Archive of Our Own

Being the almighty dragon they were, they leaned on the throne and looked down. It was as quiet as always, with the island being so calm this year. 

But they didn't expect one of the tropical cookies to rush to their presence and kneel down. 

"All-mighty Ananas Dragon! Pitaya Dragon is on the island. They are hurt!"

They stood up, staring at the cookie in front of them as their wings spread out. 

"They dared to come here after I told them to stay away?!"

"Yes—but they are hurt!" The cookie said, sounding so terrified. 

Letting out a sigh, Ananas Dragon flapped their wings and rose up in the air. 

"Which way? What coast?"

The moment the cookie pointed towards the east, they were already up in the air, sliding through the air and flapping their wings against the humid climate. Their eyes landed around the island, trying to find that familiar red and greenish blur they wished not to see. 

Diving down, they flew much closer to the ground as their eyes wandered around. Then, landed near the red blur sitting on the beach, surrounded by other island cookies. The sand flew around from the impact and fell to the floor just as fast.

Once they settled down, they stood up and looked at the cookies, who were all staring at them. 

The moment they stepped up, all of the cookies parted away, making them a pathway to walk on as their steps were loud thuds against the sand.

"Haven't I told you not to cross your dirty paws into my island?!" Their jaw were tight,  paws squeezed into fists as they approached even closer. They could hear some concerned whispers among the cookies, but they didn't pay any mind.

Stepping closer, another cookie stepped out of the way, revealing Pitaya Dragon, sitting in the middle of the circle the cookies had formed. A pool of blood lay below them. 

Ananas Dragon parted their lips to say something, anything, before they shook their head and waved their paw. 

"You cookies go back to your days. They are mine to deal with." 

Most of the cookies quickly hurried away, the rest slowly parting ways from the scene. 

"Hey, Ananasssss Dragon." Pitaya Dragon raised a paw, waving it sheepishly.

"Do you have any speck of an idea of how many errands I had postponed to come here?" They had none. "You are wasting my time with your issues I did not sign up to deal with." They were not doing anything better than wasting time on helping Pitaya Dragon. "Why are you even here? How are you even here?!" They stepped up and crouched down, paws in the air before they settled their paws on their own lap. 

"It'ssssss a long ssssstory." Pitaya Dragon groaned out, holding their stomach. "Mind helping a dragon out?"

"How did you get yourself into this mess? Answer me!" They reached out to grab Pitaya Dragon's collar and yanked them up to be face to face, causing the injured dragon to feel dizzy. 

"I wassss gonna explain." Pitaya Dragon mumbled, raising a paw to land it on Ananas Dragon's arm. "But I feel very dizzy." 

Ananas Dragon squinted their eyes and shook off Pitaya Dragon's paw from their arm. But then, the moment the injured dragon started to slip off, they reached out to grab their face with both paws. 

"Pitaya Dragon!" They called out, shaking their head and trying to get a response. Before their eyes landed on the injured, torn-apart wing and the blood oozing from the wound. 

Cursing, they hooked an arm around Pitaya Dragon's back and pulled them up, hoisting them to hold tighter. With a sigh, they stood up with Pitaya Dragon's head on their shoulder. The injured Dragon's wings were limp, not even curling up around themselves. Which was alarming on its own. Their other arm was hooked around Pitaya Dragon's legs, keeping them from falling. 

Now, all they needed was a medic. Questions could wait. 

Maybe they were fine with leaving Pitaya Dragon to mend on their own, but they weren't going to just allow the dragon to wither away on their own beach. 

So, with a plan in mind, they took off. 

They weren't going to get too attached. They simply had too many errands to run. Cookies to each other. But they still checked on the medic now and then. The injured dragon hadn't woken up yet. Making them grow even more restless each night. 

There were only so many dragons left. What did it mean if they lost one?

They still waited, though; maybe because of their dragon nature, they started to walk around often. Keeping their eyes on the sleeping Pitaya Dragon now and then. Subtly and secretly. Just making sure they breathed. It wasn't every day the dragon slept this much. 

After a while, they started deliberately standing by the door for two minutes every hour. Watching the steady rise and fall of Pitaya Dragon's chest. 

After a week, they were sitting beside the bed next to the sleeping dragon. Just your daily. Nothing more. It was just their dragon instincts acting up to make sure their kin didn't die out of the blue.

After two weeks, they started sleeping by the other. It all began with accidentally dozing off on the chair. Then, they started sleeping on the second bed inside the room. 

Finally, they were right next to them, one wing draped around the other arm, keeping them close to their chest. They kept one paw on the other's wrist, taking in the pulse and curling their tail around them. 

They weren't attached, no. But maybe worried. Worried that Pitaya Dragon wouldn't ever wake up. Almost scared. But a dragon wouldn't be scared. They were the most powerful ones after all. The almighty dragons. 

Yet, they still kept their paw on that wrist.

At three weeks, they had carried Pitaya Dragon into their nest, as the other Dragon's body was already healed, and they just waited for them to wake up. But they weren't sure when that would happen, so they carried them to a safer place. Keeping them where they could see them. Monitor them. And allow them to sleep in such a delicate nest they had made many summers ago. They had fixed some of the pillows, placed more blankets inside, and fixed some of the loose corners. It had been a while since they entered their nest, but it was the most comfortable place a dragon could dream of.

They soon settled behind the sleeping dragon, placing the wing on top of them again and resting against their paws. A little slumber wouldn't hurt them.

Closing their eyes, they tried to sleep, but it seemed impossible with the other dragon around, as their wing caught every single rise of their chest, every little breath. Distracting them from the darkness they would be consumed by when they slumbered. It didn't take long until they gave up, their tail swinging side to side lazily. They pushed themselves up, opting to lay their chin on another's shoulder as well. It didn't matter if it wasn't something so dignified or dragon-like. They curled around and let out a grave sigh, looking around the nest and trying to find things to do.

When nothing came to mind, they wrapped their arms around Pitaya Dragon and pulled the sleeping dragon under their chin. Pulled the injured dragon's whole body into their embrace until everything was covered. Finally, they placed their cheek on the other's head, closing their eyes and allowing themselves to sleep.

Pitaya Dragon grumbled as they slowly opened their eyes, all of their whole body feeling so heavy and so warm at the same time. As if they had been sleeping under a huge cloud that didn't allow fresh air in. 

As they finally opened their eyes, they were met with someone's chest and neck. 

A part of them wanted to jump away and fight, but looking up, only a silly smile plastered itself on their lips. 

Ananas Dragon, the oh-so-almighty who kept refusing any affection, was draped over them. Their breathing was shallow and paced out evenly. Their chest rising and falling against Pitaya Dragon's paws.

Shifting a bit—slightly afraid to wake the other up—Pitaya Dragon sat up and pushed Ananas Dragon's wing off their body, but left the arm on, as it would jostle the other dragon too much and possibly wake them up.

Looking around, they took in the sight and decided that this place was very dim. With a lot of blankets and some little lights. There weren't piles of gold or anything worth keeping, so not a hoard. But there were really a lot of pillows and blankets, all with the same colour scale, as if someone made sure to use only certain colours. 

Then, their eyes widened, their head shifting to look at Ananas Dragon's sleeping face. 

They took them to their nest?!

Pitaya Dragon's wings fluttered then, only to make them wince as they looked back. 

"Oh, fuck." They mumbled, staring at their right wing that had a huge tear in it. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck!—" They reached out, holding the wing and trying to inspect it with the limited movements they had. The huge tear wasn't just a tear; there was actually a piece missing from their wing, one that would take so many years to repair, if it ever did.

Gulping, their tail curled up around their own leg, and they held a paw over the tear, their eyes widening in fear and terror. 

Could they fly again? Even move their wings? Was it just going to hurt? What if it never mended itself back to health? 

Would a dragon without wings still be a dragon?

They grabbed Ananas Dragon's paw and moved it to get up, but the sleeping dragon beside them let out a growl and tightened their hold on them.

Pitaya Dragon needed to get out. Get some air. Do something. Maybe try flying. They needed to know that this wing wouldn't keep them on the ground. 

But as they moved, Ananas Dragon's held them tighter, the low growl being more prominent before the sleeping dragon opened their eyes so abruptly, taking Pitaya Dragon by surprize. 

"Mine." Ananas Dragon growled towards the door, sitting up with that half-conscious mind and pulling Pitaya Dragon to their chest with both of their arms.

"Ananasssss, let me go—" Pitaya Dragon grumbled as Ananas Dragon's face moved to settle on their shoulder and neck, curling into them. "I am not yourssss. I need to go outssssside." They groaned as Ananas Dragon shifted to hold them closer. 

"Mhm."

Letting out a grunt, they tried to move away, only for Ananas Dragon to settle in deeper and just rest there. 

They couldn't stay in the nest longer. It was Ananas Dragon's nest, not theirs. They weren't even a part of this nest. Staying here longer meant—

"I am not your mate." Pitaya Dragon grabbed Ananas Dragon's arm and tried to move it away. There were so few dragons left, and they usually kept themselves away for the same reason. Being together meant being able to reach each other. And reaching each other meant clinginess to their kin, as their bodies sought out familiarity they couldn't feel for such a long time. 

It was stupid to come here. Ananas Dragon had warned them countless times. It was dangerous. Especially since they already established that they spent more time together than any other dragon.

They pushed themselves away, but a whine reached their ears, making their tail uncurl from their leg and tilt up. 

"Sssstop whining." They grumbled, closing their eyes and trying to keep their mind away from the sound. 

But Ananas Dragon whined again the moment they tried to move away. 

Pitaya Dragon's tail tip wagged side to side before they sighed and settled back into the hold. They weren't going to let Ananas Dragon whine for them. That would be too…downgrading for a dragon. Something one of the lowest creatures did, to be pitiful and helpless. 

When was the last time they were held anyway? No, that would be stupid. A dragon didn't need holding or to nest. 

Letting out a grunt, they shifted in Ananas Dragon's arms, causing the other dragon to lift their head in confusion. But Pitaya Dragon settled on placing their head on Ananas Dragon's shoulder, and Ananas Dragon just adjusted their paws and snuggled back into their neck. Both of them formed a little ball of limbs and wings—with their tails curling up around each other to hold on.

Ananas Dragon wasn't exactly aware, but they were aware enough to keep their paws around Pitaya Dragon even after they opened their eyes. Both of them were aware now, staring at everything other than each other. 

"We are not talking about this, ever." Ananas Dragon growled out, their tail tightening around Pitaya's. 

"Yeah, no. Never. I am not sssssome lowly dragon—to be ssssscumbed to thissss." But they still moved their head to settle more into Ananas Dragon's shoulder. 

Silence settled in then, but Pitaya Dragon pulled back slightly and shifted their wings. 

"I am not the dragon to hisssssss, but it hurtsssss." They shifted the injured wing and flapped it, hissing in pain.

"What had gotten your stupid head to obtain such an injury?" They reached out and held Pitaya Dragon's wing, careful not to hurt it. 

"It'ssssss actually compared to nothing if we count what I have been through." Pitaya Dragon kept their eyes on the injured wing. "They just sssssshot my wing when I was esssscaping."

Ananas Dragon stopped in their tracks and glared at Pitaya Dragon. 

"Who?" Their tone was filled with venom, causing Pitaya Dragon's tail to flex.

"Long ssstory." They said. Crossing their arms, they nodded to themselves. "I got mindled with the ultimate dough and cookiessss all around the world sssstopped me." They shook their head. "I was unconsssssciousssss for the mosssssst part, but I woke up in a chamber. They locked me up." They felt Ananas Dragon's hold tighten around them. "It wasssssss fine at firssssst. But they sssstarted hurting me for sssssome experimentssssss. Felt them when my consssssscioussssnessssss returned."

"Someone dared to trap a dragon and scumb them for their experiments?!" Ananas Dragon yelled. Causing Pitaya Dragon to roll their eyes. 

"Calm down. You are jussssst talking becausssse of inssssstinctsssss."

"They hurt you—" 

Pitaya Dragon nodded. 

"When our kind has been on the point of extinction."

A grimace. 

"And you are telling me 'it is just instincts'?"

"Maybe I am misssstaken." Pitaya Dragon said with a defeated sigh. "But I essssscaped."

"Alone, and you came to my aid. That's telling on its own." They squinted their eyes. 

"Yeah, but…you are the only dragon I know who would help me." Pitaya Dragon shrugged. "And the other dragonsssss were too far."

"You imbecile—" Ananas Dragon breathed through their rage. "You have come here for help. You are not supposed to NEED help. Where is your pride?"

Pitaya Dragon stared at the floor before they fidgeted with their paws. 

"I've tried to ssssssstand on my own." They looked away. "But I am exhaussssssted. My mind wassssssn't there to protect me sssssso I endured it all. I did leave with my power when my mind was back. But it sssssstill hurt."

Ananas Dragon parted their lips to speak, but closed them and adjusted their arms around Pitaya Dragon. 

"At least the fact that you are still alive should be enough. Even if barely."

Pitaya Dragon looked up to them with a smile, and limped against the hold. 

"Of coursssssse. I am ssssstrong enough to ssssssurvive."

The silence was more comfortable now, as Pitaya Dragon looked around the nest and huffed. 

"You put me inssssside here?"

Ananas Dragon gave a nod and looked at the nest as well. 

"It is the safest place on the whole island. Inevitably, my den."

"That'ssssss sssstrangely intimate." They grinned, glaring at Ananas Dragon, who was giving them a look of disbelief. 

"Do not make me regret this, dragon."

"I think you already do." Pitaya Dragon let out a low hum and untangled their tail from Ananas Dragon's. "But I will need to go outssssside. I ssssshould useeee up my wingssss."

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'?" 

"You are not leaving my den." Ananas Dragon growled slightly and released their arms from Pitaya Dragon's body. "Did they track you?"

"I don't know. I crassssshed into your issssland the moment I sssssaw it."

Ananas Dragon stared at them for a long while before they grabbed Pitaya Dragon's shoulders and made the dragon sit right in front of them.

"I'll look for trackers. You stay put."

Pitaya Dragon let out a groan and tilted their head up. 

"I don't like grooming sssssessssionsssss."

"I did not ask."

And Ananas Dragon's paws were in their hair, moving through it with their claws and taking in the scalp. 

"Ugh, you are dirty." Ananas Dragon grumbled, taking a dirt clot from Pitaya Dragon's hair. 

"Bathing wassssssn't an option. Sssssorry." They said sarcastically.

"You'll get it later." 

"Later meansssss I am sssstaying."

"You thought I was going to let you leave? After the whole experimental cookies you involved yourself with?"

Pitaya Dragon puffed up his cheeks and released the air slowly.

"I am imprissssssoned again." 

"For your own good." 

"I hate my own good."

Ananas didn't answer that, only fixed Pitaya Dragon's head's position and went back to tangling their paw over it. 

"If you have even a single tracker on you, it not only gets you in danger, but also my people." They growled out. "If I am not able to keep you safe, you are dead, Pitaya."

"I don't know." Pitaya Dragon mumbled. "You think I wanted thissss? I wisssssh to go home. I want to go back to my nesssst. But I am sssstuck, with thissss wing and no way to—" their voice trailed off, getting bifurcated. "I am not being me. I—I don't know what I am feeling."

Ananas Dragon let go the hair and moved to check the scales. 

"I have never been taken away, so I do not understand your…confusion. But you sound hurt for a dragon. We are supposed to be—"

"I don't care what I am sssssuppossssed to be!" Pitaya Dragon yanked their body away from the touch. "I am here, in your issssland, and thissssss issss not where I am sssssuppossssed to be asssss well! Why do you not talk about that, huh? I am ssssssad. And hurt. And I don't want to ssssstand."

Ananas Dragon stared at them with their paws hovering in the air before they pulled them down and looked away. 

"You're hurt. Right. You being hurt is extraordinary." Ananas Dragon sighed and rubbed their forehead. "Fine. Be sad. Be miserable and rot in damage. That won't help."

Pitaya Dragon nodded subtly and looked down at the pillows beneath them before they grabbed one and placed it to the side. 

"I'll nap."

"I haven't finished looking for trackers."

"Then do it, aassss I lie." They leaned down and lay down, curling up to themself. "You can join me if you want."

"As if I am below like that." Ananas Dragon scoffed and nudged themself close, paws reaching out to look at the scales. 

They didn't know how much it took to search, but all they knew was that they ended up slowly running their paw through Pitaya's hair as they lay next to them. Not really hugging them, no. Just running a paw on their hair because it felt good.

Though it wasn't their fault when Pitaya Dragon shifted in their sleep and snuggled into their chest. It was only instinct to hold them back, reciprocating and all.

At least there were no trackers. 

Ananas Dragon was on their throne again, looking down at their cookies as Pitaya Dragon crashed once again right into the trees below the temple.

It was better not to check on them anymore unless the dragon didn't return in twenty minutes. Because Pitaya Dragon soon rose from the bushes and climbed back up the temple. 

"A winglesssss dragon isssss a dead dragon." They grumbled, the torn-down wing lying limply behind them. "I don't think practice will help."

"You glided three more seconds than the last." Ananas Dragon said as they shifted their gaze from their people to Pitaya Dragon.

"Yeah, but I  ussssssed to fly ssssso much more."

The dragon king glanced at Pitaya Dragon's limp wing and let out a sigh. 

"It'll heal. Regeneration takes time."

"What will happen until then? What if I get captured and thissss time they cut off my wingssss? I wouldn't be able to fly for a whole millennium."

They squinted their eyes before they pushed themselves up from the throne and stood up. Their wings flexed behind them and stretched out. 

"They won't be able to capture you. Not on my watch."

"Right, you get to be the hero." Pitaya Dragon crossed their arms. "While I am sssstuck being the victim."

"No, you are hurt. You said it. You are hurt, and you are healing. It is best if I protect you until then."

"I do not want your protection." Pitaya Dragon grunted, moving to walk closer and back to where they jumped to glide. But a paw wrapped around their arm, putting a stop to their movements. "What issss thissss?"

"Stop exhausting yourself. You'll get yourself killed." 

"I won't. Ssssssince when have you got sssssso caring?"

Ananas Dragon's expression faltered, and they looked at their paw on Pitaya Dragon's arm. 

"I didn't." They let go. "It is just mere instinct." 

"Whatever you sssssay." Pitaya Dragon rolled their eyes and looked behind Ananas Dragon, only to take a step back and glare at the sky. "Rain isssss coming."

"Huh?" Ananas Dragon shifted back to look at the sky before they let out a sigh. "That's not rare for a region so tropical. Why is it our concern?"

Pitaya Dragon only glared at them. 

"You well know that I hate water. Creepsssss me out. And I can't even fly to esssscape it."

"We can go back to my den." They shrugged, looking away and taking in the sight of the mango cookies running around to shield themselves from the upcoming rain. Maybe even a storm if they were unlucky. "It will be safe for you."

"I don't want to." Pitaya Dragon's tail whipped around. "It'ssssss…too closssed."

"Well, you don't have a choice." 

"I hate sssssmall placesssss."

"I can't exactly leave the island to get you to a safer place. So, we have my den, or the rain. Do you want to stay under the rain?"

Pitaya Dragon looked up at the sky, then at Ananas Dragon, then at the sky again. 

"I wisssssssh to go home." They grumbled and crossed their arms, walking towards where they knew the den was.

Ananas Dragon quickly visited the island cookies before he also moved back to the den. Only to be met with Pitaya, who had their body covered with a bunch of blankets. 

"What is this that you got yourself into?" They asked, folding their wings neatly behind themself. 

"The cold before the rain." Pitaya Dragon answered. Letting out a yawn and looking around. "Could our dragon formssssss fit here?"

"Why? You wish to unleash it?" They moved and sat into the nest, getting comfortable. 

"Would be good to sssssstrech my limbsssssss out."

"It is big enough for the two of us. You are smaller than I, so I do not see a problem."

"Thanksssss for the insssssult." Pitaya Dragon rolled their eyes but then stopped. "But my…form hasssss changed."

"How so?" 

They gulped down the bile inside their throat and closed their eyes, their limbs slowly shifting and growing. 

Before they revealed a form so battered and covered in scars. The torn-down part of the wing suddenly looked so much bigger. 

Ananas Dragon stared at them before they stretched their wings out and flew up, inspecting the bigger body that wouldn't allow Ananas Dragon that much space as they imagined. 

"Your scales are darker. And there are too many scratches." As Ananas Dragon spoke, Pitaya Dragon let out a soft huff and a grumble. "You used to be softer-edged than this. Now, you are sharp. Too sharp." They landed on Pitaya Dragon's back, causing the dragon to let out a grunt. But it seemed more like a battlefield, with the scars that trailed down all the way to the back. Ananas Dragon used extra effort to not step on them as he walked. "You are…not what you used to be. You look dangerous, no longer the dragon I once knew that was the shortest and the softest of us all."

Pitaya Dragon shifted slightly to press themselves into the corner of the den, their head moving to lie on the ground on their paws. 

"Does it still hurt?" They asked, flying down to Pitaya Dragon's head level. And landed on their muzzle. 

Pitaya Dragon stared at them with slit pupils before they looked away and let out a grunt. 

"Every time you move?"

The dragon nodded.

"And they did this to you." They growled and landed, their back against the ground. "They hurt you like this and you—you couldn't fight them off. You weren't able to. And this is the result? This…suffering is the end of it?" They scoffed, suddenly soundly amused. "I can call other dragons. We could find whoever did this to any dragon, and we can level them down to the ground. Those who hurt what I—" They stopped and looked away. "Whatever. It is your fault that you are like this anyway."

As Pitaya Dragon just stared at them, they sighed and crossed their arms. 

"Don't look at me like I am wrong. I know I am." They growled out. "You—Pitaya Dragon cookie, you are confusing."

They looked around and finally closed their eyes, only to shift into their own dragon form and barely fit inside the den. The blankets and pillows were long forgotten beneath them. 

They shifted their head to look at Pitaya, who had their head on their neck because there was no space to put it. 

Grumbling, Ananas Dragon moved to press their muzzle onto Pitaya Dragon's head, then onto their neck, until their head was on their back. 

The reddish-green dragon let out an inaudible, confused grunt as Ananas Dragon's head hovered over their back, settling there. They had shifted slightly to fit into the then-better position, trying to find a better position. But they were mainly focused on Ananas Dragon's presence right next to their body. 

Until Ananas Dragon moved, and a sharp, spiky tongue grazed against their scars. Causing a pleasant sensation against their scales as the nearby dirt slowly washed away. Pitaya Dragon closed their eyes, settling beside Ananas Dragon's neck as a deep purr emanated from the back of their throat, echoing through the cave as a soothing sound.

They could push the other away, but it felt too nice to step aside. 

There was no room anyway.

Cookies. All around them. Sitting there. Writing things. Yelling at each other. Not a space to move. Just a glass case. Things that poked them. Blood pooling below. Screams and wails. Cries that belong to no one. Plea no one heard. A broken pride, nothing but a sacred apple by the snake. 

That's what they remembered when they opened their eyes and wailed inside the den, causing Ananas Dragon to wake up and try to get up. But the place was too small. 

Too small. 

They wanted to get out. They needed to get out. Get out. Get out.  Get out!

They let out a wail and shifted. Forcing them to shift positions inside the den and let them be the one who lay beside the gate. And they shifted back to their smaller form, their chest heaving as they did. Turning around, it didn't take a second before they were bolting out, the paws strong against the ground as they pushed open the gate, and there they were outside. 

The rain was pouring, and there were too many tall trees. Too close. They needed an open place. But the rain was too much, heaving down on their body and traveling back to the ground.

Opening their wings to take off, they kept on running and flapped them to find somewhere warm. Somewhere they could feel comfortable in. They had to get out. Why were they back to—

They crashed against the mud as the wind knocked their injured wing, and their eyes closed from the impact. Though they pushed themselves up, still running, still trying to flap their wings against the harsh downpour. 

But they crashed again, the cold air seeping into their bones as they moved to push their body up. Only to fall once again.

A grunt escaped their lips. Their legs ached as they tried to step up. Everything was blurry from the rain and the cold. They curled inward, their arms hugging themselves as they heaved. The air stung their lungs, giving such a heavy feeling that it had them on the ground.

So, they stayed there, under the rain with pain in their bones and skin. Itchy and uncomfortable. 

Until something blocked the rain from above, but they couldn't look up. Their body locked up tight in a single position where they were unable to move. 

Then, paws landed on their arms, untangling them from the ball they had curled up into, and pulled them close. Their forehead landed on something soft and warm, causing them to move closer and keep their eyes shut.

"I had never seen you this panicked." Ananas Dragon's voice came from nearby, the thing they leaned their forehead onto rumbling with the sound. Their chest. Pitaya Dragon was landing on Ananas Dragon's chest. They were on Ananas Dragon's island. The lab was far away. And they were here. Right now. 

Pitaya Dragon opened their mouth to say anything, only to shake their head and hold on tighter. 

"I am carrying you back to my den. You'll get sick under the rain. Do not make me take care of a sick you."

"No," Pitaya Dragon suddenly said. "Not the den. Too—too sssssmall. Remindsssss me of—" They gulped and just held Ananas Dragon's clothes, causing mud to smear on them. But both of them were a muddy mess. 

"I cannot take you to my chambers—" Ananas Dragon tried to protest but sighed and wrapped Pitaya Dragon's legs around their waist. "Fine, I'll make it work."

They were able to walk away until Ananas Dragon suddenly stopped and stood up, holding Pitaya Dragon close as they looked back. 

Something in the distance, hidden by the rain. They were approaching. But who? Enemies? Neither of them was in a position to take down cookies, especially in the rain—

"Intruders." Ananas Dragon said, slowly placing Pitaya Dragon back down. "Keep your guard up. If enemies, they won't allow you to be this shaken up."

Pitaya Dragon landed on their feet and glanced at Ananas Dragon. 

"Do you think I have a choice in thissss? I jussssst—panicked. I sssssstill am."

"Then you'll stand behind me. I do not doubt that they have come for you, allowing you to go alone and end with your confinement."

"Letssssss hope not."

Ananas Dragon nodded and looked at the now very close airship that landed on their island, just several feet ahead. 

"We'll meet them where we are safer, but I cannot allow them to reach my cookies. We shall walk into an opening."

"I jussssst want thissss to be over."

"Well, should've thought about that before you left the safety of my den."

Pitaya Dragon grumbled beneath their breath and stood up, keeping their composure in a way that made pride bloom in Ananas Dragon's chest. 

But that pride soon gave way to another feeling as Pitaya Dragon's paw landed on their arm and held onto it in a gentle grip as they walked behind the golden dragon.

Walking into a clearing, Ananas looked through the airship, which landed on the beach below, at the cookies who wore metal armor, stepping out from the ship with long weapons in their hands. Too long for a regular pistol Ananas had ever seen. Ananas Dragon stepped up and stepped on the huge rock beside the hill, looking down at the intruders. Listening to their sounds. 

"This is where the tracker took us, huh...?" A cookie with berry pink hair exited the airship, her face betraying some worry despite the overall confident demeanor.

"Of course!" A cookie with two long ponytails and red hair stepped behind the berry-pink-haired cookie. "It's tragic, actually! It is just good that I planted the tracker somewhere unremovable. I mean, pretty dope, right? I know my experiments very well."

Ananas Dragon held an arm out and placed it in front of Pitaya Dragon. It seemed like the intruders hadn't seen them. Good. They had time if there was a surprise attack. 

They stood up straighter, their eyes widening. 

Tracker?

In a place unremovable?

Had they put it—no, that would be torture, immoral. Was it inside Pitaya's body? Somewhere they couldn't react with a simple grooming?

"Well, you do contain them." The berry pink-haired cookie said. "You said they went rogue. Why would they arrive here? To an island?"

"Hmm, interesting indeed! I can't wait to look further into this predicament."

Ananas Dragon felt their jaw tighten. They couldn't allow these cookies to walk towards their people. It would be too dangerous. 

"You are on the island of mine." They yelled, hiding behind the trees and allowing their voice to echo. "State your reasoning." Pitaya Dragon's eyes were on the scene as well, though their hand tightened around Ananas Dragon's arm. Were they still tired? 

"Uh…" The berry pink-haired cookie hummed. "I am Hollyberry Cookie! Are you the… ruler of this island?" Ananas Dragon didn't respond, so Hollyberry Cookie kept on talking. "We are here to find a friend of mine. They are dangerous and escaped. Do you know where they are? We need to find them before they cause more chaos."

Pitaya Dragon leaned close and whispered. 

"I know who Hollyberry Cookie isssss. Ssssshe isssss sssssomeone I had met." They sighed. "But the cookie next to her, Ssssshe wassss the one who hurt me."

Ananas Dragon squinted their eyes and stared at the intruders before they looked up at the rainy sky. Pitaya Dragon wouldn't be able to fight as well in the rain, especially since they were already exhausted. Another question was whether Ananas Dragon could take all of the intruders if they were to attack them. 

Glancing at the number of them and then to their own body, they stepped up on the rock and stood above them. The rain already made it hard to see, but they opened their wings up to take the attention on themselves rather than the dragon behind them. 

"Your friend?" Ananas Dragon asked, their claws holding onto the rock below to be steadier.

"Oh, woa, you are a dragon as well!" Hollyberry said with a chuckle and quickly bowed. "My mistake, hah. My friend is a dragon as well. You must know Pitaya Dragon, right?"

Ananas Dragon squinted their eyes before they nodded. 

"They are one of my kin, yes."

"Yeah! We need to find them because they got corrupted by the ultimate dough, and the sooner is the better. The longer they are out, it is dangerous for everyone."

So, that was why Pitaya Dragon's new form was bigger than Ananas Dragon's.

"It has been a while since I had needed another dragon near myself. Centuries, perhaps." Ananas Dragon kept their eyes on the cookies, their wings flapping against the rain once. "I am aware of the dragon that had landed on my island. But my answer lies in your intention."

"Huh?"

"You are on the island of mine, landed without grace, and blurred my island's waters with your airships. What is it to say I will hand my own kind to the hands of you?"

Hollyberry glanced at the wings and took a step back. 

"They are really here? And—did you not fight with them?"

"I see no reason to fight." Ananas Dragon's tail curled around Pitaya Dragon's leg. An unsettling feeling deep in their chest. "You speak as if there is a reason we would fight."

Pitaya Dragon shifted a bit behind them, whispering. 

"There are thingsssss I didn't sssay—"

Hollyberry spoke before Pitaya Dragon could finish their sentence. 

"The dough caused them to become hostile, and lives were lost. They are not the dragon I once knew…" She looked away. "That's why we need to find them! They could injure themselves or others. If they are here without a fight, maybe they can come back without it as well? Povidone-Iodine Cookie takes care of them great!"

"Great?" Ananas Dragon growled under their breath. "Confining the kin of mine in an enclosed space and treating them like an insignificant, worthless roach to be crushed beneath is how you treat us?"

"I didn't mean that! They killed so many people, so we thought keeping them somewhere safe where they cannot hurt anyone or themselves, was for the best."

Ananas Dragon shifted their wings slightly, their eyes landing on the red cookie, Povidone-Iodine. She was looking at something in her hands, some kind of tablet that had a light on it. Something strange. 

They took a step back, their eyes wandering around the air and the trees. Maybe she was communicating with something.

It took only a moment of silence for them to abruptly feel Pitaya Dragon's forehead on their back. 

"Pitaya!" They yelled, folding their wings open to shield the dragon, only to be knocked over by something. Their tail untangled from Pitaya's leg as they jumped away from the attack, a growl escaping their lips. Their claws dug into the ground as they looked around, trying to understand what the thing that knocked them over was. 

"Ssssstep back!" Pitaya Dragon yelled as they took a step back, and something like a net fell on them, causing them to scream and wail. 

"What is the meaning of this?!" Ananas Dragon growled, their paw moving to grab their staff and their wings opening even further for a lunge.

"Povidone-Iodine! Shouldn't we talk first?" Hollyberry screamed as she looked between both of the dragons.

"Oh, come on. The dragon won't give them to us. You know it. I am not about to lose them when I found them!"

Ananas Dragon let out a grunt and lunged forward, their wings flapping against the rain as they reached out to grab the net and to pull it off. Only to get zapped and hiss in pain. A technology to electrocute them despite their hard shells?

They landed on a tree and jumped again, more directly towards Povidone-Iodine, their claw reaching back to slice her head off, but there were things shot from the weapons. They dodged through the air, making sharp turns and moving closer and closer to her. Though they couldn't find an opening to slice her head off. Only making small lines along her limbs.

"Stop this!" Someone screamed, and Ananas Dragon's claw landed on a sturdy shield, sending them back and landing on the sand. 

"Step aside, puny cookie. You intruders deserve no mercy because of the suffering you inflicted upon—"

A roar cut through them all, causing all of them to turn their heads to the hill Pitaya Dragon was trapped in. A growl rattled through the whole island before something tore up the net and the familiar form of the Chaos Dragon emerged, their scars suddenly looking much more noticeable than before. 

"Pitaya?" Ananas Dragon asked, but the Chaos Dragon roared and shot fire from their throat right towards where all of them stood. The cookies started to run away from the impact, but Ananas Dragon didn't. A mere fire weakened by the rain wouldn't even land on their skin below their hard shell.

"Take cover!" Hollyberry yelled as she raised her shield to protect others, but the chaos dragon stepped up. Its claws lifted dirt from the ground as it approached with an awful, pain-filled roar. 

"Pitaya!" Ananas Dragon yelled again, parting open their wings and taking off into the air, the rain being nothing more than a mild inconvenience as they flew towards the chaos dragon. "Get a hold of yourself! It is not the time to—"

The chaos dragon roared again, moving away from Ananas Dragon and attacking the cookies by the shore.

Ananas Dragon looked at the cookies getting attacked, then at the chaos dragon, before their eyes landed on the houses of the mango cookies of his island. Not very far. 

"That's it." They mumbled and growled out, moving to land on the ground with a loud thud and getting into their dragon form as well. They wouldn't be able to keep the chaos dragon down, and if they didn't, it would put their cookies in danger. 

Once their bigger body, the almighty dragon form, stood unwavering, they lunged forward and tackled the chaos dragon to the ground, causing some trees to fall and the chaos Dragon's head to fall onto the sand, millimeters away from crushing a cookie. 

The chaos dragon roared back, trying to get Ananas Dragon off their body. Their claws scratched against Ananas Dragon's shell, their tail moving to push the other away.

Ananas Dragon moved a paw to keep them down, but was thrown away as the chaos dragon pushed them and roared, now all of its attention on them. But Ananas Dragon still stood up, taking in its attack and dodging it at the same time. As the chaos dragon moved for another attack, Ananas Dragon's tail knocked the bigger dragon off its feet, and they landed on it. Opening their mouth, they dived down and bit the Chaos Dragon's neck, getting on top of it and trapping it beneath them.

The Chaos Dragon roared beneath them, trying to get out of the hold, and it let out a growl. 

Ananas Dragon only bit down harder, which had the chaos dragon stopping in its tracks and slumping down to the ground. A wail escaping its throat. Glancing down, Ananas Dragon slowly released their teeth from the neck and pressed their muzzle onto the neck, which had the chaos dragon letting out a grunt. So, they opened their wings and kept the chaos dragon away from the rain. 

"Quick, the other dragon is keeping them down. This is our chance!" 

The sound had Ananas Dragon's head snapping; their tail moved side to side like a snake as they looked at the upcoming cookies, still keeping the chaos dragon below them. 

They hissed as the cookies approached too closely, their own fire below their throat settling as they held the chaos dragon down. 

Hollyberry pushed against the crowd and carefully approached them despite Ananas Dragon's growls. 

"I know you want to protect them, but they are dangerous. Just look at what they did to your island—"

Ananas Dragon lifted their head to look at the island. There were some broken trees and fallen rocks. Nothing out of the ordinary, as they themselves had been knocking over trees every time they shifted to their dragon form. 

"—and the cookies here are trying to find a cure for them. What if they lose control again?"

They looked at the dragon below, who was looking around, ready to flee, not fully themselves but still there. 

So, Ananas Dragon leaned down and muzzled on the back of the chaos dragon's ear, getting a huff from the dragon. The Chaos Dragon shifted to pull itself deeper under Ananas Dragon.

Now came the interesting part. They needed to turn back to their cookie to communicate with these cookies, but letting go of the Chaos Dragon wasn't something they wished to do. 

Ananas Dragon looked at Hollyberry and stared at her. 

"They…do have more scars than I remember," Hollyberry said, staring at the Chaos Dragon. "Povidone-Iodine, did they hurt themselves?"

"Ah!" Povidone-Iodine stepped up and shrugged. "Well, maybe yes, maybe not."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"This is a dragon, Hollyberry Cookie! You can't simply hold them somewhere and not hurt them."

"That's—no, you can't do that!" Hollyberry said, turning to Povidone-Iodine. 

Ananas Dragon knew they were about to argue, so they leaned down and muzzled the chaos dragon's neck, causing the dragon to look up in confusion. But Ananas Dragon moved further and kept muzzling around the neck, then to the head, then moved under its chin and caused the dragon below them to let out a small grunt; its eyes closed as it weakly tried to push the dragon above them away.

They let their whole weight land on the dragon below them as they kept their muzzle close, sniffing the other dragon and causing the chaos dragon to groan and roll back, pushing their face away with its paws.

Once it seemed like the chaos dragon's movements slowed down too much, Ananas Dragon pulled away and stood up to keep their weight off the chaos dragon, allowing it to move and even give room for it to escape. But the chaos dragon turned around to lie back down on its stomach, and its tail curled up. Its paws were tucked under it as it looked around just in case. 

Ananas Dragon shifted their head to look at the cookies before they leaned down. Because Hollyberry was there, with her shield up. 

"I apologize for the mess, dragon. I wasn't unaware of what they did to Pitaya Dragon."

Ananas Dragon tilted their head to the side. The chaos dragon was looking at them as well. 

"I never meant to hurt them. If they want to stay here, they should. You seem capable of keeping them under control."

Sighing, Ananas Dragon shifted back to their cookie form, allowing Pitaya Dragon the freedom as they landed on the sand beach. 

"I'll have to ask for the removal of the tracker." They said, their wings flapping and folding behind them. "Dragons are not the species cookiekind should be involved with."

Povidone-Iodine scoffed and crossed her arms. 

"Well, I can't perform the surgery out in the open like this. I need to tear down their stomach to get the tracker right below their intestines, of course."

"I will level down all the cookies and your airship so the tracker won't have anyone to track it. Get your equipment here. You'll perform the surgery out in the open, where I can see."

"You are asking me to carry all of that equipment—"

"You can work plentifully, as I see." Ananas Dragon crossed their arms and looked behind. "Change back, Pitaya. My patience is very thin."

Pitaya shifted their head to look at them before they shifted and landed on the ground, their feet limping. 

"I need a long nap," Pitaya grumbled as they reached out a hand and grabbed their head. "Thissssss issss…too much."

"You'll get it eventually. First, you need that tracker taken out."

Pitaya Dragon's hand moved to land on their abdomen as Ananas Dragon watched the colour drain from their face. 

"No, no, no, no, no—I won't allow it. It leavesssss me weak!"

"You do not have a choice. You are already weak and pathetic enough." Ananas Dragon walked closer to them and grabbed their arm. "You've come to my island. Allowed danger to reach my people, and caused a ruckus with your form. You'll go through that surgery, and I swear I'll let you rest plentifully. That is what you wanted, right?"

Pitaya Dragon looked at them with dot-like pupils and growled. 

"You sssspeak assss if I asssked for all of thissss." They pushed Ananas Dragon's paw away. "That sssssugery leavesssss me limping for DAYSSSS. I do not want to be confined further than thissss."

"You are already confined more than any dragon should have been!" Ananas Dragon yelled. "I already promised you rest. I'll take care of you, too. So, now get that tracker removed or else—"

"Or elssssse what?" Pitaya Dragon growled out. "You won't hurt me. Or kill me. You care ssssso much for that. Ssssso what? You're gonna give me a cold sssshoulder?"

"You—are kidding me." Ananas Dragon grumbled. "Fine, I will give you that 'cold shoulder'. Maybe even leave you in their hands. Would you like that?!"

"You won't do it. Jussssst admit it. You care about me."

"Will you get the surgery if I admit it?"

Pitaya Dragon stared at them for a moment before they subtly nodded. 

"Fine," Ananas Dragon sighed. "I—I do…" They gulped. "I think—Ugh, this is stupid. We are talking about your life here."

"…"

"You are insufferable." Ananas Dragon untangled their arms. "I do care about you. Fine?"

There was a subtle smile painted on Pitaya Dragon's lips then, but that subtle smile soon shifted into a toothy grin. 

"I knew you did." They tilted their head up and started to walk, suddenly having a way to carry themselves that had Ananas Dragon checking on them twice to make their eyes believe. Though that Confidante stance gradually shifted into exhaustion, their shoulders still low and body overall curling up on themselves. The reddish-green dragon walked towards the cookies, their demeanor looking better than Ananas Dragon had imagined. 

"I ssssupposssse I sssssshould get it removed. Or I could ssssseize you all down." The dragon shrugged as if they were aiming to look like the situation was theirs to control.

"There will be no need for that, friend. I am sorry that…I got you into this mess."

"It'ssssss okay." It was not okay. Ananas Dragon would know. "Letsssss get thissssss over with."

Povidone-Iodine ordered her people to get the equipment from the airship, and they slowly placed metal things down onto the beach. Ananas Dragon didn't know any of these things, with sharp edges and knives that glinted even under the rain. Thinking of the rain—it was calming down, becoming something more gentle as the sun started to seep through the cracks of the clouds.

Pitaya Dragon moved towards the metal table as if they did this thing more than a hundred times, lying on it as their eyes were locked on the sky.

Ananas Dragon approached, standing by Pitaya Dragon's legs and moving a paw to land it on the lying Dragon's leg. 

"I'll keep watch." Ananas Dragon said, their wing moving to keep the soft rain and the sun off Pitaya's head.

"I sssssupposssse you will." Pitaya Dragon sighed out and glanced to the side, watching as a cookie grabbed a syringe and stabbed it through their body. "I'll jussssst…ssssleep for a while." 

Ananas Dragon nodded and watched as Pitaya Dragon's eyes slowly closed, and their head tilted to the side. 

The cookies moved, one of them having real gloves as they injected something into Pitaya Dragon's abdomen. A part of Ananas Dragon wanted to look away, feeling too uncomfortable watching Pitaya this closely when they were vulnerable. Dragons didn't even look at each other if a dragon they didn't know was sleeping near; what was it that these cookies stood by an unconscious dragon as if they were used to this? It felt so much like disrespect to even see this happen. But they kept their eyes on the scene, just in case these cookies tried to put something in rather than take it out.

When a sharp little knife stabbed into Pitaya Dragon's abdomen, Ananas Dragon felt bile rise in their throat and had to look away as they heard the skin slowly tear apart. This was fine. They would just not look at a dragon being skinned. 

If this were a battle, they would think about how unruly it was to cut open a dragon with such a small knife when they had teeth to tear through that flesh. Yet, looking at Pitaya Dragon's neck that they bit into and seeing not even a small dent from their teeth, they knew this wasn't a battle. 

Licking through their teeth, they wondered if they could get a chance at biting that neck into submission again.

Which was not a welcome thought. The dragon below them was hurt and exhausted. Thoughts like these were not welcome when Pitaya Dragon couldn't fight. 

Maybe one day when they can fight, then. 

Blinking, they wondered what the reason they would have liked to battle with the other now. It wouldn't even be for blood. Merely a wrestling battle, nothing more than a playfight. It wouldn't be worth anything other than getting out the pent-up energy none of them had.

As one of the cookies pulled something out of Pitaya's body, Ananas Dragon gave their attention back to the cookies. There was a gray disk with a light in the middle of it. Red and glistening with blood. The cookies placed it aside and moved to sew back the open wound.

Ananas Dragon reached out to grab the tracker before any of the cookies could protest. But once the cookies noticed they had taken it, one of them spoke. 

"That is a highly constructed device—"

Ananas Dragon snapped it in half between their claws. The steel disk gave way under their touch. They placed the ruined device back onto the metal tray, their face uninterested until Hollyberry spoke beside them. 

"I will make sure they delete everything about Pitaya Dragon. They are my friend, and I never wanted this to happen to them."

Ananas Dragon only nodded at her, not interested in the conversation as their tail swayed side to side, their thoughts keeping them busy as they squeezed Pitaya Dragon's leg.

"Dragons are not friends with the cookiekind. Your kin is lower than us."

"That's rude to say." Hollyberry sighed beside them. "But you are right to be pissed at us."

As the last stitch was done, the cookies wrapped the wound in white bandages and placed another roll and a pack of band-aids right in front of Ananas Dragon.

Povidone-Iodine spoke as her eyes were on the ruined tracker. 

"You'll need to change the bandages now and then if you don't want it to get infected and possibly cause a fever. I suppose you know how to keep your…kin alive."

Ananas didn't feed into her attitude as they moved forward to circle their arms around Pitaya's body and carry the injured dragon in a bridal embrace. 

"The wing. Anything your devices can fix?"

Povidone-Iodine blinked and looked down at Pitaya Dragon's wing, her mouth becoming an O shape.

"I forgot we accidentally did that. Well, we could stitch the wound, but it will leave an ugly scar and will probably rip apart more of the membrane, given how thin you guys have your wings and all!"

They stared at her. 

"Well, okay. I suppose you'll have to look after them. It is hurtful to lose such a specimen."

That had Ananas Dragon's wings parting open, a growl emanating from their throat. 

"Leave."

And the cookies scrambled away back to their airship. They picked up their gear, they quickly placed the bandages and bandaids into a bag, and left off on the sand. As everyone left, only Hollyberry stood near them.

"Why are you still here?" Ananas Dragon asked, tightening their hold over the injured dragon. 

"I am just—well, I wanted to apologize again. I am glad they are okay. I thought the chaos dragon being unleashed would cause hell on us again."

"I suppose the chaos form is…quite difficult to manage. The fear is understandable." Ananas Dragon adjusted Pitaya Dragon to not allow pressure on the wound. "Dragons are hell and heaven's creatures. Though loss of control is not expected."

Hollyberry nodded and crossed her arms. Standing as if she didn't know what to do. 

"If you guys need help, please find me in the Hollyberry kingdom."

Ananas Dragon raised an eyebrow. 

"I wasn't aware I was speaking with royalty."

"Ah, that would be my family. I am more on the knight side of the family." She laughed and pointed at her shield. "I hope to see you around, dragon king."

"Ananas Dragon Cookie," Ananas Dragon said. "I wish for no time will I come to your aid."

"Blunt, but I admire your consistency!" She smiled. "Have a good day."

Ananas Dragon glanced at Pitaya Dragon's sleeping face before they sighed and turned back to Hollyberry. 

"I suppose the day is over."

They watched her walk away, their attention shifting to the sky. 

Huh, the rain had stopped. How long has it been? 

They waited until the airship got lost in the distance before they grabbed the bag with their foot and flapped their wings to take off back to the nest. 

A part of them wished they could bathe the dragon, but rubbing sand over the mud would do for now.