The Chronicles of the White Dragon Part 2: The Crossroads of Time

by Blackshadow999

When things of history thought lost begin to be seen once more; fear grips many, none can choose how events will turn out in the end. What is left from an ancient war is rediscovered by Saber, but he finds more than he bargained for. An enemy long forgotten returns! and intends to finish wha they started. A tale traversing and transcending even the bounds of time itself. Part 2of3

2. 2 Strained Feelings

White Dragon 2-2

A/n

… I'm starting to wonder just how much I will be eating my words by the end of this revision. I don't know anymore! I feel I did more a rewrite of this chapter than a grammatical revision. I mean, this chapter went from being 22k word count to over 27k; that's a big increase! All I ask is that you read and enjoy what I have taken the time to do in this chapter. So without further crap from me, on with the show!

Chapter 2: Strained Feelings

-Present time: slightly after dawn-

I had awakened a little after sunrise as I normally did. I stretched in my bed and doing this brought the point home of how much of a growth spurt I had in the last nine months since being a dragon became more a norm. I mean after the battle of Warfang I had been about seven feet three inches in height and eight feet six inches in length. Now I was at a respectable ten feet one inches tall and twelve feet three inches long. I didn't tower over adult dragons and dragonesses yet, but I certainly have a sizable margin over most if not all in my age group. Yes, everyone grew in the nine months that had gone by; still none had had the same growth spurt as I did! I grew and average of three to four feet where most got a little less than a foot in height and a little more than a foot in length.

But back to where I had left off; the reason that I wake up at this time is a habit from martial arts training and doing it for years. Since Martial arts have been one of the few good things I have in my life… well yeah, I don't think I need to say more. A lesson that encouraged this habit to become so strong that I haven't needed an alarm for many years and can be said in a phrase; the phrase is as follows, 'early to rise gets the best equipment to use'! Plus, even though I didn't need more motivation really; I got one on one time with Master Kai in the early morning! I would do many things to get that! Here, I get time where others aren't gawking at me, which is very nice.

However, I was no longer awakening early just due to the habit developed from practicing the fighting arts. Now with the nightmares I have that are influenced by the memories that aren't mine waking me up as well. Many of those nightmarish memories I see, shake me to my very soul! Let's just say, it's bad enough having a few near death experiences personally myself, one somewhat recently; so, I could do without these new memories adding to the mix thank you! But no, I get to have nightmares where I get to not just see someone dying… oh no, I get a front row seat by viewing and feeling the event through the first person's point of view of the dragon or dragoness that such events have occurred to! It is a miracle I am still of a sound mind… or maybe I am crazy and just can't see or admit it. … Hmm I would have to say probably not crazy so, sound mind it is!

Anyways returning to the previous topic, if I were to say that I have gotten a good night's sleep in the last nine months; I would be lying through my teeth and I don't do that. To experience death is just a part of the mix and a somewhat common one with the nightmares. The majority of those memories I see are okay and I have little problem with the things I see and relive, but there are those that are horrible to watch from the first person's position, which makes what I have suffered through, look like very little compared to theirs.

Now then, where was I? Ah yes, I had just finished my morning routines in the fighting arts. Many would say that now that I am a dragon; I should forget such things. Ha ha ha, how silly of them to say that! I have been doing morning martial arts along with kendo routines for twelve years religiously and haven't missed a day that I can remember. And when I say religiously, I mean to the point that I would shame a priest's religious attendance to mass every Sunday. In other words, I have been doing this for so long; I don't see any reason to stop now! Martial arts have helped me keep my sanity over the years of my life and I won't slack off! I fear if I did, I would really lose my mind! Then, my bad luck was enough of a reason to keep up on practicing martial arts alone. It isn't a matter of life and death… most of the time, but it is not as far from the idea as one might imagine in my case.

Actually, since I gotten to the dragon realm my bad luck has changed to an extent. It hasn't hit me as often, yet when it does strike me; it's even more efficient than it has ever been looking back. That's all the more reason to keep up the morning routine before dealing with my luck does become a matter of life and death! Especially since I have a long haul to endure here! Who knows what I will face in the future?! I need to have as many ways and options to work with as I can possible get to aid in my continual survival! In order to accomplish this task, the more skills and abilities; the better chance I have of making it through what is to come.

After I had finished my morning routine, the next thing on my agenda for the mornings, was a new addition to my normal daily habits; that being going to the dragon temple's library. … I would first like to state, that I am no bookworm or one who can be called a nerd or geek. Yes, I like reading a good book or two every now and then, but I'm not fanatical like some are about it. Yet, I am by no means an idiot either to think there is no need to read books. I have always strived to keep a good balance between the book smarts and the street smarts. Yet that's not the reason I am at the library every morning as of late. So then, the question of why I go to the library would be asked by others. My logic of this action is this; the voices along with the images I had heard and seen at the time when I had been turned back into a dragon and those since then, they haven't stopped telling and showing information to me.

The "ancient enemy" as they are referred to; is a force to be taken seriously! The danger they pose was made perfectly clear from the memories and what facts I already had on the group. Should I underestimate them, there is a VERY high possibility that I won't live to have another chance against them. I want and needed to prepare the best I can to do just that, or I might as well kiss the life I have goodbye here and now. So to increase the chances and percentile that represents the likelihood of me still breathing and living, I needed more facts and information on this group and soon! I decided to start off my attempt to find information on the ancient enemy; I would come to the temple library every morning. And that's why I now have made it a habit and a part of my routine. Hey, the more information I have on them, the better standing I will hopefully have, right? That is my theory and method; that's what I am going to do!

This idea in its entirety may be sound to a point. My… problem if you will is where theory is normally a supposition based upon principles in order to explain something; that doesn't always translate well into the application. Method of application is usually the attempt to test ones theory however, as many others before me in history have found out; theory based on observation and not testing isn't necessarily the best way to go the majority of the time. Me trying to acquire more information on the ancient enemy is a prime case study of this rule or law if you will; allow me to proceed to elaborate my point.

My theory is, if have more information of my opponent; then I would have high likelihood of being able to survive an encounter with them when I do meet one or more of them. That is my goal and planned proposition of reaching said goal. So the first thing to do of course, would be to find and get more fact on the ancient enemy and what better place to get knowledge then from a library, right? I thought this was going to be a piece of simple delicious cake; finally a task I won't have to exhaust a large amount of effort completing. … Oh boy was I wrong, by now I should know better than to jinx, curse or doom myself to eat my own words and thoughts followed by me usually choking on them; yet I still do it from time to time. The task of gathering material I was in need of had turned out to be much more involved and difficult than I had expected when I had been in the theory and planning stage.

The biggest stumbling block I have been facing in this crusade of mine is this; though I'm a dragon now, that didn't change all that many things for me. In other words and more to the truth and point of the problem, I still can't read draconic script or whatever those scribbles or chicken scratches that dragons call writing. The complication is the same with any other language of the races of the Dragon Realm. I can't make out or understand a single gosh darn character of any of it! It all looks like gibberish to me! I have been searching for the only exception to those languages, which is that odd language that no one else can read, whatever that one is called... "Ancient Script" I think Salena called it. However, I haven't found any books that are written in that language and I have been looking fervently.

So even as discouraging as my attempts are thus far, I'm not willing to give up! My life is at stake so; you better believe this gives me a drive that will get me to take this more seriously than almost everything else that I have in my life! I mean, you certainly can't call me a genius, but staring at pages with markings I don't comprehend for long periods of time, seems… I don't know, rather… no, utterly pointless to me… unless I want to fry brain cells from sheer boredom. Staring at them won't help me understand what is recorded in the books. That's why I skim over books now rather than stare at these books written in languages I don't understand, in hopes of glimpsing something I can understand.

Nevertheless, it isn't like it would really help if I could read draconic script or any of the other languages anyways. I only know this group by the label of the 'ancient enemy' and that doesn't ring any bells with the stuff I have heard from listening to others. Meaning it's likely that none know anything about them, to which I would bet a ludicrous sum of currency that they have a hand in doing. This leaves me with little idea where to start looking for any clues or facts on this ancient enemy. That leaves me, on square two with a lot to know and do before I can move forward. I grant you, that's better than being back on square one, though not by all that much.

I do have some small bits of information on this group, though it isn't much to work with as it leaves a slew of variables as unanswered mysteries. The few bits of data I do have on them; were from seeing the memories in my head now, usually in the form of nightmares. This enemy, whatever they actually were; was… well evil to be sure, from the events and circumstances that they had been responsible for bringing about. And I have a feeling there are a great many things that they are to be credited for in draconic history, even if the memories only tell of a few of them. The enemy was cunning and shrewd to an extreme; one could even say they are meticulously malicious to those they… either didn't like, which was as far as I could tell pretty much everyone or those they considered a threat to whatever they were working towards. I would likely fall under the latter more than the former, but I doubt that's really the issue. In fact, the more that I learned the more this group worried me! I could see signs that metaphorically screamed danger and destruction from the actions of the ancient enemy! I needed more information pronto; it was a long shot and it was very unlikely that my search would turn up anything, but I had to try something!

The headache I was having was, with the memories that gave me the few and limited facts I had; those facts were very hard to confirm as either 'truth or crap' due to the view, perception and unsaid understanding of the original owners of those memories. The unsaid understanding came I assume from the 'culture' of its owner and the time they lived; which doesn't exactly help me as I have little clue what the culture was like in the dragon realm before I got here and I still have trouble with the current one!

However, just because I can't confirm something doesn't mean I should discount it. After dreaming about the memories for a time; I now, more than ever believe that the memories belong to others that have already lived and passed away. The experiences are too real to be something fabricated by someone or some other force, let alone my mind! … I know my mind can come up with some insane ideas given time and me letting go of the restraining leash I keep on it most of the time, but even it has limitations as to how crazy those ideas can be! I have even started to be able to recognize some of the memories of a couple of individuals as if I knew the dragon or dragoness as a friend or someone in a similar position. Many of the memories were quite informative on several subjects I have been curious about. Such things like; how some traditions that dragon kind has started and by what circumstances and why some of those traditions are still around while others are not. Or why the guardians were even put in place at all, just to name a few. There are even a couple of memories on the ancient enemy, which is how I have the facts I do.

The few facts that I have been able to glean were from some of those memories that belonged to those voices from the far distant past. This group or 'the enemy' as they are referred to as; well whoever or... whatever they were, they weren't a friendly bunch. I couldn't even get a clear picture or understanding of… what this enemy was! The point that was for lack of a better term, agreed upon when it came to the origin and what they actually were, was that they seemed to appear out of nowhere. The fact of their 'origin' being that they suddenly appeared just irks me! Things, nor beings just pop up out of or from nothing! The enemy's personality trait was clear as in they were evil… period! They were malicious and pure evil is probably the more accurate way of putting it! Yet, as evil as they were; they very rarely did any of their own dirty work of killing or torturing personally. If you wish to simplify this point; they rarely do the evil acts themselves… at least any more. They use to at one time, still that was long ago and I really couldn't even estimate just how far back it was without some kind of reference, which I had none.

But the point is that they have resorted to using manipulation of others to get work and jobs of theirs done. Up till now a soul knows; not the ones being killed or the ones being manipulated! Their normal methods tend to have others do the killing, torture and other things of the like on the intended targets for them. All the while they, I would assume observe the results from somewhere else to make sure the desired result is obtained. What is truly sad is for the majority of those who do the ancient enemy's work or rather those that are reduced to puppets, haven't a clue that their not the ones in the driver seat anymore. The vast majority believe they are the ones in control… Wait hold on a minute!

I had a sudden revelation strike me as I had been reasoning with this logical argument; Malefor! That's it! I remembered how Arkanis had told me of the change that Malefor had gone through and how none of his teachers could explain why he had changed the way he had. The pieces to that puzzle were becoming clear. The ancient enemy had taken the time and put forth the effort to somehow corrupt Malefor into the villain the dragon realm knew as 'the dark master'. That gives quite an unexpected perspective on this subject that I hadn't thought about! If this group can corrupt a purple dragon as strong willed as I have been led to believe Malefor was, they were good at lying and deceiving others and had the experience to back what they did! They are clearly pros!

Nonetheless, backing up to the informational argument I was on. The tales of lies that had been woven to cover the deaths of white dragons and others along with them; those are some of the prime examples of the enemy's methodology! How they would take more time to make sure an idea went I would assume the way they wanted it to rather than use ways and means for quick success. But the thing is these kinds of events weren't limited to white dragons alone. There had been others that had suffered similar fates as many of us white dragons had. Many of them had been searching for the truth and had died for their efforts. It proved that this crowd was meticulous beyond any I have ever seen or heard about, to the point that it would shame someone with ridiculously severe Obsessive compulsive disorder! I have seen some people with extremely severe OCD and it is scary how neat and picky one can get!

However, there had been some extremely unusual instances in the past that history never knew or you could classify them as 'foul ups' of a kind with some of the puppets of these guys. … You know, now that I think about it, draconic history is rather… oh what's a good word for this idea… incomplete. I guess that's a way of putting it… nicely at least?

I recall well, when Spyro gave me a 'telling of history'. The history lesson was simple yes, but also kind of short and left many unanswered questions, which I didn't ask at the time as I was being polite. That wasn't to say I still didn't wonder; first with the gaps and missing parts of the history of the dragon realm, who in the hell is responsible for such a blatant screw-up?! Second question I have, why hasn't anyone else seen the clearly missing pieces of history and why hasn't anyone brought it to light?!

As far as I can tell from what information I have gather during my time here in the dragon realm; their history begins somewhere before three thousand years ago but less than four thousand years. So there is a millennium margin range in the estimation and there is absolutely nothing thought to have happened earlier than that. To that I say… WRONG! That in itself doesn't make sense in any way! Quite a few of the traditions that dragons have and the other races as well, obviously were brought about due to events that aren't in the historical records! I can be relatively sure that the vast majority of the memories in my mind now, come from farther back than that… by a horrendous amount, speaking as in the length of time.

… I'm really getting off track here in this subject… back to my original train of thought before I got sidetracked with the history piece. It was clear that the enemy had a knack and/or habit of making sure that events played out in the way they wanted or would benefit them. Things and circumstances that would reveal that they exist rarely happened and if they did were swiftly dealt with so that they weren't recorded for future generations to know about. The point of secrecy was more akin to an addictive obsession to them as far as I can tell.

When someone did discover their existence or a white dragon had given their puppets the slip, the ancient enemy would 'take care of' the problem themselves. Most of the said times happened in the distant past, so long ago that I can't clearly understand what the memory is about other than death being the end of it. Yet, there is one episode that occurred in the more recent history that falls under the category of 'unusual instances' that had required the ancient enemy to get involved personally. I knew of this exploit from a memory that belonged to one of the dragons I was getting to know and recognize. So I could now pick him out of the sea of chaos.

The one to whom the memory belonged to had been a male white dragon by the name of Crystan. Timing is fairly hard to be absolutely certain on when these events happen as the only marker I could see was the passing of the seasons in the dragon realm. Years and the passage thereof are much harder to be sure on because of the lack of markers other than seasons. So, my best guess for the time period was that he had lived somewhere between five to six thousand years ago. It was definitely before the time of Malefor and recorded history as far as I could tell and I was confident in that assumption.

Crystan had looked similar to me in figure but was slightly more muscular in his center body than I am. He was also approximately the same age as I am now, maybe a year older. Crystan, like myself, had lived during a time when a purple dragon existed; though it had been a dragoness in his lifetime instead of a dragon. Still, as I had seen the events, is very fascinating that this contradicted the idea that Spyro told me. In which the dragon Ignitus, informed him that there had only been two purple dragons in history, Malefor and Spyro himself. Lara's existence also disproved that so called known fact too, but anyways back to the point. This set of memories meant that there had been other purple dragons and dragonesses existing throughout history, even if it isn't written down or told.

Returning to the topic of this logical argument, Crystan had died during the young adulthood time frame of his life. He had known that he was being hunted by someone or something, not specifically who, but well it hadn't matter really in this. In the experience the memory was about; Crystan had gone to a place he thought he would be safe for a little while, unfortunately he had been wrong. The memory after the point where another came in was sort of confusing; I think because I had missed what happened to Crystan before this event. So there was missing information that may have explained some things that don't make much sense; though I can't be sure.

Well, from what I had witnessed, some dragon that Crystan had known had come to see him. However, this close 'friend' shouldn't have known about the place Crystan was or that he had gone at all. That fact alone raised red flags to me, but as this isn't my memory… After this friend showed up, the memory gets foggy. Something… happened, I don't understand what precisely, though it hadn't been use of an element, I could tell that much. I would guess due to some kind of foul play on the enemy's part. But this 'friend' who was the "Ancient Enemy" in disguise and they were there, of course to kill Crystan. The fight that had ensued had been gruesome and in some ways tactically speaking, staged. In the end Crystan had died.

It isn't the nicest way to learn the facts I have; it's really sad in fact to learn the way I did. Seeing Crystan's death was horrible, but it had brought a few interesting ideas to light. The first interesting fact to note to me and the reason for his name was that Crystan was able to manipulate crystals much like I had used light when I was younger. Yet another element that dragons today don't think exists. The second point of interest is that this ancient enemy normally doesn't do their own dirty work, nevertheless that didn't mean they weren't willing to do such things if the need arose in their view. The third point, which worried me greatly, the ancient enemy had the ability to change their appearance into anyone or assumedly any creature or thing they wanted. They could look exactly like someone close to us and do it so flawlessly that it was nigh impossible to tell the difference between the fake and the original!

That fact alone is alarming to me! Still, even in that, a grain of truth and insight came. With the admittedly amazing acting skills they had, it implied that the enemy took the time to study the one they intend to kill before they see the action through along with those around the target. Another quality to add to the list that this ancient enemy had; deception and trickery at levels that professional actors would be jealous of, meaning they were masters at it!

Back to the main point that I bring up Crystan's story; the ancient enemy's methodology in those they deem a threat. The basic concept, from what I have observed is as follows: if one is a threat, then eliminate them. First, the puppets are sent to do the task, should they prove unable to in two attempts or less; then one that can be easily considered an assassin is sent out for the job. The assassin takes time to study the target in order to have higher chances of success. Time is important to the ancient enemy, but sure success is a priority and the goal. No matter how many attempts are needed to have the job complete to an unquestionable standard, doesn't matter as long as the target is eliminated. The harder the target is to kill and after each attempt, the more time taken to study the target so that there is less of a chance of failure for the next attack.

In Crystan's case he had been able to avoid them for years and the attempts that were being made on him by the manipulated ones. He had escaped both passes on him. So the one that was sent for the matter of killing him had taken a great deal of time to study him and the things he did. I say this because the assassin only needed one try to complete the job they were assigned. By appearing as a close friend to Crystan blatantly shows they had been watching him, so…

However, returning to the main topic of the argument of logic that brought this story up. The majority of the time, like at least nine times out of ten if not more. This enemy used and manipulated others much like a puppeteer does their marionettes; in order to control the flow of events so they were rarely if ever directly involved. The amount of draconic history I have learned and heard is a testimony to how skilled the ancient enemy was in this. I'm not saying that draconic history is what you would call dark or evil, but it could be a lot better! This only goes to show how skilled at manipulation this group was. They were patient and had the time to wait and use to make sure events went the way they wanted. Plus no one has ever suspected their involvement or even known of their existence! That's horrifying to know that they have never been caught by anyone… well at least anyone that has lived long enough to tell about them that is!

… I get the terrible nagging feeling that the ancient enemy has a grand scheme of some kind, even if I haven't the faintest clue what it is. Their plan whatever it was, they were taking the time and the effort to make sure their plan would come to pass. As the points I have learned says… no, scream that this group is evil beyond what most call villainy! The grand design is very unlikely to be good for anyone but them. I get the strong impression that at the very least, I won't like or want that plan to come to fruition! I don't know where this impression comes from completely, but I agree with it one hundred percent!

Even with all of these facts in mind, it wasn't enough material on this enemy to even slightly sway my fears about them. If this ancient enemy is as cunning, malicious and most of all, evil as I surmise they are, then what information I do have is nowhere near enough to be able to stand up against them, not by a longshot! If I were to meet them anytime soon; I'll be dead before the encounter with them is over! Even my bad luck would have difficulty saving me from this group and I never thought I would say that about anyone!

This is the mindset I have when I come to the temple library. Should my search in the temple library turn up nothing, then… so freaking what?! It isn't like I'm a stranger to failure or setbacks; my bad luck saw to that on almost a daily basis for goodness sakes for most of my life! Yet, I wasn't willing to give up on this search! I am too determined and stubborn to give up! It was like the situation I was in when I had to find Lara when I needed to apologize about the thing with Spyro. With the right motivation, I'll go distances that would have people asking if I'm just plain crazy or if I'm a nut case that escaped from the mental institute. My reply to such a thing is; why yes, certifiably nuts, thank you for noticing! My life being on the line is definitely that kind of motivation!

Nonetheless, there was something about the ancient enemy that didn't sit right or even settle uncomfortably with me. I can be called paranoid sometimes… okay a good deal of the time and I am to a degree, but I am for very good reason! I couldn't really put this uneasy feeling I got with this subject into words, still this feeling wouldn't leave me. I felt a strong sense of foreboding when I think about them, along with something like duty; it felt kind of instinctual. I know it sounds weird and crazy, but it is the best way I can put this emotion. I have never been very eloquent with words… unless it is being used in sarcasm; then I'm your guy, for I'm amazing with words used in sarcasm!

So, as I was saying earlier, I was in the library trying to find info. I was skimming through book after book; thankfully there is no one else here in the morning, so none would bother me or complain about the mess I was making. If there were anyone, I have the hunch that I would be thrown out for the mess I made while I am searching for information. I clean up before I leave, so none find out I am coming here every morning while everyone is sleeping.

Well I was pouring over a book intently, so I didn't hear anyone enter the library. … I'm embarrassed to say that I was so unaware that I let someone sneak up behind me. … Oh Master Kai FORGIVE ME for my lapse in attention to the world around me! I'm so ashamed of myself right now! I wouldn't be able to face Master Kai for such an amateurish mistake for a long while! It was only when I felt a paw on my shoulder that I realized I wasn't alone in the library. I jumped in surprise; so bad you would think I was connected to springs. Well… to put it simply, papers went flying into the air and ink went all over the table from the bottles being knocked over. In short I made quite a mess in the area I had made for my search. I spun around to see Seth and Spectra. I was breathing hard from the surprise I felt from the paw touching my shoulder.

"Seth! ... Don't do that! I thought I was going to have a heart attack! What is it you need anyway?!"

I haven't had my heart jerk that hard for a while, only Master Kai has been able to shock me in this way and I still can't understand how he sneaks up on me! Of course I swear by the ancestors that Master Kai can somehow just appear; like by magic or something like that! Seth jump back a bit from me as I had apparently scared him pretty well.

"Sorry Saber, I just was surprised to see you are here at the library once again."

I forced myself to calm down. It wasn't Seth's fault I overreacted to his touch. Once I had, I waved a paw to dismiss the apology.

"Don't worry about it; my fault for overreacting. So what brings you and Spectra to the library this morning?"

Spectra was the one to give me an answer.

"I noticed the library doors were slightly open. I am surprised you are here what seem like every morning. What are you studying so heavily?"

Dang it! I forgot to close the doors today! Oh well too late to do anything about that now. It wasn't like I wasn't allowed in the library or anything like that. It was just that I like my time of peace and quiet when I am studying or searching for info in books. I thought for a moment about how to answer Spectra. You know, I haven't told the guardians anything about what I knew about draconic history that they didn't, now that I think about it. As I stated before, by my understanding draconic history starts between three and four thousand years ago. There is much more history than that, the Guardians don't seem to know this. I wonder if Arkanis would. I would have to ask Arkanis the next time I see him, if he knew more history.

Now if I were to tell Spectra and then the answer would in turn reach the other guardians, the object of my search; well I don't think it would put me in better standing than I was in with them. My standing with the Guardians is fairly delicate right now at best; I really don't need to make it worse. … Not that I exactly know what to call the subject, so I am in quite the predicament currently. I don't think just saying, 'I'm searching for information on a group known as the ancient enemy; you wouldn't know anything about such things, would you?' would go over well with the guardians. First they would want to know how I came to know the information and where I learned of it. After all the guardians are supposed to be the wisest dragons; it would make them look bad if I knew a lot more than they did. Like I said, I think it would be very stupid of me to tell them the full truth right now.

With that in mind, I think it is understandable for myself, that I don't want to get into the ideas that contribute to the subject of my search. I really, REALLY don't want to get into how I hear voices in my head of others or the memories of those voices that now are in my head as well. I can already give a rather educated guess on the reaction I would get from the guardians… and I really don't want to find out. They would be much like everyone else I have been around, excluding Spyro and my friends. In other words, either not believe me or ridicule me in some way, shape or form. I trust Seth, Spyro and the others and they had earned my trust by sticking with me and around me, where most don't even give me the time of day. I still don't trust the guardians much at all. I trust the male guardians less than the females among them all. My… well, I don't really think calling it just a relationship is right, but I can't think of a better term for it… wait, contractual standing! Yes my contractual standing with Terrador was… fragile at best. As the other male guardians tend to listen to him most of the time… we don't get along all that well, that is to say we more tolerate one another. Don't get me wrong, I like and respect Spectra and the other female guardians to an extent; at least I respect them far more than the other four. At least they will hear me out.

"Oh... um... well... I am searching for some information."

"Oh how goes your search?"

I glance away from Spectra. I don't want to outright lie! I am against flat out unnecessary dishonesty. Now stretching the truth or not saying the complete truth is a different matter entirely and I'm totally cool with those kinds of actions. The issue is I don't think Spectra will accept silence and the other option is to lie, which I am against. I was contemplating how to answer when Seth spoke up.

"Hold on Saber, I thought you said that you could not read draconic writing."

Ah ha! A wonderful loophole in this for me that is called a subject change! Thank you Seth! I turned and faced Seth.

"Oh I can assure you I still cannot read a single character of draconic writing or any other races written language. It all looks like random scratched lines to me. That has not changed with the exception of what you call "the ancient script", yet I have not found any books written in that language, though I have tried to find books written in that language here."

Spectra stared at me for a couple of moments before speaking. I felt my eye ridges rise as I turned to look at her.

"You are saying that you can read ancient script?!"

I continued to stare at Spectra before smiling and nodding.

"You know Salena pretty much had the same reaction as you Spectra. Yes I can read ancient script; still have no clue how or why. I have a bit of an educated guess as to the how more than the why, but I will keep it to myself... no offense intended."

Spectra gave me a stern look for a moment. My smile dimmed a bit as I kept getting the look from Spectra.

"It seems as usual for yourself, you intent to keep secrets from others."

I returned her gaze as my expression morphed into a look of cold indifference. I back down to no one, unless I chose to do so! Granted, Spectra had been bigger than me previously; yet the difference in our size wasn't so vast now that I was a dragon and one who is bigger than average of my age grouping. She can't intimidate me so easily anymore!

"Yes I do. I would ask you neither take my action personally nor what it implies. I do not mean to be insulting. I think you and the guardians do a decent job at running things here, but I still do not trust you guardians fully, I mean no offense by saying that. If it is any consolation to you, I would say you female guardians do a better job than the male guardians do. Still I do not think you could comprehend nor I would assume believe me if I were to tell you anything about what I am searching for or why."

Spectra had a blank look on her face in response to my statement, before she shook her head slightly.

"You make a lot of assumptions..."

Spectra does bring up a truthful point, though she makes it sound like I use random guesswork. I don't do random or guesswork very often and then only as needed.

"… Based upon fact and observation, Spectra. Do not mistake my actions for being secretive. It is an ingrained habit and I am working on improving that! Yes I admit, I have some trust issues, and have for a long while. There are some who have earned my trust now. However, you and the other guardians are not within that group."

Spectra stared at me likely studying me, before looking over at Seth.

"... and Seth is in that group you trust?"

Seth looked down at the floor for a couple of seconds probably making a decision, before he looked back up, an expression of loyalty set on his face.

"Yes sister, I am."

I looked between Spectra and Seth, beginning to worry a bit. It looked like there may be a disagreement starting here and it could turn into a fight. I don't want to be the cause of a fight between siblings here! I would feel just awful about it. I would rather just be a spectator, much less guilt involved in that position. I was about to interject and act the peacemaker; a part I rarely play or am good at, but I'm willing to try. At that moment, the tension was broken by the interruption of the door to the library opening. All three of us turned our heads to find Salena standing in the doorway. I was kind of surprised to see her again and here in Warfang of all places no less. I mean the last place I had seen her was back at Hyrule before I was hauled off by Exis and her ape grunts.

"My, my, I was not expecting so many to be up at this early hour; good morning everyone."

"Good morning Salena."

That was from Spectra; whereas Seth and I just dipped our heads in a polite but silent greeting. I was trying to think of a viable reason for Salena to be here; when Seth spoke up.

"Morning Salena, I had forgotten you were here in Warfang, sorry."

This is the first I knew of her being here; must have missed the memo on that one, if there was a memo at all. I was keeping my peace for the time being and chose to just watch as this event played out. Salena smiled at Seth.

"It is alright Seth."

Salena, then looked over at me and adopted a puzzled expression. Um… why is Salena looking at me like she has never seen me before? I mean yes, she hasn't seen me as a white dragon, but I expected Cyril to have told her about my change in appearance. I could only think to smile back, be it halfheartedly. Salena suddenly had a look of comprehension appear on her face.

"Ah you must be the unusual dragon I heard about from Cyril!"

Oh boy, now I am the subject of idle chatter among the guardians and others; whoopty freaking doo for me! … Hold on then… so she did hear about me from Cyril, then why does Salena act like I'm a complete stranger? Unless Cyril… forgot to mention that I was human and now am a dragon, must have slipped his mind. Ah the effect of old age that we younger people get to look forward to. Where do I start in this? I was trying to think of a way to explain my current form, when Salena began speaking again.

"By the way Spectra, you haven't seen the… what did he call himself… well the one named Saber, have you?"

Well at least Salena remembered my name. It is nice to know that she remembers me, even if she can't remember what I was. Then again I am rather memorable to most for… a couple of reasons. However to be called unusual… that's not so nice, though I know with dragons such a term doesn't have the same ugly connotation as it would be with humans. Hmm, I wonder how Salena will react when she finds out that I'm not only right here, but also the 'unusual dragon' as well; let's find out! I cleared my throat.

"The term you are looking for Salena is human and as for where to find me, you already have; I am right here."

Salena's gaze was fixed on me, an expression of astonishment plastered on her face. This kind of reaction will never get old for me, priceless expression! Spectra just sighed at my actions; the guardians have… been forced to learn that I will be difficult to deal with and no amount of effort they put forth will be able to change that. It isn't for a lack of them trying to change me. They finally gave up trying to 'educate' me on how I should act thank goodness! It had taken a couple of solid months for them to understand that I won't change unless I, see reason to! Seth was shaking his head. As with all of my friends, Seth knows I have… quirks that I am working on, some more than others, which lead me to be what some dragons would classify as rude and overbearing. Seth out of the three was the first to speak.

"Why do you always like to doing things like that?"

I turned to Seth and gave him an innocent smile that said, 'who me?' He expects me to resist the tempting amusement I have by surprising others like I do! I decided to be honest on my answer.

"Well I got to admit it is pretty fun and I do get some very amusing reactions from others who have met me before I changed to my current appearance."

I held in the chuckles I was having when I saw Seth glaring at me. I glanced away from my friend. I know that some of the things I do can be considered… a tad mean and definitely unnecessary most of the time. Nevertheless, life is to be lived and I intend to live my life to the fullest, as I see fit thank you kindly! I will do so with the least amount of regret. If opportunity… should present some chances to have some innocent fun and amusement along the way, then I see nothing wrong with taking advantage of those said opportunities. I am who I am and I don't really see a reason or need to change that now or in the near future!

"Oh come on Seth, I am not being that rude or mean now am I? … Actually do not answer that question; it would be to my detriment. You should really try seeing the interest in an activity before dismissing it; granted there are exceptions to that, but I do not do those."

Seth now began to scowl while still glaring at me. Jeeze, tough crowds here I tell ya! Almost no dragon or dragoness can get and take a joke. I expect this kind of thing from Spectra, not Seth, yet you can't call them siblings for nothing. I sighed, rolled my eyes and adopted the tone of being force by an adult to apologize for something; though it was as if I was just going through the motions of it without completely meaning what I was saying. And that would be fairly accurate to say of me.

"Okay… I am sorry for doing that. It was rude and wrong of me; please forgive me everyone."

I said this all in a flat tone that made it clear I was say it and didn't so much mean it.

"You say you are sorry, yet it sounds like you are not in the least."

Ah, now that is what I was counting on from Spectra. This is poetic justice near its best; I try to not cause a fight and I end up pitting both Seth and Spectra against me instead. I'm getting the hunch that my bad luck is somehow responsible for this situation, at least partially. I know who to blame for the rest of this that my bad luck isn't responsible for. All right you two, I know that I haven't provided a large scale entertainment show for you two for a while, but having one of my best friends teaming up with his sister! Then taking into account that said sister has already had a run in with me, doesn't help my situation. If this is your way of saying get on with the show, then SHUT UP! Man upstairs! I'm not you source of amusement or entertainment, so back off will you! You down below I'm not some kind of sport show you would see on ESPN or some other sports network; stop seeing me and my life as such! I'm sick and tired of being used for the amusement of others dang it!

"Yeah… your point Spectra?"

Oh, did I get a dirty look for that reply and it was well earned with the tone of someone confirming something obvious. Yet another bad habit of mine was getting me into trouble. I cleared my throat and spoke once more.

"Well, what I meant to say is I would not say that I am not sorry; I am sorry about the reaction I received from you and Seth. I am not sorry about my own actions whatsoever, if that is what you are asking."

I said this blatantly rude reply with a smile. Spectra was about to reply to my… statement with more than a dirty look, when Salena began to laugh quietly. Both Spectra and I turned our heads to see Salena laughing. Um… laughter isn't the reaction I was thought I was going to get for my forced apology; in fact it was one of the last. However, I won't grumble about it if this works out for me! Spectra was the one to comment to Salena.

"Salena why are you laughing?! Saber is being very rude. You should not be laughing at his actions!"

Touché Spectra! Coming in with the prim and proper attitude to use against me; I would expect no less from one of the ones in charge. But, she better not think I won't defend myself and my actions. I wasn't going to just sit and take that! I couldn't keep from adding my two cents to this, for my defense if for nothing else.

"Is it possible? A dragoness that cannot just get a joke, but can also take one and find it funny?! At last, someone that can see how things that dragons do are funny!"

I held down my laughter to an extent, but I couldn't contain them completely. Seth sighed before turning back to Salena.

"Ignore him for the moment Salena; he is being… difficult."

Now Seth, was such a comment against me really necessary?

"Seth, come on that hurts. I was just attempting to lighten the mood a little."

I began to fake a sniffle. Seth cleared his throat before he continued.

"Salena, this may be an odd question, still what do you find funny in this?"

I ceased the fake sniffling and paid closer attention to Salena after what Seth had asked. I was curious what Salena found amusing. It took a few minutes for Salena to regain her composure.

"I now understand what Cyril meant by what he said."

I was taken aback at that answer. Cyril had said something about me?! I don't know if I should be flattered or worried by Salena's reaction. I can go either way with what Cyril says about me. However my curiosity got the better of me and I had to inquire.

"Salena, what did Cyril exactly say about me?"

"He said you tend to be rude and insulting. However, you have a good heart in spite of that. You also are very good with using sharp logic."

… Again, I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted for being pegged like that. I know that I can come off as Salena just said rude and insulting, but I tend to say it like I see it, period. I mean, to simplify what Cyril had claimed about me; I'm sarcastic, yet kind and honest and that I had one heck of a wit. All the qualities that Cyril asserts I have are true and I won't deny it! … All I would need to make this anymore ironic would be some sort of peanut gallery. I might as well reply to this.

"Well Salena, I don't normally intend to come off as rude, unless I am given a good valid reason to be so. However, as the idiom goes, 'I say it like I see it'; that is to say, I am very blunt and yes the fact that I tend to be so does bite me in my rear end from time to time. Overall though I would say I am a rather nice individual, especially with my upbringing or lack thereof in mind. As to my good use of, as Cyril put it 'sharp logic'; I would reply, 'and proud of it'!"

-Scene change-

After the wonderful chat with Salena, Spectra and even Seth; which somehow occurred instead of me getting into trouble, I was exiting the temple with Seth beside me. I won't complain about the outcome I got out of the library situation; I had gotten far better than I had expected! The less trouble for me to have to deal with the better, I say. By the time the conversation was over and done with, it was time for breakfast. Hence, the reason that Seth and I were on our way to the meal hall for breakfast. On the way to the meal hall, I asked about Spyro and the others about joining us. After all I hadn't seen Spyro… or Cynder for that matter either for more than glimpses as of late. Seth just said something about Cyra saying she already had plans.

"Well what about Spyro and Cynder? Surely they are up by now."

Seth frowned slightly.

"Well I would guess they will not be up yet after…"

Memories of the sounds I had to listen to, a few nights ago came back to my mind. Thoughts of revulsion firmly asserted themselves in me at the knowledge of what activities were the likely cause of such sounds. That meant that Spyro and Cynder had gone at it again last night! Can they not give it a rest for a few nights?! For the sake of others, namely me as their room just happens to be right above mine!

"Seth do not finish that sentence! I got the idea, though I wish I did not! I should have known that would be the case. After all they have been going at all night every night for the past week so, why would they not last night?! Curse Cynder going into heat! It has been depriving me of much needed sleep! The nightmares deprive me of the sleep I can spare and then some!"

"What, you did not hear it? Is your room not below theirs?"

"Yes Seth, my room is unfortunately right below their room; I have been reminded of that for the majority of this week! Due to that, I decided to sleep elsewhere last two nights, thank you. I did so for my own peace of mind as to not have to listen to them going at it. … Oh fiddlesticks! Now I am having trouble getting those images out of my mind! Those pictures and images are just wrong! Okay so Spyro and Cynder are… busy and so are currently unavailable."

"What about your friends from Carona?"

I took a second to think about the inquiry. You see, Lara, Tarra and Fredrick had gone back to Carona about a week ago and were supposed to return sometime today. Now that shouldn't be a problem or cause for me to worry about and normally it wouldn't. But with how events had played out, I didn't have that luxury.

I shuddered slightly at the memory of the day they left to go to Carona. Lara at that time had been… clingy, not as bad as when she was in heat, but still much more than I like. It has become increasingly difficult to tolerate Lara's actions and antics. She hadn't… been all that happy about the fact I wasn't going to Carona with them and that was saying it nicely and mildly. I saw no reason to go with them at the time… fine, to be honest I wanted a break from Lara even if it was a short one of a week. Lara had been getting more emotional lately and I was NOT good at dealing with that kind of thing. It had been grating on my nerves badly and it was starting to have an effect on my mental control I pride myself for. I don't know what it is about Lara that can do that, since no one up till her has been able to do that!

I still have no idea why she had been getting all hysterical and not in a good way recently. It's just I don't like cleaning up after such things! Yet, Lara had thrown a tantrum like a child when she found out I wasn't going back to Carona. And guess who had to clean up and do the job of damage control when she had actually gone? (ding) (ding) Yes, it was me! I had been tempted to pretend that I didn't know her and just walk away, it had been that bad for goodness sakes! I think we need a little space so here I am back at Warfang and I have had a nice quiet week without dragonesses making my life complicated. I still see Lara as a friend, even if she is having a hard time right now. Yet the way she had been acting lately is really beginning to ware on me.

"Um… they haven't gotten back yet."

Seth stared at me for a moment.

"Having troubles?"

I laughed in a flat tone at the question.

"Seth my friend, that is the story of my life for as long as I can remember! If by trouble you are meaning to ask, am I having trouble with Lara; then the answer is yes."

Seth was silent, but his body language was saying he was paying attention to me. Well, if he was going to offer to listen to my tale of woe, then that's his choice. I sighed before I continued where I left off.

"Well, Lara has… been acting oddly recently. She has become… difficult lately."

"Oh how?"

"Um… she has been getting really emotional around me and I have no clue why she is?!"

"So she is becoming emotional around you? It sounds like she is interested in having you…"

"Oh yes, I know that she wants me as her mate. I would have to be blind and mentally impaired not to see that message that she is broadcasting."

Seth looked at me confused.

"… Let me rephrase what I just said; I would have to be extremely dumb, more so than an ignorant child, not to know Lara wants me as a mate. The thing is I am not… really ready for that kind of thing."

"Then you do not like her?"

Now, I may imply that I dislike Lara; I don't dislike her. It is just… I don't like dealing with or being around her when she is acting like a child. I shook my head, unable to say anything as I was worried what would come out of my mouth should I open it and speak.

"So then you do like her?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Well… I… I do not know. I like Lara in the way that you like the company of a friend, but she wants more than that. … I am so conflicted. I have never been around anyone who wanted to be more than someone they know or even friends with me. I… do not know how to react to such things."

"Um I have not had anyone who wanted to be more than friends either, so I do not know what to tell you."

I just sighed again.

"Thanks for at least listening to my issues I have right now."

By that time Seth and I reached the mess hall and we had breakfast. It was good food too, a good way to start the day in my opinion. As we exited the mess hall I gaze up and saw the sun was higher in the sky now. Well the sun was shining, I had a full stomach and no dragonesses glued to me or making my life more hellish than usual. The day was off to a fairly good start so far! Seth and I were going to the lower tier when we bumped into Spyro and Cynder. They were… well… in human terms, acting lovey dovey with one another; I have no idea what dragons would call it. Seth was the first too speak out of the two of us.

"Morning Spyro, Cynder nice to see you this morning."

Spyro turned his head to look at us.

"Oh, Seth, Saber; what a surprise to see you here."

"Well Spyro, some of us do wake up at a somewhat decent hour of the morning. Yet I get that you two are still… in the new mates stage? I think… that is the way to put it?"

My gaze flicked over to Seth for conformation and he nodded.

"Ah yes, that is right anyway, try to remember we, your friends like to see you on occasion, and so do not go at it all night and forget to sleep. A simpler way of saying it would be, 'all things in moderation', indeed that is the best way of putting it."

Cynder gave me a confused expression.

"Mod-air-eh-shun?"

I sighed; once again draconic language is so frustratingly simple. Oh human English, I miss you so!

"It is a fancy way of saying to show some self-restrain. In other words, do not mate with each other all night every night! I understand Cynder is heat, but still I do not want to be forced to listen!"

Spyro got a crimson blush, which his scales couldn't hide and Cynder giggled.

"What, did what you heard interest you? Or did you hear something to make you jealous of Spyro."

I glared back at Cynder with an expression of annoyance.

"Hmm, let me think about that…. Um… hmm… uh… NOOO! I have no interest in that kind of thing right now! And why by the honor of the Warriors of Mathesis, would I ever be jealous of Spyro?! I am just saying to take it easy and realize others can hear you!"

Now everyone was giving me confused looks. I had said or rather shouted things without reviewing what I was saying. I took a second to mentally rewind to realize what I had just said. Oh dear, I just spouted something from the memories; why did I just say that?! I smiled sheepishly and chuckled nervously.

"Ha ha, if you could ignore the reference I just said a moment ago, I would appreciate it."

Spyro was the first to regain his wits.

"Who or what are the Warriors of Mathesis?"

"Well, something from the memories I get to see at night, not all of them are bad, thank goodness."

There was an awkward silence between all of us there. I was about to break it when we heard a familiar voice. I glance to my right to see Cyra trotting along humming a cheerful tune. She spotted us and walked over. I don't know whether I should expect help or harm from her at this point.

"Hey everyone, what is high today?"

Everyone looked at Cyra with differing expression most were wondering what Cyra was saying. Whereas I was trying to not do a pratfall at how she messed up a simple greeting she had obviously picked up from me. Instead I did a face palm. After a moment I use the forepaw I face palmed with to shake my head in shame.

"Cyra, the phrase is not 'what is high today' it is 'what is up'."

Cyra tilted her head.

"What is the difference?"

Oh man! Again how does the dragon race not have good use of slang?!

"There is a huge difference Cyra. Normally the words, high and up would mean the same, but in the context that the phrase 'What is up' uses; up has a different meaning. It is used to ask what is going on or for anything of note."

Everyone around the circle just stared at me with blank expressions. It is at times like this I wonder is it worth explaining what terms mean in slang.

"You know what, never mind. It is not worth the time to explain the human subject of slang."

Well, long conversation later we all headed down to the square on the lower tier by the gate of Warfang. When we got there I just happen to catch a scent faintly that I knew far too well, even if I haven't smelled it in a week. I sighed in pained acceptance that my time that I have been dragoness-free would very soon come to an end. It had been nice while it had lasted. My gaze flicked up and I scanned the skies for the one I knew would be there somewhere. In seconds I found the spec of purple that was growing in size as it got rapidly closer. And the day was off to such a nice start… oh well, it is just one of those kinds of days again.

"Um… say everyone… I would uh… recommend that you put some space… er between you and me… like now! I have the hunch I am about to… feel an impact. So anywhere other than behind me would be wise."

All my friends heard my serious tone and didn't question my statement, but did what I said. Less than a minute later, I felt Lara plow into me, ending her dive bombed. As she hit me I fell backward… which is weird as a dragon. So, I found myself spread eagled with my wings fully spread out, flat out on the ground with Lara on top of me, embracing me tightly. I expected her to cry something out, but what happened was she tightened her hug on me slightly and rubbed her head against my left cheek.

"Saber I am back!"

Ah! That's what I was expecting… just delayed by Lara wanting to feel me first. I rolled my eyes at Lara's declaration. As if her dive bombing into me didn't make it plainly obvious that she was here.

"Like that is not evident with you tackling me. You know would it hurt, for you to land in front of me and say hello instead of dive bombing into me?"

"But that would not be as fun or show how much I care."

Show how much she cares huh? So that's what she calls her actions… I consider them otherwise. I sighed at her answer.

"Oh, I would see it as you would be showing that you care by not tackling me and leave the fun out, but hey that is just me."

Tarra and Fredrick landed a couple of feet from where Lara was still pinning me.

"Hi Tarra, Hi Fredrick; how was the trip?"

Tarra was the one to answer me.

"Nice, how about you?"

I was about to answer, yet I winced as Lara's hold increased in strength once more and it was starting to hurt now. She was making it rather hard to breathe. I gasped before I replied.

"Other than Lara tryinnnnnng to squeeze the life out of me; I am okay for the moment. Lara eeeeeease up, will ya!"

Lara loosened her hold slightly, but didn't let go of me. It was now somewhat easier to breath now; though Lara was currently caressing my jawline with her cheek rather than my cheek after she loosened her hold. I still can't figure out what is causing her to act so gosh darn clingy! It is like she is in heat, though that can't be right; her mating cycle isn't due to start for at least another two more months by my calculations. Oh boy, this is going to be a long day, I can feel it!

-an hour later-

I'm on my last nerve of tolerance at this point in time and it is very close to snapping! It wasn't official just yet, but Lara wasn't too far from driving me over the edge of sanity! She has been invading my personal space for an hour now and it is more than just unwelcome! This conundrum was really putting my mental discipline to the test! I'm sure I made it clear that I have problems with others touching me and invading my personal space! However, Lara was doing both of those and I didn't like it; not at all! I know it may be a bit selfish of me to demand my needs of having personal space. Nevertheless I need it, so call me selfish if you want! I would reply, 'congratulations you win the booby prize for pegging me as selfish'!

I haven't blown up about Lara nearly being on top of me, yet and that has been very strenuous for me to keep from doing. But I have been sorely tempted to open the lid I was holding forcefully down on my emotions and let them lose on Lara! Said dragoness, on the other paw; I was guessing by the expression I have been seeing on her face, couldn't be happier at the present. She was in close to intimate contact with me, embracing me snuggly to be more precise; the dragon she wanted the most to be with herself, for the rest of her life, for a mate and no less. She was going to great lengths to make sure I knew how she felt. I know I have told her I'm not what the majority of others would call the most… social guy or good with other people per say… if fact I tend to be the opposite to most around me. I had said that to be covert in tell her I wasn't interested right now in that kind of relationship. For the reason to be nice and polite and refuse gracefully and move on; yet she was really pushing me in a direction I wasn't ready to go just yet in my life.

I'm trying to improve in the area of being… open and comfortable around others, without resorting to my coping mechanisms. That's not an easy or simple task for me! I'm going against years of trained reflex and habits that have saved my rear and the rest of my body from trouble and harm. Those reflexes and habits are so ingrained that most activate on their own accord to do the job they were created for and they do it well! So is my standing dilemma at this time.

Normally I am tolerant and patient… … Let me rephrase that for the sake of accuracy; I tend to ignore others who are bothering me for their benefit and own good. Well I should say that I ignore others that I don't interact well with, which is the vast majority of people; it is sad I know, but that is how my coping mechanisms were developed most of the time. I ignore and neglect attention, until either the party who is vying for my attention loses interest in me and go away leaving me alone pretty much from then on… or until my bad luck made their lives enough of a living hell to drive them away from me running and screaming… many time like little girls. I have had some who have reacted like that or rather to my bad luck. It hurts to see it happen, though it is in a mean way rather comical to see some people… usually male run away while screaming like little school aged girls! It's the biggest reason that I am usually alone. … I am not helping my mood with this tangent of thought am I?

So, back to my splitting headache I was in the process of experiencing, Lara being the cause. Her actions though unlikely meant to grind down my resistance by the way she was presenting her feelings towards me; were doing exactly to that intended outcome! I wasn't happy about her doing such things to me! I'm not someone who likes to be forced into anything; either begrudgingly into something or dragged kicking and screaming! I'm even less so on stuff I have never done before. I would rather choose to do whatever the event is. That said, I was starting to consider the kicking and screaming scenario as a good looking option for me in this.

With Lara's administrations, I was having difficulty concentrating like I normally can in tough times. So Lara was forcefully driving me out of my comfort zone without having the courteously asking me if I was fine with this AND was dragging me way while I was for the moment figuratively kicking and screaming; that's my dilemma in a proverbial nutshell. I won't stand for this! I like everyone else, have limitations to how long I can endure something and when I hit mine… well let's just say it can make 'hell breaking loose' look like not such a big deal on occasion! Even the devil shakes at some of the times I have completely lost it. … Hey you down below; START QUAKING PUNK! TROUBLES ABOUT TO START COMING!

Our group, being made up of my friends and myself; had been walking towards the temple. As I had come to my decision I stopped. I was putting my foot… uh paw down! This ridiculous situation ends right here… right now! I was done taking this kind of crap anymore! I swung my head to face Lara's face. My own face twisted with barely contained anger.

"Lara enough is enough! Let go of me and give me some space now!"

Lara was surprised enough that she did exactly what I told her to do. Spyro and the others stopped and looked at me worried. I wasn't able to stop myself as I was using all the mental control I had to keep my emotions from exploding out. So, I continued with my frustrated tirade.

"Lara, I think I have been very nice about this for the last few weeks before you went back to Carona for a week, but this has gone on for too long now!"

Lara looked at me confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Really?! *unintelligible grumbling and sounds of fury* She doesn't even know what she had been doing has been annoying the hell out of me and getting my control to slip to this extent?! What by the nice circles of HELL has been going through her head up till now?! … Actually I really don't want to know anymore! I took a deep breath to calm myself a little before I kept going where I had left off.

"What am I talking about?! For the love of… you, hanging over and on me most of the day! Invading my personal space! Restricting my breathing area and nearly suffocating me! Is any of this ringing any bells whatsoever for you Lara?!"

I was breathing with laboring difficulty as I somehow kept the lid over my feelings in place. Lara just gave me a blank expression. I stared at her incredulously. I put forth the remains of my mental discipline to rein in my flare of anger, fury and rage that was quickly escalating at Lara's reaction to my own. I took slow deep calming breaths like I would for meditation. Within a little less than a minute I regain a modicum of my previous composure, though the rage and fury boiled within me still. I sighed before I continued.

"Apparently not at all. I am aware that you have an interest in me as a potential mate. You have made that perfectly clear multiple times. … Yet what you do not seem to understand, though I have told you so many times that I lost count of just how many times quite a while ago. I am not ready for such a relationship like that. So am not interested on going further at this time with it!"

I was still frustrated at Lara, but wonderful logical sense had asserted itself by now and was saving my sanity from the precipice that it had been hanging from. Lara had shown she cared about me; I respect that. She just didn't comprehend that there is such a thing as showing too much affection and she had been doing that to me a lot lately. There is a time and a place for things of that nature; she hasn't shown it in any of those places yet. She is merely ignorant to this subject as she has likely not had much if any experience in it. Thank you, ever reliable logic! I noticed that Lara's expression became a little desperate. My fury and rage, which had been simmering down, rose and heated up once more.

"Saber, I know you still are learning what it means to be a dragon, but…"

My frustration crashed into me again at what Lara had said. What is Lara talking about?! What does my being a dragon have to do with this at all? Whether I'm a dragon or human; this subject would be the same. My hot emotions were getting close to reaching boiling point and that wouldn't end well for either of us!

"The fact that I am a dragon does not have any effect on this. When will you get the point that your upbringing and mine have been vastly different? How we see and do things are worlds apart!"

My logical sense was trying its utmost to calm me back down. I took the mindset that I have when I meditate and took deep calming breaths again over and over to reclaim calm within myself and without. Things said in anger usually are hurtful and end in regret. I met Lara's gaze and saw her face had changed… a lot. Whereas I had taken the time to calm myself down; Lara had gotten angry and now looked more than just ticked! Where did this come from? And more importantly, what I want to know is what brought this about?! Nothing I said should have resulted like this… yet.

"Yes you may be right in that; but you wouldn't understand!"

I blinked, but was silent as I couldn't come up with a reply. I wasn't expecting to get that as an answer. Her reply didn't make sense to me or any of my mind's processing it was doing right now; my mind was just sending back a whole lot of nothing to me from the input I got from Lara. Are we still on the same subject matter or have we moved on to something else?

I was trying to figure out what Lara was talking about; because it seemed that we were speaking about two different ideas. If we are talking about the same subject, then I obviously missed something. If we are on to a new subject, then she should have said so and tell me what the new topic is. Then there is the point that I still don't understand why she is so mad at me; I can't think of anything I have said or done for her to be this mad about. I took a deep breath and took a few seconds to regain the rest of my calm, logical mindset once more.

"What wouldn't I understand Lara?"

I kept calm, in tone and expression; though I started to have a nagging feeling I would very soon in the near future regret asking what she was talking about. This conversation was going south! And when I say south, I mean as FAR south as things can go! Her face further twisted in anger as she replied to my question.

"You always act as if nothing is wrong. Like nothing is going bad for you…"

… Act as if nothing is wrong? … What is she mean… Oh… I think she is means one of my most used coping methods; extreme optimistic view point to the extent that I can be considered a real lunatic or that I'm off my rocker! Uh… dearie me, I think I can see the direction this is going and it isn't something that should be discussed in public places… Yeah definitely not in public!

"Um Lara, not that I do not see the reason you want to talk about this subject, yet I think it would be better to discuss this kind of thing in a more private setting rather than here where a crowd would watch from the sidelines."

The best course of action to take right now is to get her calm enough so that we can go somewhere we don't get an audience and resume this conversation there. It would end much better for the both of us if we didn't do this with a peanut gallery like we would have here! I was attempting to calm her down, but…

"There you go again, delaying!"

Delaying? Emotionally she is jumping off into the deep end, I'd say! Trying to calm down Lara is going down the blasted toilet! I looked around at the others and the place about us, in order to take stock of the situation. What met my gaze didn't encourage me in the slightest! Oh I was becoming more worried by the second as I saw the crowd gathering into an audience that would be a very unfriendly peanut gallery, no doubt! Seth along with Spyro, Cynder and Fredrick were trying to control the observers, which were increasing in number. They did a good job to their credit… at first at least; as the minutes passed my friends had an increasingly difficult time controlling the crowd. Cyra and Tarra were staring at us with worried expressions. Tarra was even starting to tremble slightly; maybe this is scaring her? I can't say for sure if that is the case.

I sighed at the situation that was quickly spiraling out of control. What had started out as a demanding for space was turning out to be a far messier affair! This wasn't going to end on good terms for either Lara or myself, I could tell already. I seriously doubt there is anything I can do now that can salvage this anymore. Well it never hurts to try at least. Though, this was only going to produce regret for likely both of us.

"I would not say I am delaying; more trying to wait until we are not in front of others to discuss this topic."

Lara was obviously becoming hysterical and inconsolable at the current moment and it was making this become worse rapidly. I was hoping to diffuse this situation and then Lara and I can have this talk without the peanut gallery that is currently building to horrendous size. However, any chance of that went of the window when I saw Lara's expression of antagonism.

"You do not have any idea what it is like to be different than everyone else!"

I had to assert firm self-control that went beyond my usual levels of mental discipline at that statement. It struck an old chord in me that I had always had difficulty ignoring if not nigh impossible to dismiss. I may have the coping mechanisms and habits where I conformed my behavior that now that saves me a great amount of trouble and problems. However, I have never forgotten the earlier day when that wasn't the case, even though I have tried to forget those times.

I clenched my jaw hard enough that I began to taste blood in my mouth. I did this to keep myself from blowing up about what Lara had said. It wasn't worth the pain that would follow nor was it worth throwing the effort I was putting forth to keep my emotions and feelings in check! She doesn't understand… and how could she possibly do so? I haven't said anything about my early years of life and how they were. I avoided doing that so that I wouldn't be force to recall those memories I hated so much! I buried memories of those dark days for good reason!

My logical mind then came in once more to save me. Lara was distraught right now and so was saying things she I would bet didn't really mean. She wasn't like this normally, so I need to be understanding and tolerant of her actions. Yes, thank you once more Logic for keeping me on the right path. Nevertheless, that didn't stop some flashes of the memories coming to my mind of those days I so detested. I kept taking deep calming breaths as if my life depended on me doing so; as pieces of those memories began to hit me hard.

"Look at him. He is so weird. He doesn't belong here."

I shoved the line back into the recces of my mind trying hard to ignore it. It had been said by a kid after he and his friends had beaten me up. Back during the times I really believe were what hell would be like! I made myself forget those times for my own good and sanity. Beating had been an almost daily occurrence and the things that had been said weren't… nice. Forgetting those memories was the way I dealt with the horrible times in my life before things changed for the better… before I became the person I am now. I still heard Lara giving her tirade.

" … When everyone else treats you differently."

My head fell slightly. Deep calming breaths were starting to be less effective on dulling the growing fury and rage that boiled within me. My logical mind began to be drowned out by… other, less logical and nice thoughts.

She had no freaking clue what being treated differently really means, does she?!

I instantly pushed such a thought aside. That would only make this worse and that is the last thing that is needed. Lines like that came from HIM and I don't want or need his input on this!

Lara's words made it harder to suppress the memories of my past that I didn't want to face again. The dark days that made me think many things I shouldn't ever have even let come to my mind! I had thoughts and desires I should never have had along with the influence Shae had on me. I haven't had those thoughts often since then, thanks to Master Kai. Unfortunately more and more pieces of those horrible experiences came out. Along with those memories came the horrible feelings of blind undirected hatred and the cold inescapable loneliness of my miserable life as it had been. The fragments of memory pieced themselves together and I had to see and relive them right before my eyes.

I found myself looking up at the group of boys that had taken the last thirty minutes to use me as their punching bag. I was bruised all over and had a black eye. My clothes had been ripped by the beating I had gotten from this group. I clenched my teeth as I heard a couple of them were chuckling at my messy appearance that they had caused.

"Aww is the little freak going to cry for his mommy?"

Some of the boys laughed at this. I stayed quiet, knowing if I said anything it would only cause them to beat me up some more. It was always the same. One of the local groups of bigger boys would beat me up every other day; they seemed to have an agreed upon schedule on whose day it was to beat me up. If I talked back it earned me an extra beating. I seethed in silent fury and hatred of these bullies and those like them! I have asked my uncle if I can take self-defense classes, but he says I don't need them. He seems to ignore my appearance lately. The boys continued to laugh at me, until the leader started talking again.

"Oh yeah that's right, you don't have a mommy any more. Both she and your dad went and got killed in an accident. I bet they were tired of you and left."

"Yeah, who would want to be around a freak like you?!"

They all started to laugh and throw taunts at me as they did so.

"Freak!"

"Weirdo!"

My body began to tremble on its own as I remembered how much of a miserable living hell my life had been; that's what I had been in before I had walked by the dojo and met Master Kai. It had been a terrible prison, deep in the lowest pits of the abyss of hell, the likes of which I couldn't escape from! I could have turned out horribly had I not met Master Kai! And that was before I added my uncle becoming the douche bag he is now and a good portion of that from alcohol of course. Logical thoughts were becoming much less appealing the more I remembered for those days! The mean twisted thoughts that Shae had started whispering to me just before the dojo were starting to get louder in my mind. Still I had yet to hear the dark voice in my head yet and that was a mercy, but things he would have said still were creeping into my head!

Returning to Lara's… hissy fit that she was throwing. She says I wouldn't understand what it is like to be treated differently, as an outcast? Ha! If anything I can comprehend the idea more than she ever could imagine in her worst nightmares! After all, I have had to live through being treated worse than she is recounting for years, up to coming to the dragon realm. She was just avoided according to her accounting, not beaten up three to four times a week at a bare minimum and usually once a day! Granted, my life is better than it once was but, not by as much as others might think and it is due to my efforts of changing things! Local bullies don't beat me up for two reasons; they know I can whoop them far worse than they can beat me, and most of them have understood I can get them back in ways they cower at! Lara didn't understand what being treated differently means at all! I heard Tarra speak up trying to calm Lara down.

"Lara, m-maybe you should c-calm down. Y-you should not say s-such things."

With a great deal of effort, I ignored that train of thought, even though it was how I truly felt at this moment in time. I wasn't going to let that be seen if I can do anything about it! Controlling my emotions was becoming a really challenge now, close to a losing battle, though not completely yet. I raised my left forepaw to silence Tarra. Lara was unlikely going to stop in her tantrum, so it is best to let her get it out; even if it was causing memories that I went to great lengths to forget through suppressing them. It would do her good to get this off her chest now that she had started. Yes, that is the nice thing to do for her. Oh the things… and lengths I go… for my friends!

"No Tarra. If she wants to say this; she might as well say it and get it off her mind."

I gazed at Lara forcing a smile, which seemed to incense her more. I then, motioned with a forepaw for her to continue and continue she did.

"You were off in some other place without a care at all. Have others to care about you beyond being what you are."

… It isn't her fault she doesn't know! It… isn't… HER fault! My emotions were close to boiling over and bursting out! She apparently had forgotten our chat we had back in Carona. Granted I skipped over most of the time before the dojo. However, I thought… I had given enough of an impression to get across how much I hated what my life had been like! Baring the gap there was in draconic linguistics and the human counterpart; I thought I accurately portrayed what my life has been like, in a simplified form! A miserable living Hell!

Unfortunately what Lara and my other friends don't seem to grasp even after the extensive explanations I have given them; is that the human race and society ISN'T kind or nice to those who are different from the accepted norm. I have had far too much firsthand experience in that! Joy, I get to deal with an extremely emotional female. … LoGical… thoughts… can… go to FREAKING HELL! I have had enough of this… reminder of the hell I had to live through when I was younger! I snapped at this point and lost control!

I suppress them for others and myself for many fricken frack DARN REASONS! The rage that I had been holding back exploded in me and I, for one of the few times in my life lost complete control I had over myself and especially my emotions! I had gained a quiet, cold tone in my voice and I had raised my head back up to gaze at Lara. Lara just glared at me not backing down.

"Is that all you have to say on this matter?"

I dared her to reply to me, so that I could put her in her place and do so in an unquestionable manner!

"I mean what I said!"

Thank freaking you for the setup! Fine then, if that's the way she wants to do this then that's how I'll deliver! ALL RIGHTY THEN! I WILL GIVE YOU THE SHOWLACKING YOU WILL NEVER FORGET, YOU DUMB WANTA BE DRAGON PRINCESS! I had hoped to avoid doing this to a friend, but I couldn't help it by this point. I was enrage and livid! Lara had brought out one of the worst sides of me; that being when I snap… I can and for the few times this had happened, I made the devil himself look like a saint compared to me!

I really, really don't like to… reminisce about my past before the dojo; it is VERY unhealthy practice for me! Yet Lara was the one bringing up the subject of being treated differently. I might have been shunned a good portion of my life even with Master Kai being there for me; but in my early life was when I got well acquainted with the devil and he with me! My bad luck didn't hit me back then like it does now. If it had the magnitude it does currently, then I would have died… even I have to admit that as fact! My early years have been an unforgettable lesson of what it is like to be considered an outcast… to be called different… to be treated as a freak by others around you. I was trying to keep my breathing even, but I failed; a sign of how little control I had now!

"Well Lara, first allow me to say congratulations! You have shown that though you look like an adult, you act like a child! Nonetheless, I have to say, out of all the subjects you choose to claim I have no knowledge about; you choose the one subject… the one specific subject, I am far too acquainted with not to be an expert of. And one I admit, I have very unhealthy undealt issues with even to this day!"

I took a deep breath before I started what would be a lecture I knew I would come to wish I never gave. However, I couldn't keep the raw emotion I was experiencing in anymore; so here we go!

"You think I do not understand what it is like to be treated differently?! … Perhaps with dragon kind, I am still learning through experience of what that entails. However, I have seen enough to know it is far nicer than how humans treat those who are 'different' and THAT IS PUTTING IT DOWN RIGHT NICELY!"

I had begun to bellow at Lara with the last phrase. I couldn't stop myself. I was so angry! I hated being force to remember how alone I had been! I have issues that I haven't faced; I recognize that fact, but whenever I try to face these issues, I become like this, hence why those issues are still undealt with. I am so ashamed of myself right now!

"The Human world does not welcome those who are different! YOU, Lara talked about being avoided; HA HA HA HA! If only that was all I had to endure, I would have welcomed it! You cannot seem to grasp the concept of what human society is like, even though I have tried to tell and explain it to you time after time! Though not all humans wish to hurt one another; there are those human beings who are rarely nice and kind to those who are different! Those people who get their kicks and boosting their own ego and pride by making others… like myself completely miserable!"

Why am I doing this?! I want to hide under a rock and never show my face to the light of day again! It was like my mind was turned off and all the pent up feelings I had were flooding out. I wasn't able to keep the hatred and animosity that developed from the things that had happened to me from showing in my voice. Nevertheless, I was forced to continue; not able anymore to stop until this tirade was done!

"I have so many examples of that I do not want to count them! On many occasions, I would often be beaten up by other kids; multiple times a week, often on a daily basis! And for no reason other than the fact that I was different half the time. I was laughed at and not for doing things to be funny, but due to my misfortunes. I was often ridiculed by others. And I am just getting started in how bad things were!"

Please… just… just make it stop! I don't want to go through any more of this! I hated and loathed myself the longer this went on! I could feel small tears forming as this went on… the only sign of how I was currently feeling as myself. I get really emotional remembering how I was treated before I found my way to the dojo. I loathe those dark days when I experience horrible abuse and hate them so much! Mostly because of the emotions they bring up! No child of any race that should be treated like I was... to be unwanted and despised. No one should… wish that they never existed… not ever! I had seriously considered suicide on the night before I met Master Kai. Shae hadn't helped me much, only managed to dissuade me from taking my own life. That's why I say that meeting Master Kai was the 'Saving Grace' of my life, for it quite literally was! I heard my tirade continue, much to my utter shame.

"However… mostly, I was treated as an outcast the majority of those around me. I was frequently called names such as; Freak, weirdo, a waste of space... a mistake... someone that should never have... been born! I was used by others to make themselves feel better about themselves. I was shunned so badly I began to believe some of the things others said! I even wished I had never been born, if I had to live through what I was! I was left utterly alone! No one cared about me AT ALL!"

Someone just hit me hard enough over the head to knock me out! I'm BEGGING SOMEONE PLEASE STOP ME! Internally I was in turmoil from talking about this, just as I had been the two times I had tried facing my past before! Why am I even going on about this?! I swore to myself that I wouldn't do this! FOR GOSH DARN SAKES; I suppress these memories so that I wouldn't be reminded of that true horrible living HELL! This has to have something to do with Lara, I know it! She is doing something… IT'S HER! So why does Lara affecting me like this?! I haven't opened up to anyone like this except Master Kai and that took a while for him to get me to do so; then why am I spilling my closest guarded and darkest secrets to her without thinking?! I saw that Lara's expression had changed from anger to sorrow.

"Saber I…"

Now a fresh wave of cold guilt washed over me and I felt even more horrible than I did before I had spouted that lecture. Not only from having to remember the past I strived to forget, but now that I have pretty much bellowed at Lara about it! Honestly, I want to just disappear right now… wait… that's idea! If I can get more distance from Lara maybe… just maybe this will stop. It is worth a shot! Unfortunately that was much easier thought than done. I was too worked up and that put me into a rather foul mood, which then I become more cynical and sarcastic as a usual result. I would regret this later; no doubt about that. I really hate myself at the moment!

"Thank you Lara, you have reminded me of a fact that I cannot seem to escape, no matter how hard I try. I am, one of a kind and completely alone. I will likely always be so for me for as long as I live."

My mind figuratively flipped back on and I was again able to get my body to listen to me for the moment! I grabbed ahold of this opportunity for all it was worth! I turned on the spot and took flight leaving my friends where they stood. I pumped my wings hard, yet I really didn't think about the direction in which I was flying. I just had to get away from Lara and as fast as possible! I flew for almost an hour, which did help to calm me down. I ended out in a valley that held the cheetah village I went to for the "Hunting trips" I took at the times of Tarra's and Lara's mating cycles.

There is a ridge that juts out into the center of one end of the valley. I went to it and after landing I laid down on the edge of the ridge and stared over the valley, though I wasn't really looking at anything in particular. I just laid there cursing myself about what had just happened. I was wallowing in regret and self-loathing and I knew it. I just didn't care! This went on for who knows how long; the sun was passed midday that was for sure. My stomach gave a clearly audible growl, so I began thinking about looking for something to eat, when I caught a scent I recognized. I sighed, knowing who was there.

"What do you want Pathren?"

I heard from the foliage behind me rustling leaves. I turn to see a cheetah emerge. This cheetah's name was Pathren. He had off white fur with black spots, actually he kind of reminds me of a snow leopard I had seen once in a zoo more than anything. His eyes were an icy blue color and had catlike slit pupils. He is quiet most of the time I was around him, yet I have seen him when he is serious and I was impressed. The one other fact to note about him... is that he is also the chief of the village in this valley as well. He is a much better chief than Chief Prowless in my opinion.

"You are here earlier than expected and it is unusual for you to just appear. You were not expected for another month at least. So what brings you here so early?"

I sighed; I don't like talking to others about my problems very often. But I had been wallowing in regret and self-loathing for so long I couldn't stay silent.

"Being a complete idiot that was caused by my usual female troubles."

Pathren smiled at me that held a slight expression of pity.

"I see; earlier than expect then? Well you are always welcome to stay in the village."

I smiled back. There was just something about Pathren that put me at ease, much like if you were in the company of an old friend you haven't seen in a while. He just seemed to know what to say at the right time. I then took a moment to change into my human form.

"Thank you kindly, Pathren. It is much appreciated."

-Scene Change-

I thanked the Cheetahs for their hospitality. I changed back to my draconic form and then I took flight and started back in the direction of Warfang. The sun was likely a small bit over two hours from setting when I spotted Warfang. I had been able to calm down and really assess my actions with Lara during my time with the cheetahs and I sorely needed that for my peace of mind as much as coming to terms with what had happened. I landed in the square on the lower section of the lowest tier and had barely folded my wings to my sides, when to my surprise out of nowhere seemingly, something tackled me and began to shriek at me.

"SABER! …, THANK THE ANCESTORS… BACK! THERE…!"

I had no time to even comprehend what was going on when I found Tarra gripping my shoulders with her paws and started to shake me fairly hard. I was trying to process what she was talking about… well shrieking about. Yes, surprisingly Tarra who normally whispers and mumbles most of the time; was shrieking at me, which was of course completely out of character for her. I didn't know she had it in her to screech loud enough to be heard and pain my ears. Her shrieks were painful to my eardrums; if I have to hear much more there is a good chance that my eardrums will not work afterwards! So, either she is acting very weird, which is unlikely or she is worried about something, far more feasible. My problem is I don't know what is causing her to howl at me, because I had no idea what she was saying! I used my forepaws to clamp Tarra's maw shut and for the sake of my ears, her shrieking stopped! I was breathing heavily before I spoke.

"For the Ancestor's sake Tarra; are you trying to rupture my eardrums?! How do you expect me to understand what you are trying to tell me? When all I hear, is you shrieking incoherent into my ears?!"

I released my fore paws so that Tarra could talk again.

"I am sorry Saber, it is just… (Sniffle)."

The sound of Tarra sniffling caught my attention and I looked at her face. My field of vision instantly focused on Tarra's eyes and my anger just as quickly evaporated from me. Tarra wasn't just worried; she was scared about something and badly. Tarra was in tears, though she wasn't fully crying… yet, though she was about to be before too long. Great I very well might have made a girl cry! How much of an idiotic douche bag can I be in one day?

"Um… Tarra what is wrong?"

I hope I wasn't the one who put her into this state. Tarra sniffled again and the tears flowed harder. That would be the crowning achievement of how low I can go at being a douche bag in one day.

"Lara… she… she disappeared!"

After saying that Tarra the obviously distraught dragoness; put her head into the cook of my neck and began to sob while she hugged me at the same time. I on the other paw was registering what Tarra had just said; Lara had disappeared?! When did that happen? I really didn't see a reason to wonder why she had gone to wherever she had; since her running off somewhere was likely due to our… disagreement earlier today on being different... actually I think it would be better to call it a shouting match… no… more like her throwing her trouble on me and then me unloading on her.

… I may have my issues with Lara currently, but it wasn't such a good idea for her to be out who knows where in the dragon realm alone as things currently stand. Ape activity is on the rise, so Warfang and Carona are okay as they are safe and defended. Outside of that only the cheetah tribe villages would be the few places that the apes really wouldn't strike; as the apes would pay in high numbers for attempting such foolishness. Cheetahs can really whoop some ape butts I can tell you. Hyrule and other outlying settlements had been evacuated and the inhabitance had come to either Warfang or Carona for the time being. The apes had been rather quiet or rather haven't done anything big for a while and that made me suspicious of them planning something. I don't doubt they haven't forgotten the loss they suffered with the battle of Warfang; that magnitude of a loss is hard to live down.

So this situation that had developed in my absence while I was cooling down; came down to two choices as I see it. I could either leave Lara to her own devices or I could go out and find her and put myself at risk along with her in the process. The first choice was the pure logical decision! Lara had gotten herself into this current dilemma/mess, so she can and should get herself out of it! That's the usual consequence to most of life's decisions, even if people don't like to accept that, it's the truth. However, logic had been rather unhelpful to me today; or rather I really hadn't listened to logic and that got me to this point. So were I to choose option number one that would be very mean of me and the unfriendly thing to do. Lara was and is my friend despite our recent behavior we have had to tolerate of one another.

If I'm frank in this there is really only one choice for me to choose, as choice number one is an unacceptable action to me, then the second choice of going out to search for Lara is the best and singular course of action. It does put me at risk as I am extremely likely in the top position on the apes' hit list. However, I will do almost anything to help a friend in need. No weather, be it whatever it may; no matter who I might have to go around or through, regardless of the distance or time it takes, when friend is in trouble, I'll be there! My friends can count on me no matter what; that's my motto... at least my newer motto. I focused back on Tarra.

"Listen Tarra, you need to calm down."

Tarra continued to sniffle and cry quietly. I was in a bit of a pickle here. If I haven't stated it enough for everyone to understand; I have little experience with girls and so don't know how to act around them or how to react to what they do. However, that doesn't stop me from trying to help. I just hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the rear later! I have had more than enough butt biting to last me a while, self-inflicted sadly but still more than enough to last me a time!

Now at this time… I began to notice… how nice it felt having Tarra hugging me. I don't know why it felt so nice, but it did. Frankly speaking, Tarra is very beautiful in my view. She had an amazing figure. Her body is lean, but still toned fairly well. She was very warm as she pressed herself against me. Tarra may be shy when you first meet her, yet once you can get passed that she really is a sweet dragoness. Her missing her horns and tail blade don't really take away from her beauty. Should there ever be a dragon that can accept her then they will be lucky to have her. It is possible it could be me at some point; I can't say right now. I put my paw on her shoulder and tentatively pat her.

"Um... it will be okay Tarra. I do not know how things will work out in this, but they will; trust me on this. Now take a deep breath and calm down."

Tarra did what I told her to do, before staring at me. I noted that the flow of tears that Tarra had, began to slow down. I smiled at her hoping that would help. After a minute, Tarra had calmed down enough to hopefully tell me what happened.

"Now, tell me what happened after I left."

I needed as much information as possible. Tarra nodded and went into the tale.

-Earlier that day-
-Tarra's POV-

"Lara enough is enough! Let go of me and give me some space!"

Saber just shouted that out of nowhere, but then Lara has been sticking much closer to him since we got back. I know I should not feel jealous about her being able to be so close to him. Well Lara look surprised at what Saber had said at least. She let go of Saber and took a step away from him. She still seemed worried about what was said. Saber then continued speaking.

"Lara, I think I have been very nice about this for the last few weeks before you went back to Carona for a week, but this has gone on for too long now."

What does Saber mean that he has been nice for the last few weeks? I mean Lara has been really keeping close to Saber lately. So I am surprise that he has not said anything about it until now. Someone sticking so close all the time would... make me really nervous. … Well maybe not if it was Saber… what am I thinking?! I blushed at the thought. I heard Lara then asked a question.

"What are you talking about?"

I have seen that when Saber is involved, Lara has a harder time on seeing how others feel and are affected by what she does. However, with Saber it is hard to understand what he thinks and feels most of the time anyways. He does not show his feelings to others… wonder why not?

"What am I talking about?! For the love of… you, hanging over and on me! Invading my personal space! Restricting my breathing area and nearly suffocating me! Is any of this ringing any bells for you Lara?!"

Oh, I understand now, Saber has been ignoring and dismissing Lara's actions with him. Lara just gave Saber a blank expression. Saber stared at Lara with an expression of... I do not know what that expression is supposed to say… maybe disbelief? Saber began to breathe deeper and that appeared to calm him down. He sighed before continuing.

"Apparently not at all. I am aware that you have an interest in me; you have made that perfectly clear multiple time. Yet what you do not seem to understand, though I have told you so many times that I lost count of just how many times quite a while ago. I am not ready for such a relationship like that. So am not interested on going further at this time with it!"

So Saber does notice that Lara wants him as a mate... I think. I do remember that he said that he was not interested in having that kind of a relationship yet. I accepted that and decided to wait until he was ready and then tell him how I feel about him. ... I admit that I like Saber more than a friend. I still do not understand how such a feeling developed so quickly; it never has happened before. Still it would be wonderful to have someone like him as a mate. I would thank my ancestors for that kind of luck. The look on Lara's face became desperate.

"Saber, I know you still are learning what it means to be a dragon, but…"

Lara is obviously trying to reason with Saber, but Saber's reasoning is different and hard to understand. Saber is a dragon now and a very handsome one at that... Yet he is still how he was when he was... a human I think he called it. Yet Saber, did not seem to take Lara's statement well.

"The fact that I am a dragon does not have any effect on this. When will you get the point that your upbringing and mine have been vastly different? How we see and do things are worlds apart!"

Um... why is Saber raising the volume of his voice? It is starting to scary me a little. I stared at Saber for a moment and saw him taking deep breathes again; maybe that is how he keeps so calm all the time. I look over to Lara and her face had changed… a lot. She now looked mad! Oh no I think she is going to start yelling. I do not like it when she yells. She rarely does shout, but Lara is scary when she does!

"Yes you may be right in that; you wouldn't understand!"

What was Lara shouting about to Saber? Why can they not just get along and settle things without yelling? I felt a paw on my shoulder and I turned to see the dragoness Cyra next to me. I was giving me a comforting smile. Saber said that Cyra was a very cheerful dragoness and was easy to be around. I have seen what he meant and had to kind of agree with him. I began to take deep calming breaths like Saber suggested to me to help keep myself from panicking, which worked. I turned back to see Saber and he was giving his answer to Lara, his voice sounded like it normally does.

"What wouldn't I understand Lara?"

Saber appeared completely calm as he asked that. I still want to know how he keeps his wits about him almost all the time. I always have such trouble being calm around others. Lara though was still angry. But, why would she be angry?

"You always act as if nothing is wrong. Like nothing is going bad for you…"

Well Saber does act as if things are going just fine. I mean when bad things happen to him that he terms 'are due to his bad luck' he just gets up and says it was nothing to worry about. However, I think that is one of his good and nice qualities he has. I look at Saber and he look a little worried at what Lara said after a moment had passed.

"Um Lara, not that I do not see the reason you want to talk about this subject, yet I think it would be better to discuss this kind of thing in a more private setting."

Okay, I am confused by what Saber is saying. Does he know what Lara is talking about? Then maybe he can inform the rest of us. What are they fighting about?

"There you go again, delaying!"

Saber looked around at the rest of us and at the place about us. He became more worried by the look on his face. I looked around and saw the dragons, cheetahs and mole that were gathering to watch this. Seth along with Spyro and Cynder were trying to control all of those who were watching. Cyra and I were at the time, still staring at Saber and Lara with worried expressions. This was getting bad!

"I would not say I am delaying; more trying to wait until we are not in front of others to discuss this topic."

Lara did not take that line from Saber well at all.

"You do not have any idea what it is like to be different than everyone else!"

Oh no, Lara is going to talk about this subject?! Whenever she does it tends to drive others away. I looked over at Saber hoping he would not start to hate Lara for having to listen to this. That would hurt Lara far more than anything else. I know she loves him, but right now, her anger is clouding her mind. If she drives Saber away, she will never forgive herself! The expression on Saber's face made me flinch. He looked even madder than Lara right now and it really scared me. But within seconds of seeing the frightening expression, his face changed to something I could not tell anything from looking, it looked almost blank. It was like all feeling and emotion were wiped away from Saber's face. I heard Lara keep going in her ranting.

"To be seen as a different dragoness than others; to be avoided by the adults. When everyone else treats you differently."

I glanced at Saber and saw that his head was down. As I kept looking at him; the way he is breathing is the same as before, but faster and his body began to shake. The way he was reacting to Lara felt really bad! I decided to try to help this situation as I could.

"Lara, m-maybe you should c-calm down. Y-you should not say s-such things."

I was panicking so I stuttered, yet I could not help it. Saber raised a paw to get me to be quiet and I went silent. I was worried that Saber had stopped me from trying to help Lara and him. He spoke before I could ask why he stopped me.

"No Tarra. If she wants to say this; she might as well say it and get it off her mind."

Saber smiled as he gazed at Lara and motioned with a forepaw for her to continue and Lara did so. Yet Saber's smile was not the one he normally had. It was more like he was forcing it for some reason

"You were off in some other place without a care at all. Have others to care about you beyond being what you are."

Lara was going a little too far. Is it not fine that Saber is here with us now?

"Is that all you have to say on this matter"

Saber's voice had gained a cold tone in it. He had also raised his head back up to gaze at Lara. Saber did not just sound frightening right now, he looked the scariest I have ever seen him; it worried me. Saber looked really mad about what Lara had said. My gaze flicked over to Lara and she just glared at Saber not backing down. They were about to fight for real and there was little that could stop them!

"I mean what I said!"

I was starting to shake a little in fear at how Saber was now! Saber's breathing was becoming ragged, before he replied to Lara.

"Well Lara, first allow me to say congratulations! You have shown that though you look like an adult, you act like a child! Nonetheless, I have to say, out of all the subjects you choose to claim I have no knowledge about; you choose the one subject… the one specific subject, I am far too acquainted with not to be an expert of. And one I admit, I have very unhealthy undealt issues with even to this day!"

The way S-s-saber is talking really s-s-scaring me more than the experience w-w-where I lost my horns and tail blade! And w-w-what does he m-m-mean unhealthy undealt is-s-sues.

"You think I do not understand what it is like to be treated differently?! … Perhaps with the dragon race, I am still learning through experience of what that entails. However, I have seen enough to know it is far nicer than how humans treat those who are 'different' and THAT IS PUTTING IT DOWN RIGHT NICELY!"

I began to curl up trying to shut out Saber shouting.

"The Human world does not welcome those who are different! YOU, Lara talked about being avoided; HA HA HA HA! If only that was all I had to go through, I would have welcomed it! You cannot seem to grasp the concept of what human society is like, even though I have tried to tell and explain it to you time after time! Though not all humans wish to hurt one another; there are those human beings who are rarely nice and kind to those who are different!"

Are humans really that horrible to each other?! How sad for them to be like that. It is a wonder that Saber is as nice as he is, if that is how he was treated. I just wish he would stop yelling.

"I have so many examples of that I do not want to count them! On many occasions, I would often be beaten up by other kids; multiple times a week, often on a daily basis! And for no reason other than the fact that I was different half the time. I was laughed at and not for doing things to be funny, but due to my misfortunes. I was often ridiculed by others. And I am just getting started in how bad things were!"

I started to sink to my haunches while I held back the tears. How could others do those terrible things to another? How can anyone wish to hurt another like that for their own gain? I looked at Saber with pity, only to be shocked at seeing small tears coming from his eyes! W-w-was Saber crying?! I have never seen him cry before! How could someone come through such experience and come out like he did?!

"However, mostly, I was treated as an outcast the majority of those around me. I was frequently called names such as; Freak, weirdo, a waste of space... a mistake... someone that should never have... been born! I was used by others to make themselves feel better about themselves. I was shunned so badly I began to believe some of the things others said! I even wished I had never been born, if I had to live through what I was! I was left utterly alone! No one cared about me AT ALL!"

I curled into a ball and began to cry silently. He had been alone through the majority of this?! That is so sad! No one should have to suffer like that. I thought I had bad things happen to me, but they are nothing compared to what Saber has had to endure. However, why had he not said anything about this earlier? I understand that one would not want to remember events like that, yet still to be able to accept and overcome them you have to face them. Lifted my head and through my tear stained eyes saw that Lara had completely forgotten her own anger and troubles and felt sorrow.

"Saber I…"

Saber did not appear to be the mood for listening to Lara.

"Thank you Lara, you have reminded me of a fact that I cannot seem to escape, no matter how hard I try. I am, one of a kind and completely alone. I will likely always be so for me for as long as I live."

How can he say that?! Saber has us now, his friends. I came out of the ball I had curled into and saw Saber then turned on the spot and took flight leaving us where we were. He flew off into the distance until he disappeared. Lara just stood there staring after Saber with a look of shock that was slowly turning into horror. I walked up to Lara and put a paw on her back.

"L-Lara are y-you okay?"

Lara did not answer me, but began to shake in obvious fear.

"What… what have I done?!"

Lara's tone of voice worried me a lot. She sounded like she had lost something precious. Fredrick was the one to answer.

"I am sorry to say it Lara, yet you drove Saber away for the time being. You said a lot of mean things to him, though he said a lot of things he should not have as well."

Lara did not seem to hear Fredrick's second half of his second sentence. She went into panic.

"No… no… no, no, no, he must hate me now! What do I do now that he hates me?!"

Oh dear, Lara is jumping to conclusions that are very bad for her! I forced a smile for her. I did not want my friend to hate herself.

"Lara calm down, I do not think Saber hates you. I would not doubt he is kind of mad at you right now, but I would not think he hates you."

Lara nodded at me, yet I am not so sure that she really heard what I had said to her. She walked off into the crowd. I was going to follow her to make sure she does not do something she will regret. But Fredrick said that I should give her time and space. I was still worried about her.

-present time-
-Saber's POV-

"... and that was the last time I saw her."

Oh dear ancestors! I really hate myself for the stupid tirade I gave! This is exactly why I have trained to get the mental discipline I have, so that I don't lose control over my emotions! I have already begun to regret about many of the things I had said, but the feelings of self-loathing washed over me anew. I feel even worse now I know that I scared Tarra as badly as I did. Where is that rock I was thinking about earlier when I need it so bad?! I couldn't help but whisper to myself.

"What a world class idiot I am; like I have not beaten myself up enough about this, now I get to do it all over again."

"You are not an idiot, Saber."

I looked down at Tarra, remorse coursing through me at the emotions I made her feel when I had lost my control over my emotions. Actually I'm surprised that she heard my whispered curse. I knew I needed to tell and show Tarra I was sorry and never meant to intentionally frighten her. Yet here she was trying to comfort me. I gently hugged Tarra, which caught her by surprise if her squeal was anything to go by.

"S-saber, w-w-what are y-y-you doing?!"

Tarra's reaction is funny and… it makes her look very cute. Even with her obvious embarrassment; I didn't break the embrace just yet. Though I could now clearly feel her heart beating and doing so at a fast pace.

"I am sorry for scaring you Tarra. I never meant to do that. Feelings that I have buried long ago came out and I lost my normally firm control on my emotions I have. I apologize that you had to see me like that. I am not good with… even talking about my past."

Tarra was stuttering up a storm as she tried to reply to me. Her entire body temperature was rising; aww… how cute, she is 'warming up' to me. Tarra's face was turning noticeably red now.

"It i-i-is okay Saber, w-we a-all have our p-p-problems."

I released my hug on Tarra, who at the moment had a face that was the reddest I have seen for her. I smiled at her hoping she would calm down, but she hid her face with her paws. Women! You can't live with them; you can't without them, as the line goes. I still don't fully comprehend the phrase, but it sounds like it applies.

I sighed to myself and at the mess I had made to deal with now. Yes, I had dug this pit for myself and dug it deep! Now I get to lie in it and fix things. So I deserve the heavy feelings I was having with all of this. Well, sitting here will do very little to solve anything in this problem. So I got up and smiled at Tarra.

"Tarra you have nothing to worry about; I will go and find Lara and bring her back, I promise."

Tarra let go of me and stared at me.

"B-but no o-one knows where s-she went."

I let out a laugh.

"Tarra, I have found Lara before when no one thought I could and that was when I was human! Now that I am a dragon, there is nowhere she can hide that I will not be able to find her! Not with my draconic nose on the job when I hunt her down BAW HA HA HA!"

I couldn't stop the cackle that came out. Tarra giggled at my response.

"Well okay then good luck I guess."

She then did something I hadn't expected from her; she licked my snout. I shook my head for a moment; then I nodded at Tarra and asked her to tell our other friends what I was going to be doing. When she had gone off to do so I took flight and flew outside Warfang. I could already guarantee Lara wasn't in Warfang, so it was pointless to look there.

When I got outside of Warfang I took a moment to breathe deep and attempt to acquire Lara's scent. I knew her scent well by now and so there is no way that I would miss it if it were in the air. As I breathed in deep breaths I walked around, searching for the smell I was after. Within a minute I caught Lara's scent; she had flown to the southwest from Warfang. Now that I knew the direction she went I could begin searching for Lara and find her as quickly as possible.

There had been rumors of increased Ape activity as of late along with the confirmed signs of their efforts. So it was fairly dangerous for individuals to be out on their own. I have the educated guess that it is more dangerous for me to be out alone; with the many things I have done to the apes, I was as I would imagine likely on the top of their 'hit list' of those to kill and be rid of. Lara could be mistaken for Spyro and even if she wasn't she wouldn't popular with the apes either with having purple scales alone. She is nowhere near as unpopular as I am with the apes, but I don't think anyone can attain that kind of infamy. I mean, perhaps Spyro could if he were to team up with me; yet then I would just become even more infamous. … This isn't helping solve the current problem at paw now is it?!

I started to fly southwest following Lara's scent. I had to exert a lot of effort to ignore that her scent smelled very good and was extremely pleasant to my nose. It was sweeter than any candy I have ever had or smelled. I shook my head to stay focused on the task at hand instead of just how amazing Lara's scent was. The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky; that meant that I had mere hours to find Lara. It was insane stupidity to fly at night! You might as well paint a target on you're a** and in my case with a sign that says 'I'm right here! Hit me ya Dumba**' then letting the apes take pot shots! It is basically the same idea either way. You just don't need the paint really.

The longer I searched for Lara, the more I was impressed at how far she had gone from Warfang; to assumedly get away from me! ... If that doesn't say how much a stubborn idiotic ape-like guy I am, I don't know what does! I was once again beating myself up, when I got hit by a heavy amount of Lara's scent. I stopped dead and flapped my wings to keep airborne. I inhaled and got another large dose of her scent slamming into my nose; so much so that I got slightly dizzy to the point it became very hard to think clearly. I looked down at the ground below me; with the amounts of Lara's scent I was inhaling she had to be rather close! The amount alone was doing things to my brain that wasn't good for me.

… Officer I swear I wasn't drinking! … What… you want me to walk along this line?! It is rather squiggly… what do you mean it's straight?! You should get your eyes checked if that's what you see. … Okay officer I was inhaling! … Not like that's much better though. … I have no idea where that came from! Lara's scent must be doing weird thing again to me. Soooo, back to what I was doing.

I saw a… well body of water that was too small to be a lake, but too large to be a pond. Maybe you could call it a spring, since I couldn't see anything feeding the body of water; so it was likely fed by ground water of some sort. There were mountains within walking distance of the water and those mountains look to have caves in them. My gaze halted on the cliff like ridge that jutted out of the mountains; as on it was the purple dragoness I was searching for.

Finally I have found her! It only took me most of the daylight hours I had left to work with, but I still found her! Well at least I found her before dark. I flew down and flared my wings so that my landing was quiet. I didn't want to spook Lara and I very well may as the last time we were in the general vicinity of one another we had our shouting match. We had both said things that I doubt either of us meant to say and more so actually mean what we said. It had all been in the heat of that moment. I really needed to apologize to her for the things I had said, even if she didn't forgive me for it. As I approached Lara I heard her sniffling quietly and sobbing. This is a… great start… Way to go me; you have driven a dragoness to cry her eyes out. She sighed as I got close to her.

"I told you to leave me alone Tarra! I do not want to talk to you right now."

I stopped where I was and stood still staying silent at that statement. Lara didn't even turn around to look at her company. That meant likely she was going off her other senses or none at all and guessing who I was. It is presumably the latter of the two, as I wouldn't doubt Lara knows my scent as much as I know hers. Lara's reply and tone of voice said she was miserable and talking to her would be harder than I thought it would be at first. You would think by her tone that someone had died! And on top of that she was still crying softly as I stood there! I was trying to think of the best way to broach the subject here, but little came to mind. I'm not good at dealing with girls so I'll go with the way I know best and that is the direct and blunt approach! Well perhaps the best way to do this is to first snap her out of her 'pity party for one'.

"You done wallowing in your own misery and self-loathing or will you be continuing your pity party for one?"

I could see Lara flinch visibly and stiffen at the sound of my voice. Lara turned around slowly and gazed at me. Her eyes were red with tears still flowing slowly down her cheeks and the scales around them were swollen a bit, most likely from the crying she had done. Upon seeing me Lara's eyes widened in horror. That wasn't the expression I was hoping for in this. This just keeps going downhill for both of us, doesn't it? The way she is reacting to me implies that she fears me and I have never wished for that. How much will end out hating myself for what happened, before it is enough?!

"S-S-Saber, what are y-y-you doing here?!"

Oh whoopty freaking doo! She is terrified of me right now. Not that I exactly blame her for being so, with what I said and how I acted before. This is going to be a really challenge to straighten things out between the two of us. Can't I just have a rock smash into my head and end this all and have it all have been a dream or something? I rolled my eyes in response to that question.

"Hmm… let me see, looking for you sounds about right. Why else would I come out all this way?! The view is nice and all, but it is a tad far to go for just that. Especially, when I am the number one target for every ape to kill on sight."

If Lara's eyes got any bigger they would be larger than any dinner plates I have ever seen and I have seen some pretty big ones. Either that or her eyes will pop out of their sockets. Neither idea is all that appealing or relevant to me right now. Lara began to shake as she didn't break her gaze on me.

"Why would you look for me?!"

Does she have to cower from me while she says that? It just makes the self-guilt and pain caused by it hurt all the more. This wasn't going like I had envisioned, more like a crapshoot in reality and a royal one at that. I sighed at how this was turning out; as ridiculous as this was becoming to me; we needed closure on this. I didn't want Lara to fear me!

"Because you are my friend and you should not be out alone. Can I be any more plain and obvious? I think not!"

Good grief, I am coming off as an unfeeling sarcastic a**hole… wait… I guess I have kind of been one the last time Lara was around me… and I'm kind of acting that way now too. Can I just get martyred or whatever and get it over and done with?! This guilt and regret is really damaging me from the inside out and it is just hurting like no other! Lara looked away from me, before she spoke again. Her tears were flowing heavier than when I got here as she spoke.

"Why are you still calling me a friend? You have to hate me now."

I should've foreseen this would come up from the things Tarra told me; with what happened after I flew off, this should have been the predictable response. The tears though add a whole new blow to me that I hadn't prepared myself for, and boy did it stab me in the heart! Getting castrated would be better and quicker than having to endure this! Nevertheless I think I should be the one saying the line she just did; I was the one who lost control after all. I was the one who acted the world class douche of an idiot that is also real a**hole! I should be the one begging on my hands and knees… I mean paws and haunches… for forgiveness from her?! I need to say my piece before this degrades further.

"Hey now…"

"I acted so terribly!"

She apparently didn't hear me; well if once you don't succeed, try try again. Her sobbing was beginning to get worse as she went on. I don't like how this is going!

"Excuse me, but…"

"I-I-I said such awful things to you!"

She isn't helping herself right now! Why are we are own worst critics, we always do more harm than good. Her continued sobbing wasn't helping with either side of this. Third times the charm? … Hopefully?

"Now hold it…"

"You must hate me now!"

She really isn't listening to me! If she can hear me at all that is; with her now out right balling I can't be sure if she is able to hear what I say. I need her to listen!

"Lara…"

"And if you really hate me I do not know how I CAN LIVE WITH MYSELF!"

She howled this last line. I don't like being ignored or talked over, especially when I have something I need to say! I have had enough of this crap! It is either this or I will consider suicide to end this, dang it!

"LARA, LISTEN TO ME!"

Lara went quiet when I bellowed at her. She still had tears streaming down her face as she looked at me. Finally I have her undivided attention. I slowed my breathing and then went on.

"Listen Lara, whether or not I hate you is first and foremost my decision and mine alone. Second, to answer that point, I do not think I could ever hate you; be frustrated and annoyed of what you do at times, yes but hate you, no. I hate myself far more that you right now."

Lara stared at me in shock at what I said.

"You… do… not hate me?"

She asked that question as if she was being offered a way out of hell. I wonder if she even heard my last sentence of me saying that I hate myself right now. I doubt it.

"I believe I just said I do not hate you."

"But I said those horrible things about you, how can you forgive me so easily?"

Her tears started coming again at her statement. Why is it, that girls see the need to have a specific detailed explanation for everything? Isn't forgiving her just for the heck of it, enough of a reason?

"Jeeze and here I was trying to figure out how to apologize to you for what that I said and for blowing up at you. Still here we are with you begging me for forgiveness. When it is I that should be the one doing the begging for the kindness of you heart along with your understanding."

Lara sniffled as she gazed at me in surprise. Seeing as this conversation is most likely going to be a long one, if Lara and her water works had any influence on this it would be. I might as well get comfortable. I sank down to my haunches and settled into a more comfortable position for long term stationary time. I took a moment to think about how to word what needed to be said between us. Thankfully she was able to calm down enough to stop sobbing.

"… Lara look, I think we both said things that… we regret, some more than others. Our… shouting match had us saying things while we were blinded by anger and rage. Those feelings came from times that well, I would say neither of us likes to recall. We did not think about what we were saying would do later. So I want to say that… I am sorry for what I said Lara. It was wrong of me to say that your past is nothing to have a problem about. I was stupid and foolish, forgive me! I lost control over my emotions and was really stupid."

Lara was taken aback by what I said.

"Wha… No, I should be the one saying I am sorry. I have not been thinking about how you feel lately. I have been pushing you to make a decision when I should not have. I said things about how you did not understand things that you do. I just do not want to lose you!"

Okay… I guess that's an apology, in a way. I will just take that as 'I am sorry' and ignore that last sentence for the moment.

"Thanks… I think. You know what, let us just forget what was said to each other earlier today and go on from there."

There are times like this when it is just best to forget and start with a clean slate as it were. Lara's mouth was agape for a full thirty seconds before she began to sputter.

"B-b-but… forgetting what was said just like that is…"

Lara apparently didn't get what I said, WE WERE going to forget and put the mean words that were said behind us, period. I put my left forepaw to her mouth silencing her.

"As easy as just forgetting what happened. It did NOT happen, got it?!"

Lara nodded. I smiled at her agreement. I was glad that was over. I looked up at the darkening sky and sighed.

"Well, it looks like we will be here for the night. There is not enough light to get back to Warfang before dark."

I felt Lara suddenly embrace me, but not squeeze me like she usually do. I was confused at this action as I hadn't expected it at all.

"Thank you for forgiving me and not hating me."

I stopped dead where I was, both mentally and physically. I wasn't shocked by Lara's gratitude exactly; it was as much the way she did it as what she said. The delivery was completely different than anything she had done to me so far! And that was saying a lot! I felt my heart pumping a little faster… was I starting to… get excited about this?!

I looked back to Lara expecting some sort of mischievous look on her face. Yet to my immense and further surprise and chagrin there was no such look on her face. She was genuinely smiling at me. I have seen many different smiles from Lara; ones of lust, amusement and others as well. However this was the first time I have witnessed a smile of real joy and happiness from her. She was… beautiful at this moment and that was an understatement! My pulse shot up once more… What are you doing heart?! Stop getting elated about this situation! I breathed in deep breaths to calm down from this development.

Given the position we are currently in I had come to expect one behavior and got an entirely unforeseen one. I mean, a week ago Lara would have given almost anything to have this position! After all Lara and I were alone for one full night; no interference from anyone else. This was opportunity literally banging on the door with a battering ram for her to mate with me! Nevertheless Lara wasn't trying to do anything that would get that activity to happen! This was different, but nice. Especially, now that I got my bodily reactions under control and in their proper place and function.

We picked out a cave and while Lara searched for food, I made a thorough examination of the said cave. After I completed my examination I got a fire going and sat by it as I waited for Lara to return with dinner. When Lara returned she showed me what she had found for us to eat. The 'food' looked kind of like a pomegranate and was the color between a dark orange and light brown. I stared at the 'fruit' for a full minute. I hadn't forgotten my last experience eating 'fruit' that I knew nothing about! I didn't want a repeat of that event ever again! So I think my caution is understandable. I turned to Lara with a questioning look.

"Um… Lara, please do not take this the wrong way, but have you ever tried these… things? I mean do we know if they are even edible?"

Lara nodded.

"I have heard about these from an acquaintance of mine; they are supposed to be good."

I glanced back at the fruit again. Supposed to be good huh?! I don't take much comfort at that statement. No sir I do not! I would rather not spend the time puking my gut up thank you very much!

"Still… you have not actually tried them, correct?"

I wanted to be sure I understood what she was saying. Because experience, told me eating fruit of unknown affects and origin was a very bad idea! She nodded slower than before.

"Well no I have not done so. Why do you ask?"

I was going to say that there was something about these fruit that was setting off warning bells in my head. However as it happened…

"Oh well, I had a past incident of eating something like this and I ended out vomiting; it was horrible…"

I clamped a paw over my mouth. Why I the hell did I just tell her that?! Dang it! What is it about Lara that has me spilling my seeecrets?! This has never happened to me before with anyone else! Lara spoke then as I was trying to keep my maw shut.

"Maybe human stomachs cannot handle food here?"

… Well what Lara said is possible, yet there is still something about these things that isn't right in my mind. I couldn't put my talon on what exactly, but I didn't doubt there was something wrong here.

"Well maybe we should test them on something first."

They aren't setting off my danger sense, but they were worrying me and that's enough for me to question them! I was about to tell Lara that perhaps we should find something else; when I feel something being stuffed into my mouth. I coughed to clear my air passages and then swallowed some of whatever was stuffed into my mouth. I spit out the rest of the object and coughed again to be sure to have clear air ways so that I can breathe. I looked down to see the remains of one of the fruits, and then I glare up at Lara who was smiling. I reined in my annoyance that flared up.

"Lara… why did you just nearly suffocate me with one of these fruits? I would expect this kind of thing from the light bulb with wings, not you! So tell me, why would you do such a thing?"

I said all of this in a falsely sweet voice. Lara just continued to smile at me.

"Well you said we should test them, right?"

"I did not mean on either of us and you should know that!"

"So how did they taste?"

I was taken aback at the question. Taste? Umm… well they don't taste bad, yet they don't taste that good either. Though there was kind of an unusual after taste that I have never experienced before. Yet I swear I have somehow come across it somewhere before.

"They do not taste bad, if that is what you are asking, yet they do not taste that good."

After I said that, Lara shoved another fruit at me, however I put up a paw stopping Lara from stuffing it in my mouth.

"Hey, I can feed myself thank you. So there is no need to stuff my face, so do not do it."

Lara giggled as she began to dine on the fruit. I was still a tad suspicious about these things, but my stomach growled letting me know that I needed to eat. So I ate some of the fruit without much more thought. We polished of the pile within thirty minutes. We made some small talk for a little while as night fully set in.

It was as we were talking when I felt an odd feeling start to wash over me. It was like someone or something was flipping switches off in my brain to the off positions. I attempted to fight this, but alas for me it was a losing battle. I tried to say something to Lara, yet all I did was fall into the embrace of unconsciousness.

Chapter end

A/n

Okay everyone that is it for this chapter. This chapter turned out a LOT longer than I thought it would be when I started writing it. I hope that the character development is moving along at a pace that you readers can appreciate. If you have a problem with how the characters are developing, then… keep it to yourself! I will congratulate anyone that can guess what anime I got 'world class idiot' came from. Please take the time to review.

"Time at the Office"

Blackshadow999

So if it isn't obvious at this point, Lara will be the love interest of Saber. I thank all of those who voted and I appreciate your input. I am simply amazed at how many of you readers voted honestly.

Saber

So then what were the final results of the voting boss?

Blackshadow999

Well um… give me a second. I know that report is here… somewhere… ah ha here it is.

(Clears throat)

The final standings in the voting for who you end up with Saber, there were five dragonesses.

Saber

Well at least I won't end up with monkeys

Blackshadow999

In fifth place

Spectra – 4

Saber

Me, with Spectra?! I think not! She is quite a bit older than me thank you! Who voted for her anyways?!

Blackshadow999

Fourth place

Sarana – 6

Saber

(Shiver) I will not even comment on how WRONG that is! I don't think I deserve to be tortured every single freaking day!

Blackshadow999

Third place

Cyra – 7

Saber

Me and Cyra? ... I just can't see that happening really; next.

Blackshadow999

In second place and runner up

Tarra - 50

Saber

Tarra and me huh? … Wait then that would mean… (!) No boss, Say it ain't so!

Blackshadow999

The winner of this

Lara - 55

Saber

Why her?! Oh good golly, what is going to happen to me?!

Review comments

HolyCross9

Well now about that; I'm not dismissing that idea at all. But I think Saber has some more pressing issues to deal with first, if you know what I mean. If you don't you will get more of an idea in the next chapter.

Keyblader Zen

Oh yes indeed, that is absolutely true! And doesn't it make things more funny and interesting? Mwha ha ha ha! For Lara vs Tarra I would say it is 'bold and forward going against quiet and subtle'. Though I would have to agree with the Code Geass reference; Nina was freaking scary in a couple of ways!

Well you have pretty much nailed that part of Lara's personality as I portrayed it. I don't blame her at all for her actions; someone else is moving in on her man. So I hope you are not only happy that Lara is the one who Saber will end up with. However, (spoiler) there is a bit of a twist of how their relationship will deepen! (Spoiler)

… I respect Spectra as she is an older and wiser dragoness, (somewhat) and she is an overprotective sister not a freak! Cut her a little slack. As for Terrador, that is exactly what I want him to be seen as for the time being. I may have him redeem himself at a future point, but I haven't decided.

I hope I met your expectation with this chapter. The bond is a wonderful nebulous cloud (for the moment) That Saber is fairly ignorant of what comes after the actually mating. As to Saber being affected by Lara's scent, he is pretty much already hooked and nearly addicted to it. It has a similar effect to getting him drunk to an extent.

ArcticDragon Rider

… Glad you are excited about the second part starting. I just hope that drop following jumping through the window doesn't hurt much.