Prism (FanFic)

== Prism (Technicalities) ==
This is EmbertheSpiritwing's first collaborative Fan Fic. This Fan Fic will be written by four other people, and edited by a few others.
==== Rules ====
Writers: EmberTheSpiritWing, Artemis the Fowlwing, Cometchaser21, MercuryMiracles, Moondancer the Nightwing123
Editors: The Almighty Darkkiller, ButterfllyDragon666, Moonblishipper
PS, all editors and writers (that I've messaged) must put their names in these slots above
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==== Story Synopsis ====
3,000 years ago, a magical prism fell to Pyrrhia. This prism broke into five shards, and those shards fell down and crashed. In the present day, one shard was discovered and is now being held in a museum. There are various organizations that wish to get their claws on the shard, and some that want to join all five shards together for absolute control of the universe.
There will be five main characters, and five points of view for each of them. If you are a writer, then you are agreeing to take on a character's point of view for your chapters. Three of them are protagonists, two are antagonists. Tell me about your character before adding him or her. Please write which character you will write as below. The order the characters go in the slot, will be the order we write in. We will each write one chapter at a time, starting with me and ending with Mercury.
Me: Paradox
Cometchaser: Shore
Moondancer: Moondancer
Artemis: Apocalypse
Mercury: Trout
WE MAY BEGIN NOW
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== Prism (The Story) ==
=== Prologue ===
3,000 years ago...
It was as if the day the prism fell, a blanket of darkness descended with it, enveloping the untameable forest in gauzy shadows. Everyone, scavengers and dragons alike, seemingly had naught a choice but to gaze at the heavens in awe as the ethereal flaming dot in the sky descended. As it came closer, the rapturous flames shrouding the prism in warm light increased in intensity, causing the tongues of flame engulfing it to flicker from orange and yellow to white and pale blue. Eventually, the oppressive heat shattered the prism into five shards midair, sending them flying across the continent of Pyrrhia and sending billowing clouds of smoke spiraling into the sky. Soon covered in layers of dirt, ash, rocks, and debris, the fragments of the mysterious prism were burrowed deep into the depths of the ground, not to see the light of day until 3,000 years had passed....
- - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - -
== Part One: Welcome to Pyrrhic City ==
=== Chapter One ===
Paradox gazed into the sunset as he sat on the ground. The dirt felt rough, irritating in his talons, almost ruining the experience for him, except nothing could do that. It had been a few days after he had set off from his home for new horizons. It wasn't like he was missing much of anything, Azure Town wasn't exactly exciting and motivating. Plus, a new event was being held in the capital of Pyrrhia, Pyrrhic City. It had been formed after the Great Unification, something which Paradox only knew scant details about. Supposedly, a few hundred years ago, the Kingdoms of Pyrrhia had united under one government, and a new city, Pyrrhic City, was chosen as its capital.
It had something to do with a prism or whatever. It was sure to be fun, of course.
I can't wait.
Paradox curled up in a bed of moss as he drifted off to unconsciousness.....
In his dreams, he was back in Azure Town, gathering water from their pump for the garden. "And don't come back with the bucket half full!" His dad roared, as Paradox ran back to the pump. He watched as the water drizzled down, filling up the bucket slowly but surely. But as he marched back to his home, sweat pouring down his neck, the water started to disappear.
And then everything fell into darkness
=== Chapter Two ===
Shore pounced on a silvery flash. The fish darted away, and skidded under a wave, then disappeared. Shore followed it, the cold, salty water splashing over his green-blue scales. The wet sand under the water stuck to his talons and the webs between them. He splashed forward again, but tripped and made water go up his nose. He snorted, then sneezed awkwardly. He opened his eyes, and the fish had disappeared.
After fishing for a while, he finally caught a few and gulped them down. He walked back across his beach, dripping water and algae, to the small grove of trees in the center of his tiny island. In the center was a fresh spring, with palm branches forming a serene canopy above him. He splashed into his spring, and sunk under the water. His island was the only home he had ever known. He'd never known any family, or even many other dragons. Every now and then a fisherman and his family would stop by, offer to take him to one of the SeaWing villages, and he would decline. The family would leave, and Shore would be alone until the next group of SeaWings came along.
He fell asleep, the warm spring bubbling around him...
Talons pulled him out of his spring and threw him against a tree. He caught a glimpse of silver armored SeaWings before his head landed in a bush.
"HEY! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE-
"SILENCE!" one of the SeaWings roared. "By order of Governor Goby all islands are to be checked for dragons. There have been rumors about citizens living on unregulated islands and not paying their taxes."
"What are taxes?" Shore asked, honestly confused. The leader growled.
"Don't play the fool. You can either pay taxes, or we're evicting you from this island." the leader ordered. Shore laughed. Under normal circumstances, any socially adept dragon would have kept quiet. Shore's social skill were... still in development.
"You can't evict me from my own island. I claimed it. This is Shore Island. My island. I don't have to listen to some kelp-brained pompous stick in the mud governor." he said. The guards grabbed him, and the leader spat in his face.
"This spring would be perfect to build a town around. We'll inform the governor about this island, and as for you, never come to this island again or you'll be sorry!" the leader snarled, slashing his claws at Shore's snout. Three fresh cuts began to bleed. Shore, who had hardly ever been hurt before, didn't react as the guards winged him away from his island. When the blood spattered his talons, he nearly fainted.
Shore came to in the middle of a forest. It wasn't a palm forest. This one had strange trees he had never seen before... He got up, and checked his snout. The bleeding had stopped. He flew above the strange, needle-leaved trees, to get a better look at where he was. He found himself at the top of a ridge, overlooking something that looked like an over-sized village. He flew down the ridge, and as he came closer, he heard the booming voice of an announcer. "Welcome to Pyrrhic City!"
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=== Chapter Three ===
Moondancer clawed her way up the rocky slope, her serrated claws scraping over hard stone. Once she had reached the summit she gazed into the distance. Her brother had sent her off to new places, so she could stretch her wings and find her dream. She'd left their small village in the Rainforest Province just five days ago, but she could already see the faint glow of the capital city of Pyrrhia.
She continued on until she came to the outskirts of the city, skirting crowds of dragons cautiously walking and slipping through trying to stay unnoticed. Dragons rushed and scurried all around her. This was truly the capital of Pyrrhia. The whole reason she was sent here was because of some huge event, something about a prism? She didn't know, and she didn't particularly care. As long as it got her away from her village in the middle of no where.
Well, I'm here now. Bring it on world, I'm ready.
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=== Chapter Four ===
"There! Minions Four and Six, could you go get the rest of the materials? They're on this list. I'm a little busy today. Remember, no eating food, stealing unnecessary objects, or potty breaks! I'll be able to tell! You don't want to end up like Five, now do you?"
Handing the reluctant SkyWings the heavy scroll, Apocalypse grinned at the reluctant SkyWings, then flew off, ignoring their muttered curses as they attempted to re roll the long list that had come unraveled as she tossed it to them. I've got a party to go to! The end of the world has never been so fun! she thought, laughing aloud at her own slightly-horrible joke, unfortunately making fire snort out of her nose. "Moons ow ow ow ow OW!" she yelled, casting furious looks at Four and Six, who were trying to smother their laughter and any fire that might come out of their own noses. Whirling around in mid-air, she shouted furiously, "Hey! Laugh, and your blood and possible graves will be so intermingled and close to each other that the other minions will call it Ten!"
The giggles stopped immediately, obviously remembering Five and the fact that Apocalypse did not give idle threats.
"Good! Thanks!" Apocalypse called back to them cheerfully, laughing and waving goodbye as they stared blankly after her, their faces filled with horror. "Newbies," she said regretfully under her breath, shaking her head as she flew on. "They take everything so seriously. I mean, come on, I could have been joking... Except I wasn't! Ah, minions are so much fun to kill, too bad they didn't laugh... oh well." she added thoughtfully. "I bet they're dead in a week."
=== Chapter Five ===
Trout watched dragons flood into the capital, grinning. This was his chance- Just one movement make him famous! That was the one thing he wanted... Fame for him and his tribe. The SeaWings had always been lazy in his eyes. After reading about the War of SandWing Succession, he had always wished he could be like a SkyWing. Much more aggressive. His ear perked, and Trout heard a conversation about a... Prism? What? Wait, did he just hear what he thought he heard? "Powerful?" He blurted, then covering his mouth. He was usually much more serious, but of course when he was excited he was ill-minded. Trout skittered away, Where is it, then? His claws dug into the ground more the more he thought. He shook his head and lashed his tail, growling. That could make his tribe famous- It could let them RULE! And his dumb mouth had to ruin it by blurting out a stupid word!
Never this self-loathing, Trout stalked along, getting weird glares which he, like a gentlemen, returned, but much ruder. Soon enough he was tired of the noise, and retreated into an emptier area. He hissed, staring at his reflection. "I blew it!" Trout growled, swiping the water with his sharp talons. It had happened so fast. He was given the chance of a lifetime, and he couldn't think to shut his mouth? The brown SeaWing turned around and cleared his mind. Stop hating yourself and focus on the Prism. A thing that powerful- They must show that at some convention or maybe a museum. Just be patient, and let the fame come to you. He grinned, If I get that thing, I'll rule the SeaWings- No, the continent!
=== Chapter Six ===
When Paradox finally reached the city, he nearly collapsed over the smell. It was intoxicatingly awful, like someone stuck a half rotten squid up his ear. Why did I ever leave? He thought, holding his nose awkwardly as he raced towards his new apartment in the eastern sections of Pyrrhic City. As he ran, he noticed a crowd of people gathering in the museum. Probably some special event. I'll check it out tomorrow.
Paradox was still slightly disturbed over his nightmare, but had nearly gotten over it by now. Probably some stupid after effect from eating too many berries yesterday.
When he got to the apartment, he saw a strange looking SeaWing climbing all over the walls. He growled and hissed as he tried to open the silver ordained doorknob. Paradox took a step closer, unsure of whether this dragon would greet him politely, or savagely bite into his wrist.
"H-Hello? If you're trying to open the doorknob, it goes like this."
Paradox smoothly opened the door, revealing a medium sized room, filled with recliners and a small kitchen. There was a small TV in the corner.
"Oh, uhhh thanks." Shore said."What's a doorknob? By the way, what are you? I don't know any dragons. Or what a city is. Or what anything here is."
What a strange dragon. Not only were his scales a bit musty, and seaweed incrusted, but his entire way of speaking sounded vaguely unique and southern.
"Um... I'll explain all that later. So what brings you here to this fine city?"
"Ohhh so THIS is what a city is... well I uhhh... I sorta was... evicted from my island. I wasn't playing taxfish or whatever, and they knocked me out and dropped me off here." Shore stammered nervously, twitching his talons "I don't really know why I'm here, or where to go."
"I guess you could stay with me.." Paradox said cautiously."I mean, you can't be that much trouble, right?"
"Uhhh..." Shore mumbled. "I don't- err- know what trouble is. Getting kicked off my island wasn't my fault... so no. No trouble at all."
Paradox sighed. This is going to take a while.
=== Chapter Seven ===
Shore did not like the idea of beds at all. What sensible kind of dragon would sleep somewhere so dry and so tight. Shore eventually filled the bathtub and slept uncomfortably the whole night. In the morning, a strange noise erupted from Paradox' room. It sounded like the call of a toucan dying- but squeaky like the sound his scales made when they dried.
Shore burst out of the bathtub, flinging water everywhere. He stumbled out into the hall, dripping and covering the carpet with his dark, wet talonprints. He ran to the source of the mysterious noise- Paradox's room. He fumbled with the doorknob, but couldn't figure it out.
"DON'T WORRY PARADOX I'M COMING TO SAVE YOOOU!" Shore screamed, when the noise suddenly stopped. Paradox walked out of his bedroom, yawning.
"Shore, that's called an alarm. It wakes me up." Paradox explained, with a slightly exhausted voice. He brushed by him and walked right into the puddle behind Shore. Sighing, he looked back at Shore.
"Shore," he said, patiently. "Normal dragons don't usually get carpets all wet like this."
"Oh, sorry, I'm uh, not so good with uh, car-pets." Shore said. He awkwardly tried to mop up the puddles with his dripping wings, but only made it worse. Paradox sighed, slightly more exhausted
"Just let me handle it." Paradox grumbled, grabbing a few towels from the bathroom. As he began to mop up the mess, Shore went to explore. At first he explored the- apartment? Was that what Paradox had called it? He quickly became bored with that.
He flew out the door, and into the stinky streets of Pyrrhic City. Dragons of every color swarmed the streets, more than Shore could count. Shore didn't really know the tribes of Pyrrhia, but as he walked he instantly categorized all of them. Red-orangey ones? GrumpyWings. Cold ones that didn't like it when you poked their wings? PompousWings. Colorful ones? ArtWings. The ones like Paradox? DarkWings. The brown ones who tripped over Shore's tail twice? ClumsyWings. And beyond the regular purebreds, there were so many hybrids, Shore could hardly tell if some were from his own tribe.
Shore passed by a dreary looking building called a "Museum" with a crowd of mainly DarkWings and GrumpyWings. At a podium, there was a large PompusWing, who had his white wings spread wide, and his gilttering talons gesturing to the air.
"As a humble servant of science, I, Windchill, would like to share with you an ultimate scientific discovery that will bring us into a new age!" the PompusWing declared. "3,000 years ago, a prism, containing ultimate power, fell from the heavens. It split into five shards and buried itself in the earth. Legends said that a few dragons found the shards and tried to use them for evil. They couldn't control the power of the shards, and nearly destroyed the world. Now, we have recovered a shard and found a way to control it. As many of you know, rebellions in the Province of the Sea and unrest in the Ice Province threaten to tear apart our beloved nation. Thankfully, with this shard, we can.."
Shore stopped listening to Windchill, and turned to leave. He bumped into a female DarkWing. He stopped to help her up.
"I'm sorry! I um, didn't um I uh umm." Shore stammered. The DarkWing laughed.
"Don't worry about it." she said. "Hello, my name's Moondancer."
"I am Shore." Shore said. "I think."
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=== Chapter Eight ===
"You think?" She said raising an eye ridge. He's not too bright is he?
"I mean, I know I'm Shore?" he said experimentally.
She turned her sapphire eyes up towards the IceWing, who was still yelling (and being a bit of a drama queen), about this "Prism". "How much you wanna bet he falls off that podium at least once by the end of this?" she said with a smirk.
"It would be funny to see him face plant, but what's a podium?"
"That thing the over grown hunk of ice is standing on, while lectures us to death."
"He's killing us?!" Shore exclaimed alarmed.
Her only response was to start laughing again uncontrollably.
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=== Chapter Nine ===
Pausing to wash the blood of her scales in a small stream, Apocalypse flew quickly to Pyrrhic City, hoping her minions were already waiting for her. If they're not, they'll be sorry. Deathly sorry. But, party! Excitement! Can't wait to unleash my plan, it'll all be worth it...
As she drew closer, she could hear an annoying IceWing scientist as it droned on and on about a "Prism". Prisms? Actually science that says that climate change, whatever in the moons it is, is real? Who has time for that? I'm just here to get the... thing I won't think about because there might be mind-readers nearby. Her wingbeats faltered as she realized something. Unless that is the Prism... oops.
Gliding down towards the outskirts of the city, she landed, spinning a couple times in a circle and thumping her feet, getting slightly dizzy as she waited for her minions to signal her.
The signal came... but only after a small dragonet flew by, backpedaled, laughed at Apocalypse, and flew away quickly at the violent rage emanating from the grayish dragon.
"ARGH!" Apocalypse yelled after the dragonet, snorting fire. "No one laughs at me and gets away with it!" Still grumbling, she stomped her way over to the meeting place.
Her minions stared at her innocently, talons covering their mouths.
"I don't have time to kill you, let's just get ready," Apocalypse growled at them, swiping at their faces viciously with her talons.
They squealed like the newbies they were and hurriedly gathered up the objects, placing them in the correct order into the special bags Apocalypse had had her other minions prepare. As she watched them struggle, a wide grin spread across Apocalypse's face.
"Come on, let's go crash a party..."
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=== Chapter Ten ===
Trout had explored enough to find the crowd in the course of only a few seconds. He shoved through the dragons rather rudely, gaining a lot of hateful looks. Finding the very front, he listened to the announcer. "Blah blah blah blah Prism Blah blah..." Seemed to be what the dragon on the podium was saying. Trout raised an ear, but not before a huge roar came from the crowd. The dragon walked up to something behind it, and raised his talons. "This, under the red curtain, is a shard of the most powerful item in the continent! Are you ready?" The dragon said, and the crowd cheered again. Trout;s eyes lit up hopefully as the announcer placed his talons on the curtain.
Swoosh.
There it was, the thing that could make him famous! Trout's mind raced happily as he unconsciously reached towards it, but he snapped back to attention as a guard slapped his arm down. The seawing growled and pushed back through the crowd. It may take a long time, but I'll get my talons on that shard... He then lifted off, not quite knowing that he was heading right towards Apocalypse and her army.
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=== Chapter Eleven ===
When Paradox was done cleaning up Shore's mess, he finally got on the couch to relax with the TV. Just then, on PNN, he noticed that the 'Prism Event' was happening now. Paradox turned off the TV as he got ready to go to the time square. It wasn't like he was going to miss a huge event when the literal most exciting thing that had happened in his home town was a chicken getting loose.
As he reached the area, he noticed that the prism was being displayed in an awfully convenient spot for if anyone wanted to steal it - right next to the IceWing's legs. It was a surprisingly sharp emerald green color, with a faint turquoise hue. As Paradox struggled to get through the crowd, which had increased by a lot since Shore had come in, he noticed that a few shifty individuals were sneaking at the sidelines
Well this should be interesting, he thought as he followed them right into the alley.
As he crept farther and farther into the alley, the light from the outside began to fade, and he suddenly felt like there was someone there..... Right behind him.
The SkyWing grabbed his wing with a furious snort.
"Well, what do we have here." He said with a grin, that was both scary and charming at the same time.
"I don't know." Paradox said, rolling his eyes. He noticed that there were a few more SkyWings, hiding in the shadows with chains on the ready. "You tell me."
"Well I know what you ought to be." The SkyWing said, his eyes glinting."I think you ought to join us."
"And who are you?'
"I.... We are members of the Fireblood Cult."
Paradox almost shivered. Fireblood? "Interesting name."
Then he saw Shore and Moondancer come running in.
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=== Chapter Twelve ===
After laughing with that DarkWing-or "NightWing" as she called herself- Shore noticed Paradox in the crowd.
"Oh look! That's the dragon who lent me his mini pond, or what did he call it? Bathtub? I don't know, but let's go see where he's going!" Shore shouted, grabbing Moondancer's talon and dragging her through the crowds. Shore stumbled over tails, stepped on wings, and headbutted a few dragons as he tore through the sea of dragons. Moondancer was much more polite than him- stepping over tails and not crushing them- even with Shore pulling on her talon.
Eventually, they reached the alleyway where Paradox had gone. Shore saw a few shady looking Grumpy- wait no- SkyWings talking to Paradox. Shore, having almost no social skills, shouted out.
"Paradox! Stop talking to those GrumpyWings! They look like they're up to something..." Shore said, then lowering his voice. "...evil."
Moondancer facepalmed. She grabbed Shore's talon and said,"We should go."
The SkyWings grunted at Shore, crossing their front talons. They stepped forward, and put a wing over Paradox.
"We're not doing anything evil." one said. Paradox shuddered under the wing of the SkyWing."In fact, we're here to recruit people to help us make the world a better place."
"Ooh you hear that! They're not evil! They're trying to help the world." Shore said, brushing away Moondancer's talon. Paradox shook his head at Shore, fear - and slight exacerbation - in his eyes.
"Well, us three will gladly help you two!" Shore exclaimed. Moondancer began to pull away, and Paradox was trying to shimmy out of the second SkyWing's grip.
"Well, that was by far the easiest catch of the day." the second SkyWing said. Suddenly, Two dragons jumped down from behind Moondancer and Shore, and put bags over their heads.
"No! Let us go!" Shore heard Moondancer cry.
"SHORE YOU IDIOT!" Paradox screamed.
"It's okay, this is all part of making the world be-"
Shore was cut off when a sharp smelling gas was sprayed up his nose, and he passed out.
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=== Chapter Thirteen ===
Moondancer officially hated everything. Those stupid Grumpy-SKYWings, Shore's idiocy, her deciding to come to this stupid city and she specially hated whatever was making her head so fuzzy she could barely form a coherent thought!
She fidgeted around until her muscles allowed her to manover herself into a sitting position and looked out of what was quite obviously some sort of cell. She has shackles attached to her talons that only further annoyed her. Despite her oferwhelming fury at the world, she maintained a chillingly composed atmosphere and expressed her distaste by clawing at the chains for several minutes.
They didn't so much as leave a scratch, and with that she gave up trying to escape and observed her surroundings as best she could with her vision still blurry.
She wasn't sure where she was, but she's was sure she was going to rip the face off of one of those SkyWings the first chance she got.
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=== Chapter Fourteen ===
Apocalypse watched silently from the top of a building as her minions carried out her plan, smoke pouring thoughtfully out of her nostrils as Seven was menacing as usual and Four was an idiot... as usual. "Oh. Look, Four's mishandled the gas. That's stuff's really expensive, and he used too much of it. Guess who's gonna get a promotion and who's gonna be dead," she whispered to Eight beside her, who swallowed nervously. Smirking a little, Apocalypse continued, "Eh, I'll let you worry about the details. I know Four is your bro and everything. What's a little literal blood between family? Anyway, with that in your mind, how about you go help take the "guests" to their quarters? I need to go check out the Prism. Be extra mean to the male NightWing who looks kind of like Dre -- actually, just go be mean to all of them. I'll be back."
Eight nodded, looking slightly sick, and flew down to the other members of the Fireblood Cult below. Apocalypse stayed behind for a second, thinking about NightWings and dreams and school, then flew towards where the IceWing was still droning on. How long can someone talk? The IceWing hasn't even taken a breath the entire time I've been sitting here...
Merging into the crowd, Apocalypse used an old trick and stepped on a random dragon's tail, quickly stepping away trying to not look suspicious as the SeaWing whirled around snarling, accidentally whapping her tail into the scarred and mean-looking dragon beside her. Chaos quickly and surprisingly quietly ensued in the general area, as if they all wanted to fight but didn't want to disturb the IceWing professor in her rant.
"Distraction started, Prism in sight, let's crash this party, hope there's cake," Apocalypse growled under her breath, her thoughts distracted from the NightWings in her past and back to the excitement of stealing and murdering. Stealthily making her way up to the front, Apocalypse glared at a SkyWing guard, beckoning him towards her.
"What is it?" the SkyWing barked, before noticing who was glaring at him. "Oh. Apocalypse. It's you..."
"Yeah, it's me, do you have the key?" she hissed, just barely restraining herself from tearing his face off.
"Maybe. Say please?" he said teasingly, apparently regaining his nerve in that annoying way he had.
"You son of a walrus, give me the key or I will kill you like I killed your previous girlfriend," Apocalypse snarled, fire curling on the edge of her snout. "And I won't even give you mercy for your charm this time."
"Ah, Apocalypse, as friendly as usual, I see," the SkyWing sighed, taking a key out of a pouch around his neck and hiding it behind his talons so that it looked like a small bracelet. "Here. Just don't kill me if they sent more guards."
"I probably will." She snatched the key out of his hands, flipping his guard's visor down on his helmet and walking away as if nothing had happened. As she stomped through the crowd, she heard him sigh again and retake his position beneath the prism.
Stupid Volcano. Always trying to flirt with me. Hope he falls into his own name... ANYWAY let's go see where this key goes...
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=== Chapter Fifteen (unofficial as of now)(Merc, you can change it to match Trout's behavior) ===
Trout had just finished arguing with a pair of other SeaWings - those that he had rendezvoused with earlier. After negotiating the rewards they would split among them - a 20-20-60 split - Trout waited in the shadows, only a few feet away from the front spots in the crowd. His job in this job was easy, he was to oversee it to check for complications. And so Trout waited.
And waited.
After approximately 6 minutes, Trout noticed his crew coming up closer and closer to the stage. Finally. I'll get the power and respect I deserve. A red flash appeared to the left of the stage. Trout swiftly turned his head. SkyWing. They were trying to steal the prism shard too! Trout moved frantically, trying to find his crew and the SkyWing.
The SeaWing clutched the shard with his claws, knocking the poor IceWing off his pedestal.
Everything seemed to slow down.
In a flash of blinding green light, the SeaWing dissolved into nothingness.
The crowd began to scream, and Trout slipped away. As she escaped, she couldn't help but notice the remaining SkyWings kidnapping the IceWing and stealing away the shard.
Its over. I've failed.
----
== Part Two: The Canyon ==
=== Chapter Sixteen ===
Paradox awoke in a misty haze, a bright silver haze appeared before his eyes. His vision cleared, and he realized he was strapped to a table, in a small laboratory. It seemed to be neatly kept, with a window revealing that he was in some kind of canyon or ravine.
Groaning, he saw that the female NightWing from before was strapped to a table as well. Shore was no where to be seen.
Paradox strained to move whatever muscles he could use, to no avail.
A scientist was working near a corner of the facility, on a laptop. As Paradox tried to call him a 'dung brain', he realized that his mouth was covered up by a muzzle.
Then he found out that there were needles sticking out of his arm.
Stifling a yell, he remained calm, secretly wondering about what they had done to them.
After an hour or so, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
=== Chapter Seventeen ===
Shore woke up underwater. He was in a tight glass enclosure, with hardly any room to move around. He saw a few needles attached to tubes, which were floating around the greenish water. The water itself was green-blue, like his scales, also warm and thick. Outside, he saw a hallway with a long window overlooking a yawning canyon. To his left and right, the hall was filled with similar enclosures, but with different dragons. Most of them had the needles and tubes, but they were attached to various parts of their bodies. All of them were asleep.
"Here, we have our more- er, troubling specimens." Shore heard a dragon say. He looked down the hall, and saw a SkyWing talking to an IceWing
"What are you planning to do with them?" the IceWing asked. The IceWing seemed to be restrained by the SkyWing. As the two of them continued down the hall, Shore noticed he knew the IceWing. It was the one with the shard- Windchill.
"We are planning to make them stronger and resistant to the overwhelming power of the shard. We're using them as test subjects to figure out how to make us immune to the effects. Some we are also going to use to look for the next shard." the SkyWing explained. "The one you first found, the one that was almost stolen, was green and said to be in the middle range of power."
"Where is the shard now?" Windchill asked. The pair of dragons were nearing Shore.
"The shard is here, in this facility. It was a stupid idea of you to put it up there for everyone to see. We won't make the same mistakes with this shard." the SkyWing said angrily.
"I know I found the green one in the Rain forest Province, so what led you here, to the Sky Province?"
"The shards were split, but they long to be back together again. One shard will concentrate its power in the direction of the next shard. That led us here, to this canyon."
The pair of dragons were a few feet away from Shore now. Shore didn't really know why he was kept in here, but he assumed he was their prisoner. He forlornly looked at them as they passed.
"Do you know who the dragons were that tried to steal the prism from me, besides you?" Windchill asked again. Shore wondered how someone could have so many questions.
"There are many dragons all over the world that want to get their filthy talons on the shards." the SkyWing said with contempt. "I won't let them."
The SkyWing added,"You're our prisoner too. Don't misunderstand our hospitality for an alliance. We're keeping you because we need your expertise with the shards."
They had reached a door at the end of the hallway. They opened it, and Shore caught a glimpse of a lab full of NightWings and IceWings. Strapped to two tables next to each other, Shore caught a glimpse of Paradox and Moondancer.
"Now," the SkyWing said, his voice very faint. "I'd say these two are ready for the mines."
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=== Chapter Eighteen ===
Moondancer had managed to shake herself into a coherent state ornate thought, and was most certainly not pleased to find herself being yelled at and pushed into a series's of caves. Along with herself, she was joined by the other NightWing, Paradox, she thought.
The SkyWing, whom she had already decided she hated, grew them each a pick axe and told them to start digging.
Moondancer picked up the he pick axe, debating what it would feel like stabbing through a SkyWing's skull.
When she finally stopped brooding and turn and took her anger out on the rocks. Chipping and chipping away at the stone walls, pretending each time it was that SkyWing's smug face.
After she had been digging away for a while, she caught a flash of something white and shiny.
What is that? She thought before reaching in and pulling it out of the stone.
It appeared to be a diamond.
----
=== Chapter Nineteen ===
Apocalypse took her time as she made her way back, heading through the secret entrance at a leisurely pace and swinging the key around on her talon. "I got the key! I know where it goes to! I'm on top of the world, hey!" she sang, nearby minions wincing as her crackily singing voice floated past.
A minion, Three, she was pretty sure, ran towards her. "Uh, Mistress! Leader! Supreme Overlord! We have some of the prisoners working in the mines!"
"I thought I would get to talk to them before they were sent to work," she growled, gripping the key in-between her talons like an inefficient weapon; not that she couldn't take the incompetent dragon out anyway.
The minion blanched. "W-well, th-that's where I w-was t-told to s-send them, anyway..."
"Idiots, all of you!" she yelled, before calming herself down. "At least they'll make themselves useful. In the meantime, DO NOT overwork them. We probably still need them. I say probably, because killing dragons is fun. Can't deny me my fun, now can you? In the meantime, don't kill the others! Other! I don't know how many there are or how many are working! Same reasons! Now GO!"
"Yes, miss, uh, sir, uh, Supreme Overlord!" Three squeaked as Apocalypse glared at her. "Right away! Well, no, I'll tell them right away! We won't kill them right away! AH, I mean, sorry!" She scurried away, giving frightened looks behind her as she hurried through the crowd.
Apocalypse snorted, felt her nostrils for fire damage, and started walking towards her private quarters. Finally. Let's just put the key to the next Prism in the Super Secret Stash, and head down towards the prisons. There's got to be someone I can antagonize...
Smoke was waiting for her outside her room. "Hey, just got back from dropping some knock-out bombs," he said smugly.
"Good job, I'll make sure that the cook poisons your cake later," she said, disappearing inside for a few seconds, leaving the key in the Stash, and reappearing with a disapproving snort.
"Thanks a lot... Hey!" he shouted as she ignored him, heading down the tunnels where the prisoners were kept.
"Heh heh heh, now the fun will really start." she chuckled as she burst through the doorway, ignoring the hushes of several scientists. "WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACONY, LIZARDS!"
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=== Chapter Twenty ===
Trout was standing inside an alleyway, muttering about how much of a failure he was.
"I can't do anything right." He mumbled.
He noticed a pack of SkyWings sneaking around that alleyway as well. Maybe Trout could follow them.
But what was the chance that those SkyWings were the exact same SkyWings as the ones from before?Suddenly, a flash of light revealed itself from the SkyWings' talons, shining like a deep red beacon.
Wait, didn't the Shard from before glow too? But this one is red..... Without a second thought, Trout secretly followed the SkyWings.... All the way in their wings.
By then, Trout knew it was all over.
He was the worst dragon the world had ever seen.
_____________________________________________________________
=== Chapter Twenty One ===
A week went by, and Paradox had yet to find a single precious mineral.
My luck I guess, he grumbled, as he swung a pickax into the ground. Everyone was going out of the mines for a short break period - ten minutes - and Paradox was feeling to low to even move his limbs.
Unlike Moondancer, or 'Moony', who had grown a seemingly cult following, ever since she found that accursed diamond. She instantly went up the ranks of miners, until she was basically the slave equivalent of the 'cool kid'.
Paradox hated Moony's guts.
Shore was seemingly as clueless to a mining lifestyle as he was to a city lifestyle. He kept picking fights with other miners, and often got sent to solitary confinement. Currently, he was there for a minor offence - breathing at the wrong time. And so Paradox had no back up when he bumped into Moondancer.
"Ah!" Paradox cried, shoving himself and Moony away from each other.
Moondancer looked at Paradox strangely, and went on her way. She seemed to have an insufferable smirk on her face as always. But this time, something was different. Behind her optimistic look, there was an anxious ferver, like someone had struck gold. Paradox assumed she had found another precious mineral.
Except she wasn't carrying anything...
Either way, Moony went away soon enough. Good for her.
However, her cult had other ideas.
"Hey." One guy sneered,"Shove off before we stick this lame tray up-"
He got cut off when an alarm went off.
"Probably a drill." Another dragon said, uncomfortably sandwiched between Paradox and the other guy.
ATTENTION! ALL SLAVES TO THE MEETING HALL! IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! IF YOU DON'T GET THERE IN ABOUT 2 MINUTES, I'LL FEED YOU TO THE DOGS!
Nope.
=== Chapter Twenty Two ===
Shore was back in the small glass box with the strangely thick water. He'd figured out that taking the tubes out would make the "in charge" dragons go insane and act like someone had stolen all of their fish or something.
Shore was getting very bored, and kept picking at the scales around the tubes and needles, trying with all of his might not to rip them out. His body shook with the wonderful idea of pulling the tubes out. When he heard the door open at the end of the block, he pretended to sleep. He kept one eye half open, and his ears were angled toward whatever dragon was at the end of the hallway.
"Should we bring these troublemakers to the meeting?" one dragon asked.
"We can play a recording through the intercom speakers." another said. "We don't need them interrupting Apocalypse."
"When is she going to start?" the first dragon asked.
"In a minute." the second said. "We should get going."
After a few moments, Apocalypse's voice, which sounded strangely crackled, filled the detention block.
"Oh, hellooo all my lovely slaves! I'm so glad you all love working for me without question. So I have wonderful news for all of you little worms. It seems we are very close to finding what you are looking for. The thing in question, will kill you when you touch it. So, to increase the chances of finding it, our brilliant liza- I MEAN SCIENTISTS are developing serums to strengthen some of you, to the point where you may be able to hold onto the shard long enough to hand it to one of your overseers. We have selected dragons to be used for this program. You will be called up and sent to the lab immediately. Tuna... Rose... Waterfall... Sea... wow, your parents were creative with that one... Kelp... Moondancer...
Shore poked his head up. He knew that dragon. It was the one he'd found in Pyrrhic City and she'd found the diamond and now everyone loved her for no reason. Apocalypse continued to read off names, and finished after a few minutes. Paradox was not called.
"Now, we have no need for the rest of you. You will be terminated shortly." Apocalypse said, giggling as she did.
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=== Chapter Twenty Three ===
Moondancer rushed up to the voice box, with fury in her gaze.
"What are you doing!?" Moony cried,"Tha-That wasn't our deal!"
Apocalypse sounded bored,"Whats the matter? You were on the list, right? MINION! Go reread that list, now or you'll be DECAPITATED!"
Moony sighed, biting her tounge. She had indeed made a deal with Apocalypse, promising to find a prism shard for her plans, whatever they were - in exchange for her and her friends to be set free. That morning, she had been on one of her long shifts, hungry and tired. She was just about to throw in the towel, when she noticed something glittering. Moony grabbed her pickax and pulled it out, shocked to find that it was a prism shard, glowing as golden as the sun.
By now, the entire meeting was in a state of panic, dragons rushing everywhere, looking for a modem of escape.
Moony gritted her teeth,"You can't just - you can't just kill Shore! He's my friend."
Apocalypse sighed, about to remark on something, when a strange beeping sound resonated in the room.
And then with a woosh, the entire room caught up into a gigantic fireball rushing from within, swallowing all in a cataclysmic tirade.
This is long dormant but I really can't help but point out that a tirade is a long, vehement speech. Sincerely, A Personage of Mystery
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