Chapter Text
The clouds created a gloomy ceiling as the light dimmed further and further. Tifalia was resting in her cave when she felt the fiery mana that was unmistakably Vilio. She jumped to her feet (thankful she had made the ceiling relatively high).
She ran out to see the bright red dragon descending from the blanket of grey. Their meeting was much more graceful this time. Tifalia wanted to kiss her husband, relieved at seeing him. But dragons having no real lips made that a little hard. So, Tifalia did what she supposed Vilio had done earlier and threw her head under his chin, rubbing against him. She felt a surprised shudder run through him and a little squeak. Tifalia looked up, worrying she had done something wrong, but a huge grin met her, and Vilio pushed hard into her.
"How are they?" Tifalia asked after pulling away.
"They're going to be fine. The two are resting with healers watching over them. I guess the healers knew them pretty well from the past." Vilio answered with a sad chuckle at the end.
Tifalia sagged down to the grass, the stress wheezing out of her in a sigh. "Thank the spirits."
Vilio sank with her, pulling his legs under him much like a cat does. He then gently nudged Tifalia. "There was nothing deep, they'll be up in a day or so. And you know what? The entire time, they were more worried about you. Raijel was theorizing several ways to try and fix… to get you back to being human."
Tifalia looked up at Vilio at that wording. His expression didn't tell her much, but she still didn't like how he said that.
"I… I'm like a fey beast, right? So, I just have to learn to transform, right?"
"Yeah, of course." Vilio quickly said. "I mean, your parents were just being overprepared, since there's never been a human that turned into a fey beast. But we have lots of half-fey we can reference." Vilio said as he started listing all the different ways half-feys changed forms. Tifalia could tell he must have been using the Sage Tower library while he waited for her parents to stabilize. A small smile grew as Vilio used words he very obviously didn't recognize but memorized from the books. He did it all to reassure her.
Tifalia put her head under Vilio's chin and nuzzled against him. It just felt so right in that moment. But she stopped when Vilio stiffened. She looked up to see his wide eyes.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh…Uh… no. Nothing wrong."
Tifalia was about to pull away when she realized Vilio wasn't upset or irritated. His tail was happily flicking, even with his wide eyes. He was flustered.
"You can keep doing that if you want," Vilio murmured, too seemingly embarrassed to say it in more than a whisper.
Tifalia pulled back a little and was quiet at first, but then she burst into growly laughter. "We've been married for how many years now, Mister Public Displays of Affection?!" she laughed. "Is my being in a dragon body just that different?"
"No. It's not what you're thinking!" Vilio blurted. "Dragons in their true forms aren't that touchy-feely. Our bodies aren't made for it, y'know? Remember when you wrapped around me when I first saw you as a dragon? All our spikes and horns kinda get in the way of making it comfortable. That translates to almost everything in dragon form."
"But you were pretty free with your cuddles?" Tifalia pointed out.
"Yeah, because you're human. I know how much touching comforts you. Even just friendly pats are considered a little odd in dragon form. Most dragons only show bodily affection when brooding over their egg." Vilio nervously touched his wing tips together in front of him as he explained. "My head-only nuzzles are like a quick peck on the cheek, while your full neck rubs are, uh, more."
Tifalia's laughter started again, harder now as Vilio sourly looked on.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Tifalia wheezed as she got control of herself. She was not accustomed to the loudness of her voice with her new body. But she wasn't put off by it, as it almost felt like her joy grew to fit her new form. She used her tail to wipe away her tears, and then she leaned back into Vilio—this time, leaning on his side. "I think it's cute when you're flustered. And it's nice to get a bit of revenge after all the times you did it to me. I still can't believe you got me to do our wedding live as a CIRCUS show."
This comment made Vilio smile, too, as he leaned back on her. And they sat like that for a bit, just enjoying each other. Then a distant rumble made the two sit up straight. Tifalia felt a raindrop plop on her nose. She wiggled her snout at the unfamiliar feeling as Vilio stood.
"We should find some shelter. There, we can work on you changing into a human form." Vilio reached down to Tifalia as if to pull her to her feet. "I'm sure you don't want to sleep out here."
"Oh! I thought of that!" Tifalia jumped to her feet without Vilio's help. She ran over to her work and used her wings to show off her cave. "It should be big enough for the two of us."
"Wow," Vilio said as he got a good look at all of Tifalia's earthwork. "You were busy."
"Yep, I used my time wisely. I know how to walk, run, and have better control of my powers. I can even move earth now."
Vilio continued to scrutinize the various earthen structures. "And the, uh, oblisks?"
"Oh yeah. They were for fun, I think? The spirits seemed to like them, but I had no idea what I was doing. Just testing how well I could sculpt."
Vilio smiled as he followed her to the cave, the rain slowly coming down harder. "It's nice." He spread one of his wings to shield Tifalia from the coming drops. "I can't wait to take you back to Passio. The earth dragons are going to be ecstatic to have another earth sculptor to teach."
"But these pillars aren't good at all."
Vilio's smile turned into a genuine grin. "You're still underestimating yourself, dear. Just wait until the other dragons get a look at ya."
Tifalia nodded as the two went into her cave. Now looking at the two of them, she realized it would be a tight fit. But honestly, she'd done worse on their travels. Sometimes, the only shelter the couple had would be a log if they were without their tent. Tifalia waited as Vilio looked around her cave. He felt the moss and nodded happily. He then walked in, did a quick circle, and flopped down with a happy sigh. Tifalia giggled and followed suit.
"Only if you want to, of course," Vilio said.
"Pardon?" Tifalia asked as she lay beside him.
"Showing off your dragon form to Passio. I get it if you don't want to. We'll have you human in no time, and you shouldn't have to transform ever again."
Tifalia remained quiet for a few moments as she looked over her husband. He was contentedly lying out, but noticed her stillness and sat up.
"Something up?"
Rain was starting to pour down. Tifalia and Vilio felt a roll of thunder in the distance. Then the wind kicked some of the rain into the cave. Tifalia put her hand to the wall and had the overhang and sides extend a few more feet, shielding them from the wind.
"There are a lot of great things that come with being a dragon," Tifalia said, picking her words carefully and focusing on small steps first. "I've never felt so connected to my element before. And camping out is going to be easier. Just look at us now. If I were a human, no matter how soft I grew the moss, this cave would not be comfortable to sleep in. But in this form, I'm completely fine sleeping on a rock floor."
"Oh! I never thought of the sleeping thing. Yeah, we can take a nap anywhere." Vilio said as he lazily stretched out. "That kind of reminds me of when I first turned into a human. I couldn't believe how much support you needed just to feel comfortable. One strong gust of wind and I'd be cold if I didn't have my jacket on. And don't get me started on how much humans have to chew to get food down their throats! I nearly died so many times as a kid choking on my meals."
Tifalia laughed as she realized that all the wild eating she had seen Vilio do was him being slow and careful.
"What other things have you noticed as a dragon? It's pretty cool to hear from an outside view." Vilio asked.
This question started Tifalia's rapid-fire idea brain: "How simultaneously unfeeling and sensitive my scales can be! Like on my back, I couldn't feel the spirits unless they were moving around. But the side of my head by my horns is so much more sensitive, I nearly knocked myself out when I banged it on this cave. "
"Is that why the ceiling is so high?" Vilio chuckled.
"Yes! In contrast, my horns feel next to nothing, so I guess it's supposed to protect my head? Oh! And my neck! My neck is so sensitive! It's probably why rubbing you with my head and neck is so intimate, right? But it's not just my body that has new sensations. Somehow, I feel like I have an excellent idea of where things are around me, even if I can't see them. It's like a sixth sense."
"Yep, yep. That little magic power is how we don't squish everything around us. Can't really be the world's guardians if we're too clumsy."
"It's so useful! I wonder if I could use it to…" Tifalia then remembered the original reason she broached this topic and blocked her stream of ideas. "Hey Vilio, do you feel comfortable in your human form?"
Vilio looked back at her in surprise. "Yeah? I mean, it's me. While it's smaller and much more dextrous than the one I was born in, it's all me." Vilio then seemed to panic as he scrambled to his feet. "But that doesn't mean you have to be! You weren't born a dragon. And you didn't exactly get a choice in this! Once we figure out how to turn you human, you only have to use this form when you want-"
"Who says I didn't get a choice in this?"
Vilio sat back down, confused. "But you didn't? Being a Dragon's Bride, I mean. I know how much an ordinary life meant to you-"
Tifalia cut him off again by nudging her head under his chin. "The Chief explained very well to me how being a Dragon's Bride worked. We both needed to love each other deeply. And I do, knowing full well you are a dragon, an Archdragon even. I was actually the one who brought up becoming a Dragon's Bride, even though I didn't know all the particulars at the time. I may not have been jumping at the change, but I think I would have chosen it eventually because I want to be with you in all parts of your life, Vilio the Dragon."
Vilio was stunned. Tifalia leaned in tight to him, then pulled away.
"You know, after all of this. I wouldn't mind if you were in your dragon form more, even if I'm a human. I now know just how aware you are of my small size, and won't squish me. I wouldn't mind hanging around your beautiful red scales more." Vilio was still silently blinking at her. "Um, and I'll do the same. I want to get used to being a dragon with you. Maybe all this, and after my parents finish their research, our old friends deserve a visit. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when I fly down to them-"
Tifalia was the one cut off this time as Vilio practically threw himself into her side, nuzzling his whole neck and head under her.
"I'd love that!" He grinned. He then got a mischievous look in his eyes as he lightly nipped her neck. "Sensitive, huh?"
Tifalia giggled as she playfully pushed him away. "None of that now. There's barely any room in here!"
A massive wall of mana slammed into the two's senses. It shocked them to their feet. They could barely see through the downpour, but they could feel someone very powerful just outside the cave. Vilio let out a low, deep growl. Tifalia tried to copy but ended up making more of a trill. They both waited, stiff but ready, as a large figure stomped through the storm. It was hard to make out their outline because when raindrops hit the thing, the water boiled and became steam, creating a walking cloud. Vilio was about to confront the figure when lightning struck. It blinded the two in the cave, but before they lost their sight, for a split second, they could make out a looming purple dragon, staring.
Tifalia leaned back in fear but then remembered that she, too, was a dragon and stood straighter. Her eyes widened when she noticed Vilio's whole disposition had changed. He seemed to deflate, his wings grazing the floor and his mouth open wide.
"Ma?" Vilio gasped, barely heard over the storm.
The purple dragon stepped back, turned, and flew into the sky.
"Wait! Ma! Please, MOM!" Vilio yelled as he ran into the storm. He was about to take off when Tifalia felt another lightning bolt about to hit the earth in front of them. She barely had time to grab his tail and pull him back before the bolt turned their vision red.
The blast that would have blown her backwards as a human barely shook the two of them. They stood still and silent as thunder boomed above. Tifalia worriedly glanced at Vilio. She had no idea what he would do. Should she let him go in this storm? If that was his mother, she had no right to stop him. Tifalia held her breath while waiting for Vilio to take the first step. But rain continued to pour down on them, and he didn't move. He stared blankly into the sky.
"Vilio?" Tifalia whispered as she nudged his side.
After a few more breathless seconds, Vilio turned around. "Let's get back inside." He said as he lifted his wing to shelter Tifalia as they returned to the cave. Tifalia wordlessly pushed his wing aside and used her own wing to shelter him, not that he needed it. Another difference between humans and dragons is that what was soaking wet to humans slicked off rather quickly for a dragon. Even still, with Vilio's higher body temperature, steam wafted off him, too. They silently walked back to the cave and laid down. Vilio settled next to Tifalia and rested his head over her back, still not making direct eye contact.
Tifalia waited a few more moments, then spoke. "Was that really...?"
"Yes," Vilio answered immediately. "That was my mom."
Another bolt of lightning. This time, the thunder took a few seconds to follow.
"You should go after her. I've already proven I'm fine on my own. I only pulled you down to stop you from getting struck."
A deep sigh. Then Vilio sat up and faced her. "No… It'd be useless. I can't follow her in all this, and I am not leaving you again today." He shook his head like he could shake his mother's memory off. "So… transforming into a human. As I read accounts from half-fey, it sounds just like how I do it-"
Tifalia reached out with her wing and gently covered his mouth. "I'm too tired today."
Vilio nodded slowly, and both returned to their original position, Vilio resting his head on her neck. Their tails now started to intertwine as they scooted closer. They both stared out into the storm, quiet, as the thunder sounded more and more distant.
"What do you think she was doing here?" Tifalia eventually asked.
"I don't…know. We dragons are primarily solitary creatures, even when we have mates. She was probably traveling the continent like we do, and she just happened to notice two dragons outside the city. When she realized she was intruding, she left. 'Proly didn't even know it was me." Vilio tried to laugh. "Remember, I can count on my hand the number of times I've met her."
Tifalia was less than humored. A dragon, not immediately recognize the presence of the Archdragon? Tifalia only had a fifty percent success rate at distinguishing dragons from other fey beasts, but even she knew her husband's presence. He was a radiant light, no matter where he went. However, those thoughts remained behind Tifalia's teeth. Dragons seemed to have a different relationship with their family than humans did. The lack of contact was not something Vilio mourned over in the past. But that didn't make this situation right.
"She must have been shocked to see two dragons." Tifalia began.
"I know, right? Well, we've traveled so much it was bound to happen eventually."
"...Do you think she liked me?"
A small snort from Vilio. It looked like he was about to laugh off what Tifalia knew was a crazy thought. But then he sighed again, and a weight seemed to return to him. "Of course, she would. Even if she didn't know you were my mate, you are a stunning dragon. She would not doubt in her mind how great you are."
The rain continued. It was now so dark that Tifalia grew some torches for Vilio to light. Vines hung the torch above their heads, providing a dim light. As Tifalia hung them, she could tell Vilio was wrestling with something within himself. She kindly waited until he took a deep breath and began.
"You know? My mom… her whole life, she thought I would have to sacrifice myself. Now here I am, right as rain." Vilio's words started slowly, but the more he spoke, the quicker his words became. "I told you before that dragons only return to Passio to lay eggs and retire. It's normal for kids not to see their parents for most of their lives. But since I had to stay nice and safe on that island until adulthood, I sometimes wonder if I got even less time with them. It's not that I hold it against them, of course! They just wanted me to fulfill my mission with no hang-ups. But it's been so many years, and I wonder if they knew I couldn't- didn't do it in the end. Or if they even checked or if they ever-!"
Vilio let out a great, steaming breath after that, his shoulders dipping. "I'm sorry, that made no sense, and is unfair to them. I just… I kinda thought after everything. After the world was safe, they'd say… hi."
Tifalia could only lean over and embrace Vilio with her wings as she nestled closer to him. He closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed. They stayed like that until the rain was only a faint patter in the night.
"Do you think either of them ever came to a performance?" he asked.
Tifalia found she couldn't answer. Given that Vilio never mentioned meeting his parents during their adventures, no explanation would have been a welcome thought.
…
After a quiet night, the two dragons spent the next day trying to get Tifalia to turn back into a human. A human form would allow her to finally leave these plains and safely travel, such as going into the city to check on her parents. But the two made very little headway on their own, and Tifalia found herself tired and stressed after hours of trying. The couple sat on the grasslands, unsure what to do next, when Vilio jumped up.
"I'm not a great teacher here, since I've always found changing so easy. But you know who is an excellent fey teacher?"
Tifalia glumly looked up until she saw Vilio stretching his wings to take flight.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"To the capital. It's not far from here, flying-wise." Vilio's sharp-toothed smile shone in the sun.
Tifalia immediately lit up when she realized who Vilio was picking up. She didn't want to be a burden, but with the damage she could cause as a dragon, she needed expert help, now.
So off Vilio took, swearing to return before the end of the day with food and help. Tifalia made him promise to update her Aunt and who he was picking up, but no one else, as she didn't want the whole CIRCUS family to know about her transformation until she could control it. She would not hurt them like her parents.
And so Tifalia found another day to herself in this dragon form. She tried practicing being human, but she felt she would have been more productive running into a stone wall. So, she found herself doing more earth practice; making the area around her more livable, and also hiding her from the city. After a bit of moving and growing, a great hill now stood between her, the city, and the distant road. It perfectly blended in with the landscape, hiding the new hill from a distance. No more scared witless travelers, and hopefully no scientist would spot her.
When the sun began to set and Tifalia's stomach was gurgling its discontent, she felt the fiery mana of Vilio. She turned around and stomped the ground, which immediately flattened for about thirty feet to give Vilio a perfect landing strip. She waved to him as he descended. He smiled back as he slid to a stop in front of her. On his back were many packs, containers, and one pink-haired man.
"Ralida!" Tifalia greeted her oldest friend.
Ralida immediately hopped off Vilio's back and rushed to her. He couldn't help but gawk as he looked up at her. She smiled as she spread her wings to show off her entire body.
"So, we should have taken the name Dragon's Bride a little more literally, huh?" Tifalia laughed.
Ralida, usually so full of comebacks, could only nod as he looked over her. Then his famous half smile returned as he rubbed the back of his head.
"You've changed much from childhood, yet this growth spurt is somethin' else!" Ralida chuckled. "You should have seen Vilio when he burst into Libre. Spirea and I thought ya had got seriously hurt or somethin'. He then started rambling about dragons and how he needed ten days' worth of pancakes. It was a mess."
"Ten days?! You think it's going to take me that long to turn human?" Tifalia wheezed.
Vilio shook his head as he bent down to let the packs slide off. "I hope not, but we can never have too much of your favorite food, right?" He said as he turned into a human and unpacked blankets and bags of food warmers that Tifalia recognized from Libre's delivery supplies. In these warmers, he unfolded Spirea's pancakes and bottles of honey.
"Yes, thank you!" Tifalia squeaked with delight. Then she stopped. While there were a lot of pancakes, she could eat one stack in a single gulp and probably still be hungry. There wasn't ten days' worth of food here.
Ralida, seeming able to read her mind, spoke. "You don't have to worry about eating more in this body. When Celius gave us fey beasts a human form, he ensured they needed the same amount of energy to function."
"Really?" Tifalia sighed in relief. Then she perked up and looked at her husband. "Wait, that means all this time… you just like to eat? You didn't constantly eat us out of house and home because you were a dragon?"
"Of course? No matter my form, what's not to like about eating?" Vilio said a little confusedly.
The other two began to laugh, and Ralida leaned on Tifalia in his mirth. He then looked back up at her and stopped. His face softened, but his expression was still traced with worry as he felt her scales. Tifalia wanted to prove she was ok, so she dropped her head down to face him. He reached out and held her head, looking over her carefully.
"You… You always had the strangest stuff happen to you. Huh, Kiddo?"
"Quite the unordinary life, hmm?" Tifalia chirped.
Ralida's eyes widened at that, hearing the words she once adhered to so tightly flipped around. But a genuine smile soon came to his face. "Very! How is this even possible?!" A laugh underpinned his declaration.
"We aren't sure," Vilio answered with a sigh. "I only share half my power with her. So she shouldn't be a full dragon. It's not like she could get more dragon power from somewhere else."
Ralida was moving Tifalia's head back and forth. (Well, she was shifting it for him in his hands; her head was about the size of his body.) He then stiffened and nervously looked over her neck and chest.
"Wait, where's the Radiant Blossom?" he asked, his pitch rising.
Both dragons stood in surprise as they looked at each other.
"I didn't even think about it!" Tifalia yelped. "The kingdom's new core item! I was wearing it when all this happened. I never take it off so it can collect energy."
"It should just have transformed with you. Like our clothes or my sword." Vilio said as he raised his sword. "It should be fine!"
"It better! After all that trouble Colivus went to making it." Tifalia tapped the part on her chest where she would usually pin the crystal flower.
Ralida stood back and seemed to think over the dragon. "You think the item absorbed Vilio's dragon powers? Colivus made it to magnify magic. Maybe enough time together will let the item equal a full dragon?"
Vilio's eyes lit up. "Maybe? We have no real reference on a Dragon's Bride, so we don't know if this is out of the ordinary. Then again, we have no reference on what the Radiant Blossom can do."
"That just gives us more reason for me to turn human again. Once I'm human, we can study the pendant."
"Right as always," Ralida said with a clap. "I'm gonna get ya human before the days out with the Great Ralida's patented dragon-to-human plan."
…
The Great Ralida's plan had to be extended to the next morning when Tifalia couldn't stay human by nightfall. But Ralida swore she was doing great and was right on track with his foolproof schedule. Tifalia didn't feel like she was exceeding at much, but she took the wins where she could. The two dragons remained in the wilderness while Ralida went to stay in the city to check on Raijel and Meria. Ralida came bright and early the next morning with good news about the two humans' healing. If Tifalia were still out here by the end of the day, her parents would be able to visit her. After another pancake breakfast, Tifalia started her mental exercises.
"Visualize, and…" Tifalia squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to imagine her human body perfectly.
Ralida's chuckle made Tifalia pout, but she kept her eyes shut. "Ya still can't push your human form like shovin' a boulder." Tifalia heard as he tapped one of the rock mounds she had molded in her off time to make a playground for the spirits. "It's a state of being. You just, Are. It's not a spell or even really an action."
Tifalia breathed and tried again, this time imagining something small. She imagined herself cooking, something she had done a million times. The easy, practiced movements as she cut and roasted. Soon, the feeling of grass and earth beneath her faded into the background as she imagined moving amongst her kitchen's mystic items.
A small sigh of relief from Ralida made Tifalia open her eyes. She was once again shorter than Ralida and standing on two legs. She remained completely still. She had gotten to this point many times before. Tifalia swept out her hands and swayed them back and forth. When she didn't explode back into a dragon, she took a more relaxed stance and started moving more of her body. When she could fully twirl, both she and Ralida released the breath they had been holding.
"I did it!" Tifalia cheered as she jumped into Ralida's arms and hugged him. He held her close before pulling away and ruffling her hair.
"Great. Now to see if ya can use your magic without dragoning out on me."
"Right!" Tifalia gave a determined huff and faced the well-used area. She had turned this little patch of wilderness into an earth art project these last few days. The spirits loved it, but she knew she would have to return it to the wilderness before she left. Tifalia reached out and was about to begin the flattening process when she heard wing beats and a roar.
"Tifalia!" Vilio yelled, flying back from visiting the city for more supplies.
Ralida braced himself, but Tifalia did not explode in scaly size. But she did hear the panic in her husband's voice and turned.
"Vilio?!" She cried as both she and Ralida ran to him. Vilio landed on the rock landing pad Tifalia had made amongst the obelisks. He was out of breath with his eyes glued to the horizon.
"What's wrong?" Ralida said, hand out, as if he was going to push Tifalia behind him.
"Don't you feel them?" Vilio gasped.
Both Tifalia and Ralida snapped their heads to the sky. Sure enough, what felt like a tidal bore of mana was heading straight for them. It was so powerful that Tifalia felt it roll down her spine, making her shiver. Acting on old instincts, Ralida reached over to pull Tifalia behind him, but she was already towering over him as a dragon. It was an accidental transformation, but Tifalia didn't have time to admonish herself. Soaring out of the clouds came a horde of dragons. Different colored scales glinted in the morning sun. Vilio and Tifalia braced themselves, but for what- they didn't know. The dragons didn't feel threatening, but they did feel frantic.
Tifalia began trying to shoo Ralida back from the horde. Ralida stood his ground and turned into his puffball form. He scampered between Tifalia's legs so he was close enough to jump out and help, but still hidden from view in case this was a dragon-only problem. He looked up at her, and both felt the weirdness of this reversal of who protects whom.
A familiar russet dragon was in front of the dragon horde. The dragon clan chief dove towards them and slammed into the ground. He stood tall, agitation clear in his long tail flicks as he looked around the area. Tifalia was now much more self-conscious of her awkward earth practice than she had been even when she scared that woman away. With a crash, the other dragons landed in the earthen playground. Some were on the landing pad, and others stayed amongst Tifalia's projects. The dragons immediately spread out, not speaking to either Vilio or Tifalia.
"Vilio!" The Chief ordered.
Vilio sped forward and gave a slight bow. Even though he was taller than the Chief, the brown dragon seemed to tower over his ward.
"Wha- what's wrong?" Vilio asked. "Oh, duh. Tifalia has a dragon form now." Vilio said as he used his wings to gesture dramatically at Tifalia.
"We… heard," the Chief said.
"Wait? How?" Vilio asked. He and Tifalia looked nervously at the other dragons. The newcomers were looking around the rock structures, even going into their cave and snooping around. The couple looked back at the clan chief and were met by a surprising amount of hurt in his eyes.
"Don't act dumb." What would have sounded like an insult was said with so much pain and worry that the couple couldn't hold it against the elder. "You must know why we're here, Vilio."
"I really don't?" Vilio said as he kept his gaze on the ground. He then perked up and looked at Tifalia. "If it's about Tifalia turning into a dragon, it surprised me, too. But she only changed a few days ago. We're figuring it out just fine. No need for all this."
"No, though your transformation is a surprise, Tifalia. Nothing in our records ever said… Wait? She only changed a few days ago?" The clan chief asked, his voice leveling out.
"We're not finding anything, Chief." One of the dragons called from their cave. Her voice was firm, yet slightly cracked, as if from age.
"And by the fact neither of them tried to attack us when we waltzed inside, I doubt any were here." Another elderly dragon said.
The Chief's eyes squinted in confusion. He looked back at the two, then focused on Tifalia. She shifted her weight from foot to foot but kept her gaze on him.
"Vilio, Tifalia." The Chief looked from one to the other. "We heard some frightening news. Not only had Tifalia suddenly gained a draconic form, but she was about to give birth in that form."
"WHAT?!?" The couple yelled.
Ralida, who had been silent this whole time, burst into a nervous but uncontrollable laugh. This sound got the attention of some of the other dragons, and they came over to sniff him. Tifalia spread out her wings to silently warn them off him, and they backed off politely enough. She looked to Ralida, who gave a thankful nod, his paw covering his mouth.
"That's why we came here in such a hurry." A light green female dragon said. "We were horrified that Vilio told us nothing, much less that you had decided to lay your egg without help. We were so worried for you two!"
A murmur of agreement rose from the crowd as the couple stared wide-eyed. Tifalia was too embarrassed to move as she became the center of attention.
"Nonono." Vilio quickly said. "Tifalia is not pregnant! Where did you all even hear that?!"
"I'm afraid that is my mistake." A familiar purple dragon slunk out from the back of the group.
"Ma!?" Vilio yelped. He seemed stuck between running to her and standing his ground beside Tifalia. When he chose to stay by Tifalia, the purple dragon took a step back and seemed to shrink under all the dragons' now accusing gazes. Tifalia couldn't help but feel a little bad for her.
The Clan Chief looked back at the purple dragon and waved her forward. "Explain what you told us, Runa."
Runa took a deep breath and let out a puff of smoke. Then she stood and walked to Vilio and Tifalia. She was much shorter than her son, with straighter horns and fewer spikes on her back. But Tifalia could see the resemblance in her eyes. She had the same light and curiosity in her eyes as Vilio.
"I was heading to Calida City for a fun long-titled lecture. I was running very late when I heard from some spirits that a dragon had taken up residence on the outskirts of the wilds. You know how odd that would sound, right?" She asked, almost pleadingly.
Vilio nodded and explained to Tifalia, "Since adult dragons like to keep to themselves, they do their best never to stand out. If it were common knowledge that a dragon was around, it probably means they're hurt."
"Yes! So, of course, I raced over to see if I could do anything. Then I came upon all this," Runa said as she gestured around to the various structures shadowing them.
"Wait! You were the purple-haired woman?!" Tifalia asked, a little too much excitement in her voice. So she hadn't terrorized a random fey beast!
Runa bowed slightly, a little smile a lot like Vilio's own nervous smile making its way to her face. "Yes, when I saw you making a nest, I backed off. I didn't recognize you, and if you were forced to make a nest not on the island, I thought…"
Tifalia tilted her head in confusion when she didn't continue. She looked to Vilio, who seemed just as confused. Then he looked around at her earth practice, and the answer seemed to flash on.
"Oh! Yeah, I see how you thought that." Vilio then nudged his wife. "Tifalia, could you explain to them what you were doing?"
"All this? I was practicing my earth manipulation. I had just become a dragon and never felt so connected to my element. I was having fun, I didn't know it looked like, what was it again?"
"A nest," Vilio said with a slight laugh. "When a dragon's about to lay an egg, they'll change the landscape to fit them. Like, really change it. It's usually unrecognizable afterwards. But that's just on Passio Island."
"Yes!" Runa excitedly pointed at Tifalia with her wing. "I thought you must have been somehow exiled from the island or very sick to not be on Passio. And when laying an egg, a dragon can get… territorial. I didn't want you attacking me before I had more information. I returned in the night with herbs and healing potions to hopefully trade with you. Then I felt… you." Runa said 'you' in a breath as she looked to Vilio again. Vilio tried to keep a smile on his face, but the expression was forced. "When I saw you being so affectionate with her, I realized who she was. I thought this dragon form was something she had for a while since you stopped traveling with CIRCUS three years ago. I had heard rumors that it was because of your mate's loss of control over her magic. I thought it was because she had turned into a dragon. And… If you hadn't told us, or flown back to Passio… You must not have trusted us to take care of her."
A long silence followed this explanation. The other dragons around leaned in closer to the two. Tifalia felt Ralida puff up below her, but she felt strangely touched by the clear worry all these dragons had for her and Vilio.
"Ok, I can kinda get this," Vilio said. "But why wouldn't you come up and talk to us yourself? Why go all the way to Passio and bring the cavalry? You've all done nothing to make me distrust you." There was a palpable silence from the other dragons as they glanced at each other.
Tifalia didn't get what was going on either. She looked to Ralida, but he seemed just as lost. The dragons felt like they thought Vilio was just being polite to them; that he must know what made them so worried. Tifalia knew her husband well and could tell he genuinely did not know what made the others act so strangely. But the silence stretched on, with no side brave enough to talk. This will not do.
"Ok!" Tifalia announced, raising her wings and shattering the stalemate. "I can tell you all had the best intentions in mind. And I thank you for being so worried about us…" Tifalia looked around at the dragons, trying to figure out what to say. "You all had such a long journey, and… I think we do need your help with something."
"We do?" Vilio asked.
Behind him, the horde of dragons perked up. Even retired dragons seemed to still have a need to help others. Good. Tifalia thought.
"Why yes. I mean, we still don't know quite why I turned into a dragon. Much less the basics of me being a dragon." Tifalia continued, talking like this had been something Vilio and she had long been discussing. "Like, how do I even begin flying, or how am I to act with other fey beasts and such?"
Vilio's eyes narrowed in confusion, but recognition that Tifalia was trying to do something. Ralida, thankfully, was slightly quicker and realized what Tifalia was attempting to create. He climbed her body and stood between her shoulders so he could talk to the crowd.
"Right! Things Vilio might not know, thanks to him being the all-so-special Archdragon. Like, why is it so dangerous not to lay eggs on Passio? How does one even raise a hatchling?"
Tifalia glanced back at Ralida with a forced nod. Why did he have to focus on children of all things? But she soon realized he was playing to the crowd because these elderly dragons were practically jumping out of their scales with excitement.
"So if you don't mind staying-" Tifalia was cut off by nearly the whole horde running to grandparent her to loving death—the joy of having a new granddaughter to teach clear on each dragon's face.
Vilio was about to jump into the mob to try to save his mate when the Chief held him back. He turned to see his mother on his other side. Tifalia could tell this was when he realized what she had done. Something she had done many times while performing. Tifalia turned the tension into excitement, giving him the perfect opportunity to connect with his mother and figure out what was going on. And it wasn't all sacrifice (well, maybe for Ralida, but being mobbed for his cuteness wasn't new to the fluffy mascot), because Tifalia finally had a whole family to help her figure out what being a dragon meant.