FSE

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Was he right? About all of it? There was little fight left, only enough to keep him on his toes. But he barely had to use the commands now. He simply had to exist in the same room as her and she would slowly find herself flirting and winking. It did feel good even if she didn't climax with every one. Though that was probably because her own body wasn't quite built for her own pleasure. She had to be ready for him when it suited him.

"Ada," a ragged and spent whisper into her ear while his hips drove in the latest of his seed through her swollen canal. The dragon upon the wingless dragoness. He sounded happy so she must have done well. That's good, as long as he's happy there won't be any more 'accidents' she reasoned. His muzzle dropped into her thicker mane for him to snuffle and lick affectionately, one of the better things to do with her body.

But she couldn't let him do it for long. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"

The muzzle stopped. Paused. Then he nipped her ear. "Because that is your name."

"You haven't commanded it to be my name." Yeah, just make it official and use the damn command.

"Well, I really don't have to. Because I'm the only one that's going to be saying it." That smug little dragon grin was on his lips again. She hissed and bucked her hips up against his, causing the piece inside her to throb and dig in sorely. His response was to merely grab her haunches and press down harder, but it was worth the brief defiance. "Besides, I haven't heard you complain about it until now. Nor have I heard a correction. What was that old name again? It's eluding me."

"Yeah yeah. You don't have to be a dick about it." She huffed and collapsed back in the nest to bring him down with her. It was a good thing she hadn't thought of herself as that title in a while. It barely fits some brooding dragoness.

It had been a week since Zavos had his first moment with her in that appropriated office. And since then it's been almost non-stop. Boring wasn't quite the word for it, though for lack of a better one it'll have to do since all she could do was lift her tail and let him have at it. If she really wanted it.

And his latest and greatest just happened. So he's been stewing in the act and reveling in her presence. Even thanking for the nest-cleaning again, which she hadn't stopped since the last time she started. More pillows were added. More exploring done. But it'd become routine. And stifling. So she decided to ask a question that needed to be asked.

"When can we go out?"

He picked up his head, obviously confused. "To the hidden grove? Whenever you like."

"No, I mean out that door." She tilted her head toward it. The one she came in a few months ago.

That had him bristling. "Oh, well, when you've had your first and they're grown. That way I know you won't have a reason to leave."

"That's rich." She hissed. "You're the one with control over that door, and you haven't deleted your research like I asked. How will I know if you get bored of me, kick me out, and make yourself a new dragoness? I mean, you got what you wanted out of me."

"Not entirely." He rumbled, "you've yet to lay." his hand came down to brush along a still flat soft belly and row of teats. "And who would get bored of such a beautiful, lustful, and caring girl such as yourself?" His chuckle was quiet, "as much as that little fight in you can be a bit much, you have to admit... You've been very attentive and loving of a male you think might leave you. If anything I think that's quite the amount of projection."

"Shut up." She shook her head lightly, "I'm doing all of this because I'm bored. There's only so much Beta language to learn in one day and you've been slowing down on clearing the facility floors. Heck it's almost as if you want me to simply lay in this nest and take you whenever it suits you."

"It wouldn't be so bad. I'd still have you exercise-"

"That's not the point! The point is I want to go outside and breathe a little. Just, make a doohickey that restricts me if I get too far away from you or something. I don't care. I just want to go out."

That shut him up quickly. He must have been thinking about it before, because now he had that look in his eye, the one that said he might actually do something. "And this is all that you want? No running?"

"Yes." Just get on with it already. His shaft popped out of her with a relieving sound of liquid dripping. Then he was up, kissed her head, and started on his way out of the nesting area.

That was, until there was a knock on the door. His panels popped up to a security cam feed. "Oh no." His hesitance was shocking, frightening even. What could possibly stay such a dominant dragon's feet?

"Zavie." A booming voice came through the feed and the door. It melted the dragoness, and caused Zavos to straighten. "Open this door before there isn't a door anymore."

He obeyed.

The mass of scales that spoke shouldered in. A bronze dragon with a white nose, scars everywhere, and tattered wings that couldn't have brought him here... But probably did anyways.

"What do you want?" Zavos spat. The bronze dragon only smiled, homing in on the very obviously smaller dragon.

"To see my little brother." The deep voice shattered the air and caused the dragoness to sink into the nest in both wonder and fear.

"I'm older than you." Zavos sounded almost childlike in comparison, though they both traced their linage to a very commanding male, that much was certain.

"I said little, not younger." The bulky muzzle came down to snuffle at Zavos, who clearly didn't have it in him to shove it away. "Come now, how long has it been? Some eighty seasons? Can't be that long to deny your brother an affectionate bump or two, right?"

The dragoness blinked in an attempt to clear her vision. What was this about? Watching Zavos return the muzzle bumps was an eye-opening moment though.

"There we are. That's a good boy."

"Shut up, Marrus."

"Do you want me to show you your place again?" The bronze dragon cooed. To which, Zavos remained quiet. "That's what I thought. Now, why don't you introduce me to your lady friend?"

"Is that why you came all this way?" Zavos rumbled, "to take her from me?"

Bronze sides convulsed as Marrus stifled a laugh. "No. I won't be taking anything." It seemed that's all that he needed to say, so when his paw bat Zavos toward the occupied nest, he walked over with his tail between his legs. He couldn't even look her in the eye when he sat aside and motioned between them.

"Marrus, this is... This is Ada."

Something shot down her spine the moment he said that, while watching the bronze dragon approach and lay in front of her. There was something gentle about his demeanor that didn't match the scars and war-damage all over this big guy.

"Ada." Right there. "It's a beautiful name. And more than our father afforded us and our mothers." His sideways glance at Zavos set a clear tone. There was more going on here than a mere rivalry. An upturned fore paw was set between she and the bronze dragon, and something in the dragoness said this was okay. It was just a greeting. She eased one paw over to fill his, and he chuckled, going down to nose the daintier thing he now had a hold of.

"I thought we weren't going to use this place to change humans anymore."

The statement cleared the air. That motion was a human greeting.

"That changed when my mother died." Zavos protested quickly. But Marrus wouldn't have it, he turned on his older brother with a fury.

"Your mother? The agreement was made when_my_ mother passed. You'd spit on her so easily for your own selfish desires?" Heat was emanating from the bronze dragon now, so much that the dragoness' paw quickly retreated before it could be singed. The large head turned on Zavos, who shrunk and shivered. "All of our mothers cared for us in their own way, yet you dare to break the pact we made in their honor, and bring another poor soul into this sordid existence? Look at her, she barely looks strong enough to defend against an attack, let alone put up with your madness."

"We're breeding a new age of dragon. One that can coexist with humanity. You wouldn't understand."

Something about that set Marrus back, his eyes burning brighter. "You intend to turn us into dogs?" He did look back down to her though, "no offense." None taken. She was just watching this glorious mess unfold.

"Not dogs! Sapient companions, a softer dragon that they don't need to fear."

Marrus' head shook. "Zavos... You barely knew what's happening outside these walls even before our father started on his warpath. That's why I'm so fond of you and this innocence you foster. But it's a flaw, not a strength. If you're going to act on what little information you get from your scanners, at least do us the favor of respecting our mothers' legacy and not trample all over some poor soul's humanity. It's pathetic."

Zavos fell very quiet after that. Obviously hurt, and more than demolished by his brother's scathing remarks. The dragoness almost felt sorry, though there was that little bit of curiosity eating at her preventing her from stepping in completely.

"So, question," Both of the males perked up at the chiming voice, clearly glad to hear something softer after Marrus' scolding, "if you were worried about that, why leave the facility in Zavos' care?"

"Well, he did threaten to activate the defense systems if we tried to take him away." Marrus hummed, "speaking plainly, he could very well vaporize me in an instant had he the inkling to do so. But not without first earning a blow from me that would snap his neck."

"Besides, I'm the only one who cared to learn about our past." Zavos rumbled, but turned away from Marrus' glare before he could get too far into his protesting.

"And we're all still very grateful for it but there's only so much good will that can afford when you are quite literally stepping all over our pact." He was getting a little heated again before he took a few breaths to calm and back off. "Regardless. I smelled her from afar, and figured I should at least see what this was about."

"I had the place sealed since I made her. How?"

"The ventilation in your office." The dragoness put it together pretty quickly. "It was the height of my body's response to you and where we-"

Marrus held a paw up to stop that. "Very likely, but I'm not about to place it on any specific moment. The important thing now is to make sure that you're alright. Are you?"

Zavos seemed to shy further away, while the dragoness couldn't quite bring the words out of her muzzle just yet. Was she alright? Perhaps, but she did also wanna bring up all the little problems she couldn't exactly be mad about or think of. No, she was okay. "Yeah, yeah I'm alright. It was a shock more than anything."

"And you don't have any family to return to? No plans for the future foiled?"

"Nope." Wow this was a welcome change. The dragoness' head was brought higher as Marrus continued to speak. He seemed to like that a lot, and turned back to the other male. "You're lucky, brother. Had these questions been answered any other way, I'd have thrown you in that vat."

Zavos couldn't shrink any further, merely mumbled and worked his paws on the tile.

"And do you have any problems with your current body?"

This was starting to seem like a regular thing he does. "No, not particularly." That satisfied his question in a way that felt... Real.

"That's that then. Welcome to the family! I'm sure our sisters would be glad to meet you. You _are_every bit as beautiful as yourscent implies."

Well... She wasn't about to deny a compliment like that. Especially not from this male that truly put Zavos to shame. To some extent she still feltbad for the smaller male, it's a common deposition to find oneself in- she should know- so she didn't press it, just smiled and bowed her head.

"Great. Are you leaving now?" Zavos hissed

"What? And leave her to you all by her lonesome?" Marrus almost seemed insulted at the question. "No, you have my attention now. I can't bear to see you trample over our values without making up for it in some way. Now would you be kind enough to bring the lady a bit of water?"

Her mane bristled, almost sure she would protest but... Zavos was already moving to grab some kind of container to collect water from the pool.

But Marrus' eyes caught her attention, and she couldn't help but gaze into them. "I truly am sorry about my brother's behavior. I don't know what he's done since he made you into this, but I assure you we as a species have been improving in many ways."

"Yeah?" She asked, almost too taken aback by this complete inversion of what she's used to.

"Of course. I'd launch into a rantbut I prefer action. How far are you into your estrus?"

"Oh, I don't have one." The answer came out without the anxiety. It was such a breath of fresh air. "He managed to make me into a- What was it- an induced ovulator? Meaning I can br- breed..." The relief turned into a bit of a cascade there for a moment, until she slowed and cleared her throat.

"Don't worry, you don't have to explain." Marrus rumbled with a sagely nod. Though he was surprised to hear this development. "Zavos, what's an induced ovulator?"

The dragon had returned to push a bowl in front of the nest, which the dragoness quickly and gratefully drank from.

"It's a reproduction trait that allows the female to ovulate as long as she receives stimuli in her vaginal cavity before she begins gestation. It's specifically to increase the yield of any given litter or clutch, especially in a case where multiple suitors may be involved." He answered rather blithely, until he realized what he'd just said.

Marrus simply nodded however, and kept his eyes on her. "Have you eaten today?"

She nodded and licked her muzzle, "yeah, twice. I have a faster metabolism."

"Interesting. Alright, let me get a nest for myself and we can continue this later," He bowed, "I've got to set some rules for Zavos."

---

The following days went by in a dizzying haze. Marrus took command, and Zavos barely put up a fight. It was like night and day with these two, and the dragoness barely had to do anything about it. Suddenly she was allowed to go outside and take in the sun which instantly boosted her mood and brought out a side of her she didn't exactly understand but welcomed anyways.

She became much more affectionate even with Zavos, and found herself brushing upon both males in some display. Though Zavos was restricted from acting on it, Marrus did ask why. When the answer was 'because she liked to' he took his chances to brush his muzzle along her back.

That was when they started talking more. And the dragoness revealed her past as a warrior, and a thief-by-night. The bronze dragon ate up every little detail, every fight, every gold piece pinched, every battle won and lost. He only grew more angry at his brother for taking such a fascinating lady from humanity.

From then on, she was spending more time in Marrus' nest. It felt odd leaving him all alone on the other side of the room while he was relaxing.

She preened him, he preened her. He started calling her 'sister' as much as that didn't make sense naturally, but it was evidence of how he grew up. Males were to be suppressed because of their father, and females were to be elevated. Everyone was a brother or sister within these walls.

Despite all that, she wasn't privy to their conversations hidden away in Zavos' office regardless of if they got loud or frightening.

It was no wonder then, that when Marrus returned to the nest after a recent one, he lay back in the nest alongside the furred dragoness. "He says that you two enjoyed your first time together. Is that true?"

The question put a pit in her belly. She was absolutely not in her right mind when it happened,butit was enjoyable. Everything after that kind of got repetitive even if her body didn't let it get too boring, it being what she was made for and all. "Yeah. He was very gentle. And by that point I needed something to happen, or else I'd have gone mad."

His hum turned into a rumble. "So you've already decided to go along with his plan?"

She admitted with a heavy sigh, "I had no other choice."

"Well you do now." The bronze dragon declared with a forceful voice. "Zavos may be utterly untenable, but with enough talk he backsdown. You're a free dragoness."

The word confused her, "free?" She echoed. Many images and ideas flit by as soon as she registered it, but... An unfortunate truth reminded her of something important. "I've barely been a dragon at all even these last few months. I don't know how to hunt as a dragon, I don't know where is safe and where I'd get butchered for meat. Free doesn't sound so free when I don't even know where to begin to utilize it."

Marrus did look a little disappointed, but he wasn't one to back down from something like this. She saw it in his eyes. "Regardless, you can start small. Zavos says he configured your body to accommodatefor breeding as many hatchlings as possible. If that's what you _are_what will you choose to do about it?"

"Well, I would like to reconfigure but I'm guessing those pools don't work twice on the same body."

Marrus confirmed with a nod, "aye, you do need to keep a shape after all. And I rather like this one, if that counts for anything."

The dragoness couldn't stop the giggle. He had to have known by now that she used to be a male human, but that didn't stop him from being so... Good. "I don't know, it just feels like there's little wiggle room for all that. Zavos expected to be the only one around and I kind of accepted that reality because I," she paused briefly, her eyes scanning down her flank and haunch,"needed to be touched and handled anyways."

"Is that what you want?" He followed up, causing a blink from the dragoness.

Did she... Want anything? Was that still an option? To want, other than need? It seemed far too out of her reach, so her only answer was, "I don't know. What I want."

"Andwhat aboutyour name?" Marrus asked, his eyes stuck in that glowing curiosity and at least seeming to present his care with it. "Did you want that?"

"It was really out of nowhere, but when he did it felt right."

"So what should I call you?"

That question really set in just how much had changed. Not just her body, but her mind as well, because she instantly couldn't think of any other name to call herselfby. "Ada. You can call me Ada."

"It's a very fitting name. You are the first of your kind, and likely to be the last if none of your young turn out like you. Zavos doesn't miss too often." His rumbling was soothing her muscles from the little distance they had between each other. Like a gentle massage. She eventually rolled onto her side and exposed her belly, glad to finally have someone who'd take a second to actually see what she wanted.

And he admired her from his spot, smiling as brightly as a dragon could. "What would you do if this facility disappeared right now?"

"Probably go find another cave to laze around in." She huffed, "it'd be a little more boring but... I mean, I _am_probably well on my way to having hatchlings. Best not get into too much trouble if I can help it."

"You're not bothered by your missing humanity?" Marrus reinforced his point rather well, "is it not jarring?"

"No, no not really." She wasn't phased by his apparent worry. "I guess when your biggest problem is your autonomy, humanity can come later. But now that I have autonomy, according to you at least, I don't think I can complain about becoming one of you. It just seems... Unfair." Especially with this sudden burst of kindness from another dragon.

"Well, it's rather unfair to expect you to bear this burden for our kind. My brother was wrong to make that so, and I don't care what you were. You seem far too sweet to be put in this position. Are you sure you're comfortable like this?"

Ada nodded, folding her forepaws over her chest and wiggling a little into the nest she shared with Marrus. "I'mshowing my belly to you. Doesn't that count for something?"The laugh that came from him at that question was like a little burst of pressure in the air. It seemed he was a little tense, perhaps holding back a bit too much. "I suppose so," he rumbled, releasing his gaze on her muzzle and allowing himself to ogle. "If you're this comfortable already, I worry what my brother's done to you to make it so."

To that, she hummed, tilting her head a little to catch his eyes again. "Don't worry too much about it. He's realized some of his mistakes. And you're here now, you seem to have an effect on him. What's done is done and I have no reason to be upset." She cooed quietly,noddingher head a little toward him.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd guess that little warrior inside you is long gone and what remains is what our mothers were." Marrus rumbled, leaning toward her a little more. "So I have to ask... May I cover you?"

"No." It was almost automatic, and to his delight. Ada tightened her tail over her hinds with a leer. "No, I don't think so, not until I really know you." She knew she was just making an excuse not to let this male take what he wanted. Shealsoalready got enough of that from Zavos, so more relief washed over her when Marrus backed up with that big grin on his muzzle, and she continued, "besides, Zavos claimed me, and even ifit was forced,I think he'd be rather upset if you only asked me."

He bowed, closed his eyes, and chuckled, "yes ma'am." Her mane puffed as his head rose again. "You're much different from our mothers."

---

The following days saw much more sun. Marrus accompanied Ada on plenty of treks outside to stretch and run free. He was never far, and even when she seemed alone, his shadow was aboveto watch over her and the land around. She also had Zavos' company in the form of scanners that also acted as an extension to the facility's holographic displays- that he often used to sendinformation about flora and fauna around them.

A lot of things were different about this Earth, no doubt the effect the Betas left behind. Things that weredeer had becomea tad more complicated than they used to be. Some trees had a more ordered approach to growing, and the sun shining through their leaves left near-perfect hexagonal patterns of light stretched along the beds of podzol beneath. Smaller critters had gotten bigger and more scaly in some cases and others had evolved to make use of the alien growths that littered the land. What used to be a dragonfly flit by on large wings. It had a longerabdomenand pointed probuscus more akin to a hummingbird, and its posterior was fattened to the point that it looked about to burst at the slightest touch. Likely used as a food item, gleaned from the pictures Zavos sent.

On special occasions, Ada was taught to ground hunt. With her slighter form she was faster and more precise than her male companions, and after many days of failures, she was able to bring home one not-deer back to consume and learn what were the best bits. It was a bit harsher than the lab-grown food, but well filling and messy enough to make the female feel like an actual dragon for once.

There was little conflict then. As much as Marrus and Zavos were two completely different people on the surface, deep down they were still brothers. Watching them bicker, cuddle, yell, fight for dominance, and lick each others' wounds, further proved to Ada that she was in some way right where she belonged.

Especially when Marrus opened up to tell them why he was here.

"My cave was raided by a roaming pack of humans." He huffed, his brows furrowing. They'd finished another hunt, and Zavos' scanner needed a new anti-gravity thing, Ada offeredto carry it home. "The town nearby had nothing to do with it, we were on good terms, but these ones... They were inconceivably violent."

The light on the scanner shimmered with Zavos' voice, "I told you. I_told_ you, Marrus! It doesn't matter which group of humans you have on your side, there's always- _always-_another waiting to have their chance to slit your throat. If we hope to survive we _have_to adhere to their sensibilities and better integrate. We can't live out on our own anymore."

"What do you mean we?_You're the one sitting in your ivory tower while I and some othersat least _tr_ied_integrating." Marrus hissed at the scanner.

"I mean we as a species. You and I aren't compatible, we don't have the qualities they need to at least consider usas pets, orat most sensible companions. They take one look at us and either think 'scary predator' or 'meat for a week' if they're crazy enough. That's why-"

"Enough! We talked about referring to Ada in that way," Marrus barked. They'd had this conversation plenty of times before, enough to sense the direction every time Zavos started on it.

"Sorry," Zavos' sigh crackled through the scanner's speaker. Ada bat it around a little quietly, but nodded to let Marrus and Zavos continue, "anyways,you get it. I'm a broken record, I know. It'sjust that Iwant some kind of resolution that doesn't have to end the way our father's mad quest did."

"Yes, yes and you're well on your way to starting that." Marrus' attention shifted back to the female in front of him, who'd finished licking her muzzle clean. "Speaking of... Any developments?" He'd been asking this since their chat in the nest a while ago. Almost seemed eager to know if there were nieces and nephews on the way.

But she shook her head. "Haven't the foggiest when I'll start feeling something. Zavos?"

He was silent a moment, until Ada shook the scanner, "Zavos?"

"Uh! Yeah, I was pulling up the genetic profile again. There's no specific timing, but I'm guessing that we have another few days to go before the window closes. I would've liked to get more in but..."

Marrus' booming growl stopped that line of thought, and the scanner was quiet again. "Ada will choose when it's time for that." He reinforced a point he's made before, but every time still felt like a wave of delight for the furred dragoness.

"Time isn't exactly what we have before her body starts its job. Look, Marrus... I'm grateful for all that you've done to make me see the errors I've made, but this one is important. This one error will determine the course of our species and I want to make sure the first of them are plentiful so I can get as much data as I can. Please, Ada, brother, I've done all that you asked of me and more. This is all I ask, right now." They couldn't see him, but they knew his head was in a bow and his eyes pleading.

Marrus huffed. "You've asked a lot in the past. Commanded a lot, too. Are you really going to-"

Ada stopped him with a click of her tongue. "Okay Zavos. We'll be heading home soon. We can talk about it when we're face-to-face." She leveled an eye at Marrus, who was surprised to be interrupted like that. She'd been passive in a lot of their bickering, even letting them go on for hours.

"Alright. I'm turning off the scanner, please be safe."

---

As soon as the two returned, the dragoness set aside the scanner and went right to the nest to settle down. Marrus opted for some water, but did keep an eye on the female from his spot. They were only alone for so long. Zavos came in with the intent to fix his scanner, or at least place it in the hallway.

It only took them a minute. Just one minute. Then they were bickering again, and Ada rolled onto her back.

"She is not some piece of meat." Marrus rumbled, "you're better off finding a regular beast to change and fuck, instead of keeping her here to chip away at her sanity."

"So what if I wanted someone to challenge me occasionally? Or have opinions? I didn't say she couldn't back-talk or criticize me, I just wanted to make sure she was safe to do so."

"What good is that when you keep her locked up and dependent on you!? What kind of criticism could she ever level at you except the same ones every day? 'You're a pathetic, controlling, weak, and spineless coward.' And that's all you'll ever be, so a lot of good those opinions would be."

Zavos growled, the most he's done that Ada has ever heard; "At least I take my time and make plans! You barely lasted a human's lifespan out there before getting flushed out. And where did that bring you? All the way back to your supposedly 'weak' older brother who has a consistent source of food and a protected shelter. Don't you dare tell me that's not what you were here for."

"Living life unafraid has its perils, Zavos. You'd know that if you left this facility every once in a while." Marrus seemed satisfied with bringing that up again. Something Zavos couldn't dispute, but to his surprise, the smaller dragon growled back; "There's being afraid, and then there's knowing and staving off the depths of suffering we can end up in. I do my best to not mix them up, and you should too." They were getting in each others' faces, teeth baring, shoulders tense. It seemed it was going to become another shouting match until Ada decided to pipe up.

"Boys,"both males perked up at the crystalline voice, attentions firmly locked on Ada, "that's enough." But the older one hissed, his lips curling into a snarl at the female.

"Be quiet."

The command was a shock. Whatever time they'd spent together these last few days suddenly became dust, as she tried to vocalize her dismay and yet nothing came of it. She was powerless again. Because Zavos ultimately had full control over her. She sank into the nest, the light of hope quickly diminishing. She should have figured that he'd still use it.

Marrus, however, burned brighter. "Why did you do that?" He growled, his silhouette growing with the unfolding of his wings.

"This is between you and me, brother." Zavos growled. "Her input is not necessary."

"You would remove the one freedom you let her have just to keep bickering with me!?" Marrus' chest filled with anger and spite, "we never should have let you keep this place. We should have forced you to join us. You are truly a pathetic, whimpering piece of filth that has not done a damn thing to erase our father's legacy."

Both of them were actively snarling and pacing around each other now. "At least I give a damn about our future. What do you do? Fly around then laze in your cave every day? Look at what I have. It's not my job to erase his legacy. It's to correct the course, and hope our offspring maintains it. You just can't see this for what it is; survival."

"Enough."

Marrus launched at Zavos, and it quickly became a mess. A brutal trade of heavy claws and teeth. Zavos lacked the strength to butt heads with him, but he could slip out of his hold, and retaliate with flurries of claws.

It wasn't until the brutal end, that Marrus could finally pin Zavos, and keep him down with two heavy paws. The bronze dragon growled down at his brother, trying to catch his breath, "I'm taking Ada with me. And destroying this place. You can sit in the rubble if you want, but I won't have a damn thing to do with you."

Confused red eyes squinted, silence stretching on a bit longer than necessary, until Zavos laughed. "So you were here to take her away from me."

"No, I wasn't. Notuntil you proved to me you were incapable of treating her right. That's when I changed my mind." Marrus was scanning his brother's expression.It had changed from anger and fear, to genuine mirth.

"I dare you to try it. Go on," Zavos chuckled.

So he looked up, over at the cowering female, and huffed. "Come on, Ada. Let's go."

"Ada, stay in the nest-" Zavos' muzzle was clamped shut by a bronze paw, but it was too late. The moment Ada stood, she couldn't move out of the nest. It was torture. She wanted to follow Marrus, to show she had some autonomy... But she was still. And still couldn't speak.

After a few moments' thought, Marrus let go of the muzzle. "You're going to pay for this, Zavos."

"Not right now. But sure, I'll pay. I accept that. It won't change the fact that Ada is mine," He lay back on the tile, and rumbled, "but I can share. If you're going to treat her better than me, I'll concede. I will not let you walk out of here with her though."

"What makes you think she wants two males? She very well could have only wanted one or the other. Do you never think to ask her first?"

Zavos grinned wider, "Sure I do. Ada, my dear, show Marrus what you thought of being fought over."

Suddenly the way her body felt washed over her. She was shivering, but not out of fear. Every time they fought it was because they had some point of contention with her. So she couldn't bear to tell them that she loved it. That she really wanted Marrus, but truly accepted her fate far before he came along. It was difficult to find her own way to express this, so when Zavos commanded her- she showed them exactly the way Zavos would want.

She turned around in the nest, swished her tail, then flagged it a little. The fat teardrop underneath feeling the cool air made her shiver stronger, and it caused both males to relax. Zavos slipped out of Marrus' hold and straightened himself up, "See? She knows what she wants."

"This is wrong, Zavos." Marrus was softer, more defeated. "How could you do this to her? Has she not proven her loyalty to you?"

Zavos scoffed, "loyalty?I can command anything I want from her. No, I wanted to prove to _you_she wants this. I merely had her think about being a mother, about nurturing, and being touched, then her body naturally reinforced that until she couldn't think of it as anything else but a positive development." Her tail trembled as he explained, sheepishly acknowledging that she couldn't help herself when the thought presented itself again. As much as she was still the warrior inside, her body was stronger in instinct and positive reinforcement.

"So you passed blame to her for your own disgusting ploy."

"A minor thing. And she thinks nothing of it. Right, Ada?"

It was difficultfor her to even remember caring about every little nitpick, just as he commanded a few months ago. So she nodded.

The bronze one was beginning to find his breath again, and swelling his chest. "Then how can you say she's still a human in mind when you've done your very best to trim her behavior? She's nothing like a human now."

Zavos huffed, stretching on his way around the room. "Listen, brother, we can sit here all day and pick apart every little problem and similarity I have with our father, but really. We couldn't exactly do much without a new female."

"So why didn't you turn yourself into one and wait for one of our brothers to come scent you out?" Marrus clicked his tongue, a simper growing on his muzzle.

To say that the questioncracked the air was a bit of an understatement; It caused Zavos to whip his head back and stare daggers into the bronze dragon. "If you were here, you would have seen the work I did to shape Ada into the perfect compatible broodmother while she was still changing,something I could never do from within the Betas' transformative slurry.Furthermore,I imagine it would be rather difficult to operate this entire facility from a nest, and even more so while rearing hatchlings. And I'd never give up control of it to the likes of you, or our brothers."

"So you admit to giving Ada the short end of the stick."

"No, I admit that whelp rearing is difficult and daunting. But Ada can handle it because I made it so."

Marrus shot his attention back to the still-presenting female. She wasn't told to move, or relax, so she remained, still silent... But pleading to have her autonomy back, and to have some amount of relief.

"And she wants it." Marrus reinforced. Suddenly collapsing where he was, there was no other question or accusation he could throw at Zavos. He could just solve it all by breaking his neck but that wasthe way their father used to do these things. This lifecould be peaceful, this lifecould be better. Or at least the next one could be.

It took a moment for Zavos to sit at the door back into the hallway, but once he did, he grinned. "How about I give you some incentive, brother?" Marrus merely glanced at the smaller dragon with curled lips. So Zavos took that as an invitation; "if you breed her rightnow, I'll tell her that she may speak as soon as you are done. Then we both get to hear her lovely chiming voice again.How does that sound?"

"More ultimatums, brother?" Marrus hissed, "and against her will? You've truly fallen low."

"I don't care. Some day I will die, but ourlineage will live on because of our lovely lady here. They will remember me as a passive but caring father. What they remember you as is up to you."

The bronze dragon approached the nest. Zavos was sick. Not right in the head, but he held a lot of power right now. If Marrus killed him or went against his word things could deteriorate quickly. The bronze dragonknew quite a lot more than Ada aboutwhat Zavos could do, but they both understood that he could do what he wanted. Whether or not he was right.

"Do you want this?" Marrus asked. The female hesitated while she weighed her options. She didn't know how long Zavos would keep her quiet otherwise, and she'd rather relax and have all her worries melt away for the time being. And what better way than to enjoy the closeness of the one dragon that has shown himself to care more than the beast across the room?

She nodded.

"I don't." Marrus rumbled. He stood over her and slid her tail back down over her haunches with his own, taking her into his paws and nuzzling into her mane. "I want you to be free. I will fight for your right to do as you please. I'm not going to breed you just because he said I could. That right is yours and yoursalone. You expressed it before, and I will honor it."

He then hopped off.

Zavos opened the door behind him as Marrus once again threw himself at the other male, then disappeared behind it.

This was Marrus' opening, he picked Ada up and settledher on his back to make a mad dash for the other door. To freedom.

It closed on his tail the moment he'd made it. The pain and shock of the machine digging into the middle of itwas enough to make a weaker dragon cry out, but Marrus powered through, ignoring the searing pain of his own teeth digging in to rip himself out of the door's hold. That was most of his tail. He won't be able to fly well enough for a long while until he figures out a new way to compensate, but all that mattered was he had Ada out of that mad child's grip.

After he singed the raw flesh to keep his blood in him he pushed ondeep into the forest. A few scanners tried to trail them, but more uses of his fire dealt with them

It was a long, quiet trek through the wilderness with only a few stops along a river to whet their thirst and let Ada walk again. Shecouldreason that since she was out of the nest and the facility, she had no reason to"stay" in it. That was enough to satisfy her obedience.

She couldn't find her voice however. Even as Marrus tried to command her to speak like Zavos could, it wasn't enough. He must have done something during the transformation to make her obedient only to his voice. She could tell it frustrated Marrus, but there wasn't much they could do. Zavos wasn't likely to find them after more distance is put between them and him, and even then he probably wasn't going to use his command to let her speak again.

Luckily the perils of their adventure were few and easily dealt with. After the pains of severing their connection to the smaller male it was a welcome respite. They continued their hunting lessons, Marrus spoke of places he'd been, and the dragoness listened close. Closer, and closer.Until Marrus started to feed her, until they slept against each other, until their nights were less talking and more quiet affections.

Untilshe cleaned his muzzle one night. And he returned the affection, the first time she felt his tongue brush against her. It continued for longer, much to their delight. The rubbing of snouts and trading tongues stopped for only a moment, before she rolled onto her side and showed her belly.

He pressed in. She rolled onto her back. He covered, and licked under her chin. He rumbled, she cooed, andthey pressed against one another. "You're safe," He whispered, "do you want to do this with me?"

She licked his chin, her legs spreading and brushing along his belly until their hips were together.

"Is Ada your name?" He asked as he trembled and kept his nose against her ear.

Of course.

---

He finished with a gentle lick to her luscious mane. It had grown wildly in the decades that followed. Especially in the time the young mother became gravid with her first clutch. Her body had shifted to prepare, the final transformation, into the more rotund and padded broodmother he now rested over. She matured quickly, loved every bit of her family, and made the cave they found a warm home. Things she just seemed to naturally gravitate toward.

"Thank you." He whispered, and she returned his affection with a press of her muzzle into his.

Then she was up, catching her breath as he worked the last of his deposit into her. Once he was off, she wentback tothe nest to settleand startnursingtheir hatchlingsnot long after. He chuckled at that. Even after all the work he does to get her out of the nest she still homes back into it like she's been commanded to.She was a long time ago, but it seemed she couldn't mind it anymore.At least their young wouldn't recognize the difference. They'd finished just in time too, for a group of humans had come to see the newest clutch. Pride filled his chest as he watched Ada sniff-check every one, and let them crawl into the nest to play with the little ones. He was glad to see the good in his ancient ancestors, and in the part of Zavos' plan that would work.

The bronze dragon was enshrinedas a protector. A fallen demon that was humbled and came to a town's aid when they needed it. Not a king but a watchful eye, even if it was mostly in service to his beautiful, almost alien hen. It had become worth all the pain and struggle since he was born, and luckily had plenty of time to enjoy it

He basked in the sunlight, finding it easy tofall back into daydreaming about the years before.

And watched their oldest flyfree withthe sun and the clouds.