Chapter 6

Spyro held his daughters in his arms carefully while he kissed them both on the foreheads. "Ember, if you're out there watching, know that I will always look after our children. They'll grow to be responsible and behaved girls. That I promise."

Cynder wouldn't stop smiling at the baby dragons. They were the first dragons born in eleven years. She sat infront of Spyro and reached out with her left paw. She stroked Virtue on the head very softly and then did the same with Rose. "Your babies are beautiful, Spyro. I know you're going to make a great father."

"Thank you, Cynder. I'm glad you were here to see it happen. I still can't believe that bas- whoops. Children present. I still can't believe that jerk Terrador sent us to do this mission. The next time I see him I'll-"

"Spyro, don't you think we should get going?" Cynder suggested. "We're almot there. Plus, remember we heard someone scream."

Spyro sighed. "Oh yeah. We might as well go see what it is so e can report to Terrador and the others. Here, can you hold Rose?"

"Sure thing." Spyro handed Rose to Cynder and she put the sleeping dragon under her arm. "Ready?"

Spyro stood and carried Virtue with him. "I guess. Let's go." They left the cave and looked around. "Where do we go?"

Cynder looked up and pointed. "The scream came from over there, where the northern lights are distorted."

"It's just over the hill." They flapped theirwings and flew up towards the distortion. It took them about five minutes to reach the spot. They looked around while still hovering in the air. "Now where do we go?"

Cynder looked back down. "There!" She pointed at a strange glowing arch that came up from the ground. "That's where we need to go."

They both landed and Spyro stepped closer to the arch. "What is it?" Virtue woke in his arms she saw the strange object. She happily cooed in Spyro's arms. "What is it, Virtue? You like it?" Spyro edged closer and got within one foot of the arch. "It looks like a portal..." Virtue was amazed by the pretty lights. She jumped out of Spyro's arms and into the portal. Spyro screamed in surprise. "Virtue, no!" He chased after his daughter and fell into the portal.

"Spyro!" Cynder ran with Rose in her arm and jumped into the portal.

The four dragons all appeared in Delerium. Virtue walked around and Spyro reached down to pick her up. He held her in hiis face and said with tears, "Don't scare me like that, Virtue! You just hatched and you already start worrying me!" He hugged her and the baby innocently hugged her father back.

"I'm glad you're okay, Spyro. Let's get out of here," said Cynder. "It's obvious that this portal has nothing to do with Malefor. Let's go back home."

"Yeah. You're right." Spyro went back to the arch and walked through. "What the?" Instead of appearing back at the north pole, he just found himself on the other side of the arch. "What gives?"

"You can't go back?" Cynder asked.

"No. I don't get why not though."

A female voice came from nowhere. "Amazing! I just got back from a show and I already have more visitors!" Queen Celia materialized in front of them. "And again it's a family."

Cynder and Spyro looked at each other. "Family?" Cynder asked.

"Actually, these are my newborn children, but this isn't my mate," said Spyro.

Cynder felt a slight sting from hearing that. "Who are you, miss?"

"I am Celia. The queen of the Chaotic realm of Madness. It is by my will alone that the world exists. And you are?"

"My name is Cynder, your Majesty."

"I'm Spyro. These are my children Virtue and Rose."

"Purple dragons, eh? I've heard about your kind."

"We're capable of learning all elements. We also have elements that other dragons don't."

Cynder decided to sak, "Why doesn't the portal work?"

"I see you stumbled here by accident, right?"

"Yes," said Spyro. "Can we go back home?"

"I'm afraid the portal is one way only. You can't go back."

"What?" both heroes shouted.

"Come now. It can't be that bad. This is my realm of Chaos and Madness. There are very little rules here. Don't you want to escape from the constant bombardment that was your life?"

Spyro looked down. "I... I'm not sure... I grew up in that world."

"Yeah!" said Cynder. "We were-"

"Happy?" Celia interupted. She read them like maps. "Cynder, I can see it in your eyes. You have few friends. Everyone rejected you. You kick yourself for something you did in the past. In this realm, no one will judge you. You can make friends here. You can forget your troubles." She then turned to Spyro. "And what of you? You are always sent to do what others are too lazy to do. You want to settle down, but some people won't let you. There are few responsibilties in this realm. You can have a life here."

"I'm still not sure," said Spyro.

"Hmmm. Well, you're stuck here anyway. Tell you what. I'll let you have one of the finest houses in this town, if you can..." She snapped her fingers and they all were taken to the stage that Logar and Natalie were at. Celia again sat on the balcony while dragons cheered. "...make me laugh!"

"Oh man. Do you have anything funny, Spyro?" Cynder whispered.

"I have one idea. Excuse me, your Majesty! Can we have some back up?"

Seven bipedal dragons came up on stage. "We're here!"

"Perfect! Cynder, come with me." They huddled with the back up dragons and Spyro told them his idea.

"Are you sure?" one of them asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!" said Spyro. "Now get dressed and met me back here!"

Ten minutes later...

The babies were in a crib behind the stage. "Ready?" Spyro asked.

"As I'll ever be," Cynder said.

The curtain raised and everyone cheered. Spyro stood on the stage dressed as a barber and was talking to another dragon. "Bevis, you are incompitent! You can't even give a proper hair cut!"

"I'm bored!" said Spyro with anger. "You have no idea what it's like! Cutting the same hair for five years!" He looked away and the other dragon left stage as the stage darkened. "I didn't want to be a barber anyway." He condifently looked up at the audiance and raised his voice. "I wanted to be a lumberjack! Leaping from tree-to-tree as they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia!" Music started in the background. "The giant Redwood, the Larch, the Fir, the mighty Scots Pine!" He donned a snow hat. "The crash of mighty trees!" He took off his barber shirt to reveal a lumberjack's outfit. "With my best girly by my side!"

Cynder came up in a dress and hugged him. 'It may be for a play, but I like it!' she thought.

"We'd sing! Sing! Sing!" Spyro began singing. "I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.
I sleep all night and I work all day!"

A bunch of dragons dressed as mounties appeared out of nowhere and sang along. "He's a lumberjack, and he's okay.
He sleeps all night and he works all day."

Spyro then sang alone. "I cut down trees. I eat my lunch.
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin'
And have buttered scones for tea."

"He cuts down trees. He eats his lunch.
He goes to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he goes shopping
And has buttered scones for tea.
He's a lumberjack, and he's okay.
He sleeps all night and he works all day."

"I cut down trees. I skip and jump.
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing
And hang around in bars."

Cynder frowned from hearing this.

"He cuts down trees. He skips and jumps.
He likes to press wild flowers."
The mounties began looking around as they sang.
"He puts on women's clothing
And hangs around in bars? !"
They looked at each other in confusion.
"He's a lumberjack, and he's okay.
He sleeps all night and he works all day."

"I cut down trees. I wear high heels,
Suspendies, and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie,
Just like my dear mama!"

Cynder was weaping at this point.

"He cuts down trees. He wears high heels,
Suspendies, and a bra? !" The mounties angrilly walked off stage.

Spyro sang all alone now. "I wish I'd been a girly, just like my dear mamaaa!"

Cynder slapped him and said, "Oh, Bevis! And I thought you were so rugged!"

Spyro and Cynder both bowed as the audiance laughed and cheered. The mounties started throwing tomatos at Spyro, making the audiance laugh harder. One tomato came from the audance and hit Spyro in the face. "What the hell?" He wiped his face and looked at the tomato. There was a key inside the gunk with an adress written on it. Spyro saw Celia on the balcony winking at him.

Chapter 6