Work Text:
Cold winds whip across an endless frozen wasteland. Darkness shrouds the tundra and stretches off as far as the eye can see. A single figure remains isolated within the merciless terrain, up to her knees in the harsh snow.
Cloaked in tattered clothes, Yufine’s trembling red eyes try to find anything she can reach for. She shivers as she trudges through the area, a warm red liquid dripping from her wounded body.
“Wh..What..?”
Yufine fearfully turns her head from side to side. Snow whips up all around her, as if being shaped by the wind. Clouds of snow briefly take the shape of faces that are familiar to the terrified dragon.
“Ch-Christy! Wait, please..!”
She musters the last bit of her strength to lunge toward the visage of a lost friend, only for it to disappear in a breeze. Yufine drops onto the snow on all fours with ragged breaths, staring hopelessly at the empty air.
The cold rapidly drains the strength from her body. Despite that, whenever a friendly face vaguely appears in the hopeless abyss, she throws herself at it in the hope that she can free herself of this loneliness.
Time and time again, her spirits are crushed. Yufine collapses on her front as the bloody snow piles around her. Tears well up in her eyes as she loses the strength to move. A scream filled with despair rips from her lungs while the snow buries her along with her hopes. Her voice echoes through the tundra only moments before being silenced.
------------------------------------
Yufine’s eyes shoot open as she lets loose a loud wail. Her body abruptly jolts upward into a seated position as adrenaline rushes through her. Luckily, a quick inspection reveals that she’s in a place far different than the merciless tundra.
She’s covered by warm clothes and draped by a thick, cozy blanket. Yufine clutches at the soft fabric as confusion and panic swirl in her head. Surrounded by wooden walls and resting atop of a comfortable bed, she soon realizes she’s in her bedroom.
“Yufine?” A calm, soothing voice addresses her. Yufine turns to discover the half-dragon that took her in, Luna, sitting by her bedside. Her eyes light up with relief.
“L-Luna!!” Yufine’s smile broadens across her face, reaching out for the older woman on instinct. After an abrupt pause, Yufine suddenly pulls back as her smile turns into a frown. “Oh..Luna, hi..”
“Did you have another nightmare?” Despite the sadness she feels from the reaction, the smile remains on Luna’s face. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Um..” Yufine’s gaze lingers on her for a little while. Eventually, however, she turns away. “No, I..I’m fine.”
It’s only been a few weeks since the King of Kastamir’s advisor suddenly vanished. Once she disappeared things gradually started to mend; the experiments, fighting and feuds have all finally come to an end after what feels like an eternity.
Only a select few know the truth behind the sadistic advisor and the strings she pulled. Manipulated and twisted by her schemes, the world around them turned into a sick game that they had to fight tooth and nail to escape from.
“She still hasn't forgiven me.” Luna thinks as she gazes at the younger dragon. She’s desperate to make amends to Yufine for leaving her, but also afraid of pushing too hard at the same time. It leaves her feeling stuck.
“Alright. If you ever want to, you can speak to me about anything you need.” Luna’s hand drifts closer, gently stroking her sister’s whitish-pink hair. “I’ll go get breakfast.”
“Okay..”
Dejected, Yufine turns to look toward the wall. Luna carefully observes her expression and focuses on her face. An idea comes to mind as she smiles.
“Hm...Yufine?” Luna offers her a hand. “Why don’t we go together?”
“R-Really?” Yufine’s red eyes light up with excitement. “I..I want to go!”
Warmth returns to the older dragon’s face as her sister’s mood lightens. Once Yufine takes her hand, the two rise from the bed.
“Of course. You can’t go out in that, though.” Luna giggles, gesturing to Yufine’s sleepwear. “Let’s find something nice for you to wear.”
------------------------------------
The two dragons walk down the snowy streets of an isolated village. Wearing nice, cozy dresses that any average civilian could be seen wearing, they make their way around the local market. Luna guides the younger dragon into another building where they can browse products imported from afar.
“Is there anything you’d like?” The half-dragon smiles softly, watching her wander around. Yufine’s curious eyes dart between all of the food they’d never see in the wild, fascinating her with fruits considered ordinary in other parts of the world.
“They have apples!” Yufine stares intensely at a large wooden box filled to the brim with shiny red fruits. Her black tail excitedly sways back and forth, accidentally smacking against Luna’s leg. “Can we get apples?”
“Hehe. Of course. I didn’t realize you liked them so much. I’ll make sure to buy lots of them.”
Luna gently pats the cheery Yufine on the head before moving over to the kind old man behind the counter. He chuckles and moves to grab a few pieces of paper to write on.
“How many apples are you looking to take home, miss? I can prepare the bags for you.”
“Hm..”
She rummages around in a pouch she wears around her waist, feeling around for the gold inside. Although Luna was lucky enough to be granted a nice home with Yufine, her financial situation is one that’s a bit harder to work around. She’s been spending all of her time trying to patch up their relationship.
Finding a way to make gold has been pretty far down on Luna’s list of priorities. She knows how to get them clean water and can hunt for food with ease, but she can’t neglect their need for money forever.
Wincing, the half-dragon takes out a handful of coins and sets them on the counter.
“How much will this get me?”
“Let’s see..”
As he begins counting, Luna passively starts looking around the store. Her eyes linger on a nearby painting that depicts an oriental building settled in front of a large pool with steam wafting from the water. The familiarity makes her stare in confusion in an attempt to piece together what she’s looking at.
“What is this?” She asks.
“Ah, that’s a piece I got from a customer a while ago. It’s a painting of an old hot spring I visit every now and then. One of the best ways to unwind in these parts.”
“Hot spring..” Luna trails off. She’s familiar with them to a degree, but she’s never been to one before. It’s always seemed like more of a ‘human’ thing to do, so it wasn’t given much consideration. A thoughtful glance is aimed back at Yufine.
“Experiencing something new together..that might help. I don’t think staying cooped up in the house is getting us anywhere.”
Luna’s attention turns toward the elderly man again.
“Where is it?”
“You just take a right on the southern exit from town and go straight ahead. There’ll be a sign that leads you down a path that splits off from the road. It’s a bit far to walk, however.”
“It won’t be a problem. Thank you.”
She finishes up her transaction, spending a large bulk of her funds purchasing a dozen bags packed full of apples. Not long later, the sisters walk out of the store with their haul. They arrive back home in no time at all and store the fruits away.
“So juicy..!”
Yufine’s eyes gleam as she bites into one of the fresh apples. She happily crunches down on the fruit, tearing through the core and the seeds without a care in the world. One after the other, apples rapidly disappear from their stock. Luna softly chuckles as she eats hers at a standard pace, cherishing her sister’s happy expression.
“Did you hear what we were discussing earlier, Yufine?”
The younger dragon attempts to respond, but her reply is muffled amidst the carnage she’s unleashing upon the red fruits. Luckily, a simple nod gives Luna the answer she’s looking for. She looks a little nervous as she continues.
“It sounds like fun. A trip over there seems like it’ll be a nice change of pace.”
The glimmer fades from Yufine’s eyes as her tail and shoulders droop. She slowly puts down the apple as a frown appears on her face.
“Oh..Are you leaving, Luna?”
A pang of guilt rises in the half-dragon’s body. She quickly shakes her head.
“No, I’m not leaving. Not without you, Yufine.” Her warm tone and smile cause Yufine’s eyes to light up again. “We haven’t done anything like this together, right? Let’s go and have ourselves a nice time.”
“Really?! Yeah!” The excitement in Yufine’s voice is impossible to miss. “I’m ready right now!”
“Haha, I thought you might be!” Luna’s smile widens into a cheerful grin. “It’d be better if we can enjoy it before sunset. We’d best be on our way.”
Luna moves a bit closer to offer her arm. Although there’s an obvious moment of hesitation, Yufine practically leaps out of her seat to move next to her sister. A familial warmth spreads through them both as they gingerly hold hands. The two walk out the door, eager to experience their first vacation together.
------------------------------------
They embark on a journey outside of their small village, venturing into the snowy forests side by side. Luna guides Yufine along the path they were instructed to follow, making sure she doesn’t leave her for even a moment.
Although the walk is mostly quiet, it gives the two plenty of time to soak in the peaceful atmosphere. Seeing how serene the nature around them feels, it’s almost hard to believe all of the hardship they’ve been through was actually real.
The sisters arrive at a oriental-style building secluded among the trees before too long. Once they enter they’re greeted by an attendant behind a nearby counter, who’s happy to set them up with the soak they’re looking for.
They’re led into a large changing room lined with towel racks and shelves for storing clothes. It has a series of booths to give each occupant privacy while they change into the appropriate bathwear.
Yufine stares blankly at the towel she’s been handed. Her eyes drift up to her older sister, both curious and confused.
“We have to wear this?”
“Yes.” Luna nods. “It’s the standard, as far as I’m aware. Although the selection here is a bit small..” Her voice trails off as she thoughtfully glances at the cloth.
“Can you help me, Luna?” Yufine flaps the towel around like she’s playing with it. “I still don’t know how to get out of this dress..”
“I’d be happy to.” Luna smiles. “I’ll go ask if they have anything in a bigger size.”
“Are..you going by yourself?”
“Do you want to come with me? It won’t take long, I promise.”
Yufine’s body tenses a little. She looks back down at the fabric, her fingers clutching it a little more tightly. The hesitation and contemplation in her eyes makes Luna increasingly worried that she might’ve upset her again.
“You..really promise? Do you mean it?”
“Yes, I do.” Luna answers with a nod.
“Okay. I believe you.” Yufine takes a deep breath. “I’ll wait for you here. Come back soon, please.”
The momentary surprise on Luna’s face is quickly replaced with a soft smile.
“..Thank you. I will.” Her voice is quieter than normal as she leaves the room. She walks back into the hall and gently shuts the door behind her, happiness lingering on her face.
“Yufine’s trying her best too..” Luna’s gaze lingers on the shoji door with a fondness to her expression.
The hairs on her neck rise as a sudden sense of danger encroaches. Her eyes widen and she quickly turns to look behind her. She manages to narrowly avoid a broad, eerie red spearhead flying past her head, stabbing into the wall with a loud rip.
A familiar woman stands a short distance behind her. Her resentful stare doesn’t shy away from eye contact, the hostility in her piercing yellow eyes clear as day.
“Cecilia?!” Luna puts some distance between herself and the large weapon.
“You’re slower than you used to be.” Cecilia pries the spear out of the wall, aiming it right back at her target. “To think you’d go somewhere without your weapon, too. How foolish.”
“There’s no reason to pick a fight here.” Luna tries speaking with a disarming tone. “I’m not your enemy. The advisor-“
“I know what that witch did.” Cecilia’s sharp tone cuts in. She angrily grips her weapon’s handle as rage boils in her eyes. “Treating all of our strife and struggles like a little game..she deserves an end I couldn’t even begin putting into words!”
“I feel the same way. There’s no telling where she might have disappeared to, so-“
“I already know what you’re going to say. Try to make peace, right? That’s not what I want. I still haven’t had my justice.” Cecilia lines up the tip of her spear for another strike. “Besides, how do I know she isn’t just puppeting you again? Maybe she sent you here to ambush me.”
Luna lets out an aggravated sigh, deciding not to point out the hypocrisy. She knew the situation with Cecilia was never going to be an easy one to handle. She just wished they had their talk in a less awkward place.
“..I’m just here to relax with Yufine. The leader of the Winds granted us residence in a remote village where we wouldn’t be recognized. It was more for Yufine’s sake, but she insisted I go with her.”
“What?” Cecilia scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Ilynav is too soft. Letting you of all people stay here is ridiculous. Yufine is here too?”
“She is.”
The two dragons lock eyes as a heavy silence falls in the hallway. A mixture of emotions swirl in Cecilia’s expression; confusion, thoughtfulness, and annoyance appear wrapped in a strange bundle. She reluctantly lowers her spear back to her side.
“Fine. I’ll tolerate you just for today. Make no mistake, however, I will settle this soon.”
A breath of relief leaves Luna’s lips.
“Thank you.”
Offended by the mere words from her lips, Cecilia sneers at Luna and shoves past her to walk into the changing room. Luna glances back to watch for a moment before continuing down the hall.
Inside, Yufine’s eyes light up and she smiles upon seeing Cecilia enter.
“Cecilia!”
“What?” She coldly replies. Unbothered, Yufine scurries right up to her.
“I didn’t know you’d be here! Are you here on a vacation too?”
“Vacation isn’t the word I’d use. It’s for treatment of some kind.”
Yufine’s head tilts in confusion.
“Treatment?”
“My body has been getting worn down for a long time now.” Cecilia makes a gesture toward the dark scales coating her arm and the gleaming horn protruding from her face. “There’s many reasons why, but to keep it brief, it’s been killing me.”
“Wh-What?” Fear flashes in Yufine’s eyes. She tightly grips her similarly blackened tail.
“The Winds have supposedly come up with an experimental way to ‘fix’ it. I have my doubts, but I can’t die yet, so I don’t have much of a choice. Coming here to let my body relax is a part of their treatment plan.”
“Will you be okay..?” Yufine’s anxious voice makes Cecilia’s expression soften, even if only for a moment.
“I’ll be fine. It’d take more than something like this to put me down.”
Yufine lets out a sigh of relief. She looks down and clutches her dark tail.
“Do..do you think it could fix me too?”
“I don’t know. They’d have to take a look at you, but I’m well aware of your experience with their kind.”
Yufine trembles, unpleasant memories rushing through her head. Her nails dig into the black scales underneath.
“I-I won’t let them…”
“Then you’re out of luck.” Cecilia watches the younger dragon’s expression deflate in sadness. After staring for a short while, she sighs. “..I’ll see if Ilynav can visit you by herself and figure something out. Would that work?”
“Y-Yes.” Yufine takes a deep breath and nods. “Um, thank you.”
Cecilia shakes her head, attempting to brush off the sincere words. Yufine’s small smile works wonders on her icy demeanor, however, making it hard to ignore her. She continues to stare at her until the door swings open, revealing Luna re-entering.
As that happens, Cecilia decides to walk away from the two to get changed in a booth further removed from them. Luna gently pats her sister’s head and leads her into a different one to help her get ready for the bath.
------------------------------------
After stepping out of the changing room, Luna and Yufine see a large open space mostly occupied by a steaming pool. The younger dragon’s eyes glisten at the exotic sight, her mouth agape in awe.
Luna takes hold of her sister’s hand and they slowly walk into the warm water together, the heat wrapping around their bodies. Yufine shivers a little as she tries to adjust to the unfamiliar yet pleasant sensation.
“It’s so warm!” She exclaims, splashing about with one of her hands.
“Is the temperature fine?”
“It’s toasty, especially compared to how it is outside.” Yufine hums, basking in the warmth. “It feels really nice, hehe.”
“Supposedly, it’s good for relaxing.” Luna testingly runs her hand through the water. “Although I’ve heard that it’s dangerous to stay in for too long. Let’s make sure we enjoy the time we have for today.”
“Okay!”
Yufine cheers as she starts wandering around the sizable pool. It doesn’t take long for her to spot Cecilia sitting by herself in a far corner, her eyes closed in a rare moment of peace. She happily changes direction to inch closer, much to Luna’s dismay.
“Oh! Cecilia!”
The woman in question opens one of her eyes, then scowls the moment she spots Luna approaching. Her expression only sours more as the two siblings move a short distance away from her.
She aims a glare at the two dragons. Instead of successfully pushing them away, Yufine happily sits down next to her. Although apprehension is apparent on Luna’s face, she takes a seat on the other side of her sister.
“...There’s plenty of other places to sit.” Cecilia complains.
“I just thought you looked a little lonely. Can we stay?”
“She seems like she enjoys her solitude.” Luna interjects, still looking uncomfortable. “We shouldn’t bother her.”
Although she’d be more than happy to send them away, the idea of agreeing with Luna makes Cecilia frown. The way Yufine looks at her with puppy-like eyes only makes it harder to tell them off. In the end, Cecilia just rolls her eyes and sighs.
“Do what you want, I don’t care.”
“Yay!”
Yufine is more than content to let herself soak between the two, sinking further into the water with a quiet giggle. Despite the unwanted company, Cecilia simply goes back to sitting in silence. Luna glances between the two, not convinced this will go over well.
The three end up relaxing with a strangely peaceful atmosphere between them. None of them would’ve imagined they’d be here at this moment; despite grudges and rocky relationships, they all manage to put them aside for the sake of much-needed respite.
After a short while of silence passes, Yufine’s body is completely submerged with the exception of her head, her hair aimlessly floating nearby. She shifts her eyes to look up at the purple-haired woman with a curious stare.
“Cecilia?”
“What?”
“Do you hate Luna?”
The question sends a ripple of tension through the air. A familiar, piercing expression crosses Cecilia’s face. Her harsh tone comes out immediately.
“With all of my heart, yes. That’s a foolish question.”
“Hmm..” The answer comes as no surprise to Yufine. Still, a curious tilt of her head leads into the next question. “Do you think you’ll always hate her?”
“Obviously. I won’t stop until she meets her end by my hand. I’ll take every opportunity I get to put my spear to her neck.”
“But..” Confusion appears in Yufine’s eyes. “You haven’t been doing it while we’ve been here, right?”
Cecilia huffs in frustration. The urge to lunge at Luna has never left her while they’ve been here, but she’s managed to resist it this entire time. It’s nothing she ever would’ve considered before the truth came to light.
“...Not as I’d like to.” She growls.
“Being together like this feels nice. I know it’s not an easy thing to ask, but..” Yufine’s tone softens. “Can we do this again?”
Luna gently places a hand on her sister’s shoulder, a small smile rising. She’s not exactly thrilled about the idea, but she couldn’t be more proud of Yufine for trying. She can understand not wanting to be shackled by the past. Although it’s well out of her comfort zone, it might be what they need to truly step forward.
“That’s fine with me.” The reply earns her a fierce glare.
“What?! Don’t put these ridiculous ideas in her head!” Cecilia’s body jerks toward the two, her motion causing the water to splash a bit.
“She came to this conclusion on her own. I have my own reservations, but..” After taking a deep breath, Luna slowly extends a hand out. “I…I think we could try it.”
A violent eruption of water washes over the sibling dragons, drenching them in a surge of hot liquid. Cecilia moves to stand on the pool’s edge, her face twisting in frustration.
“You’ve lost your mind if you think I’ll hold hands and act like nothing’s wrong! Get over yourself. I’ll move forward once you’re dead, you hear me?!”
Cecilia turns to stomp back into the changing room, gritting her teeth all the while. Luna and Yufine watch her storm off as they blink in unison, their wet hair clinging to their bodies. Despite the explosive exit, Luna looks back to her sister with the same smile.
“You did really well, Yufine.”
“Really? She still got mad..”
“That’s an improvement. If it had been any other encounter, it’d have ended after a bloody fight.”
“I guess that’s true.”
Yufine frowns a little, looking defeated. Luna’s hand tenderly strokes the top of her head to cheer her up.
“We’ll see her again, don’t worry. At least we know she’ll be here often, right?”
“Oh!” Yufine’s eyes light up. “That’s right! Wait, how did you know?”
“I may have eavesdropped a little on your talk.” Luna gives her a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, I’m not mad. That just means we’ll have to come here to take more baths!”
“Haha! I’m glad you’ve been enjoying it here. I’d be happy for us to become regulars.”
The younger dragon’s smile gleams as she pushes herself against her sister. Luna’s eyes widen for a moment as Yufine captures her in a tight hug.
“Thank you, Luna! It’s been really fun here! One day, Ceci’s going to enjoy it with us too!”
“Ceci?” Luna softly chuckles as she wraps her arms around Yufine. “Of course. Let’s do our best to make it happen.”
The sisters bask in the heat of both the spring and each other as they quietly snuggle together. Time flies quickly during their vacation trip, spending the day in each other’s company. They hope that, eventually, the familiar bite of the tundra’s cold is replaced with this warmth every day.