The Greatest Discovery

by TARDIS1039

Seven years after the death of Kronos, both Spyro and Cynder are settling into their married life well. However, an unexpected surprise will change both of their lives forever... (Mini-sequel to Love of My Life, set in the Crazy Little Thing Called Love-universe)

Hello and welcome to a new Spyro one-shot, and an exciting return to the universe established in my story Crazy Little Thing Called Love!

That's right, we are back here again! Much like with The One, this story is a mini-sequel to the second book, Love of My Life, and bridges the gap between that book and the new one coming out in the new year!

Anyway this story takes place seven years after the events of Love of My Life, so Spyro and Cynder are now twenty-five years old. They grow up so fast!

If you are new to this series then I highly recommend that you read Crazy Little Thing Called Love, The One and Love of My Life before jumping back and reading this one. It's so that you can understand certain story elements that may be referenced as well as getting a sense of the world I've built up. Or you could just read this story now, it's up to you.

Anyway, as always, I don't own Spyro or any related characters. Any OCs that appear belong to me though. Enjoy!

(-)

In the land of dragons, seven years later…

(SPYRO's POV)

On days like this, I sometimes miss the blaring sounds of my morning alarm.

Night had fallen over the skies of the realm of Winter Tundra, a world built on the tip of a large mountain and was a peaceful place once upon a time. Then Malefor's conquest came along, purging everything and everyone that stood in his way. Much like some other realms I visited in my younger years, Winter Tundra remained empty and barren. People were afraid to come back and live their normal lives again, it was only until Malefor's death that everyone started to return home.

Unfortunately for Winter Tundra, the peace was disturbed. A devious criminal had broken himself out of prison again and it was up to me to stop him. Well, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Being a legendary purple dragon can be both a blessing and a curse sometimes.

The criminal knew I was coming and ran for it, hiding himself in Winter Tundra. Tonight was the only night in which I could catch him, otherwise he could be gone for good… and that's something I don't want on my conscience right now.

"You ready?" I heard Hunter ask me, lifting his hood over his head.

I nodded. "Let's go."

Years ago, I didn't think I would be side-by-side with the cheetah that was once part of a tribe that decimated my home alongside his uncle. But now, I consider him a friend. Hell, I even consider him my best friend. It's funny how life works sometimes…

I flapped my wings and took to the air, grabbing Hunter by the shoulders and lifting him off the ground. Through the slight snowy mist, I propelled myself and Hunter towards the castle. The castle was the only large building in the entire Winter Tundra, only the criminal we're tracking down would choose to go there. In a building like that, tracking this guy down would be a piece of cake.

I flew the both of us over the main castle gate and towards a dimly lit courtyard at the back of the castle. I then proceeded to land us on the outer rim of the courtyard, crouching down so that we were out of view.

The courtyard was surprisingly empty for the amount of space it had. The floor was made from stone, with a blue and gold emblem that I couldn't recognise carved right into the surface. At first glance, I thought it was some kind of battle arena. I wasn't sure whether it was for training purposes or to provide entertainment for any guests, or perhaps both. That wasn't what I needed to focus on right now.

What I needed to focus on was the creature pacing back-and-forth in the middle of the courtyard. The creature was a species of dinosaur, with an incredibly large head and a crooked horn on top of it. He also carried a golden scepter that matched well with his wizard cloak. Not to mention that he was very short, only coming up to Hunter's knee.

This was Ripto. Some may call him a criminal, he himself would call himself a conqueror, but all I could see was a short little man that was a pain in my ass on almost a daily basis. No matter how many times I'd locked him up, he always found a way to break out. Now I know how comic book superheroes must feel…

"There he is," Hunter murmured, grabbing an arrow from his quiver. "He has nowhere to run now."

Just as Hunter was about to aim, I lowered his bow. "Wait, I've got this," I said confidently.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Come on, it's Ripto," I scoffed. "I think I can handle it."

"Even if it is Ripto… I wouldn't underestimate him," Hunter said.

I smirked. "You only say that because he struck you with lightning that one time."

Hunter snorted, rolling his eyes. "You're never going to let me forget that, are ya?"

My smirk turned into a grin. "Never."

"Maybe I'll stay here and keep watch," Hunter frowned, succumbing deeper into the darkness of his hood. "I can jump in when you get into trouble."

I stood up slightly, getting myself ready to confront Ripto. "If I get in trouble, Hunter…" I said, cracking my neck.

"Don't get too cocky, Spyro," Hunter gently scolded. "You may have beaten him before, but there's no doubt that Ripto's got some new trick up his sleeve…"

As usual, Hunter had a point. Sometimes, I hate it when he's right.

I simply nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

I jumped down and crept through the courtyard to confront Ripto. Fortunately for me, Ripto seemed a bit too preoccupied on his mobile communication device to notice that I was approaching him. That was a good thing, because I wanted to see the look on his face when he noticed that I was behind him.

"Yeah, yeah! No Mum, I actually took over the place. All by myself, it's great!" Ripto said in an unnaturally cheerful tone. That excitable glee was soon wiped away by an annoyed frown. "Well, no, I'm not going to— See, this is why I don't call! You always get like this!"

As he was listening to his mother rant on the other side, I had quietly snuck up behind him. Ripto only managed to spot me only by my looming shadow that was towering over him. He looked up and gritted his teeth in anger.

"Mum… I'm gonna have to call you back," he said, turning off his mobile and putting it away in his cloak.

"Hey shortie," I said, a cocky smile plastered on my face. "Long time, no see."

Ripto bared his teeth, pointing his scepter towards me. "You insufferable dragon!" he barked. "What do I have to get rid of you?"

"Hopefully not any more tiring fetch quests," I frowned. "You know, I spent two hours in Mystic Marsh trying to find a pencil!"

Ripto blinked. "...What?" he muttered in confusion. Yeah, I would've reacted the same way if I wasn't the one that had to find that bloody pencil… it's a long story.

The short little dinosaur then growled, shaking off his bewilderment. "Hey, hang on a minute, that wasn't even my fault!"

"I know!" I exclaimed. "That's why it annoyed me!"

Word of advice: never help out the Professor, his tasks were not as simple as he thought they were.

Ripto bared his teeth. "Enough of this!" he said, pointing his magic sceptre towards me. "It's time for you to die, dragon!"

I yawned in response. He always says this and, every time we do fight, it always ended up with his ass getting handed to him on a silver platter.

While I was taunting him, I did see that his scepter was different the last time I saw it. I could've sworn it was bronze last time, not golden, and the jewel in the centre was a dark purple instead of the ruby red it was now.

"I see you got yourself a new magic stick," I pointed out.

"After you broke my last one," Ripto said, banging the top of his scepter on the palm of his hand. "I had to make a few new adjustments…"

I laughed to myself. Technically it was a fairy named Zoe that broke it, but it was still funny nonetheless. The idea of a criminal being bested by a small fairy will never not be a hilarious sight to see.

"Maybe this time you can actually hit me," I said. "I promise that I'll stand still this time."

Ripto's malicious grin grew wider. "Hmm… I like that idea," he muttered. "Dragon, you just sealed your fate… again!"

Instantly, Ripto shot several fireballs from his scepter. The fireballs were quick but I was able to dodge them easily, even resorting to using my earth element to lift a wall of dirt in front of me to block a fireball that was aimed straight for my face.

I separated the wall of earth and charged straight towards him with great speed. Ripto's eyes widened and ceased his attack immediately.

"Whaaat?" he cried out, turning away and bolting in the other direction. He tended to do this… a lot.

Unfortunately for Ripto, I was also capable of shooting fireballs. I took a deep breath and shot out a medium-sized fireball that flew over Ripto and landed a metre away from him, causing the grumpy dinosaur to stop in his tracks as the magma shockwave appeared in front of him.

"You won't take me down that easily!" Ripto said, grabbing his scepter and conjuring a wave of water from the ground itself. He waved his scepter around, the water sloshing around him, and directed it right at my face.

I was unable to get out of the way in time and the wave of water impacted me right in the jaw. It did sting me a little, mostly due to the surprise of the water hitting me, but ultimately, I was unfazed by the attack.

"Really?" I murmured. I was so done with this fight already.

Ripto's malicious grin faded into a sheepish grin after seeing that I wasn't washed away by his water attack. "Well, to be fair, I'm still working out the kinks on this thing…"

Seeing that he was overpowered, which I would've thought he had figured out already, Ripto shot out another flurry of fireballs. Again, I dodged them with absolute ease and precision. Sure, I could've used my ice breath and counter his attacks… but I wouldn't want to make it too easy for myself.

"Argh! Stand still, will you?" Ripto growled.

I smirked, a plan forming in my head. A theoretical plan, but a plan nonetheless. "Okay, I will," I said, sitting on my haunches. "Hit me with your best shot."

"As you wish," Ripto cackled, spinning his scepter like a fictional thunder god.

The scepter started to crackle with small amounts of electricity that emitted from the gem on top. I looked up to see that the sky started to darken, clouds forming at a rapid rate. Thunder boomed, giving my ears a frightful jolt. After the thunder came the lightning, flashing the sky and reminding me of how many times the paparazzi would almost blind me.

With the lightning at his command, he pointed his sceptre towards me. Ancestors, I hope this plan works… I really hope it works.

A bolt of lightning struck me where I stood, impairing my vision in a bright light for a moment. But instead of immense pain, I felt a sensational urge of energy flow through my body. Volteer had taught me the tips and tricks of the electricity element when I was a kid, but I didn't think I could absorb electricity. While I was taught that elemental dragons had an immunity to whatever element they possessed, as they would get constantly hurt if they weren't, this was different… This was almost new.

The power of electricity, in the palm of my paw… Time to end this.

Mustering up all the lightning that was absorbed into me, I opened my mouth slightly. A bright yellow beam of electricity crackled out of my mouth and instantly directed itself towards Ripto, who was too stunned to even react.

"Oh sh—"

The beam of lightning hit Ripto in the chest, sending him flying towards the wall behind him. The wall cracked, leaving a Ripto-sized imprint on the marble surface. Ripto remained there, like a freshly hung up wall decoration, the surface of his scaly skin was covered in electrical burns and his cape was scorched beyond repair.

As the dinosaur lost consciousness, he somehow got himself free from the constraints of his wall imprint and limply dropped onto the floor like a sad sack of potatoes. As he collapsed, Ripto's sceptre fell out of his hands and onto the ground with, surprisingly, not a single scratch or crack on the surface.

Seeing that the battle was over, Hunter emerged from the roof and jumped down to take a look at what happened.

"I never knew you could do that…" he said.

"Neither did I," I muttered.

Even though I was a fully-grown dragon, I felt like I was still learning about myself and my elemental abilities. With all the training and experience under my wings, I still hadn't quite figured out the full extent of what the purple dragon was capable of. After what I had been through when I was eighteen, it scared me slightly. If I had turned to the dark side, there would be no one to stand in my way…

I instantly shook those thoughts out of my head. I didn't want to think about that right now. Not ever again.

Hunter then turned to see the unconscious Ripto on the ground, a concerned frown plastered on his face. "Um… is he—?"

A painful groan emerging from Ripto's mouth gave Hunter his answer.

"Nope, he's fine," I deadpanned. "Well… fine-ish."

As I pondered what to do with Ripto now that he was out for the count, an orange portal erupted out of thin air. From the other side I could see that the portal was conjured from inside a stone building of some kind, with a desk and a window that had a completely different atmosphere from Winter Tundra. It looked like an office, and I knew exactly where.

Two armoured dragons, one a fire dragon and the other an earth dragon, stepped out of the prison. They bowed their heads in greeting.

"Master Spyro," the fire dragon greeted. "Master Hunter."

They used their tails to salute us, a gesture I discreetly cringed at. I never was a fan of saluting; it made me feel like some sort of general or any kind of military authority… a role I was far from being.

"You guys got here quick," I said.

"I sent a message while you were fighting Ripto," Hunter explained. "They'll take it from here."

"Good, I was not up for another long trip right now," I said. "Make sure he's locked up for good this time."

The earth dragon nodded. "Will do, Master Spyro."

The armoured dragons made their way to where Ripto was lying and, as they were getting him off the ground, the midget decided to regain consciousness. "Huh… what's going on?" he murmured. He then saw the two dragons next to him and growled in disgust. "Oh! Oh no! Not you lot again!"

"On your feet, Ripto!" the earth dragon urged, grabbing a pair of handcuffs from his satchel and slapping them on Ripto's wrists.

"You'll be pleased to know that we've kept your cell at Cloudcracker Prison nice and warm for you," the fire dragon added.

Ripto frowned, his spirits faltered significantly. "Wonderful…"

The dragon guards escorted Ripto towards the portal, and it was obvious that Ripto wasn't too keen on returning to prison. As the guards dragged him on his feet, Ripto tried to resist by refusing to move, only to be overpowered by the dragon's superior strength.

Before Ripto could go through the portal, he turned to me with what I thought was a death glare. I simply waved at him, a cocky smirk still plastered on my face."See ya, shortie!" I called out. "Have fun in prison!"

Ripto growled as he attempted to wiggle out of the guards' grasp. "Curse you, dragon!" he exclaimed. "We'll meet again, I swear! And next time will be your last!"

I rolled my eyes in response. The day my life ends in the hands of Ripto is the day that cowleks decide to grow wings and fly.

Before Ripto could make another threat, the fire dragon grabbed him by the scruff of his collar and chucked him into the portal. As the fire dragon stepped through to retrieve Ripto, the green dragon turned to me and Hunter and did a goodbye salute. I simply nodded… yeah, still not a fan of salutes.

Once everyone had gone into the portal, it grew smaller and smaller until it eventually vanished from sight. All was quiet, besides from wind singing faintly in my ear, which was just the way I like it.

"Sure am going to miss him…" I said with a smile.

Hunter, who was grabbing his realm stone and opening a portal behind me, raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

I laughed. "Are you kidding? Hell no!"

Once Hunter's portal had been fully opened, both of us stepped through it and left Winter Tundra behind. We arrived back in the Portal Room in the Temple back home; not sure why Hunter chose this place as opposed to my house or his house but I didn't mind. It would be nice to breathe in the fresh air of the Artisan Valley once again.

Hunter held up the realm stone, closing the portal behind him. "So, up for our usual celebration at the tavern?" he then said as he placed the stone back in his satchel.

"Not this time, mate," I said, shaking my head. "I should go home; Cynder's books should be arriving today and she needs help organising them so she can send them off to the shops and stuff."

Hunter nodded in understanding. "No worries," he said. "Oh hey, make sure to save me a copy."

I smiled. "Will do."

Saying my goodbyes to Hunter, I strolled out of the Portal Room and quickly made my way out of the Temple. After that ordeal with Ripto, I wasn't eager to be caught by the Guardians and sent on another mission again. Twelve years of this hero business and they still didn't understand that I was just one purple dragon; nowadays I didn't want to be on the road as frequently as in my youth…

Most days, I just wanted to spend time with my wife.

(-)

After leaving the Temple, I took flight and glided across the landscape of the Artisan Valley. The morning sun shone over the Valley, glistening across the trees and the village. My eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright light, as I was just in Winter Tundra's timezone mere moments ago, but I shook it off as I flew past the village.

I felt a surge of guilt when I looked down at all the buildings and the market that was full of the Artisan Valley's many inhabitants. Seven years ago, a clan of cheetah mercenaries almost laid waste to this place. They set fire to the buildings, threatened and attacked all that stood in their way. They even killed Jet-Vac and Pop Fizz… and Sparx. All because they wanted to get to me.

Well, the dragon that they were working for wanted me. A dragon by the name of Kronos, the one that warped Malefor into the Dark Master he would eventually become, and the one that wanted to do the same to me.

But that dragon was gone. I killed him… I had to. I couldn't let him live. He would've finished Malefor's work if I hadn't stopped him. That wasn't a world I wanted to be in.

While I had stopped Kronos, the trust that the Valley had in me had been damaged. They couldn't trust me; they were scared of me. It took so long to win back their trust, but I knew deep down that they were still afraid of what I could do.

The guilt slightly faded away when I flew into the outskirts of the Valley, descending down and eventually landing myself to a small lakeside clearing in the trees below.

By the lake was a house, a decently-sized log cabin that may not look like much on the outside, but my whole life was just behind that front door. Our old flat in the Valley was great, but this cabin was perfect. Just me and Cynder: that was all I could ever want.

I opened the door into the house and went inside. "Hey, Cyn! I'm home!" I called out to her as I took off my goggles and red bandana and hung them on the coat rack alongside my multi-coloured scarf and fez.

Silence. Odd… Cynder always replied when I got home. Maybe she was out, or having a nap, which made sense since she didn't know what time I was getting home.

I wandered down the hallway, briefly stopping by to gaze at some of the paintings and photographs on the cabinet nearby. There were a couple of pictures of me and Cynder from our first couple years of dating, the ones that were undamaged in the Valley attack, and a fairly new picture of us and the Guardians, which had been retaken to include my mother and Hunter.

But in the centre of the cabinet was my favourite photo of all. It was a picture of me and Cynder on our wedding day, gazing into each other's eyes as petals fell over us. I was draped in knight armour that was crafted by one of the finest blacksmiths in Warfang, but that was nothing compared to what Cynder wore on that day.

Since we were both dragons, that meant suits and dresses that bipeds usually wore would be pretty much impractical. Instead she was decorated in white beads, which were wrapped around her forelegs, her horns and her tail. She also wore a crown of white flowers around her head, a thin white veil hanging on both sides of her face.

Even when it was a picture of her, my heart still thumped for Cynder. She looked so beautiful on that day, more beautiful than she was normally. I could never forget the moment when Ignitus walked her down the aisle; she looked nervous yet so happy. I was feeling the same way until Cynder and I were face-to-face with one another, my eyes gazing into hers, and my nerves immediately faded. Cynder always had a calming effect on me; it was just one of her natural talents.

And speaking of Cynder, there was still no sign of her. Surely, she would've looked down the hallway and said something by now…

I moved away from the pictures and headed down the hallway, entering the living room. Cynder was still nowhere in sight but something else had caught my eye. Just by the couch was a large cardboard box that had been opened quite recently, judging from the craft knife that was left on the coffee table.

I approached the box and peered into it. Inside I saw a hundred or so books, all had identical covers and the same title. The cover depicted a silhouette of a lone dragon, who was dimly illuminated by a singular street lamp.

I read the title above the cover, The Silent Trap, and I smiled. After the death of Kronos, Cynder had pursued an interest in writing. When she first arrived in the Artisan Valley, it started off as a hobby but, as time went on, it started to shift into something more.

Soon enough, after borrowing an excessive amount of true crime and mystery novels from the library, she got an idea. After that, it was chapter after chapter and many mornings in which I woke up and saw that she had fallen asleep on her desk. But it was all worth it.

"Hey, they've arrived," I muttered to myself.

I picked up a copy of Cynder's book from the box and held it in my paws. Cynder told me that I wasn't allowed to read it until it was finished. I wasn't even allowed to check her manuscript for any mistakes; she said that I wasn't really reliable in terms of criticism.

'You'll just tell me it's great and nothing else, which won't help me at all', she said to me when I asked her why. Sometimes, I hated how well she knew me.

I put the book down on the coffee table, still aware of the silence around me. Where was she? I expected her to be glossing over her newly-arrived books at this point.

"Cynder?" I called out. "You home?"

This time, however, I wasn't met with complete silence. Instead I heard some shuffling noises coming from the kitchen, and what I thought was a weird form of gargling. Curious about the strange noise, I quietly wandered over to the kitchen to see what was going on. I swear, if there was some weird goblin or something, I'm not going to be happy…

I entered the kitchen and there was luckily no goblin lurking around. Instead, I saw that the noise came from Cynder.

My wife didn't seem to notice that I came in however, as her head was currently buried in the kitchen sink. She was retching and coughing, noises that echoed in the interior of the sink, as her paws clutched the kitchen bench tightly.

My eyes widened. Oh ancestors, my wife was vomiting.

Shaking off the initial shock, I raced to her side and cradled her gently. I reached out my paw to gently rub her back until the convulsions stopped. The vomiting only lasted for a few seconds after I arrived, but, even after she stopped, it was clear that she was still in a state of discomfort.

Cynder spit out any remaining bile in her mouth and raised her head up, slowly turning to me with the most miserable gaze I've ever seen.

"I couldn't get to the bathroom in time…" she grumbled.

I continued to stroke Cynder's back. "Better in the sink than anywhere else," I said. "Do you need some water or something? You're not looking too hot."

Cynder shook her head. "No, I'm fine… It'll just come back up anyway," she murmured. She then wrapped her paws around my neck and pulled me in for a hug. "When did you get back?"

"Literally only a couple minutes ago," I said, returning Cynder's embrace.

Cynder was surprised by this. "Really?" she queried, separating herself from me. "From what you told me, I was expecting you to be gone for a week at most."

"Me too," I said. "But it was only Ripto, he's pretty easy to beat once you—"

"Hang on a second…" Cynder interjected suddenly as she hovered over the sink, urgency in her voice.

"Are you going to—?"

Cynder only nodded as she went back into the sink and vomited once again. I couldn't do anything but feel sympathetic for her. Vomiting wasn't never a pleasant experience to do once, but twice? That was just plain old nasty.

After her second episode was finished, my wife slowly raised her head back up again. As she wiped her mouth, I could see that she looked just as miserable as last time.

"That… is not fun," Cynder mumbled. She looked so done with everything, and I couldn't blame her for thinking that way. I'd probably feel the same way if I was ill.

"How bad has it been?" I then asked her. How long was she like this? Has she been suffering this much since I left? If I'd known then I would've left Hunter to search for Ripto… no one should be left alone when they're like this, even if Cynder could take care of herself.

"Only this morning," Cynder replied, her head now slumped on the edge of the kitchen sink. "I kept waking up in the middle of the night and struggled to get much sleep after that. When I eventually got up, everything felt so sore and I could barely eat. I thought looking at my books would keep me distracted… but obviously not."

"Maybe you should sit on the couch for a bit," I suggested.

Cynder nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good." She tried to move herself away from the sink, but she was too weak to move, all her limbs suddenly turned to jello. I caught her just as she lost her balance, allowing her to support herself on my back.

"Here, I got you, baby…" I assured her, guiding her out of the kitchen.

"Thanks, honey…" Cynder gave me a weak smile. "What were you saying about Ripto again?" she said as I walked her towards the couch in the living room.

"Huh?" I blinked, not remembering what I was saying for a brief moment. "Oh yeah, I beat him easily. I even diverted his lightning and projected it back towards him. It was so cool, you had to be there."

Cynder chuckled. "Not in this condition, I'm not."

I smirked. "Well, projectile vomiting would've been an effective weapon—" I said. I then turned slightly and saw Cynder's death stare burning through the corner of my eye and I stopped talking immediately. "Kidding, sorry."

I led Cynder to the couch and, still using me as support, she sat beside her box of books. As she got herself comfortable, I quickly dashed to the cupboard in the hallway and grabbed a bucket and one of the spare towels. I didn't want her to keep getting up and vomiting in either the bathroom or the sink again.

Once I got what I needed, I returned to the living room. Cynder had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, carefully grabbing a handful of books from the box and putting them down on the coffee table.

"I've got you a bucket," I said as I put the bucket down next to her, "And a towel as well."

Cynder gave me a bewildered look when I placed the towel next to her. "Why would I want a—?" Then the realization hit her. "No, no, I'm not sniffing it again."

"Why not?" I raised an eyebrow. "It helps me whenever I'm feeling nauseous."

"It may help you, but it doesn't do anything for me," Cynder said.

"It doesn't have to do anything," I said. "It's just soothing."

Cynder seemed unconvinced, giving me an amused smile. "I'm sure it is, Spyro…"

I rolled my eyes in half-amusement; well, I thought it was an effective way to ward off sickness.

I then went over to the couch and sat next to Cynder, watching as she grabbed a quill on the table. "Why are you looking at your books?" I wondered. "You should be resting…"

"I'll be fine, sweetie. I need to get this done." Cynder murmured. "Besides, if I feel sick again, I've always got the towel right?"

"Funny," I snorted. "What are you doing exactly?"

"Signing the copies I'm sending off to reviewers," Cynder explained. "Might send some to family and friends as well… Would your parents want a copy?"

"I think so, yeah," I said with a smile. She's so pretty while she's focused.

Cynder put her quill back in the ink and pulled two copies of her book to the side. "Alright, that's two for Ignitus and Glacia…" she muttered.

"I don't think they need two," I said. "They can just share a copy."

"Yeah… but I've got plenty to spare," Cynder said. "Besides, if they get two then they can both read it at the same time."

I nodded in agreement. "True, true…"

Cynder grabbed another book and opened to an empty page on the front, holding it with her paw as she reached out for her quill on the other side. As she grabbed the quill, however, her claw snagged the corner of the page and accidentally ripped it slightly. At the sound of the page tearing, she turned to the book and her eyes suddenly flared with white hot fury.

"Oh for ancestors' sake," Cynder growled, sounding as if the book had offended her in some way. "This is just so typical, the fucking pages are flimsy as shit!"

I stared at my wife, stunned by her sudden change in mood. What the hell was that about? It was just a small tear, there was no need to react like that. Still, I shouldn't judge too harshly. Cynder said she was having a bad morning, not to mention the throwing up that occurred earlier. I'd be easily frustrated too if I was in the same situation.

"Hey, it's alright," I assured her, rubbing her arm in comfort. "It can be fixed."

However, that didn't seem to calm Cynder down. In fact, she got more frustrated. "No, Spyro! It can't!" she whined. "No one will want to read this shit if it's broken!"

In a fit of rage, she chucked the book across the room. The book impacted the wall and fell onto the floor with a heavy thud. I stared in silence, utterly perplexed. I'd never seen Cynder like this before. She'd been frustrated before, many times I can assure you, but not to this level. Getting angry over a ripped page then tossing a book across the room? This was just so uncharacteristic… I was starting to get worried.

Cynder's furious eyes slowly shifted into a confused glance as she realised what she had done. Tears started to form in her eyes, all of her mixed emotions overwhelming her. "That wasn't… I didn't mean—" she managed to choke out before she broke into a fit of tears.

Immediately, I wrapped my wing around Cynder and cradled her under my chin. I didn't need to say anything, just my comfort was enough. I kissed her forehead, assuring Cynder that I was there for her.

"I'm sorry… I'm a mess," she sobbed, throwing her head into her paws.

"No, honey, you're not," I murmured. "You've had a rough night, you're just tired that's all… and the vomiting sure didn't help either."

Cynder shook her head frantically. "No, it's me!" she whined, sounding more in distress. "I'm just useless! I can't do anything right! First book I've ever written and I ruined it for someone! If I've sent that then what are they going to think of me? They'll tell me that I'm no good or not cut out for this… I just want things to go right, and they haven't."

I gave her a soft nuzzle. "Hey, don't think like that!" I said. "They're not going to say those things, they'll love your book. I know I do!"

Cynder then turned away from me. "You haven't even read it yet…"

"Because you wouldn't let me," I said. That only made Cynder feel more ashamed. "It'll be alright, I can assure you. It'll be all worth it in the end."

But my words didn't deter Cynder; she didn't want to look me in the eye. She looked so fragile, like a thin piece of glass, that anything I could say could break her even more. It upset me just seeing her like this. She was so confident about her book, she poured a lot of her time into it and now she's doubting herself? This was just saddening to see.

My eyes then turned to the book that Cynder threw across the room. The book didn't look too damaged; the pages are a little creased due to the position it was lying in, but it was nothing that can't be fixed.

An idea clicked in my head. I separated myself from Cynder and made my way to the book, picking it up and returning to the couch.

"Tell you what, why don't I have this copy?" I then suggested.

"No, I can't let you have that one," Cynder croaked. "You deserve a better one…"

"Ah, but having the first page ripped by the author herself makes it quite rare, doesn't it?" I quickly raced into one of the kitchen drawers and grabbed some tape before making my way back to the living room. I then ripped a bit of tape off and stuck it on the torn page, sealing both sides together.

I then showed off the fixed page to Cynder, using one of my trademark grins. "See? Good as new," I said. "It's still missing something though…"

"Yeah, like an entirely new fricking page," Cynder grumbled.

I picked up the quill on the table and offered it to Cynder. "It's missing… your signature," I said. "Would you mind signing it here? I'm a massive fan."

Cynder's tear-stricken face curled into a weak smile. She saw what I was doing and that seemed to cheer her up slightly. She laid the book onto the table and took the quill from my paw, jotting down her signature on the page. She even added a small heart below it, which made my own heart flutter in delight.

After writing her signature, Cynder handed the book back to me. "You certainly know how to cheer a girl up, honey," she muttered, her smile growing stronger.

"It's part of my charm," I said.

Cynder snorted in amusement, wiping away her tears. "Thank you, Spyro…" she said. "I don't know what got into me, I'm sorry."

She looked so confused when she said that. I was confused as well. The both of us probably had a million questions racing through our heads right about now. Maybe she was falling ill, catching some form of sickness when I was away. I couldn't ask her or press the situation further; I was worried, given her sudden fragile emotional state, that she would have another outburst.

I just didn't want to see her in that kind of state again. But, if there was something wrong, I should know what's wrong so I could help. She was my wife after all, I couldn't just leave her emotionally conflicted.

"Honey, there's no need to apologise," I said to her. "You've just had a bad day today, it's totally understandable."

Cynder rubbed her eyes. "I might go have a nap for a little bit," she muttered, getting up to head out of the living room. "I feel drained after all that… drama."

I nodded. "Okay then," I said. I then held up my copy of Cynder's book. "Looks like I have some reading to do."

Cynder smiled. "Be careful with that copy, I hear that one is quite rare."

"I will," I chuckled. "I love you."

Cynder's smile grew wider. "I love you too."

Cynder left the living room and retreated to our room for her nap, leaving me alone. I was hoping that she and I would spend a little bit more time together, since I hadn't seen her in a while. But it was probably for the best that Cynder got some rest, she probably needed it after the morning she had.

As I sat on the couch and opened Cynder's book, thousands of questions still lingered in my mind… What was up with Cynder? She was not the type of dragon to just suddenly break down after a bad day. She was a lot tougher than that. Sure, she did get overwhelmed or upset; her heart wasn't made of stone. But to this level? It just wasn't her.

I just wanted to know what's wrong. I was worried about her.

(-)

(CYNDER's POV)

The time ticked by slowly. I sat alone in the waiting room of the infirmary, twiddling my claws as my mind got lost in the music that was playing over the loudspeaker.

So why was I here, you ask? That's a good question, I was wondering that myself.

After my little… incident a few days ago, I was hoping that things would get better. I had hoped that I would get better, that the vomiting or the constant crying or the snapping of anything that irritated me would decrease over time. I couldn't be more wrong.

I didn't know what was wrong with me; there wasn't even a rational explanation I could use to convince myself otherwise. It just happened, like a snap of someone's fingers.

The vomiting I could manage; it was horrible, yes, but at least it happened either once or twice a day, usually in the mornings. It was my emotions that were pissing me off the most.

I was raised by the most malicious and malevolent overlord that the realms had ever seen; I was taught about life the hard way. Life wasn't fair, I memorised that lesson all too well. I knew that bitching and whining wasn't going to solve anything; I had to be tough if I wanted to succeed.

And that was why the last few days had been so odd. Every little problem or any slight inconvenience, I would snap or I would burst into tears. It was like everything was dialed to eleven, it just felt so unnecessary half the time. But I couldn't help myself, there was no way to control it… it all just spilled out.

I wasn't sure how Spyro managed to cope with all this, I felt like such a nuisance these past few days. I was like a spoiled bratty rich child that Spyro wasn't paid enough to watch over. I could tell in his eyes that he was starting to get frustrated with me, but had maintained his composure so that any unnecessary arguments wouldn't arise.

He grew so quiet in recent times, only saying so very few words to me. The cocky, wisecracking hero persona had crumbled and his isolated introverted past had returned to the surface. I didn't like to see my husband feel so helpless, but I also didn't like him closing himself off at a time I needed him the most.

So one day, I decided I'd had enough, and told Spyro I was going for a walk around the marketplace. However instead of heading to the marketplace, I went straight to the infirmary. I'd been planning to go for a while as my symptoms grew increasingly worse, but most days I'd been too fatigued to even walk out the door.

I thought I was getting better today but, judging from my sore wings and my frantic gasping for breath when I arrived, that unfortunately wasn't the case. How could I be that tired? The journey between our house and the infirmary wasn't particularly long, with or without the use of my wings.

"Cynder?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and darted around to see a familiar mole in a white coat standing opposite me. I recognised her immediately as Nurse Braya, an old friend that had taken care of both me and Spyro for many years. I was relieved to see her; I was not quite used to having anyone else but her provide my medical treatment.

"Come this way, my dear," she said to me with a smile.

I got out of my seat and followed the mole to an examination room. The room had an assortment of medical equipment scattered around and a bed that was placed to the side. On the opposite end was an office-like area, with a desk filled with papers and files containing what I presumed was confidential hospital information.

"It's good to see you again, dearie," Nurse Braya said as we entered the room. "Hope you and young Spyro haven't gotten into too much trouble."

"We try," I chuckled. "But trouble usually tends to find us…"

Nurse Braya sat herself near the desk, turning her chair around to face me. "So what brings you in today, young dragoness?" she asked.

I wasn't sure where to sit, there weren't any chairs in the room. If they were, I doubt they'd be my size anyway. So instead, I just sat on my haunches. "Well, I've not felt well these past few days," I replied. "I think I've caught a flu or some form of sickness. I'm not exactly sure what is wrong with me…"

Nurse Braya adjusted her spectacles slightly. "Hmm, can you tell me any of your symptoms?" she asked me. "Have you experienced any fevers, headaches, or tiredness?"

I nodded. "Tiredness, yes. Even if it's small movements, I felt like I've run a marathon or flew through strong winds… and I've only gone from my bedroom to the couch,"

Nurse Braya then grabbed a notepad from her desk and got ready to take any necessary notes. "Any other symptoms you know of?" she queried.

"I've also thrown up… a lot, especially in the mornings," I replied. "I still manage to keep food down during the day thankfully. Even if what I'm eating lately isn't usually stuff I crave."

"Huh-uh," Nurse Braya said, jotting notes on the notepad. "Anything else?"

"I'm not sure if this is a symptom, but I've felt like my emotions have been out of control," I said.

Nurse Braya looked up from her notepad and raised an eyebrow. "Out of control?"

"Yeah, like one moment I would be normal… all would be fine then, if something goes wrong, I would get so angry or so upset," I explained, trying my best to describe it. "It's just odd; I'm not the type of dragoness that moans and groans about anything."

The mole's raised eyebrow turned into a curious frown. "I see…" she said. "I'm just going to ask you some questions, standard stuff… nothing to worry about."

"Okay…" That sounds like I should be worried about something.

"Have you had any major illnesses in the past twelve months?"

"No."

"Any allergies?"

"Nothing I know of," I said.

"Have you been taking any medications? Prescription, over-the-counter or any other?"

"Just medication for my anxiety," I rubbed the back of my head. "But I don't think that's why I've been unwell…"

"I don't think it is," Nurse Braya muttered. "And lastly… have you had intercourse in the past month?"

My eyes widened. If I had a drink, I would've spat it out. "Intercourse?" I murmured, caught off-guard by the question. "Y-You mean, like sex?"

"Yes," Nurse Braya said, giving me an unimpressed look. She knew that I knew exactly what she meant.

I shook my head. "No, c-can't say I have…" I said.

That was an obvious lie, one that Nurse Braya caught instantly. "Cynder, I would advise you to be truthful," she gently scolded. "This is all just standard procedure, it'll help me determine what is wrong with you."

I then nodded, knowing there was no way to dodge the question further. "Um, yeah," I said sheepishly. "Yeah, a couple of weeks ago…"

Nurse Braya wrote that down on her notepad, causing my cheeks to quickly turn red with embarrassment. I know that she was only asking me that because of standard medical procedure, but it felt wrong to mention that part of my life to her… or to anyone for that matter.

The mole then went silent, picking up the notepad and reading it carefully to herself. I could tell that she was putting mental puzzle pieces together, but I just wasn't sure what she was thinking exactly.

My heartbeat jolted slightly as worries started to creep in. What if it was something bad? I don't think I could afford any treatments. Oh, what would Spyro think? He'd be devastated. I would too… There was so much to do in so little time.

Around this time, I would feel Spyro's paw gently clutch my own. He somehow always knew when I was on the verge of freaking out or if my worries overwhelmed me. Maybe I should've brought him along… He should be here, I wanted him here, I needed him here.

"Is… something wrong?" I murmured, trying to sound calm.

Nurse Braya turned to me and gave me a reassuring smile. "No, dearie, of course not," she said. "If you could hop on to the bed please, there's something I need to check."

I wasn't sure where this was going, but I did as I was told. This next part was a bit difficult to describe, mainly because I wasn't sure what Nurse Braya was looking for in that area. But, despite some initial reluctance, I trusted that she knew what she was doing.

Once she had finished her examination, Nurse Braya returned to her desk and jotted more on her notepad. Again, she wasn't saying anything. What the hell was that examination for?

"Is everything okay?" I wondered, getting back on my feet. "Am I… okay?" I didn't mean to sound scared there, but I couldn't help it. I was afraid of what the answer might be.

"You are fine, Cynder, don't worry," Nurse Braya assured me. "But there's one other question I want to ask you, if you don't mind."

There it was: I could feel a sense of dread overwhelm me. That feeling always hits you just before someone tells you the bad news. I was like a child, and a grown-up was telling me that something had happened to someone. They say it in the most gentle tone too, because they think that's the best approach… in some cases anyway.

"Have you considered the possibility that you might be gravid?" Nurse Braya then asked me.

I blinked rapidly. Okay, I was not expecting that. "I'm sorry… what?" I said, not sure if I heard her right. Gravid? Me? Impossible.

"Well, from what you told me, you've had morning sickness and often get mood swings right?" Nurse Braya said.

"Yes…?" I said with a slow nod. Surely, that couldn't be the reason for my illness… could it?

"All those are early symptoms of pregnancy," Nurse Braya said, noticing that I still hadn't quite fully understood what she was telling me. "Or, in a dragon's case, gravid."

Thousands, millions, of thoughts raced through my head at such a rapid rate, my heart rate increasing with every beat. I was somewhat relieved that I wasn't suffering from a serious condition but, on the other hand, what I really had was still hard to believe.

I couldn't be gravid… there was no way! Malefor said that I—

I could feel my body trembling at the mere thought of my former father, there was a mental lump in my throat stopping my own thoughts from uttering that monster's name. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. I need to get a grip… I need to be strong.

"A-Are… are you sure?" I croaked.

I tried to think back to how this could've happened, but my mind always lingered back to two weeks ago. Spyro had gone away on his missions; he was chasing after a rogue Dragon Elder that only went by the name 'Red' for some reason. Since Red was always moving, Spyro had to be away for a week or so. It was a miracle that he could send out letters at the frantic pace he was going.

Then, on the night he was supposed to come back, he didn't show up. It was around midnight and I decided to turn in for the night. Then he was there, attempting to surprise me by scampering through the window, and unsurprisingly, the idiot had gotten himself stuck.

I hugged him after that, I was just so glad to see him again. Then… one thing led to another. I remember it being a really passionate night; we've still yet to fix the claw marks that I—er, I mean Spyro, dug into the walls.

But that couldn't— It shouldn't— Is that why?

"I've had a lot of patients that were expecting children, dearie. Even went through it myself," Nurse Braya then said, bringing me back to reality. "I think I know when somebody is gravid or not…"

"Of course, I wasn't doubting you," I assured her. "It's just… hard to take in."

"Parenthood will do that to you," Nurse Braya said. "But, from what you've been through in the past, I can't blame you for what you're feeling right now."

As kind as Braya was, her words didn't help to soothe my worries. I was too busy thinking of other things, like what happened now. There was so much I had planned for the coming weeks, mostly focused on getting my book released and distributed across the realms, and now… I wasn't sure what to do anymore.

Then there was Spyro, what's he going to think when I tell him about—?

My eyes suddenly widened. Oh ancestors, Spyro… I was gonna have to tell him. He had to know.

(-)

I left the infirmary and decided to walk home. I wasn't exactly in the right headspace to be flying right now; I just needed some time to think.

The news hadn't quite hit me just yet. I mean, I was shocked, there's no doubt about that, but I was still working on believing the whole thing. To me, the whole thing just seemed wrong. It was as if it should be happening to someone else.

I couldn't be gravid. I couldn't possibly be carrying eggs right now. Surely, I wasn't fit to be a mother… Me? Cynder? Daddy's so-called Terror of the Skies who was raised in isolation, ran away from home and fell in love with the dragon that her father wanted to kill?

I'm going to be a mother… No, that just doesn't sound right.

I'm going to be a mother…

Oh shit, I'm going to be a mother.

But, me? A parent? My own parents couldn't be bothered to show up, what chance do I have? How the hell was I supposed to do with them?

I felt queasy, I felt like I could throw up again. I didn't know what to do… I didn't have the faintest idea on what to do next.

My thoughts then focused on Spyro, which made me feel worse. I didn't know how he was going to react to this kind of news; no matter how many scenarios ran through my head, I couldn't see him taking it well.

Our relationship had been amazing, wonderful even, I didn't want it to change. I just wished that everyone would be the same and nothing would ever change.

In a perfect world, that would be true. Deep down, I knew that'll never happen. Life goes on, and life, sometimes things must change.

I stopped myself when I reached the front door, my paw hovering over the doorknob. Was I really going to tell Spyro straight away? No plan or anything?

Well, what if I didn't tell him now? It could wait a day or two, right? Spyro didn't have to know straight away, did he?

My conscience slapped my brain. No, he should know. He had to know. They weren't just my eggs, but they were Spyro's eggs as well.

I took a few breaths to steady my nerves and opened the front door. At first glance, I had wondered if Spyro had also gone out somewhere; perhaps he too needed some fresh air after all the drama I'd caused? It would certainly give me time to think about my recent… condition.

But my nerves reignited when I heard some noises coming from the kitchen. It was the sound of someone shuffling dishes around, and also the sound of someone opening the oven? What was Spyro up to? I was hoping that it was Spyro anyway… I had to be careful now that I wasn't just looking after myself.

I slinked past the living room and made my way to the kitchen, where I found Spyro. My husband hadn't noticed me coming in; he was too focused on rinsing, cleaning and drying some dishes. But they weren't plates, bowls or glasses; the dishes he was cleaning looked more stuff one would use for baking: a wooden spoon, a big red bowl, some chopping boards and a rolling pin to name a few.

Spyro eventually did look up and smiled when he locked eyes on me. "Hey, Cyn," he greeted. He looked so innocent… if only he knew what I knew.

I smiled back, hiding the dilemma that was currently going on in my head. "You've been busy," I murmured.

"Um… well, I thought I would bake some scones for lunch," Spyro moved out of the way so he could show me a tray of freshly baked scones that were currently resting on top of the oven. "Mum gave me a recipe that her own mother gave her and I haven't gotten the chance to actually make them yet," he then explained. "I had some free time, so I thought… why not?"

I approached the scones and sniffed them. Spyro didn't get many chances to make anything in his free time, but when he did, boy did they taste good.

"They look nice, sweetheart," I said. The tone of my voice indicated otherwise, I didn't sound as enthusiastic as I would normally.

However, Spyro didn't seem to notice. "Did you want one? They've just come out of the oven."

"Maybe later," I said. "I'm not hungry at the moment…"

"Oh, okay," Spyro said, sounding a little disappointed. Thankfully, he didn't push it. "How was the market?" he then asked.

I froze. "The market?" I muttered. With the recent news, I had forgotten that was where I told him I was.

"Yeah, you said you were going to wander around," Spyro reminded me.

"Right, yeah," I nodded. "I did say that…"

No, I couldn't do this to him. I shouldn't lie to him. "Spyro, can we talk? Please?" I said.

Spyro's normal demeanour faltered and looked at me with concern. "Oh, yeah… okay, sure," he said. He wasn't sure what was happening, but the tone of my voice certainly wasn't helping to comfort him.

"Maybe we should sit at the table…" I suggested, as I pulled up a chair outside the kitchen and sat on it.

Spyro nodded and reluctantly did the same. The look on his face, the dread of being given potential bad news, made me stop in my tracks. I started to well up, too scared to even say anything.

How would he take this? I couldn't do this alone… I couldn't do it without him.

"Spyro… I'm—" I tried to be strong but I couldn't handle it anymore, the brave façade had shattered. Tears started to stream down my face and I immediately slumped into his shoulder, muffling my loud cries. I didn't know why I was crying; all of my rational thoughts were drowned out by all of the worst case scenarios I could imagine.

Kids? No thanks!

Gravid? Impossible… they're not mine!

Get out! I don't want to see you or those abominations!

When I heard 'abominations', I cried more. No, I tried to tell myself, Spyro would never say anything like that! He was kind and thoughtful, he would understand… he would keep us safe. He would love them just like he loved me.

Spyro, without hesitation, held me tightly. He rubbed my back in comfort, gently giving me a kiss on my forehead. "Hey, it's okay…" he hummed softly. "It's alright, I'm here."

He then lifted my head up to his eye level, brushing one of my tears off with the tip of his claw. "Whatever it is… it'll be alright," Spyro then muttered.

Spyro's presence calmed me down slightly, calm enough so I wasn't a blubbery mess… again. "Sorry, it's been a long day," I sniffled, wiping my tears away.

"Did something happen?" Spyro asked.

I nodded, I wasn't quite up for saying much right now but I forced myself to say something. "I didn't go to the market today, I actually went to the infirmary."

Spyro's concern grew, but his expressions didn't change. I could tell that he was worried deep down. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Well… yes and no," I said.

Spyro cocked his head slightly. "What do you mean?"

I wanted to burst, I really wanted to tell him the news. I wanted to see the stunned look on his face when I told him that he was going to be a father. For a brief moment, my conflicted feelings washed away and I suddenly felt excited. I wanted to tell him so badly…

But, as I said, it was only a brief moment, and I hesitated. Those scenarios, those unkind words that the false Spyro shouted out in my head, came back with a vengeance. No matter how much I told myself that wasn't Spyro talking to me, it still upset me. It was his voice… it felt so real to me.

I just needed to know for sure… I just needed to know if this is what Spyro wanted.

"Cynder?" Spyro muttered, noticing that I didn't answer him.

"Spyro… this may seem weird to say so suddenly, but I need to ask you something…" I said.

"I don't under—"

"Please, Spyro…" I pleaded. "I just need to know."

Seeing the desperation in my eyes, Spyro calmly nodded. "Yeah, of course. What is it?"

Swallowing the deep lump in my throat, I opened my mouth to speak. "Have you ever thought about us… having kids?"

Spyro paused for a minute, contemplating over the question. It was never a discussion the two of us had gotten around to talking about just yet; we would always put out some type of cheeky hint or sometimes it would be stuck in the midst of our imaginations. Well, my imagination, at least… I couldn't really speak for what Spyro thought about.

Spyro then spoke up. "Oh… um," he said, giving me a small nod. "Yeah, a few times actually."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah," Spyro confirmed. "I always pictured us having kids at some point. I mean, it may not be right now or right this minute but I don't see that there's no reason not to have them…"

I simply listened to his rambling, my heart fluttering at the way Spyro spoke. All my previous concerns simply didn't matter anymore; why was I worried? I knew Spyro better than that… of course he wouldn't just turn away. That just wasn't him.

It was me… I was the problem.

My silence made the purple dragon panic slightly, thinking that he was saying the wrong thing. "But that's only if you want to as well!" Spyro then clarified, making sure that he wasn't forcing the idea onto me.

"You really see us having kids in the future?" I then asked him.

"Of course," Spyro said, with a smile. "I think you would be a great mother…"

While a small smile managed to creep from the corner of my lips, it quickly vanished. Spyro's words usually had some truth to it, but these words were ones I couldn't believe. From the way I was raised, I would be the worst choice to be someone's mother. Malefor did such a shitty job that there were no foundations to work from; he barely knew what he was doing himself!

I couldn't ask my parents either… The best they could do was abandon me. But I knew that I was going to be there for my kids when they needed me the most.

Again, I didn't say anything back to Spyro and his concern returned. "Why are you asking me this, honey?" he wondered. "Did you… Did you want to start trying?"

There was no need to rehearse, I didn't feel the need to divert the topic further. I knew that this was the point of no return.

"That's the thing, Spyro… we already sort of did," I murmured.

Spyro only stared at me with wide eyes as the realisation had started to settle in. It was like his brain was replaying the events of two weeks ago and the last few days after he came back. He knew, I could tell… it just all came together.

"Wh-What are you saying, Cyn?" Spyro stuttered, his eyes blinking rapidly. "A-Are you saying that you are—?"

A wide grin spread out across my face, tears of relief streaming down my cheeks as I nodded frantically. Oh, I just wanted to say it! I wanted to tell him so badly!

Spyro's breathing got heavier and deeper, almost in anticipation. "A-Are you? S-Seriously?" he stammered.

I nodded once again. "Yes, Spyro…" I said. "I-I'm gravid!"

If Spyro's jaw could drop any further, it would've done so at this point. For once, he was at a loss of words.

"Oh my ancestors…" were the words that eventually escaped his mouth and he immediately wrapped me in a tight loving embrace. I couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying, or maybe it was both, but whatever sound he was making, he sounded so happy and ecstatic. I nuzzled his neck, I was happy too… for a brief moment. Then the shock and paranoia took over, filling my head with conflicting thoughts once more.

Spyro separated himself, still wide-eyed with excitement. "Oh, Cyn, this is wonderful!" he cried out, as giddy as a little hatchling. "I'm gonna be a dad! Me, a dad! I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I," I muttered quietly. I didn't think I was going to get married, let alone expecting any hatchlings. Malefor was not one of those fathers that was going to let me experience the world with my own eyes; I had to discover that one of my own.

Spyro leant in and happily kissed me on the cheek. "Ancestors, Cyn, this is such amazing news!" he said. However the cheerful grin was soon wiped from his face when he saw that I wasn't matching his enthusiasm. "I-It is a-amazing… right?"

"Of course it is, love," I reassured him. "It was just unexpected, that's all. I only found out today and now, I don't know what to do. Both of us didn't plan for this and we haven't got a single clue how to raise hatchlings, so I'm just—"

At this point, I was starting to freak out so all Spyro could do was nuzzle me. I could hear his faint muttering in my ear, telling me that everything was going to alright.

"Hey, hey…" he murmured. "It's alright, just breathe…"

So I did, I took a few deep breaths and that seemed to soothe my stress for the time-being. Spyro and I both gazed into each other's eyes, my husband placing his paw on my cheek. He was about to let go, until I stopped him and held his paw in place.

"What are we going to do, Spyro?" I then asked him.

My husband looked stumped, he was just as in the dark as I was. "I'm not sure… but we'll make it work, you and me together," he said. "Whatever it takes, I'm going to be there every step of the way!"

Touched by his dedication, I couldn't help but snort in amusement. "So no going off to the market and never coming back?"

Spyro grinned mischievously. "Damn, well there goes that plan…" That comeback was met with me smacking him lightly on the shoulder. He chuckled at my reaction. "Sorry, bad timing?" he said, rubbing his arm.

"Maybe just a bit," I said. I then let out a sigh. "Are we going to be okay?"

"Of course we are," Spyro said. "It's us, remember? We've faced worse stuff before."

"That's what worries me," I said, a tear coming down my cheek. "The Valley was attacked years ago! What if something like happens again? What if we put our kids in danger? What if—?"

I was abandoned as an egg, neglected and left alone in the pouring rain, while Spyro went eighteen years without truly knowing who his parents were. We couldn't keep ourselves safe at such a young age; what if our kids experienced the same thing?

Spyro was also potentially the most powerful dragon in the known realms; that alone would make our kids a target for the wrong kind of people. The idea of someone using my kids as a weapon, as I was once raised to be, terrified me. There was no way I would allow that. I would die before I let anyone turn my kids against us.

Spyro lifted my chin slightly and I immediately stopped talking as soon as he and I made eye contact. "Hey, hey… nothing like that is going to happen, okay?" he assured me. "We will keep them safe."

"How do you know that for sure?" I then asked.

"Because I know we will," Spyro said. "They're not going to be in the same environment that you were raised in, or had their past hidden away from them. They've got us, and they've got my parents and the Guardians as well. Hunter too…" he paused for a minute to contemplate that thought. "On second thought, maybe not Hunter. He'd be a terrible babysitter."

I chuckled. It may not be the answer I was looking for, but it was still reassuring nonetheless. Spyro was right; our kids would not be raised the way that we were raised. So we know what not to do, our duty now was to give our children the childhood that we didn't get to have.

"Hey…" Spyro then whispered, giving me the most infectious smile he had ever given.

"What?" I murmured.

"We're going to be parents," Spyro said.

I smiled back. "We're going to be parents."

I wrapped my paws around Spyro and pulled him for another hug, burying myself into his neck while his chin rested on top of my head. This time, there were no tears or any disturbing or horrible thoughts; there was only a warm feeling in my heart: a feeling of excitement and anticipation.

I was expecting hatchlings! Spyro and I were going to be parents! So much to do, so much to plan out, but the only day that mattered to me the most was the day that I would see our eggs for the very first time. A truly great discovery to behold.

"I love you… so, so much," Spyro said.

"I love you too, Spyro…"

We separated from our hug and I noticed that Spyro was fidgeting a lot, his claws were gently scraping the floor and his wings kept flaring and folding within itself. I knew already that there was something that he wanted to do, something he was literally dying to do.

"You really want to celebrate, don't you?" I said, amused by his fidgety state.

"No…" Spyro said. "Okay, maybe… definitely."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, go on then."

"Yes!" Spyro sprung to life like a ditzy little pony and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "You're the best!" he exclaimed before dashing off towards the front door.

"I sure hope I am," I said, trailing behind my excitable husband.

I followed Spyro as he opened the door and bounded outside, immediately extending his wings and taking off in the blink of an eye. I watched as Spyro took to the skies and set off a small amount of fireballs, acting like quickfire fireworks as they exploded and sparkled faintly in the evening sky.

As I heard him cheering and laughing to himself in utter excitement, ecstatic about being a father, I stayed on the ground and smiled at his happiness. I wish I could fly up and join him in the celebration, shoot up there and dance amongst the clouds.

But I knew I couldn't, I wasn't sure how much flying I could take with the little ones. Even if they are still in early development, I wasn't going to risk hurting them by recklessly flying around.

Instead, I felt happy watching Spyro. I wondered why I ever doubted him; what was I thinking? But now I knew how much of a wonderful father he was going to be.

As for me, I know I'm going to struggle. I bet other first time mothers feel like that too, it was only natural. Parenthood wasn't a skill that's inherited; it only comes from experience as the kids grow up.

But I wasn't going to be alone in all of this. I had Spyro, I had others that could help me.

Maybe, just maybe… things will turn out okay.

(-)

Well here we go, a little something in anticipation for the third story of the CLTCL trilogy… and also what new characters to expect. The story is still in the planning stages but I plan to release the first chapter in March. I want to update one of my older stories before committing to a new one.

I want to thank SKdaGamer for beta-reading this fic. Couldn't have done it without you, bro!

As we head into the final story for this particular AU, I want to thank you all for the support towards these stories. Your dedication and love towards Spyro and Cynder keeps me wanting to write with these two, so keep it up… as long as you're not one of those art commission scammers haha.

This is TARDIS1039, signing off… Allons-y!