur.

"Oh, uh, I'd be nervous but treasure them and protect them as we raise them together," I say, trying to continue along the tale.

"Good…" With her last word, she inhales a large breath, and begins breathing at a slow, steady pace.

"Sylvia?" I call her name softly, but there is no response. I am about to shake her before she lets out a soft snore.

She has fallen asleep.

I retract my arms from around her, careful not to disturb her slumber. I stand up from the bed and reach towards the blankets and cover her up to her neck.

I had pined after her so fervently beforehand, that with her strange ramblings and sudden slumber, I am at a loss of what to do.

The cuddles are nice, and her mane is soft. That much was expected. But there was something that was off that made me feel distant. Unlike Phendrene, she wasn't crying over me, but over something else that she wouldn't tell me. And to top it off, she kept on indulging in hypothetical scenarios. Why is she so obsessed with having children? Even Phendrene never talks about it…

At least Sylvia's face looks peaceful. I'm glad that she's able to find some rest amidst her troubles.

I can't say the same for myself. My eyes are wide open and the cool breeze at the alcove edge only clears my mind further. On my way up, I had hoped that perhaps I would spend the night here. How naive of me to assume that everything would click into place after such a long time away.

Below the cliff is a steep drop. I wonder if she chose this residence or was assigned it. Either way, I can't imagine she gets many visitors. Why doesn't she choose to live in the female dormitories? It's not as if she can keep watch while sleeping.

What a silly question. Sylvia wouldn't mingle with commoners.

Leaning forward and spreading my wings, I let myself build up speed in freefall before gliding forward effortlessly. I zoom past the lunch hall and the lake before landing at the shore, and consider heading back to the male dormitory, but the female dormitory just so happens to be right in front of me. Since I do not feel the least bit tired, I could check how Phendrene and Rue are faring.

The lobby in this dormitory is much more furnished compared to its counterpart. There are plenty of seats and tables, though all of them are empty at the moment. On the wall I find a list of names, sorted by species. It is not hard to find Phendrene Silverwing beside Riel Stormheart, with their room number being 102. A small arrow pointing to the right directs me through the correct door, and within moments I arrive at the room marked 102. The door isn't even shut completely, and I give it a soft shove.

I manage to make out what is inside from the dim light of Charizard tails. The room is fuller than mine, with books and accessories arranged neatly on the tables, the metallic prosthetic standing out among the rest. In this corner, Riel is facing the wall and covered in a tarp up to her neck. In the opposite corner are Phendrene and Rue, huddled close together. The Charizard's snout is nestled in the neck of the side with the missing tusk, her arms reaching around and holding the Haxorus close. Perhaps due to their shared warmth, they decided that they didn't need blankets, leaving me the sight of Phendrene's leg hooked over Rue's…

So intimate.

I would have never guessed that this is the sight that would greet me tonight. How could they embrace each other like this? Aren't they both girls? Why is this happening now? Is it just because Rue's missing a tusk, or… is it because Phendrene doesn't like me anymore? How is that Haxorus better than me? I was the one that was there for Phendrene the whole time! Rue tried to kick her out of the forest all those years ago. She doesn't deserve it. Why couldn't Phendrene have stayed over and snuggled into my neck? …

It's because the dormitories are split gender, isn't it? Phendrene kept on emphasizing how the other dragons would gossip and go insane if anyone slept outside of their assigned building. I've slept with Phendrene for years before this. Why does it matter? These people don't know what real dragons deal with. Why do they care about such… mundane things?

These dragons just let instinct drive them, going along with what they feel is right. Like that Charizard who wanted to court Phendrene or those dragons who wanted to blame me for their tragedies. They let emotions dictate their actions and ideologies without stopping to think about the bigger picture. They don't understand that down south, other dragons work to keep our enemies at bay. These dragons here don't have to worry about their children being in danger. They don't have to worry about anything but cooking and farming. They only sleep in peace thanks to them - Father, Jet, and the others risking their lives fighting against the rebels.

To rise above these creatures, I have to defend the very thing they enjoy, and shelter them from this cruel, harsh world. I don't need to deal with the everyday nonsense that they find so important. There are things that are of greater consequence that they barely comprehend.

I used to crave physical affection, and rely on it as something to calm me down whenever I felt troubled. But I can't afford to fall prey to transient desires anymore. What matters the most is the future of dragonkind, and only I can ensure our survival.

With one last glance at the two, I turn and head out of the corridor with renewed vigor. I've found a more noble goal than these dragons ever will. And I will fight for it with all my power.