Man, life's been so hec-

No one cares, just post the chapter already!

Yeah!

Geez, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the copyrighted stuff I use, I do own my OCs and this story.

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Chapter 18: Elemental and Emotional Exercises

Ignitus just came through the door as a fireball hit the wall just above him. He looked in the direction it'd come from and saw Cynder grinning sheepishly as Spyro tried to hold back his laughter.

"Sorry Ignitus," she said, looking down at her paws.

"It's alright," Ignitus brushed it off as he walked over to the side of the room, "no harm done."

"Did Blane and Talea finish their training?" Spyro asked, getting himself under control.

"Yes, Talea is taking Blane to the infirmary again to get him patched up and the two are going to their room to rest," he said, sitting down on his haunches against the far wall, "Continue your training, I'm just here to watch."

"Alright," Spyro said as he turned to look at Cynder, "Now that was very good, but this time try to hit the training dummy."

"Okay," she said, getting into a fighting position as a small dummy appeared and stood still. She charged her fire into a ball again and focused on the dummy before she sent the fireball flying towards the dummy. It fell just short and Cynder huffed in annoyance.

"Close," Spyro said, "but don't aim directly at it. Aim like you would with your poison breath, just with the fire."

Cynder nodded and tried again, preparing like she did last time but angled her head a bit higher, like she did with her poison, before she sent it flying. It went up in an arc before it landed directly on the dummy, setting it ablaze and the dummy was reduced to a pile of ashes in seconds.

"I did it!" Cynder shrieked happily, looking over at Spyro, who was grinning in approval.

"You did," he agreed, "now that you can breathe it and launch it as a ball, what are you going to teach me first?"

"Hmm," she said, "How about Wind?"

"Alright," Spyro said with an excited grin, "just tell me what to do."

"Get into your battle stance," Cynder instructed and Spyro did so, "Now take a deep breath and…"

Ignitus was unable to focus on the two dragons training as a familiar crimson dragon with black markings appeared in front of him, effectively blocking his view of Spyro and Cynder.

"Hello Cain," Ignitus greeted the red dragon, "I take it that since you are here that Blane and Talea have retired to their room?"

"If that's your way of asking if they're making Blane Jr., then yes," Cain said, sitting down next to the teal, robed dragon.

"His name is Dex," Ignitus said, "and must you be so blunt?"

"Actually yes," Cain said, "keeps me from going on a killing spree."

"Why are you here Cain?" Ignitus questioned, "I highly doubt you are here for idle chatter."

"I'll get straight to the point," Cain sighed, "I want to know if there's a way for me to take any injury Blane or I get without him getting it as well."

"Perhaps," Ignitus said, looking at the crimson dragon curiously, "Why?"

"I," Cain hesitated, "I want Blane to survive the upcoming battle, and he deserves life more than I do. He has an entire life to live after all this; I on the other hand need to pay for all the wrongs I've done because no matter how much good I do, I can never forget the faces and screams of those I made suffer."

"Everyone has things they regret, Cain," Ignitus told him, "I would know that better than anyone."

"You never tortured people to death because you thought it was amusing," Cain objected.

"That is true," Ignitus conceded, "but you are sorry for the terrible deeds you've done, correct?"

"More than you can imagine," he admitted, looking at the floor.

"Then you need to forgive yourself and move on," Ignitus expressed, "but there is perhaps a way to do what you want done."

"Thank you, Ignitus," Cain said to the teal dragon, "what do I have to do?"

"There is nothing we can do until tomorrow because Blane is needed to do what you want," Ignitus said, "So, for now just rest."

"Alright," Cain said, "but I'm not going back into his head until he's asleep. I'd rather not catch any stray thoughts that I'd rather not hear or see."

"Very well," Ignitus said with an understanding smile, "you are free to accompany me while I watch the young ones train if you wish."

"Okay," Cain said and the two of them turned their attention to Spyro and Cynder. By now, Spyro was able to breathe Wind, but was struggling at focusing it.

"Spyro, you need to concentrate the cyclone in the middle so it swirls around or you're just blowing air," Cynder explained as Spyro tried once again to form a cyclone with the wind but was unable to.

"You make it look so easy," Spyro said.

"Don't tell me the almighty 'purple savior' is having trouble using Wind?" Cynder teased. The two of them broke out into laughter, causing Ignitus and Cain to smile in amusement.

"Get serious you two!" Cain shouted, chuckling, "That is, if you want to get to go get some rest in your room!"

Realizing what Cain was implying, the two stopped laughing and their faces tinged red in embarrassment. However, the two got back to their training quickly.

~Time Skip!~ (Too lazy to go into detail about the rest of the training, lol. Lazy ass. Like you're any better.)

Cynder managed to fire an Earth Shot, effectively finishing her and Spyro's time in the training room.

"Both of you are free to go to your room," Ignitus told them before Cain nudged his shoulder, "however, I need to tell you something beforehand, Spyro."

"Go ahead Cynder, I'll catch up," Spyro told Cynder, and she nodded in understanding as she walked over to the door and left while Spyro made his way over to where Ignitus and Cain sat. "What is it, Ignitus?" he asked.

"Spyro, there's something I've been keeping secret from you," Ignitus said, looking down at the smaller dragon, "something that involves your family."

"My family?" Spyro asked, both confused and excited, "Do you mean my real parents?"

"Yes," Ignitus said, "I believe it's time I told you who your parents are."

"Really?" Spyro asked eagerly.

"Yes," Ignitus said, smiling kindly, "Your mother was a wonderful dragon, an ice dragon. She was talented, and very beautiful. Her name was Aneira."

"And my father?" Spyro asked.

"He was a great dragon, or so he was told. Not only was he a fire dragon, he was also the fire guardian at one time as well." Ignitus said, "He had to make very difficult choices, including hiding things from his own son."

"What was his name?" Spyro asked softly, looking at the teal dragon in front of him.

"You already know that," Ignitus said, "my son."

"Dad…" Spyro said before he hugged Ignitus's foreleg with his wings, tears of joy leaking from his eyes. Ignitus returned the gesture, wrapping his massive wings over the smaller dragon.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you the truth Spyro," Ignitus said, "I thought you'd be angry at me for not telling you."

"It's alright," Spyro said, looking up at the larger dragon, "but what happened to Mom?"

"When Cynder was still under the influence of the Dark Master, she took Aneira," Ignitus said, "I don't know what happened to her; her book is blank after her capture, and her name is not in the book of dragons that have joined the Ancestors."

"When this is all over," Spyro said, "I'll find her, I promise you Dad."

Ignitus smiled at his son before releasing him from the embrace and saying, "Go on, my son, Cynder is waiting for you and you mustn't keep her waiting."

"Alright Dad," Spyro said, returning his smile before running off out of the room. Cain walked over to where Ignitus stood and looked at the teal dragon.

"And you thought he'd hate you for not telling him," Cain said with a chuckle, "at least we know where he gets his optimism from."

"Yes," Ignitus agreed, laughing quietly as well, "let's go see how Nguyen and Hunter are doing, shall we?"

"Very well," Cain said and the two of them made their way out of the room.

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What I was trying to say earlier was that life's been really hectic so it's been hard finding time to work on my stories. I've been doing my best so, yeah. Anyways, if anyone really wants to read the full training, when the story's completely done I'm gonna post extended and extra chapters as a separate story so feel free to read them when they're up. BTW, did anyone know What's New Scooby Doo? 's theme song is played by Simple Plan?

Can you hurry up already; I want to go get some ice cream!

Yeah, some CAKE BATTER ice cream!

…And people wonder why I shout in empty rooms…