A few hours later, Alex was the first to wake. He was still nestled in the middle of Kinkajou's limbs. Her forelegs were gently wrapped around him, holding him close like they had previous nights. Reluctantly, he wiggled out of her arms, yawning and stretching quietly to avoid waking anybody else.
Suddenly, his legs were moving on their own. Alex let out a small gasp as he found himself leaving the dorm and walking the empty halls. Where he was going, he had no idea. His legs moved of their own accord, as if they were listening to someone else. A minute later, he found himself back at the underground lake, illuminated only by the moonlight that shone down from a hole in the ceiling.
His legs stopped somewhere in the middle between the entrance and the shore, leaving Alex thoroughly confused and worried. Turning around to leave, that was when he saw it, and his blood froze.
In the entryway of the underground lake, was a copy of himself. The copy just stood there, staring at Alex, but it wasn't the sight of the clone that made him freeze, it was the eyes. Or rather the lack of. The normally green, slit eyes were replaced by a void, much like a Sandwing's but darker. Slowly, the clone approached him, wearing a sinister smile as it looked at Alex.
"Well well well… Look who we have here." The clone said, even the voice sounding sinister and deeper. "We finally get to meet face to face. Well, you do anyway. I've been here for quite some time." Suddenly finding his voice, Alex spoke. "W-who are you?" "Why I'm you Alex. In a sense. We don't share the same mindsets and all that, but we do share the same body." The copy replied. As if to prove his point, he lifted his left paw, and Alex's own left paw raised as well. "What are you doing? Stop!"
The clone only continued his actions, smiling with sinister satisfaction as he kept moving his paws, and by extension, Alex, like a puppet. Alex grew increasingly worried as he tried to keep his limbs from moving to no avail, his stripes and heartbeat going faster as he found a claw suddenly against his own neck as the clone sat down. "Alright, I've had my fun. You're probably wondering why I brought you here, yes it was me, so I'll explain. We are going to go find this, 'lost civilization' and the secret it holds. Then…" The clone looked at Alex, his sinister smile growing as he stood. "We are going to destroy Pyrrhia." "N-no! I Won't! I won't let you! I'll… I'll tell my friends about you. They'll help." The clone just barked out a laugh as the claw pressed a little firmer against Alex's throat.
"You won't be able too. In case you forgot, we share the same body. I can control it as much as you can, maybe even moreso. If you try, I'll just stop the words from leaving your throat. If you try to write it, I'll mess up the message. If you try and think about it, I'll push away the thought. And just for good measure, I'll throw that pretty little Rainwing you like so much into the fray." Alex's eyes widened at that, the clone stepping closer so their mouth was close to Alex's ear. "If you even come close to revealing my existence to them.. I'll slit her throat, with your own claws, in front of your own eyes." The clone let out a sinister chuckle as Alex froze again, his stripes pulsing rapidly. "So long as you keep our little secret though, she'll be safe. I promise."
"Alex? Are you down here?" A voice suddenly said in the hall. The clone looked and snarled quietly. "Well, looks like our playtime is over. Remember. Secrets are secrets for a reason. But just to be sure, I'll constantly be around to make sure you keep it." He said, once again flashing that sinister smile as he vanished into thin air. Alex's paw dropped as he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding just as Kinkajou rounded the corner.
"Alex! Are you ok?" She asked, hurrying over to him when seeing his rapidly pulsing stripes. "Y-y-y-ya, just a nightmare…" He lied, offering a small smile. Behind Kinkajou, Alex saw the clone, who he guessed was the voice that spoke before and was called Darkstalker, sitting in the entryway, wagging a claw warningly. Kinkajou must've seen something in his eyes, cause she turned around a moment later.
Alex was about to say something, to not look, but was cut off when she looked back at him, concern still in her eyes, as if she hadn't seen anything at all. "Alex, are you sure you're ok?" Only you can see me, Alex. The rest of them can't. Darkstalker confirmed Alex's thought, still sitting in the entryway and staring with those voids.
"Y-ya, just a little stressed from all this." Alex lied again, trying not to look at Darkstalker. Alex could see doubt in her eyes, but Kinkajou hesitantly nodded. "If you say so. Come on, we're getting ready to leave."
Kinkajou began walking back down the hall, stopping halfway once she realized Alex wasn't next to her. Alex was still a little stunned by the new information. He was sharing a body with someone who wanted to destroy Pyrrhia. It wasn't until Kinkajou once again asked if he was ok that he was shaken from his thoughts, nodding slightly and following KInkajou back to the dorms.
A few minutes later, they were back in the dorms preparing for the trip. Peril and Alex sat off to the side as they didn't have anything to pack, while the others packed. They were only done in a few minutes, to Alex's surprise. "Is that really everything you guys are bringing?" He asked upon seeing a single pouch on each dragon. "Ya, we can hunt for food on the way, and there's bound to be a few lakes or rivers as well" Qibli responded.
"We have no idea where we're going though. We didn't even ask Ruby if she might know of anything like this." Alex hadn't intended to call Queen Ruby just Ruby, though he did notice a small smirk on Darkstalker's face. If the others noticed, they didn't show it. "Hmm… perhaps we could actually stop by Queen Ruby's palace and ask her then. Who knows, maybe there'll be a huge hint or something to lead us."
"Would that be safe…? For me, I mean? I don't know if news travels fast here like it does at home, but I imagine if anybody hears the whole "striped dragon" line, they probably won't be the friendliest towards me." Alex said, shivering slightly at the thought of being attacked. "Possibly. But chances are that if anybody has heard it, Queen Ruby will probably have sent out a message to all Skywings to not bother us." Turtle said. "Besides, if anybody does try and attack you, you've got us!" Kinkajou exclaimed, setting a wing on Alex.
"Right… didn't even think you guys would know how to fight." He relaxed slightly as he saw the others nod, grateful his friends would protect him. "What kind of friends would we be if we let a friend get attacked?" Moon teased, voicing his thoughts. Just wait until we get to the city. They won't think the same thing when their "friend" destroys everything they love. Alex momentarily froze as Darkstalker shoved the image of the Jade winglet dead on the mountain, Kinkajou crying as she said something.
He shook the thought away, seeing Darkstalker in the corner of his vision smirking again. Without noticing, he slightly leaned against Kinkajou, her warmth a comfort for him. "Fair point. But I wouldn't want you guys to get hurt because of me…. Maybe I could get a dagger or something small…? In case I get separated from you guys?" Alex's eyes widened as he heard not his voice, but Darkstalker's, leave his mouth. At least to Alex it sounded like Darkstalker, but to the others, it sounded like Alex.
"That sounds reasonable. Never know what's gonna happen out there." Qibli replied, tapping a claw thoughtfully before heading back to his corner, pulling a small trunk out from a hidden hole in the wall, then opening it. Inside were two daggers, one a simple dagger, hardly worth noticing, while the other absolutely caught Darkstalker's eyes.
It had a black hilt with a red grip and a slightly curved blade, like a tooth. He noticed how it gleamed in the torch light. "That one" Alex said before he could stop himself, pointing at the curved blade. Qibli looked a little shocked at first before raising a brow. "Why that one?" "It… looks cool…?" It sounded more like a question than a statement in Alex's ears, but luckily for him, and Darkstalker, Qibli only looked at him for a few more moments before smiling. "That it does my striped friend. Have you ever used a dagger before?" "No. Back home we never had any need for self defense cause we hardly interacted with the surface, outside the occasional trading" "Alright then, no worries. I'll teach you on the way." Qibli smiled again, taking the dagger out and closing the box before handing it to Alex and putting the box away. Despite Alex's size, it fit in his paw perfectly as it squeezed the hilt.
He was vaguely aware of the others chatting further about the route they'd take to the Sky kingdom and the like, but he was lost in his own reflection. Staring at the curved blade, he saw his own eyes staring back. He had never held a weapon before, but holding one now felt… right. As if he was meant to wield it. He was shaken from his thoughts, or rather Darkstalkers, as he suddenly saw two black eyes looking back instead of his own.
Shuddering slightly, he looked away from the dagger. The others were still discussing travel routes, except for Kinkajou, who was still looking at Alex with worry. He wanted to tell KInkajou and the others, he really did, but seeing Darkstalker next to her, holding a claw to her throat warningly made him hold his tongue. "Kinkajou, I promise I'm fine. I'm just stressed and worried."
"About what? Tell me Alex. Please." The Rainwing placed a talon on his, looking into his eyes. Those beautiful dark green eyes were filled with concern and worry. "I… I can't… I don't know how to put it all into words… This is all so much to take in." He shied away from her gaze and touch, his gut clenching as he saw the hurt look in her eyes. It tore him apart to see her so hurt. He wanted to take her talons in his and tell her everything, but he was afraid. He was afraid for her, for his friends, for himself.
He was beginning to wonder that maybe they'd all be safer if he pushed them away when he heard talons clicking outside the door. They all turned to look at the doorway when Clay hobbled in. "Still need a Mudwing?" He asked, looking at the group. "Oh Clay, you can't. Your leg-" Moon began before the large Mudwing cut her off with a raised claw. "I'll be fine. Don't forget that I traveled practically to all the kingdoms during the Sandwing succession when I was your age. A little limp isn't gonna stop me. Not from protecting my family."
That will get him killed. Darkstalker said, now standing next to the Mudwing with a toothy smirk. Once again the image of them all standing atop the mountain flashed through his head, this time with Clay in the picture. He shook the thought away.
"You need "wings of Mud" and I don't think you'll be able to find a random Mudwing willing to go on a dangerous journey like this with a bunch of strangers. That's final." Clay said, sounding incredibly stern. Judging by the reactions of the others, Alex assumed Clay didn't often raise his voice. "Good. What's the plan then?" "We were going to make our way to Queen Ruby's palace and ask if there might be anything in her archives or library about the lost city. Or something to maybe hint or guide us in the right direction." Peril said after a brief moment of silence.
Once again, the group got into a discussion about what they would search for when they arrived at the Sky palace. Alex wasn't entirely paying attention to it all, as he was back in his head. He was thinking of Kinkajou and how he felt towards her. He tried to think of what to do with a second mind in his body, but each time he tried the thought was pushed away. That was when he remembered Moon was a mindreader, and she could probably hear all his thoughts right now.
He glanced at her and saw that she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye with a small nod, confirming his thought. He decided to try and think of what this secret or band could be, as he noticed Darkstalker standing next to Kinkajou with the dagger resting in his paws, and why they were so important.
After a few minutes of no ideas, he let out a small sigh of frustration, right as the others finished talking. "Alright, sounds like a plan then. Suppose we should start flying then. The Sun was just setting when I made my way here." Clay said, walking towards the door. The others nodded and began to follow him, except for Moon and KInkajou. Alex stopped just outside the door, looking back at the two in confusion. "You coming?" "Ya, just need to check something first" Alex frowned slightly, but instead just nodded, following the others while Moon and Kinkajou stayed behind.
—-
Moon watched Alex leave, her own mind trying to figure out what was going on in his head, when Kinkajou spoke. "He's hiding something… When I woke up he was gone, and when I found him his stripes were pulsing like crazy. He said it was just a nightmare but… when I looked into his eyes, I saw that he was deathly afraid of something." Moon listened intently, tapping her tail against the floor as she thought. "I can see that. His thoughts are strange now too. It felt like he was trying to think of something while we were talking, but he kept pushing them away before I could hear what it was."
The two sat there in silence for a few moments, Moon still thinking about what Alex could be hiding when she saw a blue and green on her. She instantly pulled her friend into a gentle hug. "Whatever it is, I'm sure he has a good reason. But we'll just have to be sure to watch him more carefully." Kinkajou nodded hesitantly, slightly leaning against the Nightwing as she gave a gentle squeeze. "I know how you feel towards him, Kinkajou, but you've got to remember that he could destroy everything too." "What if… what if I can't save him? What if I can't keep on the right path?" "You have to try as much as you can. The rest of us aren't as close to him like you are. We're relying on you. C'mon, they're probably wondering where we are." Moon slowly pulled her wings back, walking to the door with KInkajou. "Remember, you're not alone in this. We'll help you as much as we can."
Kinkajou gave a small smile, her scales slowly shifting back to their normal colors. "Thanks."
—-
The others were sitting on an open ledge, waiting for Moon and Kinkajou. While the others sat together, or at least within a couple feet of each other, Alex sat far from the group, mouth slightly open as he stared at the night sky. He had rarely been on the surface back home, only occasionally whenever a trade was happening, so he never got the chance to experience the night sky fully. And that's exactly what he did.
He stared up at the star filled sky, his eyes filled with wonder and awe. He even saw a star shoot across the sky. Smiling slightly at the sight, he raised a paw as if to touch the stars. Out here, in the dark with only Alex's own stripes and the dim torchlight behind them, Alex could see as far as the eye could see. He was so focused on the sky that he didn't even notice Kinkajou sitting next to him.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, smiling slightly at Alex's small jump. "It is… I got to see the night sky occasionally back home, whenever we traded. But this… I never imagined." He said, blushing slightly from embarrassment as he looked up at the stars again. "It's something else entirely" He said, momentarily forgetting the problems he had, lost in the night sky.
Kinkajou only nodded. They sat there in silence as the others made a last minute check for supplies. Hesitantly, Alex placed a paw on Kinkajou's talons, still blushing as the Rainwing looked down at him. "Kinkajou… These past few days have been… interesting to say the least. Especially the other night…" He trailed off, his blush slightly deepening. Kinkajou grew her own blush at the mention of that night. "And I just want to say… You, Moon, Qibli, Winter, Turtle, Peril, you've all been great to me. You especially. I can't deny how i feel about you Kinkajou…" He turned to fully face her, his glowing green eyes staring into her own dark green eyes. She looked back, struggling to keep her emotions from showing on her scales. "I…" Alex looked up, and Kinkajou looked down. For a moment they were lost in each other's eyes. So similar, but so different at the same time. Then he said the words she had been waiting for since that night. "I love you Kinkajou. A-at least I think I do. This love stuff is still new to me. And I'm glad to have met you and the others." He looked away from her, a heavy blush on his face as he took her talons in his claws, interlocking them together and looking back up at her.
"I don't know what our future holds. I don't know if I'll even survive this. Call it a feeling, but something bad is going to happen if we find the lost city." Alex momentarily looked away from Kinkajou and at the stars,letting out a shaky breath as he looked back up at Kinkajou. "But what I do know is that I want you with me all the way. All of you"
He looked towards the others when he said 'all', seeing that they were either slightly tense or smiling. He didn't know why they were tense or smiling, but he assumed it had to do with what he was saying. He then turned his gaze back to Kinkajou, who was sitting and listening patiently, tears brimming her eyes.
"This love stuff is very new to me, and I have no idea how you do things here, but back at home, whenever somebody chose someone as their life mate, they would seal it by… Well there are a lot of different ways. Some would seal it with a kiss, others with a custom made jewel… Occasionally a few would even seal with… having an egg." Alex blushed further, as did Kinkajou, at the mention of eggs.
He could hear a couple snickers and giggles from the others, but he ignored them as he gave her talons a gentle squeeze. Then, for the first time since she sat down, she spoke, tears falling down her snout. Alex was confused at first, but then realized they weren't tears of sadness, but rather tears of happiness. "A kiss would probably work… at least for now." She said, though Alex heard a small teasing hint in the 'for now', which admittedly made him wonder if she planned to have a night alone with him.
His thoughts were interrupted as he felt Kinkajou's snout against his, their lips nearly touching. His heart raced as he pressed his lips against hers, her scales bursting with magenta and yellow. He leaned into the kiss, as did she. It wasn't a rushed, quick one like the few they shared the other night, no, this one was slow. Gentle. Passionate.
He felt her squeeze his paw and he squeezed back. It was at this moment that his feelings solidified. His feelings for Kinkajou. Before he was fairly certain he loved her, but now, he was absolutely positive. She was his Life Mate, and he was hers. The kiss lasted for what felt like hours, when it had only lasted around a minute as Alex reluctantly pulled away, wishing he could kiss her forever. "I love you Kinkajou." "And I love you Alex" They pressed their foreheads together, smiling happily as they gave another squeeze of each other's paw.
"As heartwarming this is, we don't have all night lovebirds." Peril said, her usual bluntness appearing through her thin patience. "Peril" Turtle said half warningly, lighting whacking her with a wing. "What? It's true." She snorted softly as Turtle whacked her again. "We're ready" Alex said, nuzzling Kinkajou before pulling away.
The others got ready for takeoff, occasionally glancing at Alex and Kinkajou, both of them smiling happily. Within the next few moments, they were flying away from Jade Mountain. Alex was on Kinkajou's back, holding onto her neck as the air whooshed past them.
"Geez, flying is kind of scary." He said as he looked down, getting slightly woozy seeing how high up they were. Trees and rocks ran past them, Jade Mountain getting smaller and smaller until it couldn't be seen. "You'll get used to it. I'll make sure of that." Kinkajou teased, her scales still shining with magenta and gold. "Why do I feel oddly threatened by that?" She just giggled as she began to swoop, dive, and flip in the air, much to Alex's dismay, who held on tighter and yelled for her to stop. The others watched the two, chuckling and giggling occasionally when Alex let out a particularly loud scream. A minute later, the swooping and flips stopped. Alex let out a groan as he tried to refocus, the world spinning. "Is it too late to change dragons…?"
The others just laughed while Alex found himself looking up at the stars again, still in awe. Slowly, he wrapped his legs around Kinkajou's neck again and kissed her cheek, sighing happily.
Maybe everything will be alright after all. I love you KInkajou, and I promise I'll do everything I can to protect you.