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During the day, the Dragon always made sure the Paradise remained sunny. To the best of their capacities, they kept the weather borderline perfect; if anything, small fluctuations in the temperature, bound by their mood, made the mornings and afternoons slightly chillier.
During the night, they allowed for the weather to regulate itself. Stronger winds, cloudy skies... And rain. Be it just a drizzle or a storm, the Paradise was always humid during the nights and the mornings, less for the one that lived on the tallest peak. That was one of these nights; rain droples clung and slid off ofevery plant, every leaf or blade of grass.
It rendered the ground muddy. It encouraged the smaller animals and insects to go out. The iridescent reflections of some of the stones and plants werenothing but more radiant under the rain.
Her steps were not any slower, any less consistent due to it. She had trained under far worse conditions than a mere nightly drizzle, back in her tribe. Umbrella in one arm, lantern on the other, she walked through the dense, paradisiacal forest like it was her home. Like she had done this same action a hundred, a thousand times already. Her spear stayed safely strapped from her back, despite knowing no creature here would attack her. The one who ruled over this place would not allow it.
Beside her, the child of the Ivory Dragon trudged by. Rambutan would have carried them on their shoulders, spare the hatchling the bother of the humid land... But alas, it seemed to not mind as much as she expected it would. In fact, they seemed content, happily chasing off after any small insect or animal that caught their eye, with a wonder only a child could muster to have in their eyes.
An endearing sight, truly. She had thought they would complain, demand to be carried, or refuse to accompany her. But they hadn't, for whatever reasons.
The path didn't take too long to cross, either way. Between the Dragon's palace, where she stayed, and the lake, there wasn't a very big distance. It felt almost unnatural, how the greatest wonders of this Paradise were close enough to safely travel to by herself. That did not mean there weren't any bushes and branches to nudge out of the way, nor any sections where her armor threatened to get stuck in the mud.
Looking to her sides, to the back and front, all she could see were the folliage and vegetation of the Paradise. Trees brimming with fruit, moss, grass, a nature so vivid and spectacular any other cookie would have gotten disoriented by it.
The darkness of the night did not help that fact, even if every single stone seemed to have a vague opalescent glow to it, making the land more visible, if just on the slightest.
Her hand clenched around both the lantern and the umbrella, as the wind picked up slowly. It was not a storm, she could tell; had it been one, the stars on the night sky would have gotten completely obscured by the already present clouds. It was merely a bit of a bother. Her mind could recall similar days back at her tribe, where the dusty areas would turn muddy under the onslaught of rain and wind, where monsters would strike from every direction.
In that moment, did she just realize, how truly pleasant this safety was. Going out alone under such conditions was an unthinkable thing, back then.
— Cookie! — Dragon Eye returned to her side, with what seemed to be a frog held between their hands — You still haven't told me where we're going... I'm starting to grow tired of walking!
She was taken out of her pondering by this. There it was, the long awaited complaining.
— It's a surprise, I said.. A nice surprise. You need to get out of the flower fields and the palace more often, it'll be good for you. Besides, weren't you having fun until just now?
The lantern illuminated both of them. So she could see the slight pout grow on Dragon Eye's face. Regardless, they dropped both the topic and the animal in their hands, opting to walk next to her again.
— Don't look at me like that. I know you'll like it, anyway. Didn't you say you were curious about this Paradise? — her tone was soothing, careful to not upset the hatchling. She spoke to them the same way she used to speak to the tribe's children — So, turn that frown upside down. We'll get out of the wet grass soon, don't worry.
The hatchling didn't respond, their mind going to their parent's lectures: a dragon's place wasn't in nature, but above it... It made no sense for them to be the one getting their dress wet, having to endure the attack of the water, and the dirt, and the rocks under their feet, and the insects that flew next to them!
The mere thought of it did nothing but worsen their pout. They should have been able to will the rain into ceasing, the dirt into not clinging to them, and the rocks into paving the way.
But on the other hand, they also remembered Rambutan's words. They had always thought her wise enough to be worthy of being listened to. She was no dragon, her place ws beneath nature. By all means, she should have been unhappy by the knowledge of her own helplessness.
— I still don't understand! You walk like you're happy to be here, all sopping wet with no means to avoid it! — They tugged on her arm, demanding to continue the conversation — Your kind is hard to understand. This Paradise isn't meant for you, but you're still happy here! How do you do it?
Before she could think of a proper answer, or even process their words, she came to a halt. There it was, the lake she had come all the way to so many times. A vast extension of water, interrupted only by the sight of trees on the sides, by the few wyrms and lakeborn dragons that found shelter on its waters — none of which had proven themselves to be any threat, nor particularly aggressive.
Nonetheless, it remained one of the prettiest sights of the whole Paradise, a sight that could very well be seen on a dream. It was only one of the countless lakes, ponds, and rivers this place held, but it was her favorite.
The reflection of the moonlight and the stars was only interrupted by the slight movement of the waters, by the tides led by the wind. The drizzle was not truly strong enough to disturb the shining image, but granted the place an even more idillical look.
Still leading the walk, she made sure Dragon Eye didn't stray away any further, advancing through what little remained of the path in direction to it. The child in question did, in fact, seem bewildered by it all. It was surely a different sight from the flower fields illuminated by the daylight they had grown so used to.
— This is why I'm content here, kid. Sights like these, people like you. It makes enduring be worth it, in the end.
She did not fully believe all of her words. In many things, she had long since given up upon; she did not ask Lychee Dragon for more answers, did not even try to bring back her people. Not anymore. It was a pointless endurance, things that would only bring her anguish. But it was the answer the hatchling needed, the one that was expected of her.
She simply hoped her face did not reveal how it stung to speak of resolution.
Thankfully, though, Dragon Eye was not looking at her face. Their eyes were fixed on the landscape. On the trees, on the clouds, on the creatures that peacefully swam in the water, and on the ripples they formed in it.
It was pretty, like all of the Paradise was, but a different kind of pretty.
She did not bring them to it for the mere sake of looking, though. While they ingrained the image of the view on their mind, she had led them to a boat. Hidden under bushes, safe from any wandering creatures, made of the darkest, sturdiest wood to be found. Iridescent carvings, a touch of the Dragon who ruled over this realm, had been added on its sides, contrasting with the almost black wood. Her craft was not perfect, and it had taken a long time to hollow out the log she had used, but it was hers.
She could remember when she had been working on it. Lychee had offered to help countless times. "It would tke just a snap of my fingers to craft it for you!" they had claimed many times.
But Rambutan had missed the effort. She missed sweating, missed the satisfaction of finishing a job after her muscles had strained beyond relief, missed the calluses in her hands and the cracked fingernails, the twigs in her hair and tears in her clothes.
The Paradise could free her from all the pain of her mortal body. She could be borderline divine. Or at least that was what Lychee had said. But she wouldn't be herself if she were to become unaware, unaffected by her imperfections.
She missed so many things. And didn't know if any other being here missed them too. Dragons seemed to have different views on what made them be than she did.
— Hold this for a moment, please. Keep the light near me so I can see. — she handed the umbrella and the lantern to them, hoping they had actually paid attention to her words — I don't know if you've ever gone fishing... or hunting.
She couldn't discard her armor, as it would be too much of a waste of time. She'd have to work with it on, which only added one more nuisance to deal with. She was used to those.
Her first action was to push away as much of the bush as she could. The point of it was to keep the boat hidden, but still recognizable for her to find. She had tied the branches and leaves in such a way they could be moved out of the way whenever she needed, so her hands quickly went to work on that.
Dragon Eye stood there, intrigued by whatever it was she was doing. They had never seen such way of storing one's own possessions, nor anyone so diligenty exerting themselves like it. Though they wanted to ask, they could read in her attitude that she probably needed some silence until she was done. So they stood there, under the umbrella, making sure the lantern's light did not go out.
Rambutan, now with the bush out of the way, had to focus on the boat. It was a heavy thing, hard to push alone. But she had still trained, still built muscle even when Lychee Dragon reassured her there was no need to worry for that. Even for her it was hard, armored soles threatening once again to sink into the muddy ground as she pushed the boat into the water. Her hands gripped onto its back, muscles tensing underneath her armor as she struggled.
In the end, it did feel satisfying when the weight was suddenly relieved off her body, as the boat entered the waters. She was wet from the sweat and the rain, her breath shaky, her arms, back, legs still tense. But it felt great. And it proved she was still in shape.
— Truly impressing! That looked really heavy! — Even a dragon such as Dragon Eye could admit when they were impressed. Or amused — I did not know you had that. Makes me think... how many things like that might be hidden in this Paradise?
— Many, probably. I'm sure not even other dragons know just how vast this is. It's like everytime i find a new place, like this lake, a new one seems to sprout into existence.
— Well then! One day, all this land hides wil reval itself to me.. Or that's what my parent says.
She chose not to inquire any further, scooping them up from under the arms and into the boat. Everything else that she needed was already on it: the oars, the fishing rod, even a net. Whenever she went hunting before, it was on land, chasing monsters and gathering fruits with the help of the rambirdtans of her tribe. Fishing wasn't something her people did that often, so she lacked experience.
But she had found it soothing. Nightly escapades to this particular lake, to let herself be lulled by the movement of the water, by the slight swinging of the boat as she rowed. Even if she caught nothing by the end, just being there eased her ever present worries. The creatures on there were interesting to watch too; dragons, wyrms, smaller water serpents that resided within its waters, coexisting with little trouble. Some of them reminded them of the Lotus Dragon, whom they had not seen in a... long time.
Perhaps if she were to somehow talk to these majestic rulers of the waters, she'd figure if they knew them or not.
She hopped onto the boat, now that it no longer was in dry land, taking ahold of the oars.
— Try to stay seated, okay? I don't think I'll see you if you fall. It's a dark night.
— If I fall, the dragons that grace this lake will simply lift me back up!
— Maybe if you were alone they would... But i don't think they'd like to get too close to me.
— You worry too much. I don't understand! You act as if the water was dangerous to me!
There was little point in arguing. Dragon Eye had an incredible capacity to constantly loop back conversations, to question everything. Even for such a young child, it was surprising how much they adored to ask why or what to anyone who might give them an answer. Their strangely advanced vocabulary did nothing to help their case.
She began to row, and they quickly found out why she had told them to sit. The boat swung, side to side, albeit not dangerously.
— Keep on holding onto these things, can you? I'll get us to the middle of the area. There's something you'll like.
— Even more than this?
— ... Even more than this.
Seemingly satisfied for the time being, the child stayed seated. Their legs gently swung on pace, not long enough to reach the bottom of the boat, as their eyes scanned everything once again. The more into the lake she rowed, the more the Paradise seemed to reveal itself through the night. They could see in the distance the mountains, where their parent's nest laid, as they could also see the Lychee Dragon's chambers not that further away. The folliage, so dense from underneath it, only seemed thicker from a distance.
All was there, at the reach of that who dared claim it as theirs. A Paradise creater by dragons, for dragons... The logical conslusion is that the law of the strongest should prevail here. That everyone would endlessly clash until one grasped the Paradise within their claws. But none fought, not truly.
The Longan Dragon had retreated to their own chambers, observing from afar. Lychee Dragon simply played and waltzed around, but never picked any fighs against other dragons and wyrms.
And Rambutan. They look a her and are only able to see a mortal; someone who should not be here. Who would not last were any creature in this Paradise to deem her presence inconvenient. It would not even be a fight, but rather a spectacular demonstration of the power dragonkind held over other lifeforms. Even when they have seen her train day and night, hone her skills... She's meant to be at the very bottom of the food chain.
The same Rambutan who rowed, and rowed, and kept on rowing. Whose body, despite being drenched to the bone by rainwater, did not waver, Whose armor and spear remained as shining under the moonlight as they always did. It was amusing to see and to think about her, even if their childish mind could not truly grasp the implications of her presence and survival.
Time passed quickly, and so did the drizzle. The water no longer fell down upon them, offering some respite. Dragon Eye, ever so attentive, closed the umbrella, though their grip on it remained.
Eventually, she ceased her rowing. Now on what seemed to be the middle of the lake, wherever one looked the Paradise unveiled. Iridescent trees, mountains, waters, all a blessing to the eyes, dragonkind's utopian world. So gorgeous to the sight, yet so fake altogether. Both people on that boat pretended to be oblivious to that feeling of wrongness that emanated from every crevice, every leaf and blade of grass in that place.
It felt wrong in such a way even the normally oblivious child could feel it.
Dragon Eye's eyes followed the warrior as she prepared. She watched as she set the oars aside , picking up a fishing rod. That one had clearly been the Violet Dragon's doing, if the iridescent patterns on the handle were an indicator of anything at all — it was a rustic tool, but it was enough for her.
With practiced ease, she swung it — over her shoulder and into the waters, the thread barely visible above the lake. She opted to remain seated.
— Shouldn't you stand up instead?
— If I fall off, I do not think I can swim back up. Not with this armor, anyway.
— Then don't fall off! You can climb onto trees and train for hours without as much as tripping!
— None of those involve a boat and deep waters, Dragon Eye... Now listen, we need to stay silent. Like... Like a game! Whoever stays silent the longest, wins. Fish won't come if we make a ruckus.
— Hmmm... A game? What would I get if I win?
— I'll... Let you teach me how to play Go. You've been wanting to do that for a while now, remember?
That seemed to be enough. They are quick to go quiet, folding their little hands on their lap. The idea of having someone to play with sufficed. Rambutan, of course, is grateful for that.
The other creature also grateful is the one staring at them from afar.
Their figure blended in with the night, careful to not be spotted. Iridescent wings made of the finest ore in the Paradise kept them afloat, away from sight, as the wind caressed their dress. Like an apex predator, staring at their prey from afar.
If one were to look at them up close, however, the image would be different. Such an exhaust creature, keeping themselves afloat out of sheer spite for the fate that had made this illusion necessary. It felt dirty, to watch her from afar, to keep her trapped upon this labyrinth of their making.
Clutched in their claw was a dragon orb. Ivory, elegant, akin to everyhing in this Paradise. The Longan Dragon had also adapted to it, became the faux ruler of the illusion… They had forgotten their roos, the true source of their hatred, intoxicated by their own nostalgia and satisfaction. But the orbs remained an annoying thing, idly scouting the land in case any cookies dare remain.
They can't and will not let her get hurt by them again.
A long sigh leaves them, dropping the shattered orb into the water. Neither Rambuan nor the hatchling seem to notice as it falls, sinking to the very bottom of the lake. That's at least one problem less.
Even though another orb is quick to spawn.
— It is futile. They will take notice eventually.
Lychee knew well the voices from these orbs were nothing but vestiges. Traces and slivers of the real Ivory Dragon, that had not been quelled and crushed under the weigh of the spell. Thet constantly mocked and tormented them, the only one tha could hear their mimickry of eloquent speech.
— A waste of resources. Every orb you crush returns as a new one. Every orb you…
— Yeah, every orb I destroy drains a bit of the spell. I'm not stupid, y'know?!
— If you weren't, we would not be here. Foolish child… For how long do you hink you can play god? How long until They realize… Or she does? Will you break her heart just to keep her by your side?
The desperation such words would have encited mere months ago has long since dulled into an uncomfortable headache to think about.
A claw taps the orb's pupil, pushing into it. Irritation laces the dragon's previously blank expression, fangs bared into a sneer.
— You talk like a parrot! Even for just memory fragments, you are all unbearable to deal with? Do you really think I care whether she hates me or not, eh?
— Do you?
— No.
— Why so?
— Bah, as if you cared! What I feel is far superior to your little notion of hatred. One day, I swear I will make you regret ever talking to me like that!
Their clawed digit dug onto the orb, cracking it from the inside.
— We do no care. Nobody has ever truly cared for such frivolous feelings. Housing a cookie, and expecting no-
They bit onto their lip, as they crushed into the inside of the orb. The ivory carcass shattered into their hand, dripping with a golden substance. Their fuel, given the unexistance of life powder within the paradise. Once rendered useless, it too falls into the water; this time, Rambutan notices it, sharply turning to the source of the sound.
Her eyes briefly lock with the orb's shattered one, before it sinks.
— Dragon Eye, stay put.
— You lost! Does that mean we actually get to play now?
— That's… Not the point. But yes, we can play. Stay put now.
— Mhm… Okay, then! I will fulfill your wish! But why are we leaving?
— That was not a natural sound. Were anything to happen… I cannot fight n the boat.
— Even less with the armor?
— You've been paying attention!
Rambutan set the fishing rod aside, taking ahold of the oars once again. Much to the kid's dissappointment, she seemed ready to return to land, finishing their nighttime adventure early.
They could not grasp the reason behind her sudden urgency at all, obvlivious to the presence of the now sunken orb. Besides, they would probably not understand it either, in their genuine innocence.
Right as she begins to row, however, the Violet Dragon descends onto the boat. Their arms wrap around her neck, rather tenderly holding on to her from behind.
— No need. All is fine, my dear.
— Lychee Dragon… ?
— Mhm. Sorry for that… Didn't like that thing watching. So I got rid of it, hehe!
Their head buried itself against the crook of her neck relaxing against her back. Any semblance of exhausion or distress promptly hidden away, unnoticeable to both her and the hatchling.
— What'cha doing, anyway? Came to stargaze, or… Why'd you drag the kid with you as well?
— They need to do something more normal…
— Normal for your kind and for ours are different concepts.
— … You do have a point.
The dragon turns to the younger one, raising an eyebrow. n response, Draon Eye tilts their head, motion which Lychee instinctualy imitates.
— Normal stuff? But everything here is how it's supposed to be! Is this not abnormal, in any case?
— I is only abnormal if you've never done it before… For me, it is perfectly normal. Don't you like it like this?
Rambutan's voice was once again gentle. She only stayed rigid and unmoving because of the dragon latched onto her.
— I supose I do not mind! The sights of Paradise are truly wondrous from here, worthy of a dragon's gaze!
Both Rambutan and Lychee let a sigh of relief. The young one did not seem particularly bothered by anything, which was always a good thing.
— But! Rambutan Cookie, you did promise to show me a sight I would adore! Something i would really, really like!
— I… Suppose I did.
Lychee perks up at that. Her horrid habit of unconsciously overpromising… She had probably promised that to get the young one to comply. Or to distract them from how truly boring fishing gets, especially for children.
They do have an ace under the sleeve.
— Hehehe… Wanna see something wonderful? More beautiful than anything in this Paradise? Reeeeeeally pretty?!
— What are y-
— Shush now! I, the great Violet Dragon, have the spectacle your eyes deserve!
Rising back up, they hover in the air. Bathing in the attention they received from both, they rose back up into the air.
The humidity of the lake and the clouds swirled around them, their figure concealed. Akin to their own mist, they were quick to gain a pink shade, a bright contrast compared to the colors of the Paradise. Growing, rising, the cookie inside the clouds was soon no more; as they dispel, a dragon remains.
Rambutan had never seen them ransform. Not directly in fron of her. Even with the artificial mist concealing the process, it remained an impressive sight to behold. Their dragon form was truly gorgeous.
Their horns and claws had taken faint teal shade, as reflective as the Paradise ores. Their scales remained pink and purple, but given a lavender shade under the grace of the monlight. Their figure elegant, inrincate patterns lacing their form, carved in where scars once used to be.
The incarnation of beauty.
The dragon craned back their neck, taking in the cold night air. Before an eye parted open, slit pupil saring at the ones in the boat
Staring at her.
Their hind claws grasp onto the boat, lifting it up with ease. Dragon Eye had been obediently seated down, but Rambutan, who had been unbalanced by their sudden grb from before, had to make a conscious effort to say properly seated.
— Lychee Dragon? What is it you want to do?
— What I do best, duh! This Paradise's my turf, so obviously its beauty is under my command to! Now stay there, less you fall down, hehe.
— Are you taking us somewhere?
— Yeah! We're going to fly, so hold real tight!
With help of their tail and some magic, they moved the boat onto their back. Nesled between the pristine white fur that lines down their spine and the muscles of their wings, it remained securely placed. If asked, they would not deny having muttered a spell o prevent it from potentially falling off.
Rambutan had only flown on their back a few times. Mostly to get across the land faster, like when moving across mountains or over bigger bodies of water. They had grown used to them picking her up with their jaw for short disances, so having a proper setup to fly was first.
Dragon Eye, however, was thrilled; disregarding her revious orders, completely forgetting about sitting down, they leaned over the edge to watch as the dragon's wings pushed them up into the air.
— One day, I too will have wings to soar above this land! I shall become the greatest dragon to exist here, hehe… !
Their claim was ignored by Lychee, but received a timid smile from Rambutan, who dragged them onto her lap.
Soon, they rose over the waters. eaving behind the creatures that swam, the dark waters soon grew to be nothing but a mirror hat refleced the still present clouds. Tha shone under the moonlight that broke through that blanket.
Lychee Dragon, despite being on the smaller end, even within this Paradise, was still a dragon. Flying upwards was no challenge to them, even as they got inside the clouds. They were cold and humid, the wind picking up even further up there. Rambutan's hands were busy; One clutched the child against herself, the other held onto the edge of the boat.
They, however, were not that affected. Their eyes barely squinted, the secondary eyelids protecting them from the cold air as they rose.
The clouds served, as usual, as a disguise of sorts. Neither Rambutan nor Dragon Eye would be able to notice the iridescent trail they left behind, as yet another spell reshaped the Paradise's foundations.
Finally, their wings broke through the clouds. Turning heir head back to look at the cookies on their back, they could see Rambutan's severe strain to cover both herself and Dragon Eye from the clouds and the wind. Dragon Eye, on the other hand, was way more excited by the prospect of flying than worried over the cold
— Y'Know you can look now, right? No more clouds! C'Mon!
They remained suspended in the air, wings idly flapping. No longer moving, to let them stand up safely.
Slowly, Rambutan let go Straightening herself up, she picked Dragon Eye on her arms, before turning to look around.
Above the blanket of clouds, where only hr peaks of the tallest Paradise mountains reached, lay the night sky. A gathering of stars, of iridescent shapes, that traversed the space; blessed by the moon itself, they marked paths made of stardust on the dark, painting over what once was a blank canvas.
The universe itself unveiled for those above the clouds.
In the distance, other dragons could be seen. Majestic figures, flying in packs, whose wings disturbed the cloudy blanket underneath them. Some perched onto the mountains, others went straight down, presumably into the lake.
Dragon Eye was particularly interested by those creatures. By their flight, by their movements in the nighty sky.
Rambutan was only focused on the stars above.
The dragon's efforts to reshape how the universe worked did not go unnoticed. Everything in them embodied beauty, one way or another
Their mind. Their body. Their soul. Their doing.
The consequences of their existence.
A work of art of utmost beauty.
— Pretty, ain't it? The stars are particularly pretty above this height.
— Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous, Lychee Dragon. You are a great artist, a great creator…I think I-
— Hehe, you're right on all that! I'm simply the best dragon left, the pinnacle of power! This Paradise, as long as I pull the strings, will not waver.
— … Is it not lonely a times? Those other dragons… They have packs, they have family. Mates, hatchlings. Don't you sometimes envy them?
The questions came out absentmindedly. Thinking of her own experiences back at her tribe, amongst her people. Always loved, always cherished; and yet, always lonely, in a way. Never alone.
— You rule over this land. You give us all somewhere to thrive and live… a true Paradise. Bu ho do you turn to, Lychee Dragon? You soar so high… to give us- to give me this sight. You grant us aradise, but…
— Shush, shush! Don't start with that. I am perfectly content as it is right now… It's my role, my duty to be the mastermind behind this!
The dragon, surprisingly, took no offense to these questions. Their sensitivity towards such doubts had long since faded into the background. Or perhaps their worry was redirected elsewhere; they don't want her to overthink her presence, their role.
They refuse to let her dwell too deep into their everything.
— Besides… I have you. Silly little cookie, you are so oblivious to how important you are to me! — they chuckle at the sight of her mildly disbelieving look — As you are, you have become all I need… my dearest treasure.
A familiar feeling, intertwined with another one, settled into her heart. She doesn't want to be the sole reason for someone's existence. If anything happened to her, if she ever got lost or hurt…
— Nah-ah-ah! I know what you are thinking. I'm not going to make others responsible for my survival like your kind does… If I live, i's out of my own volition! If i give you these sights, it's because-
— Because you "love" her, right?
Dragon Eye's voice broke through. Despite their seemingly absent gaze, hat had remained locked into the creatures in the distance, they had seemingly been paying attention.
— In all the books I read, that's called "love"… This pretty thing both dragons and cookies do! That gives them more strength than any spell or power! I want to know what this "love" is… But I never though I would be witness to it.
So eloquent, yet so innocent.
Rambutan's hands went to pat their head, tenderly running her digits through it. The dragon remained silent for a good while. Neither answered, letting silence befall them.
A shooting star danced in the sky. A particularly bright one, that stood out even amongst the others. Even against the moon.
— Hey, psst. Make a wish! The stars will grant it.
While their voice remained cheerful, they felt heavy inside. So did Rambutan, most likely. The hatchling's words remained in their mind.
— Hmmmm… Plenty of dumplings! Enough to make me grow into the greatest dragon ever, mhm!
Those other words remained, too.
— Scale on a drake… What about you, Rambutan? Any fancy wish?
She turned to face her head, running a hand through the fur on their back. So many wishes. So many dreams she will never fulfill, questions she will never answer. Futures she will never live and pasts she will never forget.
— I wish to live
— What does that even mean, cookie?
— I… I wish to live. To do what must be done, know wha mus be known, out of my own accord. I… witches, Lychee. I want to live.
— … Ah.
The dragon's gaze travelled towards the horizon, hoping she would not take notice to their tears. Her words had sruck them, aking to a spear right onto the heart.
Not because they upset them. Those were beautiful words, even if simple. An instinctual desire, which she lacked the capacity to consider herself righteous of… But they'd give her he righ, the obligation to live. they'd fulfill that wish.
Even if it's fake. Even if she will one day hate them for it, when the illusion collapses. She must live. That is what love is; the pinnacle of adoration, the need to keep the subject of it under one's own gaze, to care and protect the other until one's own body withered away. Their every feelings were coated in a layer of love, fuelled and marked by it. An emotion stronger than dread, than despair, that plain happiness. An emotion only rivalled by hate.
Their claws and fangs are coated in love. They would commit every atrocity, sacrifice and forge all that was necessary, commit every sin for the sake of love.
What a foolish dragon. Millennia of living by exploiting cookie's need to love, a lifetime of claiming themselves above the corruption of the senses and morale it carries. Love is one step away from hate, and visceversa. Both extremes that loop back into one another, which they considered themselves superior to.
But the tears present in their eyes signaled their greatest sin.
They have forsaken their whole being out love.
— That's a good wish.