FSE

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here it is!! Chapter 9!! READ IT!!

and if you're under 18, you'll just hafta wait til you're old enough. Or pray no one finds you here.

damn keywords....

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-- CHAPTER 9 --

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Three more weeks went by. Alex had three outbreaks, but Christine was there to help him focus and he repressed himself until he was back in control. The thing inside him was getting stronger, though, and he was afraid for everyone's safety mand continued to seclude himself despite Christine's urging. Spyro and Solar would take turns hunting, but Spyro hunted better in the air with his ice and lightning breaths whereas Solar dominated the ground and water. He couldn't swim, but he knew how to focus his ice-breath so it froze underwater instead of on contact with the surface, and several times he came back to the temple with some decent hauls of fish. Cynder and Flare had quite the selection to choose from whenever they had a craving for meat. Everyone was anxious; any day now "the time" could come.

As Spyro set the last block in place in the underground passage, Solar stood behind him, observing and planning. "Well, it'll do for now," he said as Spyro turned to him, panting a bit. "We need to get some moss or lichen from farther in and transplant it here, but overall this should conceal the rooms very nicely. Good call on this, by the way."

"Thanks," Spyro huffed, and flexed his legs, driving out the cramps that were beginning to form. "Any time now..."

"I know," Solar said with a faint smile. "Flare's so excited...I am too but I'm also afraid of that coming attack..."

Spyro led the way back into the main hallway and sighed as he looked towards the way out. "I don't know why but I get the feeling...I get the feeling we won't be here long...like something's gonna happen."

"Don't say that! You'll jinx us!"

They both laughed and went into the temple. Cynder was waiting for Spyro, and he chuckled---her belly was pretty big now but she still looked cute as she sat there awaiting him. He nuzzled her and she smiled and watched Solar pass by.

"How's it look?"

"You look great, Cynder."

"Not me, smartass, the tunnel."

Spyro laughed. "I know...it looks pretty good," he lowered his voice, "but Alex is right there in the dojo."

She looked over with wide eyes and started a bit when she saw Alex and Christine looking their way. The two dragon-humans turned away and continued their discussion. Spyro and Cynder went into their room and stood at the window, looking out over the mushrooms. After a while Cynder yawned and Spyro helped her into bed, jumping up alongside her.

"Weren't you gonna train Alex with electricity today?" she asked.

"Nah, Volteer'll probably wanna butt in during it, I'll let him take over today. If you're expecting at any moment, I'd rather be with you." They hugged each other tight, happiness and contentment flowing through them.

Out on the balcony, Flare was napping against Solar as his mind wandered. He sensed that she was almost ready, but couldn't tell when it would happen. As he went over the memory of how he'd been cast out of his hometown back in Paralos, he looked at Flare with a peaceful sigh...she'd given up everything she'd known so she could be with him. He'd been expelled, and she'd dropped her whole life and followed him...in doing so she'd also been exiled. Solar wondered what was going on back home, but shook his head...it didn't matter. The Dark Master's corruption had run too deep there, it was only a matter of time before things failed and the dragons were forced to adopt "primitive" lifestyles like he and Flare now lived. True, the advanced technology of Paralos made life a heck of a lot easier, but Solar didn't miss it.

Flare mumbled in her sleep and shifted against him, and he gently rolled over so she'd be more confortable against him.

"You're so cute when you're asleep," he whispered, looking over her peaceful face as she dozed. "I love you far more than my own life, Flare..."

"Mmmmm...Solar..." she whispered, and he thought she'd woken up, but she only nestled closer to him and continued dreaming. He kissed her on the forehead and put his head down, closing his eyes with a half-smile as he fell asleep with her.

Alex and Christine stayed in the dojo, practicing their flying silently as everyone else relaxed. Eventually Alex stopped and landed, and Christine followed him. Cynder had told her about the dream of Alex going after the eggs, so Christine kept a close eye on Alex.

"I'm bored," Alex said, stretching and yawning. "Wanna go for a walk in the garden or something?"

"Ignitus and the others are asleep in the room," Christine said, shaking her head. "We shouldn't disturb them."

"I'm surprised we haven't seen any rogues or strays attempting to attack us yet...but the month draws to its close...I can't help but worry."

"At least you've been trying to get us out of here."

"Yeah, but I've been thinking...if we left, would the shadow stay anyway and attack instead of pursuing us?"

She paused. "You're right..." She looked at the floor. "We have to stay here and protect them, don't we?"

"Sure does seem like it. Besides, they're our friends now, we can't abandon them if we don't know what the enemy will do."

He sat down against the wall, and she sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around him. "We're, what, almost 22, time-wise, with everything we've gone through?"

"Yet we're still technically 18," he said humorously. He glanced at her with a grin. "Lookin' pretty good for your age, old lady-dragon."

"HEY!" She punched him with a laugh. "Don't call me that!"

"Seriously, though," he said, his humor fading to a loving smile, "you look beautiful as a dragoness. Guess your one dream kinda came true."

"It's better now that you're in it with me." They quietly cuddled there against the wall and fell into a content kiss before Christine put her head on his shoulder to take a nap.

In the next room, Cynder moaned quietly as Spyro's paws caressed her back, pressing her scales. He gradually worked his way along her sides up her neck, and she sighed and tilted her head back as he massaged the back of her head, right at the joint of the neck. He pulled her into a hug, and she closed her eyes happily and pressed herself against him. Through their unusual bond he knew what she wanted, and wrapped his arms, legs, tail and wings around her securely and she nestled her head between his chin and chest.

"You just rest, Cynder," he whispered.

"I'd argue but you're too good at comforting me," she yawned, feeling so content with him wrapped around her. She drifted off for a quick nap, and Spyro rested the underside of his jaw against her head and closed his eyes, squeezing her gently.

That night, Spyro and Cynder were out by the river, cuddling, when Cynder suddenly groaned.

"You okay?" Spyro asked, concerned.

"Yeah...I'm fine...just an upset stomach," she grunted. "Geez, it keeps getting worse and worse..."

"That's the third time today."

"Ignitus says it's normal...Flare's having the same thing too."

After a while she sighed in relief as the pain went away. Spyro grinned as he felt arousal from her as she nuzzled against him.

"Lemme guess...you want some fun?"

"You don't need to guess, you already know," she said lustfully, and ran her tongue along the side of his face. She pressed her muzzle against him and he let her push him over.

"What are thinking of?" he asked with a grin, his member stiffening out of his sheath.

"I'm a little hungry for something different," she said with a sly grin, and they fell into a fierce, passionate kiss until she felt Spyro's dragonhood throbbing against her red belly. She brought her tongue down along his chin to his neck, giggling as he gasped with the sensation. As she worked her way down his gold scales she slowly turned herself until, as she reached the base of his twitching cock, she was standing over him, her legs straddling him and giving him a full view of her tail-base. "Come on, you know you want it," she said, wiggling her rear in front of his face.

"You know it too," he said, and she gasped and moaned happily as his tongue caressed her opening. Turning back to her original idea she teased him, running her tongue over his member, amusing herself as it twitched with every touch. Spyro could taste her excitement as she grew wetter, and he took her by surprise as his tongue quickly entered her. With that she slowly took as much of his cock as she could into her mouth, closing her eyes as she felt him begin to shoot pre-cum into her mouth. Spyro put his mouth to her and sucked on her swollen lips as his tongue probed as far as it could reach inside her, and she squealed around his member and began sucking him desperately as desire took her over.

Spyro reached up and began running his paws along the inside joints of her hips, tickling her red scales where her hind legs joined her body and making her moan and release more fluid into his mouth. Cynder rested her chest on him, keeping her hind legs up so he could pleasure her, and pulled off his member and grinned as she caressed it with her paws. Spyro moaned into her and brought his tongue out, skillfully running it around her lips. Cynder moaned and stood up again, taking his cock into her mouth again and sucking on it, loving the taste of his blood-hardened flesh as she flicked her tongue around it. Spyro groaned and involuntarily pushed his hips up off the ground, forcing himself deeper into her mouth. She coughed slightly but sucked on him even harder. She pulled off and looked around her foreleg at him.

"C'mon, stop holding back!" she said, panting as the pleasure from his tongue clouded her mind.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked teasingly. Instead of answering Cynder took his length into her mouth again, and lightly pressed her teeth against his sensitive organ and began pulling back and forth. Spyro groaned loudly, it felt so good...He bent up and buried his tongue inside her, and she moaned as her muscles clenched around his tongue.

They kept going, pleasuring each other until finally Cynder pulled off his dragonhood with a scream, flooding his mouth with her climax. She again latched onto his member and madly sucked him off until a moment later he roared and filled her mouth with his warm, thick cum. She somehow managed to swallow everything he gave her, and finally licked his cock clean as he licked her vagina. When they were done she collapsed on him, turning herself around again to face him.

"You...still got some of me on your mouth," he panted with a grin. She licked her lips but stopped and closed her eyes as he kissed her, licking her mouth for her. She wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back, and she murred as he gently squeezed her.

"Careful, don't want premature hatching," she giggled, pulling her face away from his so she could look into his eyes. Emerald met amethyst and they lost themselves for a moment, just gazing at each other before falling into a sleepy, contented embrace.

Not too far away, but far enough to not be discovered, Solar glided down with Flare and she waited for him as he gracefully landed and came back over to her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, concerned for her.

She licked his cheek, breathing down his neck tauntingly. "Of course I am...it's safe to mate me while I'm carrying, you should know that from school." She giggled and kissed him, feeling him relax, and she knew he'd relaxed his tailbase. "So, how does does my ice monster want to mate with me?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh, so now it's my choice?"

"Of course it is. You're always catering to my comfort, I wanna return the favor."

"Flare, I don't want you to be uncomfortable..."

She slowly ran her tongue across his nose. "I won't be...I never am with you," she whispered. He was still undecided and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine, I'll decide..." With a seductive smirk she turned around and raised her tail, flicking the flame-like fin across his chest. He smirked and licked her tail.

"Nice view from back here," he said playfully, standing up.

"Just for you," said said, and shook her hips. He stood up on his hind legs and she grinned lustfully as she saw his silver dragonhood at its full length. She moved her tail to the side under his left foreleg as he put his paws on her hips, and felt his breath on her neck and tilted her head back against his with a grin as he bent over her and ran his tongue along her neck. He very slowly entered her, knowing she was very sensitive, and was rewarded as she slowly moaned and spread her legs a bit, giving him easier access. She turned her head to the side and kissed him, and he started slowly thrusting his hips, feeling her velvet walls squeeze his member. Flare moaned and started pressing back against his thrusts, her paws digging into the ground. She groaned and her wings stretched and quivered as her muscles contracted around Solar's dragonhood, and he teasingly wrapped his mouth around her wing-limbs and very lightly bit her, pressing his teeth slightly against her scales. She shivered and her wing twitched but he didn't let go, and slowly nibbled his way down to her back and then up along her neck, pressing his teeth against her scales between the fins running down her spine and feeling her muscles tense around him every time he bit her. His nibbling was sending thrills of pleasure through Flare, making her shiver uncontrollably as chills went down her spine.

"You said I taste good...you're a delicacy," he whispered, and as she tilted her head back against his he licked her cheek and hilted himself into her a bit harder than he'd been going up until now. Flare moaned as she felt his cock grow slicker with his and her juices, and she bucked her hips against him, wanting him to go faster. He complied and moaned with her as their pleasure increased. Flare suddenly squealed, and Solar roared as her muscles rapidly milked him, finally coaxing him to orgasm and fill her with his cum. Flare sighed happily as she felt the warmth of his cum inside her, but when he pulled out of her their combined fluids spilled from her and she felt a bit empty. Solar cleaned her off and she twitched and gasped with every touch of his tongue. Finally he was done, but Flare wasn't done with him. He came up next to her, and before he could ask she ducked under him and took his flaccid length into her mouth and cleaned him off, loving the taste of his juice.

"I know you're not done...how about a midnight snack?" she asked seductively, and Solar laughed, his cock already beginning to erect again. He lay down on his side and watched as Flare took as much of him into her mouth as she could. She played with his member in her mouth, rolling it back and forth with her tongue, rubbing her tongue all over it and sucking on it. Solar groaned as his mate suckled on him, wanting him to release, but he was a ways off from that, having just given some of himself to her. Flare didn't really mind, though; she loved the taste and feel of his meat and was content enough as she was right now.

"You really like this don't you?" Solar asked, and she turned her head a bit and grinned at him, not taking her mouth away from him. She continued to pleasure him, moaning as she herself became more aroused, until finally Solar groaned and his dragonhood throbbed. Flare closed her eyes happily as he filled her mouth with his seed, and she slowly swallowed it, loving his flavor. She sucked him dry and moaned disappointedly when he could give no more and began going soft in her mouth. Solar was panting with the waning excitement, and she leaned up and kissed him.

"Mmmmmm...that was so good," she whispered, and Solar smirked and licked her on the nose.

"Just can't get enough of me can you?"

She shook her head with a grin. "One of my friends told me dragon seed tastes awful, but they were dead-wrong...either that or you're just really special."

"Let's just leave it at special," he whispered, nuzzling her, and she giggled and lay down on his side, propping her head on his neck. "I'ts getting cold out here, you sure you wanna sleep out here?"

She nodded, pressing her face against his neck. "It's nice to sleep somewhere different every once in a while..." she yawned, and he folded his wing over her.

"You do know that if you go into labor tonight it's take us that much longer to get to the tunnels?"

"I know. I'm pretty confident tonight won't be it."

"There's no certainty..."

"Oh just shut up and let me sleep. I'm with you, I'm happy, and I'm tired." They both laughed and gradually fell asleep.

Spyro stared at the sky...he couldn't sleep. He thought he'd heard something roaring not too far away, but it was probably the wind in the mushrooms or some night creatures fighting. Cynder yawned and nuzzled against his chest as she slept, and he grinned and ran his paw along her head. He was very nervous---any time now, any minute possibly, Cynder could give birth. He was excited but also afraid...they still hadn't figured a way to help her safely deliver the twins she was carrying. He was snapped back into reality as Cynder stretched on him, lying on her side and pushing herself along him so her head was right on his shoulder. He laughed to himself as he felt her relax again and she breathed deeply, her sweet breath washing over his neck. Spyro wrapped his arms around her and sighed.

"I sure hope things go well," he whispered.

The next day was cold and stormy. Cynder and Spyro sat at their bedroom window, staring out at the rain, Cynder's head in her favorite spot on Spyro's shoulder. Christine and Alex were flying around in the dojo, trying but sometimes failing to keep quiet as they played "silent-tag". Solar and Flare were watching them, and the guardians were asleep in their room. The central statue of the dojo was hidden to open up the room for the day.

Eventually Christine called for a time-out, and she and Alex landed and sat by the wall, cooling off from their aerial game.

"I think we should play a different game," she said, and Alex looked at her oddly. "You up for a game of 3D chess?"

"How're we gonna do that here?"

Spyro and Cynder came in from their room to see why things were more quiet. There was a swirl of light and a large checkerboard pattern appeared on the floor, along with some five-foot-tall pieces.

"Your move first," Christine said, walking over to the black side.

"Actually..." Alex looked over at Spyro and Cynder as they sat there. "Hey, wanna be part of the game?"

"How do we do that?" Cynder asked, confused.

"You two act as pieces and move where we tell you."

"Sure, sounds better than sitting around," Spyro said, standing up.

"Which team you wanna be on?"

"Uhhh...white."

"Any particular position?" Spyro looked lost and Alex laughed. "There's pawn, rook, bishop, knight, king, and queen. Doesn't matter which one you take really, but I'd suggest against pawn."

"Uhhh...guess I'll take king," Spyro said, walking over to the tallest piece. The one next to it vanished and Alex laughed.

"That one's the queen, most powerful chess piece. King's the weakest aside from the pawn, but don't worry, the king is the piece that needs to survive to win."

"Ooooh! Can I play too?" Cynder asked, standing up.

"Sure," Christine laughed. "Which side and what piece?"

"Well...guess I'll be the black queen," she laughed, and rushed over and took the queen's place. She and Spyro looked at each other between the pieces and Cynder laughed. "Just like old times, huh?"

"Yeah yeah, Miss Queen of Darkness," Spyro said, and they all laughed and Alex took the first move. Solar and Flare watched in amusement as the game progressed, and several times Alex groaned and Christine laughed as he made a stupid move. After almost an hour, it was down to Spyro, Cynder, Alex's two bishops, and Christine's rooks and knights and one lonely pawn. Spyro knocked the pawn out of the way as he moved, and Christine smirked.

"You always fall for this...Cynder, two squares to you upper left."

Cynder grinned and moved diagonally two squares, and Spyro's eyes widened as he realized he was trapped between her and a rook.

"Don't worry, Spyro...she won't win this time," Alex said, strangely calm. "Move back one square." Spyro moved, and Christine laughed.

"Alex, I gotta teach you how to think." She had Cynder knock out Alex's bishop, but in a few more moves Alex not only avoided capture but also took out all her pieces with Spyro and his bishop. Christine's ice-blue tail whipped the floor as she thought, looking at the board. "Okay, Cynder...take out his bishop."

"It's not perfectly diagonal..." Cynder said. It was just one square off.

"Oh crap...uhhhh..." Alex laughed triumphantly, and Christine glared at him...she couldn't lose this game, it had been too easy! "Cynder...move one space forward."

She did, and Alex grinned. He then chased Christine around the board, and used the bishop as a distraction. She fell for it, and Cynder moved right next to Spyro. The two looked at each other and Spyro smirked. "Tag," he said, pushing her lightly with his paw. The game was over. Christine groaned as the chessboard reset itself around the two dragons as they nuzzled each other.

"Good game," Christine said to Alex.

"Aw come on, it's the first time I've beaten you! Don't sound so depressed!"

"Yeah...well, congrats on the win," she said, still looking at the floor.

"C'mon...one more round."

"I think we'll sit this one out," Spyro said, and Cynder nodded and followed him over to where Solar and Flare were. To their surprise the pieces flattened into red and black plate-like shapes.

"I like to see what I'm doing," Christine said with a sly grin, and Alex grinned back. The guardians came out of their room to see what was going on, and found an intense game of checkers underway. Christine laughed and the others cheered as Alex claimed a king. When that game was over, several targets appeared and everyone took turns shooting them with long-range breath attacks. The guardians sat back and watched, and after a while it became a contest to see who could get the craziest attack.

"Nice!" Spyro laughed as Cynder coughed and several fireballs spun through the air and missed the targets completely. Beside her, Flare spat a rolling fireball, and it hit the target and bounced off and hit the wall. She and Cynder laughed with everyone else...but the fun was cut short when Flare and Cynder both yelled in pain at the same time.

"Cynder?!" Spyro said, rushing up to her. Solar ran up to Flare.

"Oh my...Solar...it's..."

"Quick! The nests!" Solar said, and Spyro nodded and the two males put their mates on their backs.

"I'll open the way!" Christine said, and turned into a blur blur and shot off. Spyro and Solar ran into the tunnels behind her.

"Hang in there, Cynder," Spyro grunted through clenched teeth---her claws were digging into his sides as she moaned in pain.

"I'm...trying..."

They dashed through the secret tunnels and into the hidden room, and Cynder and Flare slipped off of Spyro and Solar and the two males stayed right by their sides.

Up in the dojo, the others just stared at the tunnel entrance.

"What just happened here?" Alex asked.

"Well, it was bound to happen at any time..." Terrador grunted.

"What do we do now?"

"The only thing we can do...wait patiently," Cyril replied.

An anxoius half an hour later, Christine ambled back into the dojo, looking tired, but she had a huge grin on her face as she wiped her paws with a rag.

"Any news?"

Christine sighed and nodded. "Two eggs for Spyro and Cynder, three for Solar and Flare," she said happily.

"How did Cynder take to the twin-egg?" Ignitus asked, worried.

Christine looked back at the tunnel entrance. "Very well, actually, but she's in a lot of pain. I was surprised...I was expecting her to tear or something but she's unscathed."

There was a collective feeling of relief from everyone. "How are they now?" Volteer asked.

"They're sleeping...we can expect a full recovery from them all."

"All?" Alex asked, amused.

"Well...you weren't there of course but...Spyro and Solar are gonna have paw problems for a while. Spyro was surprised at how strong Cynder's small paws are."

They laughed and Ignitus stood up. "I'll go bring them some food, they'll need it after all this."

"I'll help," Terrador said, and followed Ignitus. There was a small store of food in the Visions room, and Ignitus and Terrador used their wings to hold the roasted birds, fish, and berries. Down in the tunnels, they found two very happy couples napping, Cynder and Flare with their eggs tucked right up against them, Spyro and Solar against their sides so the eggs were warmly nestled between them and their females. All four had tired, happy smiles on their faces as they slept.

"Leave it here," Ignitus whispered, and Terrador nodded and they quietly left the food in a bowl-like slab of rock for the new parents to find when they woke up.

The next morning, Christine left Alex to train with Volteer while she went down to the hidden room. Ignitus and Cyril were there, helping the two proud couples with their naming issue. Spyro and Solar sat next to their mates, who were lying on their bellies with their eggs tucked between their forelegs.

"Morning," she said as she came in. "How's everyone today?"

Cynder and Spyro looked at each other with huge grins. "The happiest we've ever been in a while," Cynder said, nuzzling Spyro.

"Got that right," Solar said, hugging Flare with one arm, and she giggled. Both Cynder and Flare's eyes were half-lidded; they were both very tired.

"You're here to check on them?" Ignitus asked, and Christine nodded.

"I'm a little worried about Cynder but I think she'll pull through. Cynder, can you stand up?"

"No...not yet. I got Spyro for that." She nuzzled him affectionately and he nudged her in return with another smile. "Still hurting from these two," she said, caressing the larger of her two eggs. It was almost one and a half times bigger than the other.

"How's the naming coming along?"

Flare looked down at her eggs and smiled a bit. "We've already settled on Aurora or Auroris, but can't seem to decide on anything else."

"Same here," Spyro said, rubbing his tail against Cynder's. "We've kinda decided either Flame or Ember, but the other elements are still up there and we're not sure on those two names."

"Can't you tell from the eggs?" Christine asked, casting a quick glance at Ignitus and Cyril.

"Volteer would give you the entire history of dragon egg predicting," Cyril said, shaking his head, "but in short, sometimes. It's difficult...Solar's case is a prime example."

Solar turned a bit red at the memory. "My egg was blue with white flame-patterns on it, so my parents thought it meant blue-hot fire and thus a fire dragon..." He breathed and created a snowflake design on the nearby wall. "As you can tell I'm the exact thermal opposite..."

"Most dragons are named on hatching," Ignitus said, "but it is a good idea to have options beforehand as you are doing."

Cynder gently ran her paw along one of her two eggs. "Well, we've got, what, another two to three months now? I think we've got time."

"Yeah, but time is of the essence," Solar sighed. "Remember? That shadow said we had two months?"

"I know..." Spyro said. "Alex said he'd defend us but...I'm a little worried."

Christine's eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at the five eggs. "I think...I don't know, but I think I may be able to help with protecting the eggs."

"How so?" Flare asked, cocking her head at Christine curiously.

"May I see one? I'm gonna need to see them all but I just need one for now." Flare gently handed her an egg and Christine studied it intensively, then handed it back to Flare. "Thanks. I'll be back in a bit." With that she ran off, and they all looked at each other quizzically. Not long afterwards they heard metal hitting stone vigorously.

"What is she doing?" Ignitus asked, getting up to go see. It took a while, but Christine finally came back, carrying five large, smooth egg-like rocks.

"That paintbrush I keep on me will do wonders right now," she said. "I hope you don't mind..."

"If it'll protect them, go right ahead," Flare said. Christine flicked her wrist and in her hand appeared a strange paintbrush, looking like a hi-tech stick. Solar stared at it.

"That looks very similar to something I had back home," he said.

"Your home was Paralos, right?"

"Yes."

"The basic design came from there, though I hate to say the creators stole it while remotely spying on your realm. Alex modified it for me so it can emulate almost any color."

"Speaking of Alex, I shall go upstairs and see if I can't keep him busy longer. With everyone down here he is sure to wonder what's going on." With that Cyril left. As the dragons watched her, Christine gently took one of Flare's eggs, studying it closely. She made some adjustments on her brush, held it over the egg briefly, and began running it along the surface of the stone, laying down a good layer of color on it.

"Oh boy, this is gonna take a while," she said, sitting back. "You guys go ahead," she said, handing the egg back to Flare. "The egg's appearance is in the pen so it'll color according to the pattern...I just need to make sure EVERYTHING is covered."

"Can you scan more than one at a time?" Solar asked.

"Unfortunately no...Alex tried to achieve that modification but almost destroyed the circuitry inside because it couldn't handle the upgrade."

She walked off until she was out of sight, slowly running the brush along the stone she held. Curious, Spyro rolled a stone over to Cynder and compared the rock to the eggs she held against herself.

"Wow, she is good," he said. It was an eye-perfect replica from what he could see. He rolled it back to the other rocks and sat down next to Cynder, and she sighed happily and leaned on him.

"It was so painful but now I feel so happy," she whispered, and he grinned and kissed her.

"You're not alone in that."

Flare and Solar were just gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. After a while, though, Flare coughed and rubbed her throat.

"Something wrong?" Solar asked.

"I'm really thirsty," she said.

"Come to think of it, we haven't had anything to drink since yesterday," Spyro said, thinking back quickly. He looked around and found two bowls Christine had carved out of wood for them, and quickly filled with with icebreath and then melted the ice. He pushed them along the floor to Cynder and Flare.

"Thanks, Spyro," the two females said, and quickly downed the bowls. He filled them up again, and they drank their fill.

"What about you and Solar?" Cynder asked, running her tongue across her lips and licking off the excess water.

"You two definitely need it more than we do," Solar said, putting his wing around Flare. Christine came back in shortly after, holding a perfect replica of Flare's egg.

"Wow!" Spyro said in awe. Christine just grinned.

"Next one," she said, and Flare gave her another egg. Christine scanned it with the digital brush, and headed back out with another stone egg after giving the real one back to Flare. Cynder yawned loudly.

"Still can't stand up yet?" Flare asked, looking at Cynder. Cynder struggled and fell back down.

"No...giving birth really wore me out..." She growled. "I hate this, I don't like feeling lazy like this."

"But you're keeping the little ones warm," Spyro said, lying down next to her.

"I know...still, I'd like to know I can MOVE if something happens."

Spyro glanced at Solar, and Solar guessed what he was thinking and nodded. Spyro sat up, putting his paws on Cynder's back, and closed his eyes. Small tendrils of light flowed from his paw into Cynder, and after a while he stopped and looked at her.

"Feel any better?"

She slowly stood up, and shook her limbs a bit. "Ooooohhhh...much better," she groaned happily, stretching.

"Don't overdo it, you're still recovering," Solar said, and Cynder lay down again, curling her tail around herself as she again placed her forelegs around her eggs. Solar looked at Spyro. "Your light powers are really strong, Spyro, I'm surprised that worked as well as it did."

Flare yawned and looked at Solar sleepily. "I think I'll take a nap...you go and get some fresh air."

"I'd rather stay here with you," Solar said. "Besides, if we come and go too often we run the risk of Alex seeing us."

"True..." She yawned again and put her head down, rolling onto her side a bit so her neck went around her clutch. Solar ran his paw down her neck and lay down next to her. As the two older dragons were falling asleep, Spyro was massaging Cynder's neck and back.

"You just...keep getting better and better," she moaned softly. "Oh that feels so good..."

He worked his way up her neck from her back, and turned her head to him and kissed her. "Well, keeping you happy makes me happy."

She yawned, very relaxed from his care. "I think I'll nap too."

"I'm right here with you," he whispered as she lay her head down, and she smiled as he kissed her forehead and put his head down next to hers.

Later that day Spyro ambled off to get some fresh air after Cynder had kicked him out "for his own good". He stepped outside and breathed deeply...everything felt better, somehow, now that he was really a father. With a large grin he flew off towards the river to get a drink. Halfway there, he spotted a familiar glow against the sky, coming closer and closer.

"It can't be," Spyro said excitedly, and raced off towards it. Sure enough, Sparx was coming for a visit---he'd just disappeared the last time he'd come by. Spyro got an idea and ducked down beneath a mushroom, waiting and watching. Sparx was humming to himself as he flew overhead.

"GOTCHA!!" Spyro shouted, grabbing the dragonfly quickly but gently, and Sparx shouted in surprise.

"Dude...don't do that again..." Sparx panted, flying out of Spyro's paws.

"And what brings you back here?"

"Just comin' by to see how my fat purple brother and his psycho-shedragon are doing."

"You still can't get over that can you?" Spyro asked defensively.

"Dude, learn to take a joke! You're awful tense today!"

"Well, follow me, I gotta get some water and then we'll both go to the temple."

"Get some water?" Sparx asked, following Spyro to the river. Spyro took a long draw quickly. "Careful there, bro, or your stomach's gonna hate you," Sparx said.

"I gotta get back kinda quickly," Spyro said, wiping his mouth and holding back a burp. With that he froze a thick chunk of ice in the water, picked it up, and he and Sparx flew back to the temple.

"What's that for?"

"Better to show than to tell," Spyro replied with a sly half-grin. He wanted to see Sparx's reaction to the two new families...it'd be priceless.

They went into the underground hallways to the temple, but Sparx was confused when Spyro went to the side some ways in.

"Uh, aren't we going for the temple? It's off that way...through that door. Last time you went this way you got sucked through a evil portal of Dark Master doom."

"Oh, just wait and see. C'mon, it's safe down here." Sparx shrugged and followed Spyro through the hidden passages as Spyro dragged the block of ice, creating a slick film of ice on the floor in front of himself so the block didn't chip badly or catch any dirt. He opened the hidden door to the chamber.

"Hey, he's back! And with water!" Flare said in greeting.

"And a visitor," Spyro said, and Sparx flew into the room.

"What's the party down here?" Sparx asked, looking around. He looked at Solar and Flare. "Why is everyone down here?"

"Little something happened, if you don't remember," Solar said with a grin.

"I don't...uh oh, why do I get the feeling this is gonna be something that's gonna shock me?" Sparx asked.

"Your brother is now officially Daddy Spyro," Cynder said, moving her tail from around her two eggs. They all looked at Sparx and burst out laughing as the golden dragonfly's jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

"Wha-wha...Spyro...eggs...wha?" Sparx stammered. "I thought you guys were joking!!!!!"

"More little Cynders," Cynder said teasingly, and Sparx hid his face in his hands with a groan.

"I'm dreaming...I'm gonna wake up right now and be back in the swamp." He opened his eyes, and groaned. "Darn it, that never works."

"Well Sparx, looks like you're an uncle now," Solar laughed, and Sparx shook his head.

"I can't believe this...do I be happy about this or do I run in fear?"

"Thought you'd be happy for your brother," Spyro said after putting the large ice block in a big trough-like rock fracture and sitting next to Cynder. "So, Sparx, how's Mom and Dad?"

"The peace at home's gonna be shattered with this news," Sparx answered, and they laughed again. "Things are still good back home...Mom and Dad miss you though, you haven't been by in a while."

Spyro and Cynder looked at each other. "I think when Cynder's better we'll drop by quickly...that is, if nothing happens..."

"Huh? Oh right...the attack...well, I think you'll be happy to know that I decided to do some heroism of my own and scout out the area around here..."

"What good is that? Their base is probably way far off," Solar said, but Sparx smirked.

"I am the almighty Sparx, god of the Atllawa tribe!" he said smugly, and Spyro rolled his eyes. "I happened to come across your shadowy friend and his best commanders...you've got time, guys. They had no idea I was there, and I heard them talking about stalling the attack to build apprehension here. Whatever that meant I have no clue, might hafta ask Volteer on that one..." He ended that with a sarcastic eye-roll and they all laughed.

"Hope you're right, Sparx," Spyro said, looking down at the eggs as they lay there cradled against Cynder's side. He ran his paw along them in thought.

Three days later, there was still no sign of the attack. Flare and Cynder were slowly recovering, and could venture through the temple but not for long. Sparx, as usual, was arguing with the guardians about something, and Spyro just laughed to himself and shook his head.

"That dragonfly...his mouth really gets him into stuff."

Alex walked into the dojo and spotted Spyro, and headed over to him with a grin. "Hey, Spyro!"

"Hey Alex. You're in a good mood."

"Yeah...bit tired too..." He stretched and flexed his wings. "Christine and I just had a game of aerial chase..."

Spyro laughed. "You two have a lot of fun..." He looked around and lowered his voice. "You asked her yet?"

Alex's face went serious and he rubbed his neck. "I almost did..." He looked back at the balcony doorway, then back at Spyro with a confused glance. "When you asked Cynder, what happened? I mean, how did you know it was 'the time'?"

Spyro shrugged. "I was ready for it, and I planned to ask her that night, but she just kinda led me into the question. More because she could tell I was hiding something, but that's our odd little mental link." He looked over at the tunnel doorway, thinking back to that night. "I guess you should stay ready and let her bring up the right time."

Ignitus yelled and they both jumped, and Alex laughed. "Lemme guess..."

"Sparx..."

"I'll go see if I can't settle it down in there..." Alex turned, but looked at Spyro. "Thanks Spyro, for the advice."

"No problem. Hope the time comes soon." He watched the green-scaled dragon-human head into the guardians' room, and shook his head with a smirk and headed to the balcony to take a quick flight before heading back to Cynder.

Later that night, Cynder came back into the chamber and kissed Spyro on the head. He yawned and looked up at her with a sleepy smile.

"How are they?" she asked. Spyro uncovered the two eggs nestled next to his side.

"Doing fine, so far as I can tell," he said, getting up. She took his place and lay her tail around the eggs, then looked up at Spyro proudly.

"I think it's pretty mutual we're both proud of this?"

"Who wouldn't be?" he asked, lying down next to her and placing his tail over hers. Nearby, Solar snored loudly, and Spyro saw the three eggs still nestled in his arms as he snoozed. "Where's Flare?"

"Out in the garden. She wanted to see the night sky again." She yawned and moved her tail, and Spyro looked at the two eggs.

"I think I'll look after one tonight," he said, and she nodded and he gently took one of them and set it next to himself. "A pink egg and a gray-blue egg...wonder what elements they'll be?" he asked.

"I'm thinking...fire and ice, and maybe earth."

"Why ice?"

"I dunno...I just kinda like ice. And seeing how you use it so often, why not?"

"Well, ice is more useful than the others for everyday use around here..."

"Too bad there's no purple for another few generations," she sighed. "But then again, you're my one purple dragon, and with all the trouble you make I'm glad there's only one of you."

He laughed and kissed her and she sighed happily into the kiss. Flare walked in later to find them both asleep, Spyro's wing draped over Cynder's body. She went over to Solar and lay down next to him with a quiet yawn. Solar cracked an eye at her with a smile.

"Peaceful out there?"

"It's so nice and quiet here..." she said, putting her head down next to his. He delicately handed her two of the eggs and she tucked her tail around them. "What, you're gonna look after one tonight?"

"Why not?"

She just smiled at him, but her smile grew to worry. "Alex is starting to worry me...he was pacing around up there for a while, talking to something."

"He's trying to keep from falling under its influence," Solar said, but he too was worried. "I feel so sorry for him, but there's nothing we can do, apparently. I hope there's some way to get it to leave him."

"I'm sure there is, but something tells me it's between him and Christine."

The two dragon-humans sat next to each other out on the balcony, arms wrapped around each other and just enjoying each others' company as they looked at the two moons in the starry sky. Eventually Alex sighed and shifted against Christine and she sat back to look at him.

"Something wrong, Alex?"

He looked at her briefly, then down at the floor with a grunt. "Christine...I love you, but I'm afraid of this thing in me...I'm afraid it'll force me to hurt you or do something terrible."

She leaned against him, tilting her head so she could see his face. "I love you too, Alex...you've known that for a year now. If it does come out, I won't be mad at you. Why should I be? It's not you acting when it happens."

He gave a small smile, taking her icy scaly hand in his. "I'd just hate to have been the one that hurt you if something did happen." He hesitated. "I hafta ask, though...why are Cynder and Flare's nests hidden? It can't be simply from possible attack, and it's come to my attention that I don't know where they are. How am I supposed to alert Spyro and Solar if the guardians are busy and you're not here?"

Christine's eyes dilated, but Ignitus came to her rescue as he came out onto the balcony. "Alex...Cynder and Flare had a vision about your outbreaks, and you were going after the eggs in your rage."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he asked, a bit hurt. "Now that I know, I don't want to know where they are, but someone could've told me at least..."

"We were being cautious...though probably a bit too cautious." Ignitus yawned and flexed his red wings. "I pray Sparx's information is trustworthy...tomorrow Terrador is taking off to the mainland to investigate some weird things I've seen in the Pool."

"I hope it's nothing to do with the attack..." Christine said.

"Well, whatever's going on, we'd better keep an eye open for danger." With that the old fire dragon left them. Christine leaned against Alex again and closed her eyes, and he wrapped his arms around her, gently squeezing her.

"Y'know...with all this family stuff going on...I don't think I'd want anyone other than you, Alex," she whispered. "If I had to choose someone it would be you, no second-placers."

"Well then," Alex said, reaching behind his back. She sat up, half her mind confused and the other half expecting what she thought was coming, and heard a small flash behind his back. He looked her in the eyes, taking her hands in his. He wrapped her fingers around a small object, and an excited smile spread across her face as he lifted her enclosed hands up to eye-level between them. She opened her hand and tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the shining gold ring lying in her sky-blue palm. She looked up at Alex, her face full of surprise and joy. He smiled back, containing himself but just barely...he already knew the answer. "Christine, will you choose me right here, right now?"

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:3 XD

So, here we are, three dragon couples in the temple, and six little ones in only two more months... I'm still sorting through the names, haven't finalized anything yet :P