Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters. Other canon characters are owned by their respective companies.

Exclaimer: To people who don't like the story, just don't read it.

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The Purple Essence

Chapter 19

Crashed

"Yes…and this is the first time," said Cynder. "I wonder…how they were like…"

She then felt quiet, obviously diving deeper into her subconscious, thinking of the endless possibilities. It also made Izrayl question himself about his parents. But the fact that he had amnesia made that path of questioning end abruptly. There was no point in wondering since he never knew to begin with. Maybe once he regains his memories, then he can start pondering about it. In the meantime however, he just tried to busy himself, trying not to disturb the brooding dragoness beside him.

"Don't think about it too much Cynder. You might hurt yourself," he said, trying again to break the ice. She sighed.
"I know, I know…" she trailed. "I just can't help it. I even feel bad…"
Izrayl's brow rose. "Why?"
"Because…who knows…I might have killed them…when I was under the Dark Master's control…."

That…Cynder had a point. Izrayl couldn't brush that fact off. Because the fact had a high rate of being true; she wasn't in control of that time. So she definitely wasn't in control of she chose to kill. Pity all formed in his mind as he looked at the dragoness before her. But it diminished and changed into something else. Guilt; now he felt completely guilty that he brought the topic up in the first place. He and his big mouth; earlier, she was smiling. And now, she was just downright sad; borderline depressed.

He needed to get out of the hole he had dug himself.

"Listen…I don't think we should end the conversation on such…sensitive and touché matters. We should end it on a lighter note."
"Are you just saying that so I won't feel sad anymore?" She smirked at him.
Izrayl sheepishly chuckled. "I guess so. Listen, it's my fault, I shouldn't have—"
"Izzy, you clearly don't know me that much. I have done worse. Assuming I have killed my parents, it's sad. I know. But that's just an assumption. And even if it was true, the fact that I have killed countless others is even worse. The bottom line is, I've felt worse than what I am feeling now. But thanks for worrying."

She smiled at him and Izrayl couldn't help but smile back.

Up ahead, Spyro and Sparx were engulfed in their own conversation.

"You're awfully quiet," said Sparx.
"Huh?" replied Spyro.
"A minute ago, you were chatty. Now you're just mute. What's up?"
"It's nothing," said Spyro, keeping a calm and straight face.
"Nothing? Spyro, I'm your brother. I know you well enough to know when something's bothering you." Spyro just ignored him, leaving Sparx to start wondering.
"I've seen you like this before…" he said, thinking out loud.
"Huh? What do you mean?" But Sparx ignored him. He racked his brain, and found the correct memory he was referring to.
"Like that time…back at the Temple….when we saw Cynder and Izrayl…" His eyes carefully rolled, looking back to Spyro who was just staring at him. The purple dragon's brow rose, as if finally realizing what he was talking about.

"Are you saying I'm jealous?" blurted Spyro out of the blue.

Sparx blinked at him.

"No; I never said anything," he said.
"Yes, but that was what you were implying. You're saying I'm jealous of Izrayl."
"Are you?" Sparx asked.

Spyro fell silent; seemingly unable or reluctant to answer. But his body betrayed him. Sparx saw the faint glint of a blush across his cheeks.

Sparx then look at him seriously. "Are you telling me…that you have feelings for…for…"

That was it. That was the last strand. Sparx couldn't graps the reality of the situation. He gasped loudly before proceeding to scream in faint terror.

"NO!!!" His voice echoed across the forest, cueing birds to fly in panic, which were resting at the tree branches above them.
"What!? What happened!?" exclaimed Izrayl, running up to them.
"It's nothing. Sparx just over reacted," said Spyro, taking control of the situation. "You can go back and talk to Cynder."
Izrayl was a bit surprised at Spyro's response, but shook it off.
"Okay…" he said, before backing off.

Spyro then gently plucked Sparx off the air. The dragonfly was hyperventilating, his pupils dilated. He was clearly in shock by the revelation before him.

"Will you get a grip?" said Spyro, lowering his tone back to normal. Sparx took a deep breath, before replying.
"I'm sorry…I was just…shocked…" he replied, getting his composure back.
"Honestly Sparx, you overreact too much," said Spyro.
"….so you really have feelings for her then?" asked Sparx.

Spyro bit his lip. It was best to come clean. Spyro had been wondering what he had felt that night, when he saw Cynder nuzzle Izrayl. And over the days, he had mulled it over. In the end, he came to the conclusion, that he was jealous of Izrayl. He had feelings for Cynder, after much debate, he admitted it to himself. To him, he genuinely cared about her; to the level of more than just friends.

"Yes, now can we please drop the subject?"
"No. Spyro, do you know what you are dealing with here? You're dancing with the devil!" Sparx exaggerated, referencing Cynder's reputation.
"The past is past. What matters is the present," said Spyro.
"And in the present time, I'm thinking that you have a rival for Cynder's affection," said Sparx.

That hit the mark. Spyro sighed, his expression of calm and straight, cracking. It revealed that his face looked sad, and he had a worried expression.

"You're worried about Izrayl?" Sparx asked. "Don't worry about him. I don't think he is her type."
"You think so? Then what do you think about the 'nuzzle' then?" asked Spyro.
"The 'nuzzle'? That was nothing!" exclaimed Sparx, throwing his hands in the air.

Spyro's brow rose.

"Since when were you pro Spyro X Cynder?" asked Spyro.
"Since now; figuring that I can't really stop you from falling for her, since you already fell before I could catch you. Might as well change flags, since it's a lost cause," said Sparx. "Don't worry. I'll do the dirty work. As far as those two know, I'm neutral. They don't know I'm on your team. The first thing I'm going to do is confirm if Izrayl is in the running."

Spyro sighed. He was surprised at Sparx enthusiasm in all of this. The last thing he expected was that his brother getting tangled up in his small love life.

"You go do that."
Sparx patted him on the horn. "Don't worry bro. I'm not letting the only dragoness that caught your eye be the one that got away. Even if that dragoness was the evil she-dragon…"

Spyro sighed to himself. Thing changed slowly, he supposed.

0 0 0 0 0

A few minutes later the four of them had arrived at what seem like a slow area for the river. There were rocks at the riverbank, slowing it down, and allowing plant life to grow easily. And where there was aquatic plant life…

"Is that…is that a dragonfly?" asked Izrayl, looking up ahead.
"I-I think it is," said Cynder, looking to where he was looking.

There was a group of dragonflies flying in the area, apparently foraging for food. Some were plucking the odd looking fruit bearing plants, whilst others were just lazing about, flying around. One of them seemed very familiar, to Spyro and Sparx.

"Is that…is that…"
"That's dad!" exclaimed Sparx, cutting Spyro off.

Izrayl could only stare at the scene before him. The next few minutes were spent with Spyro and Sparx being surrounded by colourful colors, dancing all around them. Excited voices were heard as the group of dragonflies recognized their long lost friends.
"Wow…" said Cynder, looking at Spyro who was smiling gleefully. He was being hugged everywhere.
"So I guess that's how it feels like…if you're part of a family…huh…" she said.

Izrayl just patted her at the shoulder.  "If you're feeling lonely, don't be, I'm here for you. We're all here for you. The Guardians, Spyro, they're like your family."
"You have a point," she said, smiling at him.

Once the initial frenzy of the reunion had died down, that was when Flash, Spyro's dragonfly father, took notice of the two of them.

"Who are these two Spyro? I haven't seen them before," he asked.
"Oh, that's Cynder and Izrayl," answered Spyro.
"Cynder? As in the Terror of the Skies?" asked Nina, Spyro's dragonfly mother.
"Yep; that's her."

All the dragonflies gasped, making Izrayl and Cynder a bit nervous.

Flash flew over to Cynder and smiled at her. "So you're the dragoness that changed sides and helped our boy huh?"

Cynder blinked. That…wasn't the reaction she was expecting.

"Uh…y-yes, I am," she replied.
"Don't worry Cynder, us dragonflies are neutral and don't harbour hate on what you have done. We resent your actions, not you. And as Spyro have shown, you're not evil," said Nina.
"T-thank you," she said, not knowing what to feel.
"And you young dragon, I assume you are here to accompany Spyro in his next daring mission?" asked Flash.
"I…I am," said Izrayl, surprised at the dragonfly.
"So what is the mission?" asked Nina.
"Well…" said began Sparx.

He then proceeded to explain to Flash and Nina a summarized version of what they have been doing, and what they were after.

"Purple Lights?" asked Flash.
"Yes, have you seen them by any chance when you were here?" asked Izrayl.

Flash and Nina stared at each other; Flash scratched his chin, before snapping his fingers.

"Oh I remember, we did see Purple Lights in the sky," he said.
"When?" asked Nina, clearly not remembering it.
"When we were moving here remember? I think it was two days ago…" trailed Flash.
"Where did it go dad?" asked Sparx.
"It landed," he answered.
"Landed?" asked Izrayl, cocking his head to the side.
"Crashed, to be precise; it crashed up at the top of that mountain," answered Flash, pointing to the mountain that was right in front of them.
"Don't you mean, it went over the mountain?" asked Cynder.
"No, I'm pretty sure it crashed. When it did, there was a loud rumble, and some boulders rolled off the side of the mountain too."
"I guess we know our final destination now," said Spyro.
"Mom, Dad, we're—"
"We understand. It seems this mission of yours is dire. Go," replied Flash.

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Author's Notes:

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