Review Replies:
Wyrmcoil Engine: Glad to hear it! I plan on dropping plenty of chapters for all to enjoy, so I hope you stick around! đ
Austin: Whoa, big review! Now those I like to see!
Spyro and Cynder fluff? Hmmm, I have my own plans on what I'll do with the two, but I'm not saying anything yet. I'm not an avid Spynder shipper, but your biggest ally may be in charge of beta-reading my story. You'll have to keep it a secret, though. I don't want this information to leak, okay?
The dragons' height? Oh boy. I usually rely on relative height instead of absolute values, but now you're forcing me to do math. shakes fist Curse you! (Don't worry, you're fine.) Anyway, for my story, the dragons are 130 cm (4'3) when on all fours and jump to 151 cm (4'11) when rearing up on their hind legs (Cynder is slightly taller than Spyro in both cases), CĂ©cile is 165 cm (5'5), and Xavier is 183 cm (6'). In relative terms, it means Xavier is a head taller than CĂ©cile, while the dragons reach up to her chest.
Cynder wanting to stay is very much an in-the-moment thing she thought about. If she put two seconds of thought into it, she would have realized similar issues to those you pointed out. Spyro simply chose a different angle of attack. đ€ (Translator's Note: He's saying he hadn't even thought about the points you brought up, which are very good, might he add.)
Thanks for the suggestions! There are bits I've already planned that cover some of these, but for the rest, I'll see what I can do with them.
How will the dragons explore the great outdoors unnoticed? Easy. They wear cat or dog ears. They'll blend right in, trust me.
Thanks again for the review, and I hope you'll stick around for this ride!
Linkuser2: Dubious?! How dare you say something so rude! I'll let you know CĂ©cile has only committed minor war crimes!
The only reason Amerinada exists is because I didn't want to alienate the majority of my readers while also being able to rely on the knowledge of my home country. But look on the bright side. We're combining the best of both worlds, here. Not only will going to the hospital cost you the soul of your unborn child, but you'll also have to wait twenty-seven centuries before being treated! Isn't that just swell? đ
That Cynder scene sort of wrote itself. I just wanted fun times and silly bits, but the story just had to fight for a serious scene. I hate it when that happens, smh my head. As for the ape/human conflict, I needed it out of the way or else the story wouldn't work. Thankfully, anything is possible with facts and logic.
Trust in my bower (not a typo). If I cannot maintain my upload schedule, I am a FRAUD! There would be no greater shame.
Chapter 2 - A Fair Information Exchange
...
"What is this stuff?" Spyro asked as Xavier poured bits of unknown matter into a bowl of milk.
"It's cereal. Great for a quick breakfast before starting the day."
He poured some of it into Cynder's bowl as well. She sniffed it, eyes narrowing. "It smells weird. Are you sure it's good?"
"It certianly hasn't harmed me in the dozen or so years I've been eating it," Xavier said, voice dripping with sass. "Just try it, alright?"
The black dragoness hummed with uncertainty. She wasn't sure how to tackle this meal. Unlike meat or other solid food, she couldn't just pick it up and eat it. Xavier didn't expect them to eat it without any tools, right?
Spyro surprised her by dunking his head into the bowl. He lifted his head soon after, milk trickling down his snout as he chewed on cereal. After swallowing, he said, "Hm, not bad. A little tasteless, though."
A bemused smile tugged at the black dragoness' lips. That is...certainly a way to do it.
Xavier gave the purple dragon a disapproving stare. "Spyro, you're supposed to use a spoon."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Spoon?"
"Yes." The boy slammed one next to him. "What, never heard of cutlery?"
" 'Course I have!" Spyro snapped. "I'm just wondering why you're overcomplicating the process."
Xavier snorted. "It's a little something called 'class' â something you clearly lack."
"I don't know. I think he has the right idea," Cynder said, smirking. She plunged her head into the bowl and lapped up milk and bits of cereal. The liquid was cool, but the cereal lacked flavour.
Xavier groaned. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
She retracted her head from the bowl and finished chewing before speaking. "Maybe."
Xavier scoffed. He turned away. "Fine, then. Suit yourself. Don't blame me if your lack of refinement gets you kicked out of the restaurant."
CĂ©cile giggled as she munched away at a sandwich. "You never know, Xavier. Maybe this is what classy dragons eating looks like."
He glared at her. "You stop encouraging them. Focus on your sandwich."
Breakfast went by silently afterward. Xavier made himself a toast to accompany his cereal. For her part, Cynder didn't mind taking up the spoon upgrade path. Spyro remained stubborn, however. After she was done, she asked Xavier where to put the dirty bowl away.
"Oh, you put it in the sink." He pointed to the area in question. Cynder went ahead and dropped the bowl in the sink, having grabbed it in her maw. After everyone was done eating, CĂ©cile got to work on washing the dishes, grumbling.
"So, Xavier, mind if I ask you something?" Spyro asked.
"Go ahead."
He gestured to two metallic, box-like things. The first one was rectangular and the bigger of the two. It was a slick grey and had two handles for the two compartments. The second one was square-ish, white on the exterior but black on top, with four circle markings. Like the first, it had two handles for two compartments. "What are all these things?"
Huh. Cynder hadn't paid attention to them, but Spyro's question was poignant. She knew nothing of human technology. This was their chance to learn more about what their ingenuity led them to concoct.
The boy grinned and adjusted his spectacles, which gave a gleam. "Well, my dear Spyro, these are marvels produced by modern science." He pointed to each device as he described them. "This one's a refrigerator, but you can call it a fridge if you prefer. As the name implies, it keeps the food inside refrigerated. The other one is the oven. We use it to cook food."
Cynder sniffed each of the machines. "That's odd. I can't sense any magic coming from these. How are they supposed to work? Where are the frost and heat crystals?" She'd never seen the concept of refrigeration and cooking so floppily executed. Dragon Realmers had developed ways of cooking and freezing food with quartz crystals. They were highly receptive to magic, which allowed dragons to exploit them. For example, imbuing a crystal with Ice magic would allow one's food storage to be refrigerated. But there was none of that here; how was it supposed to work?
"I don't know what you mean by frost and heat crystals, but things here don't operate on magic. They just sort of work, and I never bothered to look up how," Xavier said, shrugging. He opened the fridge. "Here, see for yourself."
Cynder approached the fridge, only to get hit with a puff of cold air. She paused, eyes widening. "What the? It's cold!" But how? Generating cold without magic should be impossible!
"Wait, really?" asked an intrigued Spyro as he got closer. "Let me see." He stuck his head in the fridge. "Whoa! It is cold!" He backpedalled out of there. "How'd you even manage to build something like this, Xavier? It's incredible!"
Xavier rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks, but I didn't build any of this. Mom and Dad just bought them at the store."
"You can just buy these at the store?" Spyro exclaimed.
Xavier flinched from the sudden outburst. "Y-yes. These items are everywhere. You'll rarely find a house that doesn't a fridge, oven, or other electronic devices."
"How many people do you have to manufacture these things for?" Cynder asked.
"Ehhhhhh... Counting only our country, a couple hundred million."
She blinked. Wow. That was a lot. "And you're able to provide for all of them?"
"We have enough factories."
Cynder narrowed her eyes. I find that dubious.
"Is there anything else you've built that's interesting?" Spyro asked.
The boy brought a hand to his chin. "There is one thing. Can you dragons communicate over long distances?"
"Yeah, we do. We use Sending mirrors."
By this time, CĂ©cile had finished washing the plates, so she joined the conversation. "Sending mirrors? What are they supposed to send, apart from your reflection back at you?"
"They're enchanted mirrors that allow two holders to contact each other as long as one of them knows the name of the other. However, it doesn't last long, and the stones need to recharge for the rest of the day afterward."
"Yeah, that's why we use those sparingly," Cynder added. "Otherwise, we send our fellow dragons as couriers. Other species employ our help or the help of cheetahs, who use messenger falcons." She shrugged. "As you can expect, that method takes time."
Xavier crossed his arms. "Huh, that's not too different from us, actually. I mean, we don't use birds and stuff, but we do have our ways of making mail travel. And our phones let us communicate the same way your mirrors do, though I'd like to think we have the edge," he said with a smirk.
"Wait a sec, you said enchanted mirrors, right?" CĂ©cile asked.
Spyro nodded. "Yeah, why?"
CĂ©cile's expression brightened. "Does that mean you can use magic?"
"A little bit of elemental magic, yes." The purple dragon breathed a small plume of fire.
The girl squealed. "Could you teach me how? Please, please, please, please!" She invaded Spyro's personal space the more she begged.
He backed up, looking all sorts of awkward. "Um, I wouldn't exactly call myself a talented teacher..."
"That, and there's the fact only dragons can use elemental magic," Cynder said with a hint of amusement from CĂ©cile's antics.
CĂ©cile slumped. "Awwww..."
Cynder nudged the girl with her snout. "However, we could see if you're responsive to other types of magic, though I wouldn't get my hopes upâ"
CĂ©cile hugged her, squealing in delight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"It's no problem," she said, strained. "Could you let go? You're crushing me."
CĂ©cile let go and put her hands behind her back, sheepish. "Sorry."
Spyro turned to Xavier. "You never went to a diviner to check if CĂ©cile could attune to magic?"
Xavier grew awkward. "Oh, uh... About that. Magic sort of...doesn't exist in our world."
Spyro recoiled in shock. "What? That can't be right. You're pulling my tail, right? You've never seen cheetahs or foxes? After dragons, they're the species that have the easiest access to magic."
Xavier joined his hands together in front of his mouth, sucking a sharp breath as he grimaced. "How do I put this... Humans are the only dominant species in our world, Spyro."
Spyro and Cynder took some time to process his words.
"SAY WHATâœ"
Cynder couldn't believe it. This couldn't be true! Only one species for an entire planet? If that were true, that would implyâŠuncomfortable implications. Cynder narrowed her eyes. "What did you do to the other species?"
"Nothing, I swear!" Xavier held his hands up placatingly. "They just never evolved to be sentient like us."
"So they still exist, just as feral species?"
"Yeah, exactly."
Cynder held her stare for a while longer. Before long, she relented. "Alright, fine." She had to take it with a grain of salt, but if she could see them, that would quell her doubts definitively.
"Wait," Spyro said, "you're telling me that if I go outside, all I'll see is other humans?"
Xavier nodded. "Quite right. Speaking of which, you two can't go outside."
"What, why?" Spyro whined.
"Because it would cause a mass panic if you got on the news. And attract a lot of unwanted attention. For our collective peace of mind, let's avoid that, okay?"
The purple dragon sat down, pouting. Cynder couldn't blame him. There was an entire world to explore out there. How long before being confined to this place felt akin to a prison? She shivered as unpleasant memories bubbled to the forefront of her mind. They had to find some way of getting out soon. Perhaps they could disguise themselves?
CĂ©cile patted Spyro on the back. "Come on, guys, don't be so glum. There's plenty of cool things to do around the house!"
Xavier perked up. "That reminds me, there's something cool I want to show you. Come on."
The group made their way over to the living room, where Xavier gestured at a big, black box on a table against the wall. "Here it is."
CĂ©cile sat on the couch while the two dragons eyed the device. Cynder had no idea what its function was supposed to be. "So, care to explain what this thing is?"
"It's called to a TV, one of the many forms of entertainment we humans have developed over the years." He grabbed something Cynder didn't recognize and smirked. "As for what it does, I think I'll let you see for yourself." He pointed the thing at the TV and pressed a button; the TV came to life.
Cynder's and Spyro's eyes widened as the screen displayed images of humans. They were even more surprised to hear them speak.
"What in the..." The latter stomped a paw against the ground. "How is this happening?"
Cynder inspected the TV from the sides, giving it a few sniffs. Still no magic, yet the voices were echoing clearly, and the images displayed were so realistic to boot. "I don't know, but I suspect something nefarious." She threw a suspicious glare at Xavier. "What did you do to them? Did you trap their spirits inside this thing, forcing them to entertain you for your sadistic pleasure?" There were a few methods of masking the telltale signature of magic spells. There was still a possibility that Xavier was more cunning than she game credit for.
Xavier recoiled in shock. "What? Of course not! Geez, what is it with you and your suspicions? This is just a recorded show."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
The boy scratched his cheek, looking uneasy. "Oh boy, um... Think of it like a play at the theatre, but we captured that experience to present it whenever we want."
Cynder frowned. "That's quite the far-fetched tale."
He shrugged. "There are many more things you'll find to be far-fetched if you don't just roll with them. But if you need a small-scale demonstration, I've got you covered." He fished out a new device from his pocket. It was small, rectangular, and khaki on all sides except one, which was pitch black. "This is a phone. It serves many purposes, such as long-distance communication, entertainment, or taking pictures and videos."
CĂ©cile jumped from the couch. "Ooh, I see where this is going! Can I record the video, please?"
"Sure thing."
Xavier passed the phone to her, who pointed it at the dragons. "Alright, you guys, I'm gonna record a video of you. Three. Two. One. Action!"
Spyro tilted his head to the side. "What exactly are we supposed to do?"
"Just say something funny or something."
The purple dragon's brow furrowed. "Hmmmmm... Oh, I got it! Hey Cynder! Knock knock!"
"Do I even want to entertain your bit?" she asked, giving a dull look.
"C'mon, be a team player," he replied, sticking his tongue out.
She sighed. "Who's there?"
"Atch."
"Atch who?"
"Bless you." He chuckled.
Cynder was thoroughly unamused. "You're a real piece of work, Spyro."
"Annndd scene!" CĂ©cile turned the phone around. "Check it out, you guys. Here's the video I recorded."
Spyro and Cynder approached him to get a better look. They balked when they saw the scene they had just acted out play before their very eyes.
"Is that really us?" the purple dragon wondered. "It feels unreal."
"Yeah, no kidding," Cynder said.
Xavier beamed. "See? No one's soul was armed in the making of this video. Are you satisfied, now?"
Cynder feigned disinterest. "I mean, I guess that was suitable."
"Uh-uh." Xavier had his eyebrow raised. "That's about all I wanted to show you for now. Now, it's your turn."
Spyro quirked an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Xavier walked behind the couch CĂ©cile had sat on and leaned over it. "What's your story? With how you come from a different world from ours and how banged up you were when you arrived, I'm a little curious to know the details."
The boy's request hung heavily in the air. Cynder could feel her spirits dropping as her head lowered. Her past wasn't exactly something she was keen on reminiscing about.
"Xavier, are you sure this is a good idea?" CĂ©cile asked. "You're making them uncomfortable."
Tch, even she's pitying me. Come on, Cyn. You're stronger than this. The black dragoness shook her head, sighing. "It's alright. Thanks for the concern, though."
The girl didn't look too convinced. "Okay, if you say so." She reclaimed her position on the couch.
Cynder's tail thumped against the floor. "So, anywhere in particular you want us to start with?"
"How about what had you land here looking so mangled?" Xavier suggested. "Is there a threat we should be worried about, some ancient evil that's going to pursue you into this world, maybe?"
She winced. Of course he would start with that.
"Will you be okay, Cyn?" Spyro asked, giving her a worried look. "If you want, I can start us off."
"N-no." She took a deep, quivering breath. "I can manage." Cynder turned to the humans. "It's a long story, but the gist of it is that our world was threatened by an evil, purple dragon named Malefor."
"Oh. Was he Spyro's dad?" CĂ©cile asked.
"No, he wasn't!" Spyro snapped, snarling.
The girl shrank back. "Eep, I'm sorry!"
The purple dragon seemed to realize his outburst. He shook his head and sat down, looking shameful. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's justâŠ" He sighed. "Purple dragons are special. Every ten generations, one is born so he or she can lead the people into a prosperous age. Malefor was the purple dragon before me, but he became corrupted and tried to destroy the world. As such, he was sealed away in another dimension, Convexity."
Cynder continued, saying, "But that wasn't enough to stop him. He bid his time until he...found a way to come back. And this time, he was dead set on destroying the world."
Spyro nodded. "The worst part is, he almost succeeded. Cynder and I fought tooth and claw to defeat him, but it was too late. Our world was already falling apart. In a last-ditch effort, I tried to pull it back together, and the next thing I know, we wake up here."
A pregnant silence filled the room as Xavier and CĂ©cile processed the information.
The latter gave a softened look. "Wow⊠I'm so sorry you guys had to go through all that." She smiled. "And don't worry. I'm sure your world is just fine!"
"Thanks," Cynder said. I sure hope so.
CĂ©cile crossed her arms, smirking. "And you totally trounced that Male-douche, right? Because if he comes back for seconds..." She cracked her knuckles. "He'll be catching a twin knuckle sandwich express, on the house!"
The mental image sent Cynder spiraling into a fit snickers. You go get him, tiger!
Spyro chuckled. "I appreciate the thought, but it'll be alright." He winked. "Male-douche won't be bothering us anytime soon."
"Excellent."
Xavier scoffed in amusement. "Awesome indeed. Say, what's your world like? How does it look, being so humanless?"
"Oh, it's great!" Spyro grinned. "It's got so many biomes, species of all type to talk to. Really, the scenery of the fauna is breathtaking. I'd love to have you visit sometime, but that's a bit difficult as of now."
"From how you've reacted to our technology, I'm assuming things are different there?"
Cynder scoffed. "You have no idea. Your machinery achieves the same function for household things that we accomplish with our magic. It's actually surprising that you're faring so well without it."
Xavier straightened up. "We may not have magic, but I bet we have stuff will feel magical. Tell me, ever heard of ice cream?"
The two dragons shared a look that said it all.
The boy grinned. "Oh, believe me, you're going to love it."
AN:
See? Two weeks, just like I promised.
They're still learning about each other. But soon, dear reader, the shenanigans will commence. In the meantime, give me your thoughts on the chapter. I survived fifteen assassination attempts these past two weeks. That deserves a review, no?
I am, of course, LYING. But don't let that distract you from favouriting or following the story if you enjoyed it. I'll see you in two weeks for the next one!
Author-san, signing out.
Character Bio: Spyro
Sex: Male
Age: 16
Hit: Discovery
Miss: Doctors
Extra Notes: Look, man, I just want this poor child soldier to gain a semblance of normal life. He deserves it.
Character Bio: Cynder
Sex: Female
Age: 16
Hit: Sweets
Miss: Not feeling in control
Extra Notes: Same as the above, but triple it. Poor Cynder, man.
"Are you sure you can handle it, Xavier?" CĂ©cile asked. "Two dragons is no joke."
Out on the backyard, she watched Xavier carrying one unconscious dragon over his shoulder and tucking the other under his arm. He smirked, legs wobbling. "Don't worry, I've got this."
He took a couple of shaky steps toward the house.
And promptly collapsed under the combined weight of the dragons.
...
"And that's the gist of what happened," CĂ©cile said. "Xavier had to piggyback-carry you one at a time into the house."
Spyro and Cynder laughed. "Talk about toxic masculinity!" the latter said between laughs.
Xavier covered his face with his hand, a furious blush painting his cheeks. "You could have left that detail out, you know."
She stuck her tongue out. "Never in my life."