Desert Bloom

== Desert Bloom (Work In Progress) 🌵🪷 ==
== QUICK NOTE: If you want to contact me or chat to me, use the Talk setting. For some reason, comments don't work for me. Thanks! ==
=== Cast: ===
Topaz - belongs to me
Sphinx - belongs to me
Cactus (Topaz's grandfather) - belongs to me
Wildfire (Topaz's father) - belongs to me
Mirage (Topaz's mother) - belongs to me
River - belongs to me
Starfinder, Puffin, Angelfish, Honor, Savannah, Skystar, Truthchaser, Bottlenose, Terracotta, Glisten, and Dragonfly (some of my made-up Jade Mountain Academy students) - all belong to me. Please don't steal them.
All the others that were not part of the original Jade Mountain Academy Winglets (unless they are real canon characters) please don't steal.
Any canon characters not mentioned, feel free to use!!! 😁😁😁
=== Quick Note: ===
This story features Topaz the SandWing, Qibli, Moonwatcher, and Winter. It also includes Sunny and Queen Thorn. This story also includes information from The New Jade Mountain Academy Winglets. Please don't change or steal any of my own characters. Thanks!
== Chapter 1: Assent ==
Topaz looked out at the rising sun. Streaks of yellow, orange, purple, pink, and fiery red rolled across the sky like fire breath.
“I want to go to Jade Mountain Academy!” She raged aloud, pacing around the sandy floor of her home.
The hut was small. Small for a family of five, anyway. A family of three now. All that was left in Topaz’s family was her, her father Wildfire and her horrible grandfather Cactus. Her mother, the best mother ever, Mirage, had disappeared some two years ago, during the War of SandWing Succession. Topaz also had a big brother, three years older than her - Inferno. They lived above the Desert Bloom Bakery in Desert City, one Pyrrhian mile south of Thorn’s palace.
“Topaz! Shut your big mouth!” Cactus shrieked.
Topaz rolled her eyes, ignoring him. She checked the sundial in Town Square, which was visible from her bedroom window. She hit her forehead with a claw, furious with herself. She was going to be late! She ran down the stairs, hurrying through the bakery. She skidded to a halt.
“Sphinx? Hey! What’s up?” Topaz grinned.
Sphinx sighed. “Talk to you later, T. Gotta make sure that this stupid dragonberry bagel behaves.”
“Why dragonberry? Guava is obviously the best fruit!” Topaz grinned.
“Guava bagels? Ewwww… no. Catch you at the Parade tonight?” She grinned.
“Oh, moons, Sphinx, I’m so sorry. I’m busy.”
Sphinx shrugged, then grinned. “See you later, then. Don’t let the sand fleas biiiiiiiiiiiite!”
The last word was held for as long as Topaz was still in earshot. She ran as fast as she could, down to the oasis where Queen Thorn was waiting.
“Topaz!” a new voice exclaimed. 
“Sunny!” Topaz grinned, running to the little half SandWing, half NightWing.
Thorn grinned in the background. “Honestly, Beetle, anyone would think you were excited to see this dragon.”
Sunny rolled her eyes. “Mother, you know all too well that Topaz is one of my best friends!”
Thorn chuckled. “Good to hear. None of the dragons I see each morning would be counted as one of my best friends. Usually they’re here to tell me off!”
Topaz bit her lip to stop herself from giggling. Sunny bumped her with a wing.
“Hey, grumpy! How was your sleep?”
“It was g-” Topaz began, before she saw Thorn’s amused, disbelieving gaze and cracked. “Ugh. Awful. Ten minutes of sleep, tops.” Stretching, she groaned in pain
“Jeez, Topaz!” Sunny laughed. “You must be exhausted! Moon, Qibli and Winter always kind of… shook off the sleep deprivation, but after their quest, they all practically pass-”
“Speaking of Moon,” Topaz interrupted. “Is she here?”
Sunny sighed. “She’s back at Jade Mountain with Qibli. Sorry, T. But… about the Academy…” Sunny drew out a thin piece of parchment from the brown pouch around her neck. “Read this.”
Unfolding the paper, Topaz read…
Topaz of the SandWings,
Your request for enrollment at Jade Mountain Academy has been accepted. You will begin tomorrow. Our Winglet program has been slightly altered with the sudden rush of new dragons, so each Winglet now has two dragons from each tribe. You’ll be joining Jade Winglet in the hopes that their dwindling numbers will rise. There have been many rearrangements for each Winglet in hopes that each dragon will make new friends after the first term as well as in the new term (which is this term). Here are the Winglet placements:
=== Jade Winglet: ===
MudWings: Umber ♂️ and River ♂️
SeaWings: Turtle ♂️ and Anemone ♀️
RainWings: Kinkajou ♀️ and Toucan ♂️
NightWings: Moonwatcher ♀️ and Starfinder ♀️
SandWings: Qibli ♂️ and Topaz ♀️
IceWings: Winter ♂️ and Mink ♀️
SkyWings: Peril ♀️ and Cherry ♀️
=== Gold Winglet: ===
MudWings: Sora ♀️ and Copperhead ♀️
SeaWings: Pike ♂️ and Dolphin ♂️
RainWings: Tamarin ♀️ and Radiant ♀️
NightWings: Nighthunter ♂️ and Hearthealer ♀️
SandWings: Ash ♂️ and Cinder ♀️
IceWings: Iceberg ♂️ and Amethyst ♀️
SkyWings: Flame ♂️ and Cliff ♂️
=== Silver Winglet: ===
MudWings: Sepia ♀️ and Terracotta ♂️
SeaWings: Abyss ♂️ and Baleen ♂️
RainWings: Boto ♂️ and Glisten ♀️
NightWings: Fearless ♀️ and Wisdom ♀️
SandWings: Ostrich ♀️ and Sandstone ♂️
IceWings: Changbai ♂️ and Puffin ♂️
SkyWings: Thrush ♀️ and Swallow ♀️
=== Copper Winglet: ===
MudWings: Marsh ♂️ and Heron ♂️
SeaWings: Snail ♂️ and Angelfish ♀️
RainWings: Coconut ♂️ and Honor ♀️
NightWings: Mindreader ♀️ and Cloudseeker ♂️
SandWings: Pronghorn ♂️ and Savannah ♀️
IceWings: Alba ♀️ and Whitescar ♂️
SkyWings: Peregrine ♂️ and Finch ♂️
=== Quartz Winglet: ===
MudWings: Newt ♂️ and Dragonfly ♀️
SeaWings: Barracuda ♂️ and Bottlenose ♂️
RainWings: Siamang ♂️ and Brilliant ♀️
NightWings: Mightyclaws ♂️ and Truthchaser ♀️
SandWings: Arid ♂️ and Sphinx ♀️
IceWings: Ermine ♀️ and Skystar ♀️
SkyWings: Garnet ♀️ and Crystal ♀️
Good luck, Topaz the SandWing. Learn well.
Signed,
Phoenix the SkyWing ~ Head of Admissions
“Are you h-” Sunny began, but Topaz was too busy barrelling into her, wrapping her sandy-gold wings around the little dragon hybrid’s body.
“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Topaz screeched, prancing around and laughing in ecstasy. 
Thorn raised an eyebrow, whispering to Sunny, “I think she likes your surprise, Beetle.”
Topaz stopped prancing and smiled big, showing all her teeth. “Thank you so much. I won’t let you down, Sunny. I promise.”
== Chapter 2: Anxiety ==
Topaz read the list again for her winglet:
=== Jade Winglet: ===
MudWings: Umber ♂️ and River ♂️
SeaWings: Turtle ♂️ and Anemone ♀️
RainWings: Kinkajou ♀️ and Toucan ♂️
NightWings: Moonwatcher ♀️ and Starfinder ♀️
SandWings: Qibli ♂️ and Topaz ♀️
IceWings: Winter ♂️ and Mink ♀️
SkyWings: Peril ♀️ and Cherry ♀️
Hmm, Topaz thought. I’ve heard about the handsome IceWing prince. I wonder if he remembers me from the Jade Mountain Parade last month. Oh! No way! Qibli will be there? Yes! That’s ultra-good news. He’s my cousin, and I couldn’t be here without him. Amethyst’s there? Like the Amethyst?! Moons! Yay! She’s my best friend.
As she read, she found the name River, and her eyes narrowed. River. That sand-snorting dung beetle needs to get a life. Like honestly. She couldn’t stay away after the War? Nooo. She has to get involved again. Grrr.
“Hey! Hey, Topaz!” Came a voice.
Whipping around, Topaz let out a shout of pure joy. “Qibli! Oh my moons, you’re here!”
Qibli wrapped his wings around Topaz, hugging her tight. “Heya, T. How’s life in Desert City?”
Topaz smiled. “Good. Grandfather has been getting worse, though. How’s Great Uncle Vulture?”
Qibli’s eyes narrowed. “In jail for his crimes.”
Topaz’s eyes widened, and she placed a claw on Qibli’s.
Qibli sighed. “How’s your mom?”
“Still missing. Sirocco and Rattlesnake?”
“Still in jail.”
“Aunt Cobra?”
“Jail.”
“We have a really rule-abiding family, huh?” Topaz grinned.
Qibli let out a bark of laughter.
“Qibli?” A quiet voice came from around the corner.
“Qibli, who’s that?” A handsome IceWing said suddenly. “Wait wait, never mind. I know her. Hello, Topaz.”
I’m Qibli’s cousin, Topaz thought. Not just plain old Topaz. I’m the cousin of a world-saver! Moons oh moons, my cousin saved the world.
The other voice says, “Oh! Qibli’s cousin. Hi. I’m Moonwatcher - just Moon, though.”
A beautiful NightWing with large, glittering silver scales in teardrop shapes by her eyes entered the room shyly, seeming to be listening to something.
Qibli chucked Topaz a speckled black rock, and Moon flinched when she caught it. Topaz raised an eyebrow, but ignored it.
“Why do I need this?” Topaz asked.
Moon looked at her claws. “Topaz, this is skyfire.”
“Oh. Cool?”
“There’re some things you should know about Moon,” Winter said, his eyebrows furrowing (Winter was the handsome IceWing).
“Yeah?” Topaz said nervously.
“Well, T, Moon was born under two full moons,” Qibli said quietly.
“Oh! Cool! So was I!” Topaz smiled, shrugging.
“But, Topaz, for a NightWing, that means something more significant. I can see the future… and read minds.” Moon’s face was nervous.
"Huh. Interesting," Topaz smiled, sure there was a right thing to say here, but unsure of what it was.
"Unusual reaction," Winter said.
“Moon? Do you think that I won’t be your friend now I know that?” Topaz said in confusion. “I don’t mind. I still adore you.”
Qibli grinned. “The skyfire will stop her reading your mind.”
“In that case, I don’t need it,” Topaz said dismissively, tossing the rock casually back to Qibli, who fumbled it, dropped it, and picked it up, grinning in embarrassment. “Moon is my friend. And, honestly, I don’t have any secrets that I want to hide from her. Go ahead, Moon. I don’t mind.”
Moon looked up, confusion and wonder in her eyes. “You- don’t care?”
“Pfft,” Topaz snorted. “Of course I care. But I don’t mind about the magic. It’s a gift, and as a person who has zero gifts, I- I think it’s special.”
“Topaz,” Qibli muttered. “Tell them.”
“Fine, jeez. So, um, Winter, Moon, I’m a tribrid. My great-grandmother on my father’s side was Valley the IceWing. And my great-grandmother on my mother’s side was Pebble the SeaWing. I can breathe underwater, and do frostbreath or fire.”
“Yeah, well, ‘so as a person who has zero gifts’ immediately becomes void, then, you ridiculous tumbleweed,” Qibli grinned, gently teasing her.
Topaz rolled her eyes, but felt them drifting back to Winter, who was talking spiritedly to Qibli. His eyes are so sad.
Moon raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
I wonder if I will be the one to heal Winter’s sadness.
Moon smiled, and Qibli noticed from the corner of his eyes.
“Um, Winter, Qibli and I are going to check out the library,” Moon said. “See you later.”
They left the room, and Winter immediately went silent.
Topaz looked awkwardly at him. “So… Prince Winter of the IceWings?”
Winter nodded quietly. “Um…”
Topaz smiled nervously. “I’m Topaz. I’m a SandWing. Uh… I have to go to talk to Starflight about the library. Good talk... Bye, Winter.”
Amethyst, Topaz’s best friend, walked by, grinning. “Heya, Paz. Seeya later.”
"Topaz! History!" Tsunami barked down the hallway.
"History it is," Topaz said to herself. "I think I'm going to like Jade Mountain. I think I'm going to like it a lot."
== Chapter 3: Immobility ==
Brilliant, Topaz’s other clawmate, was lying in her hammock when Topaz entered the room. Her wings were a worried shade of lime, and the rest of her body was a muted, sad shade of blue-grey.
“Hey, B,” Topaz smiled as she settled down onto the small pile of sand that was nestled on the edge of the ledge, covered in sunlight.
Brilliant mumbled a greeting, then let out a sob. She turned around, then growled and leapt out of the hammock. Her eyes were pale green - scared.
“Are you really just going to lie there?” She hissed, sounding laughably un-RainWing-like.
“What happened?” Topaz asked, twitching her wings in agitation.
“Moon is in a coma, sand-snorting crocodile spawn, and you’re just lying there!”
“Hey, watch your mouth, RainWing,” Topaz said dangerously, raising her tail barb.
Brilliant opened her mouth threateningly. “Trust me, SandWing, I’m more dangerous than you. Either way, I don’t care.”
Topaz lowered her barb over Brilliant’s chest and scowled: “Tell me what you just said or I will stab you, peace treaty or no.”
Brilliant’s eyes widened and she stammered, “M-Moon’s in a c-coma. In the infirmary! She had a vision about you and Winter and Qibli and her, and she collapsed and didn’t wake up. Qibli is there now.”
Topaz gasped and ran out the room.
When she finally reached the infirmary, she noticed that there was a skinny, pretty, strong SeaWing standing there. There was a terrified-looking SkyWing on the other side.
“Hi, Angelfish,” Topaz said, addressing the SeaWing, who beamed. Addressing the SkyWing, Topaz grinned, “Heya, Swallow. Mind if I go in?”
Angelfish stepped aside, then whispered, “Will you put in a good word for me with Bottlenose when you go to the library later? He’s hanging there today. Thanks.”
Topaz nodded and leapt through the entrance, running to the cluster of dragons in one corner.
Savannah, a SandWing student and healer, and Heron, a MudWing student and healer, were talking a little while away from the group.
Qibli turned immediately when he heard Topaz coming. His eyes were red, and he was visibly trying not to cry.
Winter sat mournfully in the corner. Topaz covered her eyes with her claws
The beautiful, slim NightWing was lying unconscious on a soft bed of leaves and moss, her silver scales glittering in the light. Kinkajou and Tamarin were there as well, stroking Moon’s talons and adjusting the moss pillow.
Anemone was sitting next to Tamarin, her eyes closed and focused, a small rock in her talons.
“If it works,” Qibli explained, “The rock’ll not only revive Moon, but stop her from passing out in future.”
“That’s awesome, Qi, but I actually need to talk to an animus. Like now?” Topaz said anxiously.
Anemone smiled weakly. “Today is your lucky day. I’ve just finished. Qibli, put a hole in the rock and put it on a cord, then hang it around Moon’s neck. She’ll be fine. C’mon, Topaz, let’s go to my cave to talk about what you need.”
Topaz nodded wordlessly and followed. Anemone’s room was huge… and incredible. Bioluminescent moss and flowers were strung everywhere, lighting the cave in warm shades of yellow and pink and green and blue. A big pool in the corner smelled of salt and fish and freedom. Anemone beamed when she saw Topaz’s wonder.
They both sat down on the two cushioned mats in a corner.
“What is it you need, Topaz?” Anemone asked kindly.
“I need a favour,” Topaz said in embarrassment. She held out a beautiful bracelet of shimmering pink pearls. “Can you enchant it? I know the words I want.”
She pushed a piece of paper towards Anemone, and the paper read:
Enchant this bracelet to give the wearer healing and mindreading magic for a week, with no side-effects or catches.
Anemone sighed, and Topaz said, “I’m really sorry to ask. It’s for a lot of reasons, Nem. I want to stop everyone dying. And Moon says that every dragon has good in them. I want to see that. I want to stop my temper.”
Anemone’s eyes softened immediately, and she nodded. “Okay. Only favour, right? No more after this?”
Topaz sighed. “We-ell…”
“Argh!” Anemone said, laughing.
“This is it, I promise,” Topaz smiled solemnly.
Anemone nodded and did the spell. When Topaz slid the bracelet back onto her wrist, a tidal wave of voices appeared in her mind.
‘Hmm, I can tell it’s working’, said one of the voices. ‘Look at her face’.
Topaz looked up at Anemone and raised an eyebrow. Anemone let out a shout of laughter as Topaz bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
“That bad?” The SeaWing princess grinned weakly.
Topaz nodded.
‘Poor thing, maybe I should take the spell off. Odd, SandWings shouldn’t be able to read minds. Argh, Qibli’ll kill me.’
“I’m gonna go, Nem. See you later,” Topaz said awkwardly.
A new voice joined the cacophony already jostling inside her head. ‘Thank Pyrrhia. Moon’ll be okay. Winter needs to stop going silent whenever Topaz comes by. Oh, there she is.’
Qibli came into view and smiled. “Heya, T. How’re you?”
‘How’re you after seeing the true danger of Moon's magic?’ His brain echoed.
“Moon's magic isn't dangerous!” Topaz answered without thinking.
Qibli’s eyes widened, and he went pale. “Topaz,” he whispered. “What have you done?”
== Chapter 4: Disgrace ==
Every day, more and more dragons were alerted to the fact that 'hey, a SandWing now has mindreading- what a freak! Everyone find skyfire and avoid her!’. Four days passed, and more fragments of skyfire were found until 1) the whole school was now blocked from Topaz's mind (and Moon's mind) and 2) everyone avoided and hated Topaz.
The only dragons who refused skyfire were Moon, Winter (after Darkstalker’s spell, he had a fear of anything that would alter him), Qibli, Turtle, Kinkajou, Tamarin, and the SeaWing Angelfish.
Even Topaz’s best friend, Amethyst, hated her now.
Everything seemed dismal and pointless.
Amethyst?, Topaz thought, on seeing a pale-purple tail whipping around a corner. Topaz ran after it, finding exactly what she was looking for. Plus one unwelcome IceWing: Iceberg.
“Oh, it’s you, SandWing freak,” said Iceberg, sniffing loudly.
“Need a rag for your stuffy snout, IceWing?” Topaz spat.
“Clear off, Topaz. No one cares,” Amethyst hissed.
Topaz’s face crumpled. “A?”
Amethyst let out a poisonous, rage-filled hiss. “Don’t ever call me A again. I am Princess Amethyst to you.”
“She was fourth in the first circle before the rankings were destroyed,” Iceberg put in snootily.
Topaz hung her head. “Amethyst… don’t hate me for what I did. I just wanted to see the world in everyone else’s perspectives. Moon’s right. All dragons have good in them. It’s… I wish you were still my friend.”
As she walked away, she liked to think that Amethyst whispered ‘Me, too.’
For now, the only thing that Topaz could do was try to keep to herself.
One night, she took off the bracelet. The few unprotected minds that she still could hear vanished.
“I won’t ever mindread again,” Topaz whispered to herself.
She curled into a ball and fell asleep.
Upon waking up, she found Angelfish standing over her, excitement in her eyes. “Topaz! TOPAZ!”
“Okayokayokayokayokay I’m awake!” Topaz said, terrified, holding up her talons in surrender.
Angelfish winced, smiling weakly. “Topaz, everyone has ditched the skyfire!”
“Why?” Topaz said, bored. “I’m still the SandWing freak who can read minds.”
Someone entered the room. Angelfish went quiet and exited quickly, her scales reddening.
It was the RainWing Honor. Honor. The same Honor who’d fallen in love with Topaz’s big brother Inferno. Poor Honor’d had her heart broken by Inferno when Inferno fell in love with Crimson the SkyWing. Inferno had run away, and was living in the most southern tip of the Sand Kingdom with Crimson. And their seven dragonets.
Topaz looked up and put the bracelet back on. One day of mindreading left.
Immediately, voices flooded into Topaz’s head. She winced and all of the voices faded into the background. Where Moon’s voices became raindrops, Topaz’s became grains of sand.
Honor’s voice stood out: Inferno… he looked so much like her. He was the best thing that ever happened to me. And now his seven dragonets and wife Crimson. Oh, Inferno… No. No no no. This is Topaz, not Inferno. Get it into your head, Honor! Oh, Inferno... NO, Honor!
“Honor?” Topaz said gently.
“Yes, Inf- Topaz?”
Topaz laughed kindly. “Honor, you don’t have to pretend. We all know you still love him.”
Honor’s scales went grey-blue - sad - and patchy flaming red - furious.
“I know you’re angry, Honor,” Topaz said quietly. “You’re angry with my brother because he broke your heart. He split up with Crimson six months ago, after he found out that Crimson had murdered two of their children - Nisu and Dingo. Their youngest, Ria, drowned herself in sadness. Their seven dragonets are now four. Inferno kept the dragonets. Crimson ran away.”
Honor looked up, her face a mask of shock. Her scales went pale green. “Crimson did that?”
Topaz nodded silently. “Turns out she loved Inferno and only Inferno. She never wanted dragonets. And seven was seven too many. She thought if she killed them, Inferno would love only her again. But Inferno had become so attached to the dragonets that he threatened to stab Crimson with his tail when he found Nisu and Dingo drifting in their oasis. Crimson ran and never came back.”
Honor sighed. “Poor Inferno. But I don’t love him anymore.”
Topaz’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Good. Because there's this SkyWing he likes - Golden - and he really really likes her.”
Honor grinned. “Good for Golden. She must like him if she's okay with four dragonets.”
Suddenly, an IceWing - or was he a NightWing? - passed by. His scales were as pale and wonderful as any IceWing’s. He glittered like the sky in the middle of a snowstorm. His eyes were as dark blue as a midnight sky. However his underbelly and wings were black and flecked with stars.
“Hi, Topaz,” The hybrid said nervously. “I’m Whitescar.”
“Whitescar… IceWing, Copper Winglet, other IceWing in your Winglet is Alba. You’re clawmates with… Coconut the RainWing and Snail the SeaWing.” Topaz sounded so confident in this monologue that she surprised even herself.
“Wow, um, yeah. And you’re Topaz. SandWing, Jade Winglet, other SandWing in your Winglet is Qibli. You’re clawmates with Brilliant and… I don’t know who else,” Whitescar said awkwardly.
“And Angelfish,” Topaz said, smiling.
Honor sucked in through her fangs and said quietly, “I’m gonna… go? Yeah? That okay? Um! Catch you later, Paz?”
“Yeah,” Topaz said, grinning. “Bye, Honor.”
Honor left the cave quickly, and Topaz immediately blinked awkwardly.
“Well, I have Herbs and Healing to get to. What about you?” Whitescar said.
“Me? Oh, uh, I have the same. Want to walk there together?” Topaz said gently.
“Sure!” Whitescar bounced around excitedly, then went red. “Too much? Too much.”
“It’s okay,” Topaz said gently. “I get excited, too.”
“Still,” Whitescar said quietly. “That was too much.”
Topaz winced, unsure of what to say. What do I say to a dragon like that?. Until her mouth decided for her. “Did you know that RainWings can shoot venom fifty metres?”
Whitescar blinked, then laughed. “No. No I did not.”
“Well I guess you learned something new,” Topaz said nervously.
Whitescar smiled anxiously, then shrugged. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did.”
Whitescar relaxed, his eyes boring into Topaz’s. As if he could read every inch of her, and liked her still.
Then Mindhealer the NightWing walked in and the short spell was broken.
“Scar, time to go- we have History, remember? Not Herbs and Healing,” Mindhealer said casually. He shot a skeptical, half-scared look at Topaz, and exited the room. Whitescar sighed and followed.
Topaz grinned inwardly.
Moon walked towards Topaz, nudging her midnight-black wing against Topaz’s gold one.
“Topaz, are you okay?” Moon said nervously.
“Yes, fine,” Topaz said.
__NOEDITSECTION__
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)