Stars Above Sand

***FANFICTION BY ADragonDreaming881. DO NOT STEAL***
=== Synopsis: ===
Two childhood best friends are reunited.... but their lives are now drastically different. And someone has something to hide. A dangerous game is being played.... and no one can win.
=== Chapter One: Coati ===
Coati was happily rearranging the bottles on the shelves of her little shop. She sold a lot of miscellaneous things, but mostly herb-based products. The co-owner of the shop and her fiance, Chuckwalla, had gone to mountains to gather some herbs for her. He would be back later that day, and Coati wanted to have the shop looking nice when he came back, as sort of a thank you. She had dusted all the shelves and reorganized the stock, throwing out what was old and even finding a package of the exotic teas they had that were really popular that was still fresh. It had been hidden in the back of a box of dried herbs that were too old to be of use. She was lucky she had spotted it before she had thrown them out. The sunny and cheerful ting of the bell hung on the door startled Coati, who turned with a bright smile. "Chuckwalla!" Coati smiled, the word dying on her lips as she studied the regal SandWing eyeing the shop with scorn.
The SandWing was tall, unusually so, and glittered with jewels. A piece of amber glinted in the corner of each of the dragoness' cold black eyes. Countless flecks of ruby, amber, and what Coati thought might be citrine were inlaid onto their ruff, which was a dusky brown in color and was rather tall. Based on the shimmer, Coati suspected they might even have brushed mica over it. Their scales were a beautiful alabaster, and shone like glass. Hundreds of jewels in reds, oranges, and yellows glittered in their wings membranes. Besides this, they wore at least five golden bracelets inlaid with different stones on each leg, and a necklace of many, many, many thin golden chains with other gems mixed in was wrapped around their neck, as thick as a scarf. They look kind of like Aloe Coati thought. But Aloe would never act like that.... like she hated everything and was better then everyone......
Coati realized she had been staring in silence, and blushed. "Sorry, you remind me of someone" she muttered. She forced a smile. "Welcome to Chuckwalla's Herbs and Oddities. What can I get you, madam?" Coati ducked an awkward bow, feeling like this dragoness might be some sort of nobility at the very least. She had a commanding presence, the kind that made Coati want to apologize even though she'd done nothing wrong, the kind that made her feel like a bug on the wall or a pebble in the street.
A sneer played on the edges of the dragon's lip. "Hmm, yes." She replied in a patronizing tone that made Coati's blood boil. "What a...... unique little shop, Chuckwalla." "Oh, I'm not Chuckwalla" Coati jumped to explain. "I'm his fiance. He's on a trip to the mountains to get some herbs that we can't grow here in the oasis. He'll be back later today." The dragoness smiled, an expression of superiority spreading over her face like a slow trickle of molasses. "How... cute, sweetie" the dragon purred. "I'm sure you'll be so happy together." Coati squashed a scowl. "Thank you, madam." She said, forcing a rather convincing cheerful grin. "Anyway" Coati chirped. "What brings you to Chuckwalla's?" The words behind the words hung in the air, written in Coati's eyes, hidden behind the smile trapping the words that wanted to escape. What brings someone as regal as you to a dowdy little shop like mine.
The dragoness smiled, clearly sensing the words Coati was holding inside. "A rare herb I need for a remedy for a close friend of mine. All of the shops I previously visited were out." The subtle frown forming on the dragoness's face made Coati hope she had that herb in stock. "What is it?" Coati chirped. "I'll check our stock!" "Atersordes root" Coati froze. A curious expression spread over her face as she turned back to face the dragoness. "You don't mean lavender? The roots look similar, and it's used for sickness." Coati held her breath, waiting for a reply. "Atersordes" the dragoness said mildly.
Coati's expression turned hard. "I can sell you the leaves, or the flowers. But we don't carry the roots." She was lying through her teeth, and the dragoness knew it. She frowned disapprovingly. "I suggest you go check" she said mildly, with a hint of a threat in her voice. Coati's expression darkened even more. "I'm not going to sell you poison." She said, glaring. "But you carry it." The threat deepened. "To use in conjunction with other herbs, to make products like dyes and candles. Never to sell straight." The whole room seemed to darken. "Ms. Whoever-you-are, I suggest you give it to me. For a discount, I will forget this little exchange." Coati bared her teeth. "Whoever you are, you cannot mess with me. I will NOT sell you poison. GET OUT OF MY SHOP." The bell over the door jingled, too cheerfully for the standoff going on. "I'm back, Co-" the words died on Chuckwalla's lips. Shooting a dark glace at Coati, the dragoness turned and smiled in an oily way.
"Oh, Chuckwalla. Thank goodness. I was just explaining to your sweet little fiance here why she should give me what I want so we all end up happy. For a discount, I won't even say anything about this little mishap." The dragoness's smile was now sugary sweet, with a hint of malice. Coati shook her head, glaring at Chuckwalla. "Listen..." he said awkwardly. "I'm sure we can work something out that works for all three of us, right?" The dragoness look satisfied while Coati hissed. "No."
Chuckwalla looked at Coati, surprise and a bit of annoyance written across his face. "But sweetie, the buisness..." "No way, now how, and I letting you sell this dragoness cold. Hard. Poison." The dragoness frowned. "Oh, but no one need know anything about this little exchange...." she paused. "Though I might be forced to mention this little shop if someone asks me where any poisons might be found. We certainly wouldn't want any trouble, would we?" Chuckwalla gulped. Coati glared. "Uh..." Chuckwalla said awkwardly. "If you sell her this Atersordes root, I'll be gone before the coins hit your palm." Coati hissed quietly. "You will never see me again. I will not marry a murderer." Chuckwalla sent a pleading look towards Coati. She scowled deeper. "I-I'm, terri-terribly, yes, terribly sorry about this, uh, misunderstanding miss, uh.... Maybe come back.... later? I... I'm sure we can work something out?" Coati shook her head violently. "Or don't come back." Coati interjected, lifting her tail dangerously. The dragoness laughed loudly. "Oh, sweet little one, thinking you can hurt me" she purred. "I'm untouchable." She then turned to Chuckwalla. "I will be back in five hours... that should be enough time for your little dearie here to come to her senses."
Chuckwalla cleared his throat nervously and the dragoness laughed again. "My name is Aloe, darling. Dame Aloe, if you please." "Aloe?" Coati said, her voice cracking. "Aloe?" Aloe sniffed. "What?" She said curtly. Coati shuffled her wings nervously. "Aloe like..... Scorpion Den? Fifth on Saguaro street? The house with the tallest palm tree in the city?" "Oh." Aloe sniffed. "My, my, Coati, I always thought you were smarter then... this. A little hole in the wall protesting over matters far out of your understanding. How far you've fallen. Ah, well. Farewell. I shall see you for my Atersordes this evening." Coati stared with a pained, heartbroken expression after her childhood best friend.
"You and me, Aloe" Coati chirped, flapping her wings happily. "We'll be together always." "Right" Aloe nodded seriously. "We'll be like the Dragonets of Destiny! Saving Pyrrhia!" Coati said brightly. "Well, what if Pyrrhia doesn't need saving?" Aloe asked. "Well..." Coati tipped her head to one side, thinking. "We can just be best friends!" Aloe smiled softly. "I was thinking... maybe we could find some new place. Our own place. Maybe with new dragon tribes we can save." Aloe suggested shyly. Coati brightened, and tackled Aloe in a hug. "I LOVE IT!" she screeched happily. "I made you something" Aloe said, revealing a small slip of paper. It was a drawing. "Coati and Aloe, heroes of the World!" it proclaimed, the words hanging over a drawing of Aloe and Coati, grown up and soaring in the sky. Coait hugged it to her chest and grinned mischievously. "It can be the prototype for the posters they make" she said impishly. Aloe laughed. "C'mon!" Coati said, taking to the sky. "Let's see if someone in the Scorpion Den needs saving. It'll be good practice!" Aloe laughed and darted into the sky as well. "I bet I'll spot someone first!" she yelled, swooping into a loop-de-loop. "Nuh-uh!"
"Aloe" Coati whispered, rubbing her talons over the worn, crinkled, faded, and waterstained paper. It read "Co li un nlue. neiu s ol tne wc lc! " Two faded dragons soared beneath the fading words. "What happened to you?"
=== Chapter Two: Aloe ===
Aloe had tried many different shops over three days, and to no avail. She was supposedly away attending conferences in the Sky Kingdom, at least to those who were too stupid to figure out something more was going on. After all, something more was always going on. Only the much stupid of the stupid wouldn't suspect something nefarious. Especially with Aloe herself in the thick of it. She knew she created an impression, such a wealthy SandWing walking such unsophisticated streets without any escort at all. She liked the eyes following her, liked how dragons stepped out of her path. They knew only the most powerful would walk the streets with so much treasure and seemingly no defense.
Aloe stopped for a moment to study the sign of the shop her sources had pointed her to. Chuckwalla's Herbs and Oddities. Aloe mused. Seems like whoever is in there would be easy to push around. So far every shop had legitimately not carried what she was looking for. But an oddities shop.... there was a possibility some was in stock. Aloe pushed open the door and scowled disdainfully at the musty little shop she entered. A dragon reorganizing the stock behind the counter turned "Chuckw-" she began, trailing off as soon as she saw Aloe.
Aloe was eyeing her regally, her automatic response to any emotion she didn't want to show popping up. In this case, she wasn't even sure what she felt, but she knew she didn't want to show it. The dragon who had turned to face her stared, and Aloe panicked. Had she been recognized? But nothing happened, so Aloe calmed down again, or tried to. She felt a small pang, watching her childhood friend bow to her. Oh Coati, how much you've changed. When I knew you, you never would have bowed to someone like that. But we all change. Look at me. I have more power then you've ever dreamed.
wip
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Genre (Mystery)
Category:Content (QE1)
Category:Mature Content