More Than One Heart

by AzureDragonZX

Makoto Yuki, the Blue Saviour from a world long forgotten. Spyro the Dragon, the Purple Legend destined to save the Realms. Two souls lost in the sea of the unconscious. No matter how dire the situation, they can be certain of one thing... they aren't alone anymore. [Persona 3 sequel/The Legend of Spyro remake.]

11. Want To Be Close

Chapter uploaded: March 27th, 2025
Last edited: March 27th, 2025

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A/N

(I am GOING to run out of new chapter titles soon…)

Hello, AzureDragonZX here once again.

I genuinely do not understand how this chapter got to be the size it is. I thought I was almost finished by the time I hit 13k words, and then, as I was finishing up the first draft, I soared past 17k…

In the future, unless I get responses telling me to leave it as is, I'll try to start having shorter chapters. I don't want to overwhelm anyone checking this story out randomly, but this is just how I write.

I have more to say regarding uploads, but I'll cover the rest in the end of the chapter Author's Notes.

With all that said, enjoy.

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More Than One Heart

Chapter 11 - Want To Be Close

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He had been holding his breath for so long now. He should have drowned ages ago…

Spyro hesitantly opened his eyes and peered into the waters below. He was fully submerged, floating in place as bubbles popped out of his nostrils. When he noticed how his lungs still had yet to protest his actions, he swallowed the air in his mouth. He wasn't breathing underwater, but it was as if his body no longer needed oxygen.

'Am I dead…?'

He spun around to look at the sky. The water's surface stared back at him, accented by the afternoon's light. He felt the desire to investigate.

Spyro looked at himself, individually checking that each limb still functioned and watching his clothes flutter in the current with each subtle movement.

He felt alive.

With a twitch of his wings, he propelled himself upwards and broke through the surface.

This waterscape was mostly empty. The only point of interest was one small plot of land barely big enough for a dozen people to stand on. But he didn't feel stranded.

There was no danger as he glided through the water…

He was alone but not vulnerable.

Spyro let out a long sigh, soaking in Sol's rays, and resubmerged himself. Not only did he not have to worry about air, but it didn't hurt to have his eyes open underwater. The ocean depths didn't grow darker the further down he went, and he could clearly see the sandy surface below, glimmering in the daylight as if decorated with hundreds of small fluorescent gemstones.

Curiosity pulled at his mind, and he began swimming deeper to explore the underwater labyrinth below. He rocketed down like a torpedo. His arms and legs were by his side as he propelled himself ahead, ignoring all conventional physics.

Several kilometres down, on the floor, were several submerged buildings. Some were partially buried in the sand, while others were standing up tall and proud. Spyro glided in and out of each of them, searching for treasure and testing out his underwater acrobatics.

Open areas like this… They were usually too much for him. Someone was always out there, watching him, and there were few means of escape. But that all changed now for some reason. Maybe it was because his sights weren't obstructed by anything, or simply that it was still daytime, unlike with his nightmares, but Spyro felt in control.

This was his personal sanctuary to enjoy…

Hours flew by. He had been underwater for so long but showed no signs of exhaustion. Was it possible to stay down here for as long as he wanted? Gnorcs could barely swim at all normally, due to their weight. He might not get to experience this again.

As he shot up another spire, pretending to dodge past laser gates on his ascent, Spyro decided to head back to the island platform on the surface and take a break from swimming.

His feet sank into the sand as he pulled himself onto land. He could fall asleep at any moment now…

Spyro padded over to one of the palm trees that littered the island. At the base of the trees, there were also a few green watermelons that he planned to break open and snack on later. (Although he swore they had been coconuts the last time he checked…)

It wasn't much, but right now, this was the perfect place to sit down and rest.

Spyro shook himself dry as the daylight star heated his body. Finding a comfortable spot in the shade, he sat down, threw his arms back, and relaxed. The heat reminded him of summer, only without the torturous humidity.

Clear blue skies, crystal clear waters, and he had it all to himself.

'I needed this so bad.'

Spyro suddenly understood why so many adults swore by taking long, extended vacations every year. He had only travelled so far within the realm he was born in, so some sights and experiences were simply out of his depth.

He felt himself slowly drifting asleep.

"I should bring him with me next time…"

.

.

.

Him…?

Who was he talking about?

Was there someone in his life that he hung out with who should also be here…?

Spyro rocked back and forth uncomfortably as he tried to remember. A shiver ran up his arms, prompting him to curl up and hug himself. Letting out a gasp, he opened his eyes and, to his shock, discovered that the world was now covered in darkness. It was already nighttime.

"W-what…!? How did this…?"

He started to panic. Now fully aware that this was a dream, he remembered what typically happened once the nightmares settled in.

The sky grew dark.

'Yeah. That's already happened…!'

The green moon eclipsed its red counterpart.

'No… Zella's so huge already!'

He was growing desperate to wake up now.

For some unexplained reason, the oppressive images had been kept at bay until now. Something was protecting him in his sleep. But now, he could feel the isolation on all sides again. Without that comfort, he truly was alone, facing his demons once more.

"No… Not now!"

Tears streamed down his face as he ran behind the largest tree and collapsed. It was only a matter of time before those voices started calling out to him again.

"Help. Help me…!"

He desperately tried to remember. Someone was out there. And he needed their help.

"Spyro…"

…There it was!

He cried out to the skies in anguish, giving in to his fears.

"…MAKOTO!"

---

Time must have stopped just then, as before he knew it, Spyro was lying face down in a bed of soft animal furs, back in Lycanus, safe where he belonged.

Groaning a little as his heavy lungs and racing heartbeat returned to normal, Spyro picked himself up and rolled over.

"What a night…" he said as he rubbed his head.

He could have gone without the heavy-ended finish, but all things considered, he hadn't slept that deeply in a long time. He must have gotten the fabled eight uninterrupted hours and then some! Not only that, but he felt lighter compared to when he typically got out of bed. He could already tell he would have no trouble staying awake today.

Spyro stretched and rolled his burly shoulders, wondering what could have enabled such a pleasant rest. There was a brief moment of recollection moments ago, but he had already forgotten.

Everything about his surroundings appeared to be the same. The room was relatively clean by his standards but was already showing signs of falling back into disarray.

'I was… Yeah. I was up late working on my songs again.'

When he finally looked down at the warm bedding, Spyro saw that underneath where he was just sleeping was another person's indent. He was reminded then that he hadn't gone to bed alone. He was sharing this room and the house now.

…With his new brother.

Even after spending all of last night with him, Spyro still had difficulty believing it to be true. He was so used to growing up alone that he didn't fundamentally understand what it was like to have a sibling.

If someone asked him when he was younger, Spyro would have said he preferred being on his own. He was always attracted to power, wanting to stand above everyone else. So, by being an only child, all the attention was automatically placed on him. There were no obstacles in his path, and Spyro took full advantage of the love and adoration his peers sent his way, cementing himself at the top of the pack.

But as time went on, his perspective started to shift. The people around him that he laughed and joked around with every day were great, but he wanted there to be someone who he shared a more personal connection with. Someone who wasn't sucking up to him to try and get on his level and could genuinely appreciate him for who he was.

He had already seen the dynamic from a distance in other families, and when he thought about it more, Spyro realized that what he really wanted was a brother. His parents had explained to him early on that it wouldn't be possible and that he was their biggest treasure in life and nothing could take away from that, but he still craved the interactions that one would get with a younger sibling. He'd have something he could boss around and torment one day and defend against anyone giving them hell the next.

But above all, their relationship would actually last. They wouldn't leave after a few years.

Now, it seemed his silent wish had come true in some way.

Not only did he have a brother, but an awesome human brother!

Looking around, Spyro was a little disappointed to find the room vacant aside from him; it was no different than any other morning. Sounds from the other side of the house indicated that Makoto was still at home, much to Spyro's relief, so he must have woken up first and gone about his business while letting the purple teen sleep in.

On any other day, Spyro would have done something similar himself.

While away in Lycanus, he would always wake up before the crack of dawn, too wonted by his routine to ever sleep in, no matter how tired. He'd practically roll out of bed directly into a series of push-ups, the blood rushing through his veins with each rep, snapping him awake. Next, he'd immediately move on to sit-ups and then transition into squats, feeling the burn in his arms and legs as he powered through.

After warming up, Spyro would use the basic equipment in his bedroom for a few sets of strength training, focusing on different muscle groups. It was then that he'd head over to the indoor gym where he kept the heavier equipment, and the real workout would begin. Here, he would push himself to the limit with various exercises, from bench presses to deadlifts.

Altogether, Spyro could spend up to two hours exercising on a good day, pushing himself until he was short of breath and his muscles were on fire. Satisfied with his efforts, he would take a quick bath to wash away the stink and grime, then head back home to enjoy a hearty breakfast, refuelling his body and readying himself for the long day with Sapphire and the others.

The reason why Spyro began his workout so early was because it allowed him to take his bath as soon as possible and avoid any crowds. He planned everything out perfectly, so nobody was around when he stepped outside. He could dodge everyone, and they'd all let him mind his business. He'd only need to leave the house when it was time for class.

Even though today he had slept well past his usual starting time, Spyro had absentmindedly started his morning stretches again out of habit. He only became aware of what he was doing by the time he was on the floor, performing push-ups and counting up.

He knew it was already late in the day, and there was a chance the bathhouse would be packed soon. If he kept going, he wouldn't be able to avoid running into one of the wolves later. But that wasn't enough to deter him.

'Whatever. I've already committed… Might as well see it through,' he thought to himself. It wasn't as if he would miss a day's worth of exercise so casually, anyway.

Spyro decided to skip taking a bath and wash himself off later when he saw a good opportunity. He could just cover the important essentials, meanwhile.

He had intended to keep his workout short and simple this time because he still wanted to meet up with Makoto as soon as possible. However, a few hours later, he was still in the other room, lifting a barbell worth a staggeringly high amount of gigatonnes over his head. He was in excellent condition today for some reason, and it motivated him to keep at it and push himself further.

Lifting the weight over his head one last time and letting the specialized support mechanism automatically reach out and catch it as he let go, Spyro rolled over into a sitting position. His body was a roaring hot furnace, and it felt like steam was coming from his nostrils with each exhale. He took a long swig of water and draped a wet towel around his neck. His muscles were all a sore, aching mess, but he knew it'd be no time before he could walk properly again.

Spyro peered back at the bench press he had just used. He had unintentionally set a new personal best for himself today, and this success pleased him. He could confidently say now that he was out of his funk from the last month.

'No doubt about it…'

An arrogant smirk crossed his lips as he let out a loud snicker.

"Spyro's BACK, baby!"

The teen was fully rejuvenated, feeling like he could take on the world. This newfound confidence was amazing!

By the time he had his fill, it was getting closer to lunch. Stepping back into his room briefly, he grabbed a few items from the dresser and headed to the bathroom to wash up. Once inside, Spyro splashed some cold water on his face and torso to ease his tired muscles and took a minute or so to clean his teeth. However, the bulk of his time was spent grooming and self-pampering. Everything from his purple skin to his gold body armour and red wings… nothing was left unattended.

Spyro meticulously applied multiple products to his hair, giving it the perfect shine and texture that would make any model jealous. After combing it into the new style he had been using lately, he finished it by applying some basic-level magic to help keep it in place, protecting it from even the most intense winds.

"And there's the sexy maverick I haven't seen in ages," he called out to his reflection in the mirror once he was done, waggling his eyebrows lasciviously.

At last, Spyro emerged from the bathroom, spritzing himself with a strong-scented body spray in lieu of an actual shower. (Fortunately, his body never seemed to produce sweat, no matter how warm or exhausted he was, so his body odour was never overly pungent.) Having worked up a powerful appetite, Spyro went to the kitchen to grab something hopefully very filling.

As he turned the final corner, he had to shield his face due to the bright light pouring in through one of the windows. And when he pulled his hand down, he noticed someone else was already there waiting for him. Someone he had almost forgotten about.

Makoto…

His roommate stood in front of the stove in a red apron, plating a large serving of delicious-smelling food. He turned around to bring it to the table and addressed Spyro with a light smile.

"Did you have a good sleep?" he said casually.

"Mm…"

Spyro couldn't answer him appropriately. Not because Makoto was cooking–he could fully believe his brother would have multiple hidden talents just like him–but because the weird illusion from before was back. In his mind, Spyro saw a young wolf standing in front of him again.

But he knew better now.

Makoto didn't have white fur, he didn't have long, pointy ears, and he didn't even have a muzzle.

He was a human, as ridiculous as it sounded.

It took a few extra moments, and he had to look away briefly, but when Spyro remembered what Makoto was supposed to look like, he could see his true self again.

There was such a drastic difference between the two "forms". Under the illusion, Makoto appeared youthful but still strong and healthy. As a human, however, he held a bold yet controlled maturity, not unlike most adults.

'Seriously,' Spyro thought incredulously as he pulled up a chair. 'There was a human being living in Lycanus all this time, and nobody acts like that's weird…?'

Even without the illusion interfering, it was admittedly hard to fully designate Makoto as a human. There were definitely some things that aligned with the history books, but Makoto had this otherworldly presence to him, as if something like him should not exist in today's day and age. It was like taking a piece of modern technology and placing it in the past, surrounded by old junk.

Spyro did his best to avoid staring, but the smooth, paper-white skin was too distracting. Makoto's strong body was completely blanketed in a layer of perfect white marble, without any nipples or belly button, despite his mammalian status. It was weird enough that he didn't have fur all over, as one would expect, but then there were all these strange inconsistencies. And then there was the strangest part of all… blue fur? Weren't humans all supposed to have either black or dark brown?

'They share a lot in common with the apes, right? I really don't see it.'

Humans were a lot weirder in real life, that's for sure.

Spyro tried his best to stop obsessing over these discrepancies, knowing it might lead to an awkward conversation. Fortunately, Makoto hadn't seemed to notice anything yet. He was distracted with clearing out his cooking space and putting items away.

"Um… Dude," Spyro hesitantly called out from the dining room. "You're not wrong assuming I can eat a lot, but this is too much for me."

The table was full of various dishes, enough to be considered a small banquet. Makoto must have been informed that Spyro had a large appetite and had overcompensated for him. But all of this would take at least an hour to eat, even for him.

"It's not just for you. It's for both of us," Makoto said as he removed his apron and sat across from him.

"You sure?" Spyro asked. "Even if you help a little, I'm going to be here a while."

A small, amused laugh sounded out.

"Trust me on this, Spyro. Between the two of us, I think we'll be fine."

Makoto wasted no more time and said a quick, silent prayer before picking up his chopsticks and politely digging in. The piles of food by his plate didn't seem to deter him at all. He looked confident to eat everything in front of him.

'He's really going to do this, isn't he?' Spyro gawked nervously. Cautiously, he picked up a fork and took a hesitant first bite of his own.

Being that it was close to noon, Makoto had prepared them a large brunch instead of a standard breakfast, allowing for richer and more intense flavours. Casseroles, homemade loaves, and meat patties, to name a few, but most were dishes Spyro had never tried.

Surprised at what he was tasting, Spyro choked on his forkful as he tried to swallow.

"You okay?" Makoto stopped eating for a moment to see if he was all right.

"Yeah, yeah. Just fine!" Spyro yelped, grabbing one of the tall glasses nearby to wash his food down. He expected the cold bite of water to hit his throat, but this was a thicker liquid with an equally refreshing savour.

'Wha… A protein smoothie?'

Makoto laughed softly at his dumbfounded face.

"I heard you liked those, so I experimented with what I had on hand. That should taste better than the prepackaged ones you're used to."

He wasn't wrong. This was incomparable to whatever he tried making on his own. Spyro would gladly drink this as a standalone beverage, not just as something to take before and after a workout! Somehow, Makoto had found the perfect balance in making an energy drink taste good without diminishing its nutritional value.

'And he made this just for me…?'

Spyro was confused by this. Makoto would have to go really far out of his way to cook food that appealed to him this perfectly. And he was doing it at his own expense! Nobody in the realms ate like a gnorc!

He looked over at his brother, who was shockingly eating from the same spread as him without any issue. Makoto had not only planned everything perfectly for him, working around his gnorc palette, but he was enjoying the food just as much despite probably not needing the same nutritional content in his diet.

Bewildered by Makoto's actions, Spyro's thoughts drifted back to everything Sapphire had told him. The wolves found Makoto shortly after he left last month and immediately uncovered the two's special connection. It was always their plan to introduce them to each other once Lycanus was safe again and Makoto had settled in. In the time since, Makoto must have been diligently preparing for this day, learning as much about Spyro as he could, all the way down to his favourite foods.

The consideration was nice; Makoto clearly wanted them to be on the best of terms from first ignition, but it made Spyro feel inadequate. His brother already knew so much about him, but he knew next to nothing about Makoto… He still hadn't gotten over the whole "human" thing!

Observing him from across the table, Spyro noted right away how Makoto didn't seem to care for clothes. He did have a pair of shorts on, but that was it. Not even any footwear. (Spyro had almost assumed he had nothing on underneath that red apron when he first walked into the room.)

He distinctly remembered learning at a young age about how the humans, the "Predecessors", only wore basic hides at most to protect themselves from the elements or to cushion against deadlier blows. They had no concept of fashion, so he shouldn't compare Makoto to a gnorc like him.

Spyro suddenly wondered what an older version of Makoto would look like. Probably very tall and battle-ready, prepared for any encounter that awaited him. The image in his head was a bit of a glow-up from what was currently in front of him, but humans were naturally just that much bigger than everyone.

It suddenly made sense for their diets to be so similar; his little brother was already wanting to grow up big and strong like the rest of his kind. Someday, probably in about twenty to thirty years, Makoto would easily be bigger than just about any gnorc.

'WELL…! Guess I'll have to enjoy being the big brother in both ways while it lasts…' Spyro mused.

He may have been biased by his preference to have a little brother, but after finding out about their relationship, Spyro was confident that he was older. Sure, the human could carry himself like an adult, but that could easily be explained by his kind being so capable.

Pushing the thoughts aside for now, Spyro took another bite of food and almost fell over from how much he loved the taste.

'DAMN, he's good at cooking!'

.

.

.

An eerie silence caught his attention. The only sounds coming from the dining room were from him. Makoto had stopped eating for some reason.

Looking over again, Spyro saw the human glowering at him with an unamused frown.

"W-What…?" he smiled nervously while practically swallowing the last of his garlic sausages. Was Makoto offended by all the staring he'd been doing? It hadn't exactly been subtle, but it wasn't like he said anything rude!

"I'm not a barbarian, Spyro," Makoto said plainly.

"I didn't say you were…!"

He had definitely imagined it, however.

During his short daydream of an adult Makoto, Spyro automatically imagined his brother dressed in leather armour, fighting off hordes of monsters and demons. The fantasy was so engrossing that it probably showed on his features just how absorbed in it he was. No amount of denying would hide this.

Makoto fiddled with the glass of water next to his plate, tapping each finger in a rhythm.

"Look," he started, "Don't think of me that way, Spyro. I'm nothing like the humans you've heard of."

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked, more intrigued now.

Makoto carefully thought his response over before explaining himself.

"If I go by how everyone here describes it, I'm a human from the 'third era'. Does that help?"

The third era…

That term was familiar.

Spyro quickly thought back to school and dug out every lesson on humanity he could from his brain. He had nearly forgotten about this fact, but there were three separate time frames that covered all of human existence. The "three eras". The main factor separating them was the overall development of civilization and the innovations and discoveries made by then.

The first era began shortly after the world's formation. Humans, during this time, separated themselves from other animals with their heightened intelligence, creating weapons to fight and survive. They effectively tamed the world around them, shaping the environment in a way that catered to their needs. Several near-extinction-level events almost wiped humanity off the planet in these earlier years, but in the end, the alpha species persevered and eventually conquered the entire world. This was what immediately came to mind when someone thinks of the humans today. The image the word paints in your head is guaranteed to be of the first era.

Skipping ahead several years, humans started forming the first proper signs of civilization. Their engineering skills had progressed a lot, resulting in them building mighty structures across the world and crafting heavier steel armour to wear in battle, in addition to further developing their magic potential. By then, humans had also become very independent, placing increasing value on their personal individualities, resulting in separate nations forming with different ideals and traditions from each other. This was the origin of the various realms in the world.

And lastly, the shortest-lived era of them all, the third era. While a significant amount of information from this time has been lost, just about every modern-day convenience stems back to this era. Humans began to flex their creative minds, developing technology to improve their quality of life a thousand-fold. According to Spyro's parents, gnorcs like them were heavily influenced by the last generation of humans, most notably in their shared understanding of electricity and the benefits it could bring.

Makoto claimed just now that he was from this time…And that made a lot of sense! He was intimately familiar with technology, after all. He had no problems using the computer last night or anything else Spyro showed off. Everything Spyro had witnessed made it clear that Makoto came from a civilized, domesticated lifestyle. He could fight but wasn't driven by combat like his ancestors.

"Haha…" Spyro laughed awkwardly at his mistake. "C-come on, dude. EXCUSE me for thinking you came from the time period that makes up, like, 85% of humanity's entire existence! I had a strong chance at getting close."

"Eighty-FIVE…?" Makoto's eyes widened. "So much isn't adding up…"

He muttered something to himself, something about the world and if it really was the same one he remembered experiencing.

'Ooo… I should probably avoid bringing up the fact that humans are all dead around him!'

Nobody had talked a lot about who Makoto was yet. His coming back from the dead was obviously a heavy topic, so Spyro mentioned it.

"What about you, Spyro? What's your story?"

Fortunately, Makoto seemed more interested in him and his life.

Not ever turning down a chance to talk about himself, Spyro spent the next few minutes revealing everything about the realm he grew up in, only exaggerating when he knew the human wouldn't take his words too literally.

Occasionally, Makoto tried to compare the things being said to his past experiences. Notably, he found the gnorcs and their home shared a lot in common with a land he called "America", one of the strongest nations of the past.

"When we first met, and I heard your voice… I was so convinced you were from there."

Spyro chuckled at this.

"Well, who knows? Maybe this gnorc does, in fact, hail from the mighty land of America, just from the future." He raised his chin and beamed outward. "Descended from the very best of what humanity had to offer? Sounds about right!"

"I wouldn't go that far…"

The rest of the meal progressed this way, with the two swapping stories and getting to know each other. Eventually, the table was cleared out, and true to his words, Makoto was able to finish everything Spyro didn't eat himself.

They both had very huge appetites!

Makoto immediately got up and began bringing everything to the sink to clear down.

"I've got this. You can head back for now."

Spyro smirked under his breath and let him do his thing. "Cleaning" didn't exist in his dictionary, so if Makoto wanted a tidy house, that was up to him. He shouldn't expect any help in the future.

Throwing himself on the living room couch, Spyro contemplated changing into his usual clothes for the day when he recalled how Makoto had very similar tastes to him, particularly when it came to music. Figuring it would be a fun surprise to switch things up, he brought his hand out and performed the motions to pull up a different outfit.

After a quick flash of purple magic, Spyro emerged, clad in his new clothes. If his normal, everyday outfit was evocative of a young biker, right now, Spyro was dressed more like a punk musician. The main differences were the grey graphic shirt and the plethora of other accessories he had on—rings, chains, and bracelets, to name a few. It wasn't a massive deviation, as some elements were shared between looks, but this way, there was a higher chance his brother would recognize what he was going for.

Eventually, Makoto came out to the living room to join him, dressed in his usual black shorts. A large swatch of blue fabric was sewn into the golden brown waistband, draping over his right pant leg and giving a little colour to his appearance. But Makoto was otherwise dressed very simply, letting his impressive blue mane and strong frame act as his sole defining silhouettes.

His face went blank as soon as he saw Spyro reclining on the couch. There was no immediate indication of whether he liked his new style. He was completely stunned silent.

The purple teen let out an amused snort. That wasn't the exact reaction he was hoping for… Maybe Makoto wasn't prepared to see modern-day gnorc fashion just yet. He had only spent one month alive in this new world, and coincidences could only extend so far.

One could only imagine what would happen if Makoto were to spend any amount of time in Terrace Village. He'd probably come out of the experience a completely different person… but in a GOOD way! After what he had seen of him, there was little doubt in Spyro's head that his brother would fit in back home. The gnorc lifestyle might even suit him better than the wolves.

Even more than that, since they were brothers, that meant it was Spyro's responsibility to convert him.

'I mean, he's already got some things down.' Spyro snickered as he kicked his feet onto the end table and folded his arms behind his head. 'Don't worry, little brother. It might take a miracle or two, but I'll make a gnorc out of you yet!'

Makoto slowly made his way over. He had yet to react to Spyro's new clothes or brash behaviour, not even commenting on his feet being propped up as he approached the table. Apparently, he wasn't as much of a neat freak as Spyro thought, which was a relief. Makoto was responsible, but he wasn't obsessive about it. There wouldn't be any nagging coming from him, like with Sapphire.

"I'm going into the city for a bit, Spyro. Are you coming too?" the human asked, picking up some of the books left there from the night before.

Spyro turned up his nose and frowned.

Makoto wanted to go out…?

Admittedly, they hadn't officially been given the day off, but it was so late now that it was practically implied. Morning lessons were long over, and the others were probably just finishing their midday breaks by now. If they didn't have to go back to the temple right away, they should use this limited time together more productively and hang out some more instead of wasting it on something as pointless as sightseeing!

There was also the matter of everything that had transpired yesterday… When it came time to resume training, one of the wolf siblings would be ready with some sort of punishment for him for attacking Makoto and causing a scene. It was inevitable, but Spyro had opted to leave as a problem for the future… with the exact time constantly being pushed back.

"Nah. We're not doing that," he refuted.

"Not feeling good?" Makoto asked cautiously, to which Spyro waved him off.

"No, I'm fine. It's just… You don't get it." A sly smirk crept up on his face. "Now that we're by ourselves, we don't have to waste time out there."

Getting off the couch, Spyro moved closer to Makoto in long, wide strides, with his arms held open.

"Here's what we're gonna do: We get our butts back inside, I show you more of my stuff, and… I don't know, you tell me about your old life! The human world sounds awesome from what you described already."

Their faces were almost touching as Spyro crept closer, but he didn't let that stop him. He gave Makoto a little shove that knocked him back into a conveniently placed chair and pinned him in place by raising a foot over the furniture's arm.

"THINK about it!" he proclaimed while looming over the human. "We have a whole lifetime's worth of catching up to do. Why blow it off to go pet the dogs? This is more important!"

His personality was completely different from yesterday.

As it turned out, his sudden increase in confidence had done more than just enhance his physical performance. He had effectively reverted to his old self from when he and his close gnorc friends were all still young. Back when he lived the life of a free-spirited rebel who would throw his weight around and demand the admiration of those around him.

Since first coming to Lycanus half a year ago, Sapphire and the others had tried to temper his more impulsive behaviours, but their efforts couldn't change who he was deep down. This was who he was when removed from the wolves' influence, and he didn't care if Makoto needed time to adjust.

Spyro wasn't above exerting himself both physically and verbally against his brother. Sure, he liked Makoto a lot and wanted to keep him around, but he wouldn't tolerate any backtalk or disagreements from him. He was in charge, and from now on, they'd be doing things HIS way. The sooner Makoto realized this, the better off he'd be.

"We don't need everyone out there judging us for who we are or telling us how to live. We have each other now!"

Spyro traced some fingers from the tattoo on his left arm to the matching mark on Makoto's right.

"You and me. That's all that matters."

Makoto stared up at him, taken aback by this forwardness. The look in his eyes was more confused than it was intimidated. (Was it even possible to intimidate a human…?) Finally, he spoke up in a calm voice that was both chilling and soothing.

"You don't have to hide anymore, Spyro…"

Spyro cocked an eyebrow.

"Hm…? What d'ya mean?"

"You're running away from everyone. Shutting them out. You don't have to do that anymore."

This again? Makoto was lecturing him about how important it was to socialize with others now? Just when he thought he was different…

"Shut up… I can do what I want," Spyro scoffed. "I don't need any of them."

As if it were becoming a trend, Makoto remained steadfast and smiled at him.

"I was like that at one point, too. There was a time when I didn't want to talk to anyone either."

"Was a time…?" That excuse was far too obvious. "Let me guess, the wolves just couldn't leave you alone either. They dragged you out of the house until you got comfortable around them. Did I get it right?"

It was simpler for Makoto when he already looked so much like the other residents of Lycanus. Assimilating with them must have been so easy. He and Spyro shouldn't be compared in that regard.

"Not that. Before all of this, back when it was just me… My old life."

His tone grew sombre. Spyro backed off ever so slightly, realizing the weight of what Makoto might be about to confess.

"I was on my own for a long time, Spyro. For eight years, I kept to myself, never interacting with anyone unless I had to…" Makoto frowned as he reminisced on his past. "It took a while, longer than it should have, but I eventually saw how dark of a life I was living. I don't want to go back to how I was, and I don't want you to experience that either."

Even if he wasn't being specific, Spyro felt the impact of his words. Death alone was enough to give someone a different outlook, but apparently, Makoto had it hard from the start.

But feelings alone wouldn't be enough to change his mind.

It wasn't so easy… You couldn't just flip a switch and change your entire lifestyle, especially when you weren't interested in the first place.

While being as respectful as he could, Spyro voiced his thoughts on the matter. There was nothing forcing him to adapt, and he wasn't ready to make any big revisions in his life.

"If you don't want to go with me today, that's fine," Makoto reassured when it was clear Spyro wasn't coming with him. "Whenever you feel like it, we can go together."

He slipped out from underneath Spyro and patted him on the arm before walking toward the entrance of the house.

Spyro grimaced. He wasn't expecting him to back off so easily; usually, people had to force him into anything he didn't like. At least now, he could do whatever he wanted for the rest of the day. Nothing was stopping him.

But then… Makoto was still leaving the house.

Either hang out by himself or join his brother in the city… Neither situation was preferable, but what was the worse of the two poisons right now?

Spyro saw Makoto looking back at him one last time before stepping outside.

"I won't be long. I just need to see a couple people, then I'll be back."

The purple teen said nothing as the front door opened and closed.

Throwing himself back on the couch, he complained to himself about how average and boring the day ahead was turning out to be.

"At this rate, I might as well go so see what Sapphire and the others are up to," he sighed. "It's not like they'd bring me here, give me just a day's worth of training, then kick me home…"

It slowly dawned on Spyro that without Makoto around, his routine in Lycanus would just continue. Arrive, train, eat, sleep, leave. He had had nothing to look forward to until now. And yet, he had just turned down an offer to interact with his new companion.

'No. I don't have to do this…!'

Just a few minutes, maybe an hour, and they'd pick up where they left off as if nothing had happened.

He had no reason to follow Makoto.

He didn't have to go into the city. There was nothing for him there.

The soft footsteps outside were growing more distant. He was being abandoned…

His mind debated endlessly on what the best option was…

.

.

.

.

'AaarrRRRGGHH…! Damn it! WHY!?' Spyro screamed in his head as he got back up and took off.

As he sped out the door, a pair of black boots and a sleeveless leather blazer that fell past his knees automatically materialized over his body.

"Hey!" he yelled, stopping his brother in the distance.

Makoto stopped and looked back at him. He was confused at the sudden additional outerwear Spyro was wearing, likely interpreting it as a sign that he was finally willing to join him. In reality, Spyro had simply forgotten that it would appear over him. He was too focused on chasing after Makoto to pay attention to the residual effects of his little magic trick.

He cursed internally, knowing it would be hard to back out of anything now.

"I… Look. It will make you happy, right? Let's just get it over with."

"It's not just about me, Spyro," Makoto said as he approached. "I think this is what's best for you."

Spyro snapped back at him. This passive compassion was hard to argue against and already seemed effective at getting him to play along with whatever the human wanted. He needed to build up a resistance to it…

"I am sick and tired of hearing that," he growled. "Everyone's always claiming something is 'good for me' or whatever. I'm not going to let that phrase control my life!"

"I know… Just be honest with yourself."

Honest?

He was asking a gnorc, someone from the complete opposite side of the world, to act naturally in public and expect everything to be fine? It brought a sarcastic smirk to his face. Makoto really didn't have a clue how poorly this would go. Just look at what he was wearing, for crying out loud!

"In case you haven't noticed, the 'real me' is incompatible with these wolves," he said while gesturing to himself.

"I don't care," Makoto said quickly. "I don't care if you're a 'gnorc', if you dress this way, or that you have a bit of an attitude. I'll accept all of it. I want to see my brother for who he really is."

He leaned in to wrap his arms around Spyro, stretching a little to reach around his wider frame, and gave him a hug.

"…Because I love and care for him."

It was the bigger teen's turn to be stunned. Between the affectionate gesture and the corniness of that last line, Spyro desperately hoped none of the wolf guards were around to see this.

"No, dude— Guys like us aren't supposed to do stuff like this!" he protested.

"You didn't do anything to stop me."

True… Even now, Spyro found himself enjoying the embrace… But he wouldn't admit to it. That would make him look weak.

"For a human, you really are such a softy. You know that?" he joked. Breaking free of the hug, Spyro nudged his brother aside and went on ahead, pretending that he didn't care.

"I'm serious, Spyro—"

"~Ahh da na nanaaaa…" the larger teen sang tauntingly as he marched past. "Sorry, can't hear you from way up front! You'll have to say it to my face!"

Makoto could only respond with a shrug and took off after him.

---

"It's still so beautiful…"

"It's just plants, dude. It's not that impressive."

This was one of the few times Spyro had come down the main pathway instead of taking a side path. They could have saved time if they had snuck around back like always, but as the two made their way into the city, Makoto led them down a more scenic route, taking the time to admire the nature around them. Aside from the weird and inexplicable increase in crystal formations along the way, nothing here looked out of the ordinary to Spyro. It was just typical forestry as far as he was concerned. Yet Makoto was seemingly enraptured by it all.

"Everything feels so ethereal out here… The colours, the grand scale… I love it all so much," he said. "It makes me happy. Happy to be alive…"

Spyro raised an eyebrow. Makoto didn't strike him as a nature lover; he'd mentioned growing up in an urban setting, but here he was, enjoying himself in the wilderness.

"Whatever. We should be running into some of the mutts now," Spyro said, recognizing where they were.

While it was more or less quiet at this time of day, there were still some wolves outside, most notably those who were about to head into the deeper parts of the forest. Not too far ahead from them, a group of around six wolves, all wearing durable blue armour made from monster hides, could be seen emerging from their tent.

As they passed by, one of the hunters saw the pair and stopped to grab the others' attention. Their ears fell as they spotted Makoto, specifically, and their expressions turned apologetic for some reason.

"Friends of yours?" Spyro asked while trying not to stare at the wolves' attire. (Could someone please tell them that it was called 'underwear' for a reason…!?)

"Something like that."

Makoto went on to reveal that, in addition to training under Sapphire, he was recently receiving personal lessons from one of the hunters, ranging from wilderness survival under minimal preparation to more heavy-ended combat training. He described the experience as more vigorous than anything Spyro had experienced, using actual weapons instead of wooden replicas, longer and more grueling hours with little rest, and a more demanding teacher.

"I adapted after about a week, but then something happened."

A few weeks ago, his teacher deemed him ready to accompany her and the others on one of their hunts. Despite the initial uncertainty, he described it as a successful mission and a great learning experience. But not long after they secured their first kill, the alpha of the lupine city, Sirius, appeared out of nowhere and intervened, dragging the human away despite the lack of any present danger. He was quick to criticize the hunters for letting Makoto out into the forest with what he deemed inadequate preparation and letting him fight against the giant monsters, stating Makoto wasn't a wolf and lacked many of their inherent skills, so he shouldn't be held to the same standard.

After giving them all a loud warning, Sirius then barred Makoto from ever leaving the city's protection without his explicit permission until further notice.

"He doesn't trust me right now…" Makoto sighed, thinking back to that day with a sour visage.

Among the group of hunters, one female was looking at Makoto very intently. Spyro quickly deduced that this was the teacher he had mentioned. Her expression wasn't as remorseful as her allies, but there was still a deep concern in her eyes, and she looked like she wanted to talk to him privately. Makoto returned her gaze, seeming to communicate to her that they'd talk about it later, before he gestured to Spyro that it was time to go.

He wished the team success on their hunt and waved goodbye before they could stop him.

Spyro awkwardly sprinted after him, tripping over himself in the process.

"Hey. Are you okay, dude?" he asked as they neared the city's entrance, with the protective illusion beginning to ripple away. He received a small grunt from Makoto, but it wasn't convincing. There was something frustrating him, and Spyro already had an idea of what it was.

"…You said yesterday that Sirius isn't your dad, so what is your connection to him?"

"Same as you," Makoto answered. "I'm the city's 'important guest', so Sirius is responsible for keeping me safe. He's just a little controlling about it."

A bit of an understatement.

"Dude, he's controlling to me," Spyro scoffed. "He's outright babying you! And he's not even that subtle about it. I saw you two for the first time, and I was, like, convinced he was your dad. How do you explain that?"

Spyro specifically avoided bringing up the particular accusation he had made last night. It was best that they both forget that argument ever happened…

Makoto ran a hand through his hair, the blue bangs immediately falling back over his right eye.

"Things change a lot over the course of a month," he said. "People get used to the human living among them. They see that he's not like the tales they've been told, and that he's normal."

He sighed and turned away.

"All except for one of them…"

So, Sirius was having trouble accepting Makoto as a regular person… He refused to look past the fact that he was technically a part of a critically endangered species and guarded him as much as possible without rejecting his sense of self.

"Do you hate him for that?" By now, the two were past the gates and in view of anyone outdoors, so Spyro kept his voice low.

"Sirius is important to me," Makoto reaffirmed, "but I want to move past this strained relationship. He has to learn to back off at times."

"Tell me about it…"

Spyro's breath hitched as more figures of blue and white entered his vision. They had finally reached the city.

While not crowded, there were enough people outside that they were beginning to stand out. (It was hard to ignore a human and a gnorc in a city of wolves, after all.) One by one, Makoto went up to each of them, sparking a small conversation. To Spyro's surprise, any time they stopped, not one person commented on his appearance. They were simply happy to see him stretching his legs, out of the house and spending time with Makoto.

It came as a relief that he could act naturally, even if just for today.

Makoto had already picked out exactly where he wanted to go. As he explained, he had memorized most people's weekly routines and schedules and made plans around them, treating it almost like a game where he had to maximize his efficiency and spend time with as many people as he could in a given week.

"He should be here soon…" Makoto said, walking up to the large fountain in the middle of the large plaza. Before Spyro could ask who it was that they were meeting, a familiar face popped around the corner.

"Makoto! Over here!" the adult, only slightly younger than Sirius and Sapphire, called out. Apparently, Makoto had also gotten acquainted with that one guard at some point.

"Hey, Lucas. How've you been?"

The wolf bounded over to the bench where the two were seated with his tail wagging rapidly. It was refreshing how laid-back Lucas was compared to his brethren. At least not everyone in Lycanus was a strict bore…

"Same as always… No, that's a lie. I just can't stop thinking about how you and Spyro are finally together. It's all I can think about!"

"You talking about me?" Spyro grinned when it was clear Lucas hadn't noticed him yet.

"SPYRO! W-What are you doing here!? You… You've never—!"

"You'd have to ask someone smarter than me." Spyro struck a thumb over to Makoto, hinting that he was responsible.

"We're spending the day together." Makoto clarified. "I just had some things to take care of first. Starting with…"

He pulled out the pile of books he had brought and held them out to the wolf.

"Oh–OH! I almost forgot about those."

Lucas took the books into his arms, looking over them once more. He must have had an odd fondness for human history, given his eagerness.

'Dude, I don't know how you're able to handle a guy like him…' Spyro laughed.

"So, what did you think!?" Lucas asked excitedly. "Was it useful? Was it interesting?"

Makoto hummed and shook his head.

"I skimmed through some of them. All the ones that I would take seriously, at least…"

"But you did remember to read the one about Orius the Great, right!? I want to hear your opinion on it!"

'That book was from Lucas, too?' Spyro mused. 'Huh… He's a fan of Orius, like me. I didn't know we had that in common.'

However, they were the only two present to share his perspective.

"Sorry, Lucas. None of this actually happened. It's all fiction as far as I'm concerned."

Fiction…?

Did Makoto just denounce one of the world's greatest heroes as a made-up fable!?

"How can you say that?" a heartbroken Lucas cried out. "It has to be true! There's so much historical evidence out there in the world! Scraps of his armour have been found and restored, and explorers and magical experts have travelled to Realm's Limit, where he trained and confirmed he awakened his powers on that mountain, and… And…"

The wolf jittered in place as he tripped over his words.

"Oh! His battle hymn!"

Spyro shot up at that. Lucas had made a very good point just now!

As a testament to his grandeur, humans sang songs about Orius' feats in the old language. These ballads were inscribed in stone across the realms, preserving his legacy long after his death. After some time, these documents were all found and brought together, creating the song played the world over to this day.

'He can't deny that too, right..?'

Unfortunately, not even this seemed to make Makoto budge.

"Lucas, if I asked everyone I knew back home, not one of them would know who 'Orius the Great' is. Nor would they recognize that song."

The wolf whined in protest, refusing to back down.

"I'll sing it for you now! That will help you remember. I know it!"

"Sing? As in, right here, right now…!?" Spyro panicked.

Lucas slowly began humming out loud. His voice began to build up as he tried to add weight to his little performance. But before he could start properly, Spyro lurched forward and grabbed the wolf from behind, cutting him off.

"No, no, no! Not this again. Not. This. Again! You are NOT ruining that legendary song for me!"

There was one instance about three months ago, as Spyro was arriving in Lycanus, when Lucas tried voicing an interest in music with him, knowing how musically invested the teen was during his spare time. Needless to say, the demonstration he gave was something Spyro had tried to purge from his mind for the rest of the week…

"But… BUT…!"

"Let it go, Lucas," Spyro demanded, silencing the wolf's cries.

Lucas pouted, hurt by the gnorc's rude actions. Spyro didn't care if he was being disrespectful. He wouldn't go as far as to consider Lucas a friend in the first place, and he could still find the wolf annoying. They were acquaintances at best.

Makoto, meanwhile, felt bad and reached out to place a hand by Lucas' neck. The wolf instantly melted at his touch and began panting happily as Makoto gave him a gentle scratch.

"You can believe whatever you want, Lucas," he said. "It doesn't matter in the end."

This action shouldn't have been out of the ordinary; it was obvious that wolves liked being petted or touched by people they liked. But when Makoto was the one doing the petting, it looked different. There was an odd separation between them that Spyro couldn't describe. It was less casual, like a friend cheering someone up, and more of a default response, as if this was how he knew to handle overly emotional wolves.

Whatever the case, his actions did manage to brighten up Lucas' mood. The wolf was content believing in his theories about the old world, even if the closest living link to that time disagreed with them. The blissful ignorance was enough for him.

"So, are you two staying together from now on?" Lucas suddenly asked. It may have been Spyro's imagination, but this sudden reversal was unnatural, even for someone as buoyant as Lucas. Had Makoto's touch done something to him…? "We all know you're supposed to be brothers, but have you planned out how the next few days–weeks will be? What has the alpha told you?"

Being more knowledgeable on the matter, Makoto answered for them.

"Our schedules haven't changed much. I've tried asking Sirius about next week, but he hasn't told me anything."

Next week. As in when Spyro had to go back home…

Was this what Sirius meant by his need to talk to his parents? Was he going to reveal Makoto's existence to the gnorcs and make a big declaration on the matter?

Spyro knew the general story behind Makoto's sojourn and understood that the human was the big reason why Lycanus had been silent recently. His safety was the more immediate concern, mainly due to his species. The apes had gotten that close to discovering that there was a living human in the realms! It didn't take a genius to understand what would happen if they ever found out the truth.

Knowing Sirius, if the alpha had his way, Makoto would be kept under the wolves' protection permanently. It made sense that Lycanus was the safest place for him; his uncanny resemblance to the wolves helped camouflage him from the outside world. So, Makoto would probably be staying behind when the time came…

But wouldn't that also mean they wouldn't see each other for most of the week? They could only spend three days together at a time…?

That was far too short.

Why should they be separated for so long? It wasn't fair.

Strong feelings began building inside Spyro as he grew frustrated, not caring if anyone saw him.

But it wasn't one of the psychic canines who noticed first.

"Spyro…?"

The purple teen choked as he heard his name. His anger washed away when he saw Makoto staring back at him, worry on his face.

'Stop giving me those eyes!'

He had no defence against those. Makoto really had no idea how easily he could manipulate his emotions like this… Was it some weird human superpower he had? Spyro had only ever been like this around him, after all!

"In any case, I'm happy for both of you," Lucas, who incredibly hadn't seen anything, giggled. "We should do this again sometime!"

He was about to run to his house and drop off his belongings when he was stopped.

"Nope," a blunt voice interjected. Makoto reached out and took back the book at the bottom of the pile in the wolf's hands. "That one's not yours."

The brown hardcover in his hands was the only one not related to early world history or human figures. It was an old recipe book, something well outside Lucas' personal expertise.

"Oh, right… Sorry." The wolf scratched behind his ears in embarrassment.

Makoto flicked a few fingers in a small wave.

"Have a good day, Lucas."

Spyro followed with a similar two-finger salute of his own, to which the wolf gushed over. He must have found the brothers' synchronicity adorable.

Lucas then took off in a hurry, intent on returning to his post before the hour was up.

"For a wolf ninja, he's very playful…" Makoto said, sitting back down on the bench by the fountain. Spyro plopped down next to him after recollecting himself.

"Seriously," he agreed, despite not knowing what a ninja was. "How is it that Vahn and those guys act more grown-up than Luke when the dude's an adult already?"

"It's part of his 'charm', I guess…"

Luke? Charming!?

…Well, if you can defuse even the stone-cold alpha's temper at times, it might be fair to give him that.

"Ha. Yeah, you got a point there, Koto," Spyro joked.

The human was unprepared for the sudden nickname.

"Koto…?" he questioned.

Spyro hadn't given the name a lot of thought. Like all great nicknames, it was best to use whatever rolled off the tongue naturally. But "Makoto" was so foreign that Spyro struggled to find anything suitable.

"Well, I got to give you a nickname at some point. I'm just… still working on it," he defended.

A list of potential options flew through his head.

Makky…

Michael…

Tomo…

He even briefly considered going with "Human", referencing the weird trend he'd seen where some fictional characters were simply named after their species. But ultimately, he didn't try that one in case it was too labelling.

But then, he came up with something he deemed perfect.

"Minato! It sounds a lot like your name already, but it's a lot easier to pronounce—"

"No. Not that one."

Makoto sounded disgusted this time, as if he'd been called that name many times before and had grown to detest it.

"What? I think it's great! It makes you sound all cool—"

"Drop it."

He wasn't going to let him have this…

Spyro was tempted to force the name anyway. After all, the whole point of a nickname was that you don't get to choose it yourself. But if it prompted this harsh of a reaction from its target, "Minato" was out of the question.

"Fiiiine… But unless you think of something better, you're officially 'Mikey' to me."

This new pick was the closest to a gnorcish-sounding name one could get when working back from "Makoto". Plus, it worked especially well for any instance where he needed to tease his little brother, something he was looking forward to.

"I don't need a nickname, Spyro," the newly-dubbed 'Mikey' tried to reason. "Just call me—"

"Makoto!"

He was interrupted by a voice in the distance. A pup in his late teens with an eyepatch across his left eye sprinted to their resting spot before stopping in front of Makoto.

"Finally!" Donnell exclaimed between breaths. "We've been trying to check up on you all day!"

"Hm…? I wasn't avoiding you guys," Makoto responded. "What's wrong, Donnell?"

Donnell was one of the few wolves in his class whom Spyro cared enough to remember their name. However, this was mostly due to the gossip surrounding the loner. Donnell was a later addition to Sapphire's group, a boy with parental issues (something about his losing his dad to a monster attack, which also explained his bad eye) and a previous history of throwing fits.

Many assumed he and Spyro would get along initially due to their mutual rebelliousness, but that was quickly proven wrong. Donnell often saw Spyro as an obstacle to surpass and volunteered to train against him almost daily to test his own strength. While Spyro admitted the pup was talented (if they were the same species, Donnell might have been able to beat him once or twice), he wasn't anything special.

After about a month into his time with the wolves, Sapphire stepped in and forbade the two from sparring, stating it was leading Donnell down a dark path as well as fueling Spyro's overconfidence, and the two had rarely talked since.

"'What's wrong'—What do you think!? Yesterday! You were practically in tears when you left the temple!" the older teen growled.

Makoto's eyes widened as he remembered getting dismissed early and leaving without saying a word to the others.

"Oh… you guys saw that, huh?"

"Well, yeah…! We've never seen you like that before. Hell, the puppies were worried sick when you didn't show up this morning. They wouldn't stop crying about you, asking if you were okay!"

Seeing that his edgy former rival was on good speaking terms with the calm-mannered Makoto, enough to get concerned over him, was amusing to Spyro. Nobody just becomes friends with Donnell like that. He had to see something promising in you to spare you a second glance. These two had almost incompatible personalities, yet they seemed to get along just fine.

'One of them had got to spill the details on this later!' Spyro grinned cheekily. He was willing to bet Makoto had inherited his 'living punching bag' position for Donnell at some point.

"Why are you still prowling by him!?"

It was now that Spyro realized he was being addressed. Donnell glared down at the purple teen with contempt, angry that he was hanging around Makoto.

"You got a problem with that, wolf boy?" he provoked with his arms folded behind his head. There was nothing Donnell could do to him, even if they were still in the same class.

"Don't act all innocent here. We know you lashed out at him yesterday. What's your problem?"

Spyro frowned. He couldn't hide everything from the wolves. From what he'd been told, his life signature was so unnaturally strong that they could detect him from across the city as long as they were paying attention. Knowing that Makoto was similar to him in some ways, it was possible more than a few people may have felt their little tussle yesterday…

Donnell then took a threatening step forward, actually stomping his foot on the ground.

"You went too far this time, Spyro. Mess with one of the pack, you mess with all of us!" he growled.

Spyro raised an eyebrow, mildly intrigued by the menacing gesture. Donnell was the first to bring this up today, and he looked to be alone right now. One wolf his age didn't pose much of a threat, but he wanted to know how far this would go.

Makoto, however, didn't want to see his friends fight.

"Donnell, Spyro is as much a part of the pack as I am," he urged, not wanting the situation to escalate. "You can let him go."

Donnell wasn't willing to back down so easily and dismissed his words.

"Are you really going to fall for his tricks? He's just taking advantage of you while you're vulnerable," he said.

Makoto slowly rose up in a challenging stance. If Donnell wouldn't stop accusing, he was ready to retaliate.

"Back down, Donnell. Spyro wouldn't do that to me. I trust him."

Spyro was about to say that it didn't matter. He didn't need to be defended like this and could stick up for himself. But before he could say anything, Donnell started snarling.

"You don't know him like I do…!"

His claws were out, and he was ready to pounce…

He wasn't the first to act, however.

In an act that went against everything he had seen of his brother so far, Makoto tackled Donnell to the ground, pre-empting anything from him. The two rolled around on the stone floor like a pair of savage dogs, trying to wrestle the other into submission.

'Holy…! What's gotten into them!?' Spyro gasped, wondering if he should break the two up.

Angry snarls came from the older wolf's mouth, with the human making similar sounds. Despite Makoto's being smaller, he ultimately was able to overpower Donnell and pin him down. He then leaned in and, mimicking a wolf's voice perfectly, growled in his defeated opponent's ear, demanding him to stop.

But as he did, something even more unexpected happened.

All at once, Spyro and Donnell's focus was forcefully pulled into Makoto. He hadn't done anything else, but his overall presence suddenly felt larger, as if his very being commanded their absolute respect and attention. Spyro regained his senses fairly quickly, brushing the feeling aside, but Donnell remained on the ground and went submissive.

'Again! How is he able to do stuff like this!?'

It was like Makoto was trying to remind Donnell which of them was a part of the alpha species.

"Donnell," Makoto whispered darkly. "Spyro is my brother. I know you're angry at him for what he did yesterday, but I already forgave him! There's nothing to argue about anymore. And… and…"

His face fell slightly, and he must have said the rest of that sentence silently. Fortunately, Donnell appeared to read his mind and grunted.

"Fine! You win," he relented. "Now, can you get off me? People are going to get the wrong idea!"

Makoto nodded and slowly eased off the gruff wolf, helping him up. Once he was back on his feet, Donnell brushed the dirt from his fur and huffed.

"I'm really starting to regret encouraging you to express your human side more…!"

"Did I hurt you anywhere?" Makoto asked, reverting to his usual placid self.

"Please. You're too Sol-bellied to do any lasting damage, even when you're mad."

He let his gaze drift between both brothers. Spyro tensed up in case Donnell changed his mind, but the wolf calmly acknowledged that nothing serious had occurred. As Makoto said, they had put the past behind them and were simply hanging out.

"I still think you're too forgiving, Makoto. But if you're that passionate about it, I won't argue."

The two linked arms, showing their understanding. But then, Donnell turned to face Spyro and raised his arm again.

'Me too, huh? We're cool now…?'

He bumped the arm with his own, sharing a smirk with the fierce boy.

"Yeah. I'd say we're 'cool' now… dragon."

…Some things wouldn't change.

"Stroke my tail, mutt!" Spyro jabbed back at him.

"No thanks. You're not my type."

The two laughed loudly, bonding for the first time outside the temple.

Almost like close friends.

Spyro had never been this casual around Donnell before. Sure, there was always some sarcasm and arrogance when they talked, but it was usually one-sided. Somehow, the uncomfortable pretense between them was gone, and they were both making witty remarks and jokes. And Spyro liked it. Donnell might have just become his first proper wolf friend, in a backward sort of way.

Once calmed down, the trio sat back down as Donnell took the time to review everything that had happened in the wake of yesterday's events.

"We've been told different things. Master Sapphire wanted you two at the temple as soon as you could make it–No, she didn't say if you're ready to come back to your training yet–and the alpha wanted us to leave you both alone."

So, it came down to whenever they were ready. They could take the day off if needed, but Spyro's prediction was correct in that Sapphire had something planned for them when the time eventually came.

"Tomorrow it is, then," Spyro declared, stretching his arms and yawning. "I'm in no mood for whatever she's been fixing up."

Makoto was about to object and insist that it was all in their best interests, but Spyro shot him a sideways glare before he could. This wasn't up for debate.

Instead, Makoto turned back to the wolf on his other side, inviting him to accompany them for the rest of the day.

"Are you doing anything right now, Donnell? Or are you going back to the temple now?"

"As much as I wouldn't mind joining you guys, I can't," Donnell apologized. "I haven't had my midday nap yet."

Spyro butted in when he heard this.

"Still? It's late in the afternoon, dude. You're going to be exhausted later on."

Wolves and many other canine species were semi-nocturnal in nature. They were mostly active in the mornings and evenings. This resulted in them going to sleep both late at night and in the middle of the day. It was a physical requirement for them to take these breaks to rest and regain their strength.

The temple had designated sleeping quarters with beds large enough to accommodate entire classes for these instances. But some students, including Donnell, preferred to either go home in the afternoon to rest or visit one of the many resting lodges that specifically catered to those taking their midday naps.

"I know!" Donnell whined. "Vahn, the others, and I have been busy keeping the younger puppies in line all morning–You're welcome for that, by the way–This is the first chance I've gotten to nap so far."

"Oh, well. Don't let us keep you," Spyro said with one last taunt. "Go on and get your beauty sleep, wolf boy~."

Donnell gave him a crude gesture in response and got up.

"Don't worry about the pups," he called out, walking down the trail that led to his house. "I'm sure Vahn and I can get them all in line by tomorrow."

The two bid him farewell before getting up and going in the other direction. Makoto still had one last book to return.

"So, you gonna say what you told him after your little wrestling match?" Spyro asked once they were out of earshot. Makoto gasped at his question and turned away, looking embarrassed.

'Is he… Is he blushing?'

Makoto's face hadn't turned red, but his body language betrayed the fact that he was very flustered.

'Oh, he's totally blushing! This, I've got to investigate!'

Spyro snuck up behind his brother and squeezed his shoulders.

"I know you've been picking up on the wolves' silent talk." He leaned in and purred into Makoto's ear. "You went REAL quiet at the end there. Whatcha tell him?"

The human's body was warming up, and his jaws were clenched together.

"C'mon, Mikey. Do I have to pry it out of you…?"

Spyro coiled his arms around Makoto, drawing him against his chest. With one arm holding him back, he prepared to give his brother an affectionate noogie.

"Last chance!" he warned, hoisting Makoto off the ground as best he could, considering their similar heights.

"Spyro, I…"

He tried to explain, but it wasn't enough. The full commitment wasn't there.

Spyro smirked and drilled his knuckles into Makoto's scalp harder than he would have for anyone else, knowing he could take it. Makoto yelped and squirmed around in Spyro's hold, trying to break free. Spyro laughed at his attempts, relishing in the control he had over his brother.

Just when it looked like Makoto was about to escape, Spyro wrapped his wings around him, trapping him again, and moved on to tickling Makoto in the stomach. Makoto sputtered out some words in protest. While he was fortunately not ticklish, he still didn't like the feeling.

Eventually, he rammed his elbows back, creating enough space for him to flip out of Spyro's grasp and land on the stone pavement.

"Wha… What was that for?" he panted.

Spyro gave him a toothy grin.

"Awww, was that too rough for the little guy?" He stepped up and puffed his chest out. Combined with his wings, it made him look all-around much larger than the human. "This is how I show affection, Mikey. You'd better get used to it!"

Licking his fingers briefly, Spyro swiped a hand through Makoto's mane, fixing the mess he had made.

"So, where to next? Any place you want to show off before we head back to our palace?"

Makoto wiped the dirt from his pants and straightened himself out.

"It's… just around the corner. I'm sure you've been there before."

He wasn't mad. Just before turning around, Spyro caught a glimpse of the genuine smile appearing on his face.

'He'll learn to love it sooner or later…!'

.

.

.

.

.

The pair stopped in front of a large tavern. While still open, it was very quiet at this time of day.

"Here, huh?" Spyro commented. "That's where you got the recipe book?"

Spyro would have never expected Alan or any of the cooks to hand over their secrets to someone like that. How did Makoto get this information from them…?

"I work here from time to time," Makoto revealed when asked. Spyro was shocked to hear this.

"Wait… You have a job? As in, the wolves pay you for stuff?"

"Officially, you're my job, Spyro," he said, detailing certain facts about his arrangements. "But Sirius has allowed me to find other jobs whenever I can. It's an advantage I have, being a guest."

Makoto opened the front door, letting them both into the mostly empty restaurant.

"So you've gone on hunts, train with Sapphire, songwrite, and help out here, huh? Where do you get the time for all that?"

"I've had all the time in the world before you showed up."

The two laughed, with Spyro lightly punching him in the chest.

"You say that like it's a bad thing!"

They approached the front counter, getting the attention of River, one of the owners.

"Good afternoon, boys. Can I help you today?"

The two sat down on the large stools, and Makoto pulled out the book he had on hand.

"Can you give this to Alan later?" he asked politely. "I have to return this to him."

"Oh, there's no need for that. You can give it to him yourself," she explained.

The wolf in question could be seen in the dining area with a few assistants, performing tableside service for some guests. He added a lot of extra presentation in his plating, selling the dish to them as well as entertaining everyone watching. Once finished, he presented the patrons with a thick flatbread dressed with red sauce and large chunks of rare meat, broken off into eight sections for easy sharing.

"The Italians would faint if they ever saw this…" Makoto muttered aside, commenting on the overall execution of the final dish.

The wolf hostess called her husband over, who, once he saw what she needed him for, sprinted over to talk to the pair the instant he had the chance.

"Hey! It's Blue and Purple!" Alan greeted them. "Together at last. How have you pups been?"

Alan's loud voice startled both brothers. (The adult had no concept of an indoor voice.) Not that it mattered, as the wolf saw the book Makoto had placed on the counter and inquired about it before either of them could speak.

"Oh! You actually used it!" he exclaimed before leaning in and pestering Makoto. "So? How'd it go? Did your brother like that dish you were planning? What did you call it…? Take-ohs?"

A special dish that Makoto made…

Was he referring to the wraps with the hard casings from last night? That was also one of Makoto's creations? And he asked for Alan's input before he made them? All this time, Spyro assumed it was one of the wolves who made it for him.

"Tacos," Makoto corrected. He was about to reveal the results of his experiment but remembered how he never got Spyro's opinion on the food. He wasn't there at the time.

Recalling how much he loved the "tacos", Spyro leapt from his seat, almost knocking a chair over, and voiced his feelings.

"I…I loved them! T-They were delicious!" he exclaimed. The reaction came out as a gut instinct. He had already decided that tacos were his new favourite food and hoped that Leah, Alan or whoever was responsible would make them for him again sometime. He didn't want it to be a one-time treat, no matter what.

The group went uncomfortably silent at his confession. The attention was so awkward… Spyro already regretted standing up. He was acting like a little boy!

Fortunately, his discomfort was cut short when Alan laughed. Not at him specifically, but the conversation as a whole.

"And here he was, all worried it wouldn't impress his little brother! Instead, he presented a fine masterpiece worthy of this chef's praise and got a shining review from the most important judge of all!"

Makoto pulled away as the wolf's voice increased in volume.

"You give me too much credit, sir," he whispered.

"What do you mean? We all know you're a talented young cook, Makoto. You've surpassed me in a few areas already!"

"No…" Makoto turned away. "You're still so much better than I am. Every day, I always hear about how good your cooking is. People love what you do."

Alan crossed his arms and leaned in, taunting Makoto with a smirk as he spoke.

"Mm-hmm? And whose recipes am I making? Who's responsible for all the glamour in this tavern this past month…?"

"…Me? I am." Makoto sheepishly answered.

"Exactly!" Alan patted him on the back heartily. "Have some pride in yourself, pup!"

Spyro slowly relaxed and sat back down. Seeing Makoto squirm like this was enough to calm him down, and he joined in with Alan's banter.

"He's right, you know. You've got to learn to brag sometimes, dude. Flex what you've got!"

"See?" Alan agreed. "Your brother gets it!"

Between the two of them getting in his face and teasing him, Makoto looked like he wanted to disappear from all the embarrassment but smiled all the same, happy to see them all in a good mood.

"Can I get you boys anything?" River asked once the laughter had died down.

"Hot chocolate," Makoto answered immediately.

Spyro didn't know what to say, not knowing the drink menu. He would've asked for the same thing, only he didn't know what "chocolate" was. Hot or cold.

River saw his hesitation and tried to elaborate.

"If it makes a difference, Spyro, the 'hot chocolate' we serve now is something your brother invented," she explained. "It's not a direct recreation, but he says we've gotten the flavours very close to the original."

"Uh… Sure." If Makoto had been the one to create it, then there was no doubt it would be good, right?

River stepped back to prepare their drinks. Two large mugs were filled with a thick white liquid that foamed at the top before being sprinkled with a mysterious brown spice. The scent of the drink reminded Spyro of milk, only sweeter. He wondered how hot milk could be satisfying in this warm weather, but he was intrigued.

Soon, the wolfess returned and presented them with their drinks.

"Enjoy, both of you. It's on us for today."

"Thank you, ma'am," Makoto said hurriedly. He was apparently desperate to use the drink as a distraction from Alan's antics.

Spyro chuckled. He loved how easy it was to get under Makoto's skin! This was exactly how he hoped their relationship would be and continue to be.

Taking a sip of the "hot chocolate", he found it was comparable to cream, only richer and not as heavy. He could imagine it tasting even better in the winter.

Bringing the cup down, he could feel some foam sticking to his lips, which he wiped off. He heard River giggle as he did, and when he turned to look at her, he saw she was smiling at them with a maternal-like gaze.

"What…?" he asked, irked at the attention.

The wolfess hummed warmly.

"I didn't see it at first, but the resemblance is there. You two really are brothers."

Makoto was puzzled by her comment and scratched the side of his face.

"Hm?" he asked. "There is?"

Spyro frowned at his ignorance and looked over at the human as if he'd grown a second head.

'Seriously, dude…?' HOW could he have not noticed yet!?

Ignoring the difference in species, there were a lot of physical and behavioural similarities between them. They weren't twins, but they were clearly related. Even some finer details, such as their current hairstyles, were alike–They both had thick manes that were swept back with bangs that partially covered their right eye.

It was like that old myth where two siblings who were raised apart would independently develop identical habits. From what he had seen so far, that saying more than had merit.

'But why is it like that, though…?' Spyro wondered, staring into the creamy white liquid in his mug. 'Why are we just meeting each other now?'

Sure, Makoto had the excuse that he was originally from a different time, but that was in the past! If they were related, why wasn't he reborn alongside Spyro in the present when he got reincarnated? They could have grown up together!

All this time, the universe kept this important secret from him… He frowned when he thought of what could have been.

"Oh, Makoto~!"

Alan still had some things to say, apparently. Spyro pushed his thoughts to the side, knowing his aura might show signs of agitation eventually, which would cause the wolves to worry.

"I know you're not working today, but can you go check Table 16? Someone there wants to talk to you!"

"Okay," Makoto agreed without question. Hopping from the tall chair, he made his way further into the tavern. Spyro was about to follow after him out of habit, but a paw landed on his hand and held him back.

"No distractions!" Alan warned eagerly.

'What is he talking about?' Spyro frowned. Alan wasn't even facing where Makoto was heading…

Spyro watched as his brother wandered around the tables with no patrons reaching out to him. No one was occupying the specified table in the back, adding to the confusion.

That's when he saw a young female wolf come up behind Makoto.

Leah was creeping low to the ground, barely making a sound, when suddenly, she snuck up behind Makoto and wrapped her arms around his waist. Startled slightly by the surprise ambush, Makoto looked down to see the wolfess giggling up at him. However, once he realized who it was, he beamed brightly at her. He then turned around and started a conversation, the smile on his face growing almost wider than it had been all day.

A pit suddenly formed in Spyro's stomach. He didn't like what he was seeing.

'Is he… No. He could have been infected by it, could he?'

"Hey," he spoke up, catching the attention of the two adults. "Are they–Makoto and Leah–are they like… seeing each other?"

Alan almost immediately puffed his chest out and smiled proudly.

"They absolutely are!" he exclaimed. Spyro looked over at him, completely horrified. The wolf didn't hesitate at all and sounded so confident… Was it that certain!?

River, however, wasn't impressed and gently bopped her mate on the nose.

"Oh, stop that. You'll give him the wrong idea."

"Well, I'm not wrong, am I?" Alan countered with a mischievous grin. "Look at them right now! Holding hands and everything!"

Spyro looked back and saw what Alan meant. Leah was cupping Makoto's hands in hers and joyfully swishing her tail as they talked. Spyro had never seen the wolfess this cheerful in the handful of times they'd interacted. She was always very well-mannered and polite but also very shy around new people. This was very new. And the two of them definitely looked close…

Alan, who had more to say on the matter, kept talking.

"Besides, you saw what happened last week. They've practically already mated, as far as I'm concerned!"

Spyro paled, almost spilling his drink in the process.

"M-Mated!? Last week?" he stuttered.

Were they at that stage already!?

His fears were coming true… His brother had already fallen victim to the plague.

His breathing picked up as the panic settled in. He was losing his brother on the first day…! It was already too late.

'I have to stop this. I… He… They can't just…!'

He was so scared that he almost missed the paw being placed on him and the tender aura reaching out and comforting him.

It wasn't Alan this time, but River.

"I… I…" Spyro stuttered, realizing she had sensed his fear, but he was quickly shushed. River looked around the tavern, noting how business was still currently slow for them, as most of the city was either still resting or had just finished their breaks. They could spare a few minutes to explain what was happening.

She pulled Spyro to the side where they could talk privately. Alan, after saying a few words to the kitchen staff, soon followed after them, refusing to stay out of the conversation for even a minute.

"You've been told how Makoto often comes to work here when he has the time, yes?" River started once they were alone. Spyro nodded slowly, prompting her to continue and recount a particular experience. She was going to clear the air for him…

It happened roughly a week into Makoto's time at the tavern. He had been assigned as a server due to having prior experience from his past life. However, this didn't stop him from occasionally joining the kitchen staff and passing on many of his old recipes to Alan to reinvent for the wolves' palates. Business had grown rapidly in that time, as many people either wanted to see how well Makoto was adjusting, or were curious about his new contributions to the menu.

After a long day of work that had him staying back a little later than expected, Makoto had finished cleaning up and was ready to head home to cook his own dinner. He didn't make it out the door when he was literally pulled back in by Alan, who insisted that he spend the night with their family. This wasn't the first time someone in the city had offered this to him since being introduced to the pack, but he was still taken aback by everyone's hospitality on occasion. Makoto hesitated at the offer, but after some additional convincing from River, he eventually relented.

And so, shortly after the rest of the staff left, Makoto followed Leah and her parents to their house. The wolves were very hospitable to him, making absolutely sure he was comfortable. He was treated no differently than a son to them the whole time, something which helped him adjust to his new surroundings.

Dinner had gone smoothly. River mentioned how Alan made absolutely sure Makoto was seated right next to his daughter and that they were served at the same time. It was not a secret to anyone that he wanted Makoto and Leah to get together and was known to take every opportunity to bring them closer.

Spyro growled when he heard this. The wolf shouldn't just be playing matchmaker like that! Makoto didn't need a mate.

The interesting part of the story, as Alan put it, came when it was time for the family to go to sleep.

While the wolves were getting ready, Makoto roamed the house for the room he'd be using. When he couldn't find it, he asked River, who didn't understand his concerns.

"When a wolf invites you to their house, it's a sign that they consider you a part of their family," she explained.

Unlike gnorcs, and apparently humans as well, wolves didn't have guest rooms in their houses. Everyone shared the same bed and bundled up together.

'I remember getting confused by that myself,' Spyro thought. When he first moved into his home in Lycanus, he was quick to question why his new bed was so massive. Evidently, it was a normal-sized bed for the wolves; they weren't given him special treatment in that regard.

"You should have seen how squeamish the pup was!" Alan suddenly cackled, remembering that night. "Like we were about to eat him."

His mate was quick to scold him again in a hushed voice.

"Dear, don't forget he's a human. Imagine if he was told as a little puppy to go sleep with a pack of giant wolves. He'd have good reason to be cautious back in those days!"

"Ah, come on!" Alan brushed off her words. "Wolves were a human's best friend! He's probably DONE that a few times before. Besides, you were able to get through to him."

From what Alan described, River had to gently coax Makoto onto the bed with her while her husband and daughter were still getting ready. She managed to pull him onto her lap and gave him a gentle head massage to calm him down. It took time, but he eventually drifted off, enjoying the relaxing sensation.

"All right…? Where is this going? Nothing sounds too romantic just yet."

Spyro's overall stress had simmered slightly, but he was still agitated, as evident by how his claws were starting to drill into his mug.

River attempted to continue explaining when she saw his discomfort, but Alan could barely contain it any longer and interrupted her.

"The pup was out before my girl and I made it to bed! He must have been so tired from the long day."

Alan described how Leah tried to cuddle up next to him like she usually did, but the large wolf had something else in mind for that night.

"See, Makoto had one arm hanging out, like this." He demonstrated quickly. "I always knew that if Leah was ever going to take the first step… we had to give her a 'push', so to say."

What happened next was that Alan picked up his daughter, who yelped in surprise, and placed her down on top of Makoto's outstretched arm. Leah flushed in embarrassment and quickly tried to move, but before she could break away, the body underneath her shifted. Makoto must have liked the feeling of something warm next to him, so he pulled it closer, resulting in Leah laying flat on top of him.

"So you're saying they…?" Spyro blanched at the description, having an idea what Alan meant by that. He really didn't want to say it out loud. It was too humiliating to put into words.

"Her aura was so bright with embarrassment! Caught in a lover's embrace, skin on fur (more or less)… You can't make it up!" Alan snickered to nobody in particular. "Sure, she resisted it at first, but when she saw how peacefully Makoto was sleeping, she got over her fears and snuggled right into his tender arms."

He bragged about his personal involvement in the night's events.

"Once I saw how perfectly it all transpired, I had to make sure the lovely couple wouldn't move again for the rest of the night, so I pinned them in place while they dozed off. They enjoyed each other's company right up until morning!"

"They… They actually…!" Spyro spluttered. It wasn't just a matter of them getting close. Makoto and Leah had shared a bed in a very intimate manner!

River quickly intervened before her husband could twist the tale anymore.

"Nothing happened beyond that, Spyro. They slept in each other's arms that night. Nothing more."

Did that help…!? From how they described it, neither party objected to it. Moreover, their relationship had supposedly grown since that night, leaving only one implication.

'They're in LOVE with each other.'

Makoto was officially broken.

Gone.

Finished.

There wasn't any hope for him now…

.

.

.

'And he'll leave me soon… Just like they all do.'

The pit forming inside Spyro grew larger, and he felt an icy chill break out. Emotions that he thought he had overcome last night were reappearing. He had let his guard down and shown this side of himself in public…

'No…' Tears began to form. 'I should go.'

He turned away from the wolves, ready to leave the tavern alone, without Makoto and without finishing his drink.

However, Alan hadn't noticed him yet and was still verbally reminiscing on that one night.

"It's a first step, but if she is finally comfortable getting close to him, I say her chances are good!"

Chances…

.

.

.

Wait… CHANCES!?

"Hold up, what do you mean?" Spyro demanded, snapping back around. "Earlier, you… You said they were a thing together!"

Alan tilted his head in confusion, not understanding why Spyro was getting emotional.

"I said I agreed that they were seeing each other. There's a big difference."

Was there? Makoto and Leah were already dating, if not more. Changing the words around a little didn't make it any better.

"Spyro," River spoke up. "I don't think you understand the mating culture for wolves."

"Huh?" he glared at her, very fed up at being pulled along on this emotional current.

River shook her head and explained the cultural difference he had missed.

Unlike gnorcs, wolves don't choose their mates. They're paired together depending on the bonds they share and other factors. While you could influence the process slightly by growing close to someone you like, it was ultimately up to destiny.

"We don't find out who we're bonded to until the annual ritual where our mates are determined for us by the celestial moons. Until that day, we can only attempt to deepen our bonds to strengthen the connection."

She had left out many important details, including what went on during this "ritual", but he understood the intent of her words. Leah and, more importantly, Makoto weren't mated, and it would stay that way for the foreseeable future.

'They're friends for now… There's still a chance.'

"It's semantics at the end of the day," Alan shrugged. "I know my daughter. And it's been a long time since I've seen her smile like that. If she doesn't have eyes for Makoto, I'll shave my own tail!"

There was no denying that, Spyro reluctantly agreed. Leah did have a crush on his brother. Assuming Makoto were to participate in that gross ceremony, they would get together…

'But she might not be the only one…'

If Makoto was able to get an introvert like Leah to fall for him, who's to say there weren't others? It was a competition for his heart, and there were plenty of single females in the city.

Wasn't there also a huntress giving Makoto the eye earlier? What if she has a thing for him, too?

…That might even be worse!

That wolfess seemed awfully interested in Makoto when they passed by her in the woods. What was the real motivation behind those "private lessons", huh? There had to be something going on there!

He couldn't be too careful. Spyro had to consider everyone now. Any chance someone got to be alone with his brother was dangerous.

…Just like now!

Realizing the present situation, Spyro ran back into the tavern to look for Makoto and was horrified at what he saw.

It wasn't just Leah. Multiple females were talking to Makoto right now! If what Alan said was true, they were also trying to infect his brother! There was still a strong chance of him falling victim to the plague!

Why was he encouraging their advances like this? Couldn't he see what these floosies were trying to do?

Sprinting over to Makoto, Spyro grabbed his arm with both hands. The human jerked back, confused by the sudden forcefulness, but Spyro's desperate, pleading eyes kept him from protesting. Makoto could tell something was wrong and stared back at him.

"Spyro?"

His grip tightened in response. Spyro was ready to drag his brother away if that's what it took.

"Oh, you're both here today? That's a nice surprise."

That voice… It was older than he was expecting. Much older… Whoever spoke up just now must have been in their mid-forties, at least.

Spyro pivoted his gaze to the table. There was a family seated down. A father, mother and two pups… None of the females in the group were Makoto's age or anywhere close.

He hadn't been paying enough attention and overreacted… again.

Spyro turned away in shame. He was making an absolute fool of himself and was too humiliated to try and salvage the situation…

But he didn't have to.

He suddenly felt inexplicably shielded from the world. If eyes were looking in his direction, he couldn't feel their harsh scrutiny. Something was protecting him again, giving him strength and courage.

He opened his eyes and found Makoto with tears of his own, holding him close. At that moment, Spyro didn't care if neither of them could read minds like the wolves. He called out to his brother in his head with one desperate message.

'Don't leave me…'

And he got a similarly delivered response.

"I won't.'

That was all he wanted to hear…

Spyro's hand travelled up Makoto's arm, asking for permission for something more. He obliged, pulling him in in a one-armed hug–just enough that it wouldn't attract any more attention.

"Daddy," one of the puppies spoke up from behind. "Is it true Makoto and Spyro are family, like us?"

The father of the family patted his kid on the head.

"Exactly! One's a… gnorc, and the other's a human, but the two of them are siblings."

"Huh…? That doesn't make sense. How can you tell?"

He pointed at the pair's shoulders.

"See those marks on their arms? That's how I know!"

"This is actually the first time they've met each other!" the mom added. "You remember how Makoto couldn't stop asking questions about Spyro for the past few weeks? He's been very impatient for this day."

Hearing what she said, Makoto broke away, staring at the wall as his hands trembled.

'He's doing that again…? What's gotten into him?'

It was the same as before, where it looked like Makoto was blushing.

All this time, it was because he was too embarrassed to admit how lonely he'd been. How much it had occupied his thoughts all month.

"I was on my own for a long time, Spyro."

Now, it made sense. Spyro understood where he was coming from earlier. Makoto understood solitude and loss better than anyone. Yet, he still found the strength to keep going. He was the only human alive in all the realms, but he didn't let that get to him. All because he was holding onto that one bit of hope…

"You okay?" Spyro whispered.

"…Are you?"

What did that mean? Spyro wasn't the focus anymore…

"I…"

He wasn't okay. Spyro only wanted to leave and put this all behind him.

"Let's just go."

"…All right."

The two excused themselves from the ongoing conversation and prepared to leave.

"For what it's worth, Spyro, I'm proud of you," Makoto tried to say, only to be faced with a defeated Spyro refusing to talk. Sensing that he was in a bad mood, Makoto moved ahead, giving him space.

'This entire day was his fault. If we had just stayed at home, everything would be fine…'

"Spyro…"

.

.

.

What now…?

He turned to glare at whoever spoke up, finding that it was River once again. She couldn't mind her own damn business, could she…?

'Yeah, well, it's your fault too. I'd be better off not hearing about your daughter's fling with him.'

The wolfess flinched under his gaze and took a moment to pick the right thing to say.

"Nobody is going to take your brother away from you, Spyro. You don't have to worry."

She knew… It wasn't just that she knew that he was upset. She knew the exact cause and reason. Stupid mind-reading dogs…

"You don't know that," he spat. "It always happens to me. Somehow, someway, they always do…"

"I understand," she insisted. "Even if you don't see much of us, we're always watching out for you, Spyro. Since the first day you came to Lycanus, we've always been there for you."

By now, Makoto had already gone out the front door, leaving Spyro with the wolfess. More people were beginning to enter the tavern, but she gave him her full attention.

"We know why you've been avoiding us…" She ran a paw through his golden mane. "You aren't just afraid of being left alone, and you aren't scared to meet new people… What you fear… is forming a connection that can't last."

'That… can't last?'

He thought it through, thinking back on his whole life. For over fifty years, he has met so many people. More than most people his apparent age would. He didn't hate the interactions he shared with them, and he knew that them going their own ways was simply a part of growing up. But why did it hurt every time…?

And why did it bother him so much with Makoto?

They hadn't even known each other for a full 24 hours yet, but Makoto had done the impossible and breached the barrier he had set up all those years ago, and, like River had said, he was scared to see him go.

"Why? Why did everything change when he showed up in my life?" he cried.

"He's different from all of them," River consoled. "No matter what happens to him… YOU are the most important person in his life. Your bond is special in a way that can't be compared."

"What do you mean…?"

She laughed softly with a nostalgic warmth.

"Because both of you are Zenith's sons."

Zenith…? The purple saurian god? What did he have to do with any of this? Weren't they all his sons, technically? That's what he'd been taught at home, after all.

"I don't understand…"

River massaged his fingers one last time before nudging him to the door.

"Someday, you will."

More patrons poured into the tavern just then, swarming the place and creating distance between the two.

"River…!" he tried to call out as his feet shuffled back against his will.

"Go to your brother, Spyro."

With that, she turned to help the next guest.

A bit of friction beneath his boots got Spyro to look down. A blue carpet with the word "WELCOME" on it in capital letters. He was standing at the entrance.

Realizing he had no choice, he made his way outside, bumping into Makoto almost instantly.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"…Yeah."

They both wanted to head home now. Anything else they had planned could wait until tomorrow…

As they left, Spyro began questioning the message River had left him with.

'I'm not scared of loss or connections, but attachment.'

When he thought about it more, he could see the underlying problem. For the longest time, he always reacted poorly whenever he got left alone, but he also wasn't actively forming any new bonds to replace what he lost, choosing to lock himself away from the world instead. In some ways, he was being a hypocrite. But now, he understood the reasoning for his actions.

Spyro was trying to block out any pain in his life. It was all just an attempt not to get hurt again. If he could protect himself in the short term, he'd never have to face the harsh reality as he grew older.

But that's when the stupid, persistent human entered the picture.

Makoto had dragged him out here, forced him to make friends, and generally made a mess of his otherwise comfortable life.

Yet, he was irreplaceble…

Even now, looking at him from behind, Spyro saw a strong fighter. Someone who recognized his pain, had endured the same thing in the past, and was willing to extend an arm to rescue him from this dark prison.

With Makoto, he saw a chance at moving on. At achieving his personal redemption.

'He's my beacon. I need to follow him…'

They were halfway through the walk back when Spyro stopped walking.

"Hey, Makoto?"

The human stopped and looked back at him.

"Yeah?"

"For dinner tonight… Can I take care of it this time?"

Makoto was puzzled by the offer.

"You can cook too, Spyro?"

"Well… no," he admitted. "But… We can have the food my mom prepared for me. Since I skipped a couple meals, there should be enough for both of us. That sound good?"

Makoto blinked awkwardly at the suggestion, but he was willing to give it a try.

"Sure… Yeah, that sounds good."

"Thanks," Spyro said appreciatively.

Picking up his pace, Spyro came up beside Makoto right as a fun prank entered his head.

Just as he was about to pass by the blue-haired teen, Spyro's hand crept downward. With a quick movement, he pulled back and…

*WHACK*

"AHHH!"

Makoto rubbed his behind, where Spyro had smacked him, and looked on in disbelief.

"You're so easy, you know that?" Spyro taunted.

"Why did you—"

"Cuz, it's who I AM, baby!" He widened his stance, flaunting himself as if he were someone worth worshipping. "Learn to keep up, Mikey."

Before Makoto could retort, Spyro turned around and tore up the path through the trees, laughing all the while.

"By the way… Last one there gets dessert all to himself!"

Little did Spyro know that while they were physically comparable in many ways, Makoto was significantly faster than him…

---

A/N

Fun fact: The beach scene in the opening is supposed to be Spyro's equivalent of Makoto's mindscape from the movies (the dark void with the water floor and the fancy chair). So, in the future, whenever Spyro is taking a moment to reflect internally, he will find himself back on that beach. And as you can see, his current mental state has an effect on what he sees in that dimension.

As an update/announcement for the coming chapters, I have decided to trim out a lot of side content and other world-building scenes in an effort to help move the plot along. While very little will get outright cut unless it's overall unimportant, I'll usually either save these scenes for a better time or just not go as in-depth.

Lastly, I feel this has been a little overdue… This is a very unique/unheard-of concept for a crossover fic. I knew from the beginning that I would probably not attract a large audience, and I especially never expected this story to become "popular". That being said, I've realized that I'm my own biggest fan with this story. I love working on this fic whenever I have the time, and I have a TON planned for the future… But I don't need to write any of it down to get my "fix". Because of this, my update pace has been lacking.

To anyone reading this who would like to see more frequent updates, your feedback is the best motivator for me. I don't plan to stop anytime soon, but there'd be a good reason for me to keep going, knowing that I'm not alone in this journey (if that makes sense).

Until next time, farewell.
~AzureDragonZX