Found

okay imma rewrite a few parts of this cause it's a bit cringy ngl
this code is old and cringe too imma redo
Found
A story written by Essence. Please do not edit anything on this page, please and thank you <3
Told in alternating point of views. 
There will be lots of fluffy and angsty moments, and of course a lot of shipping (and it's gay), if you're allergic to any of those, please take note. 
Chapter 1
The only things she could truly remember were not very pretty.
Even then, they were not concrete thoughts, or even solid images that she could picture in her mind. No, they only came as words - pain, fear, regret, words that could either mean everything or nothing.
All she remembered was leaving the land made up of sheets of snowy white and blue - her home - and the rest of her thoughts were a mess. How long had it been since she crossed the huge wall of ice? How long had it been before she had been suspended in this state of... nothingness? She wasn't sure of either of those things. 
All she knew was that she was drowning. 
Both metaphorically and literally.
The sound of flowing water and the biting cold of it were the only things reminding her that she was still alive, even though she distinctly recalled that she had almost thought about just letting the currents of the river take her wherever they pleased, hopefully somewhere far from this world. She had become so accustomed to thinking that she could literally drown in her own thoughts that it almost did not occur to her that she was actually drifting in a body of water, her life or death completely thrown into the talons of fate. 
Why... why couldn't she remember anything? When had she even fallen into the river, and how? Most importantly, why was it so cold, so much that it was literally freezing? Wasn't she an IceWing, a dragon that came from the Ice Kingdom, a place with the deadliest temperatures? Or did the cold come from within her own body, a constant reminder of how hollow and empty it was inside?
She couldn't answer any of the questions that her brain had managed to ask herself. She didn't even know if she was capable of logical thinking anymore, even if her feelings were still so clearly there. She only had one coherent thought, one that she was sure had not faded ever since this whole chain of events started and led up until this point. 
I left something behind.
"Wait, no, look closer!"
A foreign sound reached her ears, a voice belonging to another dragon, she was sure if that, at least. She thought nothing of it - who knew what those words meant? How could she even be sure they were real at all?
"Moons, you're right, it is a dragon!"
Another voice chimed in, making her thoughts just a little bit clearer. She was still conscious, this wasn't a dream. She was able to recognize the voice as a female. 
"What are you waiting for? You're better at swimming than I am!" 
It was that first voice again. This one, too, belonged to a female. She didn't know why, but she was prompted to slowly open one of her eyes, which she didn't realized were closed before. 
She began to question if that was a good idea, for as soon as she opened her left eye, a pounding headache suddenly made itself known. She almost shut it immediately... almost. Besides the sharp pain in her head, her vision was otherwise fine. 
And when she finally opened her eye completely, she saw that she was floating. The currents had been merciful to her, as she was staring up at the dark night sky, speckled with a few stars, on the surface of the river that was still carrying her along. 
To her sides was lush, green grass, covering the ground as far as her one eye could see. And just at the edge of a river, she managed to spot a pale pink figure standing and looking towards her direction. 
It was all she could register before a loud splash was heard coming from behind. 
Shortly after, she felt a pair of light blue wings wrap around her, and a pair of arms providing her support. Her first instinct was to claw and fight back, but her body wasn't one with that thought. She was simply so tired and worn out that any natural reflexes in response to possible danger was far away from her mind. 
"Alright, easy there, I just need you to not kick me..."
She was sure that the comment was directed at her, not that she needed to tell her that, of course. It was the second voice she had heard earlier. But before she even got a chance to respond, her savior had carried her to the shore and laid her on solid ground once more. 
Once her body came into contact with the soft grass, her five senses started to return to her. She coughed, now aware that she had more or less inhaled a fair amount of water despite being on the surface for the most part. The sounds of crickets and other nocturnal birds chirping became apparent once more. She felt slightly numb from the low temperature, but otherwise, she was mostly unhurt, with no wounds or bruises to be found. 
It was nighttime. In the dark, she had found herself in a completely unfamiliar place. 
With two unfamiliar dragons standing before her. 
One of them, the one who dove in to save her, looked mostly SeaWing, with turquoise scales which now shimmered slightly from the water. The frills on either side of her head made it obvious that she was part RainWing. Her eyes were a startling shade of bright orange, filled with endless curiosity. The tired dragoness laid on the ground, unable to even utter a word of thanks as she looked up at her savior. 
The other dragoness beside her was... a rare sight. She couldn't exactly tell what tribe she's from, but from the smooth, rippling colors of pink and purple across her scales, she would guess that she was at least part RainWing. Instead of the blue color of the first dragoness's wings, this one had pale, delicate lavender ones. She had a pair of soft, almost sparkling blue eyes, which held a concerned look. If she had to describe how she felt about her appearance alone, she would admit... she looked rather cute. 
"Are you alright?" The lilac-colored dragon asked her, her gentle voice laced with a worried tone. The IceWing only managed a small nod, even though her brain told her that it was a lie. Apparently, it was enough. 
"Oh, that's great! I have so many questions. Aren't you an IceWing? Where did you come from? How did you end up here..." 
"For the love of the goddesses, Kurante, she's clearly not ready for your questions, would you calm down?" The other dragon said, a little exasperatedly, much to her relief. She was right - she wasn't ready to talk, she probably won't be for a long time... 
"Could you at least tell us your name?" The green dragoness - Kurante - asked her once more, seemingly ignoring the comment from her companion. 
Her name? She hadn't heard it being spoken by others for so long, at least, not in a good way... 
"Isla," she managed to croak out tiredly. At least, her own name did not sound foreign on her tongue. Not long after she had spoken, the headache struck her at full force again, making her hold her own head in her talons. "Ugh, it hurts..." 
"Kurante, I need your help to carry her. I'm sure she's too tired to walk." 
"But where would we take her?" 
"To my house. I'm pretty sure I have extra space." 
The rest of their conversation fizzled out as Isla felt her heavy eyelids drooping once more. She would have questioned them, asked them about where she was or where she was about to be taken to, but she simply lacked the energy to do so. Honestly, she couldn't care less if the dragons meant harm - what was the worst that could happen anyway? 
You should have seen this coming. 
As she vaguely felt herself being carried, into the air this time, she found herself drifting off to hopefully a blissful sleep... with only one thought still swimming in her mind. 
What have I done? 
Chapter 2
She was... an enigma, to say the least. 
IceWings were a rare sight in Hikari - or at least, purebred ones were. She knew of Snowflake, of course, being the second-in-command of this town... but apart from him, Anima knew of no pure-blooded IceWings that currently resided in this small town so far away from their natural habitat.
The tiny dragoness - Isla, that was her name, wasn't it - was now lying almost serenely on her bed. Kurante had dropped her off earlier, even helping her to carry the IceWing into the room. According to her friend, she was so light that it was barely any effort at all - but she knew that Kurante was strong despite her fairly small size, and maybe it was just that.
But her tribe wasn't what made her stand out.
After she was rescued from the river, Anima had clearly remembered one thing - her eyes. If what she knew about IceWings were true, they usually had cool-colored eyes. Snowflake's bright blue ones were a good example. Whatever it was, she would never imagine a dragon from that tribe to have such pretty golden eyes. From afar, she had already sensed that there was something special about her. She knew she would have dove into the water herself to save the dragoness if Kurante had not been there. 
Now, the little hybrid watched the peacefully passed out dragon on the bed, slowly taking in all of her features. Aside from her stunning eyes, she looked like quite the typical IceWing. She had soft, extremely pale blue scales, and slightly deeper colored spines. Her white horns gleamed slightly from the moonlight pouring in from the window. Anima couldn't deny, she looked beautiful. Delicate. Except that she could clearly tell that her thinness and size were definitely unnatural. Anima was known for being one of the smaller dragons in town, but Isla was even tinier than her. 
And as she watched the petite dragoness sleep, she suddenly felt an urge to watch over her, to make sure no more harm came to her. She didn't know what had triggered her protective instincts - maybe it was out of pity, seeing her in such a weak state, or maybe it was simply because in that moment, she had never seen anyone look so vulnerable, so fragile before. 
She definitely wasn't leaving her side tonight, just in case she needed any help. 
So instead of making her way to the extra room that she always had for cases like this, the lilac colored dragoness simply fetched a few blankets and pillows that would keep her warm and comfortable, before settling down on the floor beside her bed. From where she was, she could easily see how Isla was faring from above. 
She still had many questions for the little IceWing, so many that were left unanswered, and if she was being honest, her curiosity was basically dying to know everything that she could possibly tell her... but for now, Anima knew that what both of them needed was rest. 
So all she did was shoot a quick glance at the soundly sleeping dragoness before saying "Good night, Isla," with a small smile. She knew she couldn't respond, but it didn't matter. She only sincerely hoped that she was safe in the embrace of a peaceful slumber. 
Under the gentle caresses of the pale moonlight, Anima let herself drift off to sleep. 
-----
She certainly didn't expect Isla to be up earlier than her the next day. 
Warm shafts of sunlight pierced through the semi-open window and tickled her eyelids, prompting her to slowly blink her eyes open. Soft lavender purple rippled across her scales in response to the warmth of daylight. She smiled and slowly got up, turning to see if her surprise guest yesterday was awake... 
Only to find her already sitting upright on the bed, her unique golden eyes wide open. Anima was honestly surprised - judging by how tired she was yesterday, she most certainly wouldn't have blamed her if she slept in. 
"Morning, Isla." The lilac dragoness greeted her, offering a warm smile in hopes of making her feel welcome. At the mention of her name, the pale dragon's ears seemed to perk up slightly, but the look of almost surprise that flitted across her face was almost confusing. It was almost like she felt that her name sounded foreign. 
"... Morning." Isla responded after a moderate pause, seemingly unsure of what to say next. Unlike the bright and exuberant nature of her best friend, it was obvious that the IceWing had some troubles feeling comfortable while speaking to someone else, although when Anima thought about it, she had barely known her for more than a few hours. 
"Sorry for not introducing myself properly yesterday. My name's Anima, nice to meet you." She extended a talon for the other dragon to take, and again, after a brief pause, Isla placed her own talon in Anima's. 
She was surprised at how just the small contact could send an odd surge of warmth through her heart. However, she simply choose to ignore it for the time being. 
"Are you feeling better now?" She asked, unable to keep the concerned tone out of her voice. She would assume that she was just asking these questions out of curiosity, but no -for some reason, Anima was truly worried about Isla's well being. Which was surprising, considering that she had only just met her. 
The dragoness in question nodded a little, but almost immediately after, she started rubbing her head with her talons, a pained expression written on her face. 
"It... still hurts," the IceWing managed to say in a hoarse whisper. Only then did it occur to Anima that she was probably dehydrated, starving, and possibly even ill, from whatever misfortune she had gone through before drowning in that river. Just the thought alone, and the sight of the obviously suffering dragoness before her brought a fresh wave of sympathy to her heart. 
"Are you allergic to anything?" Anima asked Isla, who barely managed to shake her head, which was still clutched in her claws. 
"Alright, just wait a minute." She quickly got onto her feet, knowing exactly the remedy that could solve her little problem, a remedy that had worked for herself so many times. 
She returned to the room about half a minute later, handing the medicine she retrieved and a glass of water to the IceWing, who was still wearing a painful expression. Isla didn't need to be told twice to understand what was the painkiller for, and she swallowed it by downing the whole glass of water. 
"It takes about two minutes for the effect to set in," Anima told her. The pale dragoness simply nodded, and what followed was a slightly awkward silence, although she didn't really mind it that much, and neither did she see the need to break it. She simply let Isla take her time to recover from whatever she had been enduring earlier. 
After about two minutes had passed, the medicine appeared to have worked, as Isla no longer looked as pained as she did a few moments ago, and it seemed that she no longer felt anymore intense pain in her head as she was able to stop holding her head in her talons. 
"... Thank you." The small dragon looked up at Anima, with an expression that conveyed both gratefulness and relief from the pain she was previously suffering from. When her voice didn't come out dry and hoarse, it was... melodious, almost, like the tunes that she usually sang along to. It appeared that the dragoness also looked a little... shy. And somehow, she thought that it made her look adorable. 
Yet, at the same time, Anima could see the faint circles under her eyes, and the weariness in her gaze. Her ruffled spines also made her look... frazzled. She understood that Isla was tired, but her exhaustion seemed to be more than just from the events last night. 
"You're welcome. While you're here, please, be my guest - if you need anything, just ask me." She replied with a warm smile. Taking care of a lost, rather cute IceWing was not on her to-do list... but she definitely did not mind it. Not in the slightest. Anima was determined to see that she made Isla as comfortable as she could while she still remained in her house. 
"Um... where are you going?" Isla's voice, now softened after she had been rehydrated, sounded from behind as Anima made her way into her kitchen. 
"Why, getting you some food, of course! And more water, since you definitely need it. You stay here and rest, I'll be back soon." She answered, as if matter-of-factly. 
"... Oh, okay. Are you sure it's not troubling you too much -" 
"What? No, of course you aren't. Don't think about it too much, okay? I'll be back before you know it." Anima said in a sort of reassuring tone. Isla didn't respond verbally, instead, she just proceeded to rest her head on the pillow, as if she was resigning to her fate. 
And I will make sure that fate is getting spoiled by me, thought Anima. She shot the IceWing another almost fond look, before turning around and leaving the room with a small smile. 
Isla might not know how life in Hikari was like, but she was going to change that. It might be a little hard to get the shy and somewhat distant dragoness to open up to her... but she was definitely going to try. 
She did enjoy a challenge from time to time, after all. 
Chapter 3
...
Why? Just why was she being so nice to her?
The lilac dragoness - Anima, as she had introduced herself earlier, had probably not known her for more than a few hours at best. Yet, it was probably her that Isla now owed her life to - well, her and also Kurante, apparently. 
Of course, Isla could suspect that they had other intentions, but somehow, whatever Anima had done so far made her believe that it was genuine, that she had truly met a kind-hearted dragoness who was willing to offer her assistance while asking nothing in return from her. 
But they didn't just save her from drowning - Anima had wordlessly offered her a place to stay, and even made the effort to lessen her pain and make her feel... welcome. Needless to say, she had succeeded - if she was being honest, Isla had never felt more at home than in that moment. Even her old home had never made her feel this... warmth that filled up every inch of her body, and she knew it had nothing to do with the temperature. 
My old home...
Right. Her old home, the Ice Kingdom. A place that only brought forth terrible memories, and feelings of anxiety, along with a huge amount of fear she had learned to live with. She closed her eyes, wincing with a different type of pain.
I have to tell her about this soon, Isla realized. Once the initial shock was over, she knew that Anima would eventually ask her the inevitable questions that she had already been expecting from the start, and that was understandable. 
However, just the mere thought of telling the pink dragon of her emotional troubles and worrying her further made Isla feel incredibly guilty. She had already gone through so much trouble just for her, and all for nothing - not to mention that Isla was a total stranger to her. It would simply be unacceptable. So she would just have to keep her thoughts in check.
For now. 
"I'm back!" Anima opened the door to her room, carrying what appeared to be like... well, food, even though she had never seen anything like them before, as well as another glass of water, as she promised. To be completely honest, she was fascinated - she was in a foreign town after all, and maybe they had some cultures that Isla didn't know about. 
Any culture that is different from the IceWing one is great. 
"I'm pretty sure you're hungry, after all that you've been through." She was right - Isla knew that she had probably been starving for more than just one night. So she graciously nodded and accepted the dainty-looking items that the other dragoness gave her. She had never seen anything like them in the Ice Kingdom, and she certainly did not expect to. 
Anima paused for a moment, before asking, "Do you need anything else?" 
She's still concerned about me? She has already done so much... more than anything I could ever ask for. The young IceWing was genuinely surprised, and possibly more than a little touched. So much that even the barricades of her shyness had been removed at the prospect of staying in the company of the pretty dragoness before her. 
"Actually... yeah, I do. Can you stay...?" She wanted to say "with me" at the end, instead her words trailed off and she couldn't stop herself from blushing slightly. Isla wasn't exactly sure why she had asked that - she usually avoided any interaction, any situation where she couldn't comfortably be alone in the silence. 
All she knew was that in that moment, she wanted Anima by her side, although she couldn't explain it.
The lilac-colored dragoness looked a little surprised, but replied, "Sure thing, Isla," with another one of her warm smiles and somehow felt inviting, as if she wanted to make the IceWing crack a smile of her own too. 
She might just succeed, eventually, when she was feeling less worn out. 
For now, she was already feeling a lot more easy to talk to Anima in general. 
As the other dragoness slowly climbed onto the bed to sit beside her, Isla blushed slightly as she had never been in such close proximity to another dragon before. Not that the warm feeling in her heart was unwelcome though - in fact, it was quite the opposite. 
"Could you... tell me about this place?" She asked, sort of hesitantly. She didn't know that the dragoness before her literally lived for conversation, and was more than happy to answer her. 
"Oh, of course! I'll fill you in while you eat," She said. 
The two of them spent the rest of the hour engaged in a comfortable conversation, even though Anima was doing most of the talking. She told her everything about the town she lived in - Hikari - from the daily lives of dragons here to their cultures. And honestly, Isla found that she loved almost everything about it. Even from her description alone, she already thought that it was the perfect place to live. 
From what she had told her, the residents had a rather... carefree sort of lifestyle. Their motto was "life shouldn't be difficult, as long as you have others to help you around" (Anima had beamed at her when she said this). It was so... different from what Isla had been taught her whole life, so perfect that she thought that it was impossible. 
The food there was amazing, she couldn't deny - well, at least what she had been given was. Anima told her that what she was eating were called pastries, and she got them from the shop called the bakery nearby. When she bit into one of them, the flaky and crunchy feeling in her mouth, combined with the mixture of sweet and savory tastes made for an otherworldly experience. 
Isla had never eaten anything like that before - in fact, she can barely remember what she had been fed these past few years... 
"... and of course, almost everyone would look forward to the Festival Of Firelight. We aren't called the Town Of Light for nothing, after all," Anima continued, successfully stopping her thoughts from wandering anywhere that could potentially make the situation worse. "On the third day of autumn, everyone will put up colorful lights to decorate the city's streets, and at night, all dragons will come out to watch the fireworks. We also have a party, and the whole town usually gets involved." 
"That sounds... interesting." The small dragoness smiled, genuinely smiled at her conversation partner. For some reason, she felt... happy, and sort of at ease, just by hearing the lilac dragon before her speak. With each little thing Anima told her about Hikari, the more Isla wished that she actually lived there her whole life. 
"It sure is! I mean, every dragon in town would gather, chat and perform, all before the fireworks start. What could be better?" The excited gleam in her eyes somehow warmed the IceWing's heart. It was probably just her empathy... she had always liked seeing others being happy, as the feeling of pure joy was usually infectious. 
Something that they didn't like. 
"Alright, I think I've done my part of the talking. Sorry, I sometimes get carried away," She grinned at Isla, which also brought an odd tingling sensation to her heart. Yet, that didn't mean that she was prepared for what was about to come next. 
"So... you never quite told us where you came from. If you don't mind telling me... how did you end up... in the water and all the way here? You could have been in serious trouble if Kurante and I hadn't spotted you." 
This was it. Her thoughts were not reassuring at all - she knew it was time, and she couldn't run from it forever. As much as she wanted to avoid talking about this, she knew it was pointless - the past would always catch up to her some time later... 
"... I ran away." 
Anima blinked, obviously looking a little confused. "Um, what?" 
"I... came from the Ice Kingdom. I escaped. From them." Isla found it harder to speak as she continued, feeling her voice getting stuck in her throat. Waves of sadness and pain she had tried to hold back were now threatening to push past her defenses. She tried to outrun them, but they were now catching up to her. 
"From who?" 
"..." 
She had lost her ability to form words. She knew if she spoke another word, her voice would crack and she would break down. Her tears were barely on the verge of spilling out. 
When had the conversation took a turn so quickly? 
I'm not ready. I probably will never be. 
"Isla?" The concerned tone was back in Anima's voice, and it was clear that she sensed that something was wrong. She couldn't look directly at the pink dragoness, her vision completely blurred. 
She didn't know that she had already seen her tear-filled eyes that did nothing to hide her sadness. 
"Oh my goodness, what's wrong?" That worried exclamation was the final straw - the little dragoness couldn't take it anymore. Everything that she had tried to hide and keep away ever since she left and ended up here came up in the form of a feeling of despair so strong that she simply couldn't fight. 
As she met Anima's concerned gaze once more, with tears now flowing down her cheeks, the dam that had been holding all her emotions back finally broke. 
She was unable to stop the cries that finally escaped from her throat, fueled by a heartache she had never been able to heal. 
-----
It took her about two seconds to comprehend what had just happened. 
A minute ago, she was having a perfectly normal conversation with the pale dragoness before her, and just a few moments later, she found herself looking into a pair of golden eyes filled with tears, eyes that conveyed so much pain and sorrow. 
And much to Anima's shock, Isla broke down and started crying freely, clearly suffering from something that she had been holding back for some time already. 
Seeing the tiny IceWing before her looking so broken, upset and... lost, somehow, she couldn't take it anymore. The sound of her sobs were nothing short of heart-wrenching, and in that moment, Anima knew that she could only do one thing to make her feel better. 
Slowly, she moved closer to the crying dragoness, before gently wrapping her wings around her for a hug. Even as she cried, Isla appeared to be shocked at the sudden physical contact. 
"W-what are you doing?" She asked in a broken voice. Anima was both surprised and horrified at that question - it couldn't be what she thought it was, could it? 
"... I'm hugging you. Don't tell me that you've never been hugged before?" However, just by looking at the IceWing's eyes and judging from her reaction, she knew the answer. 
Fortunately, Isla did not question further, and neither did she attempt to push Anima away. Instead, she seemed to have given in, leaning onto her side as she sobbed. The lilac colored dragoness gently smoothed out the spines on the back of her head in a gesture of comfort, trying to calm the obviously distressed dragon down. 
It was only upon such close contact that she could see how unhealthily thin the dragoness she was holding was. Her frame suggested that she had been malnourished for her whole life, and the weariness in her expression seemed to hint that she had never experienced a peaceful sleep before. Even in her cries, Anima could almost hear the different emotions within - regret, pain, sadness... fear? 
She didn't know where half of those emotions she could sense came from. However, she knew that Isla had to let herself cry to release whatever that she had been bottling up, so Anima only wished that simple physical affection would help her get through it easier. 
It seemed to be working, for the most part. After a few minutes, the pale dragoness under her wing seemed to have steadied her breathing once more, and she was no longer shaking like she did initially. When she looked at Anima again, her golden eyes were red from her crying, but she was able to speak normally. 
"... Thank you." Her voice came out shaky and barely audible, but at least, the pink dragoness could still hear her. Unable to resist the urge to do so, Anima reached up a talon to brush away the tears falling down her face. Isla seemed to appreciate the gesture, and while she had already pulled away from the hug, Anima kept one wing on her back, which she also seemed to like. 
"Anytime. You don't have to talk about it if it's too hard for you right now." She reassured the pale dragoness. She just couldn't believe that Isla had never experienced physical affection like this in her life before - what had happened in her past to cause her such pain, with no one around her to help her survive through all of it? 
The IceWing shook her head, now looking directly at Anima. "It's okay. I know... I can't run from it forever. And... well, I've never had anyone to tell this to." 
"You can tell me anything." The words came out sooner than she had intended them to. Even the little hybrid herself was surprised at how quickly she responded, but she was sure that she wanted to help the troubled dragoness in front of her. Even if all she could do right now was listen what Isla had to tell her. 
And so she did. 
Chapter 4
Throughout her whole life, Isla hadn't really spoken much. Not that she was antisocial by default - she was just... shy. Not to mention that she had little to no one to start a conversation with to begin with. Or maybe, her mind just assumed that there would be no one willing to listen to her speak either. 
So she was surprised at how much was she able to say when she told Anima the whole story. 
The lilac-colored dragoness had listened patiently the entire time, as Isla explained the social circles in IceWing society, and how her parents have treated her over the past few years. It was painful - it was like as if she was reliving each of the terrible moments one by one. There was no love, no happiness in every event she retold in her own words, and although her crying had stopped long ago, she still managed to shed a few tears at a few parts of her history. 
But Anima was there by her side, gently comforting her in small ways, such as lightly squeezing her talon or just a tiny brush of her wing. It sounded strange when she put it in this way - but it was almost like the pink dragoness knew exactly when she needed the physical contact that she didn't even know she had yearned for her whole life. She didn't even know how it was supposed to feel like, sharing simple gestures like this with other dragons. 
However, when Anima had pulled her into a hug, the feeling of warmth and safety that she felt deep in her heart was something that she wanted, something that she now longed for. She almost didn't want the moment to ever end, almost wanted to stay wrapped up in the warm wings belonging to the friendly dragon before her. 
It was perhaps that feeling of safety that helped her to get the whole story out. 
"... I see." Anima seemed to be at a loss of words after Isla told her of her decision to run away. "But... why have you only decided to do it now? It seems like you were already fully capable of taking care of yourself long ago." 
Oh... right. Isla hadn't revealed that truth yet, something that if she told her parents about it, she probably wouldn't live to see another sunrise... She didn't even know if it was safe to tell such a personal thing to Anima. It wasn't even supposed to be a major problem, and yet...
"Um... Anima, there's something you need to know before the rest of the story makes sense. Something important... about me." She barely whispered the last two words. Something that you might hate me for after you hear it. 
"Yes? I'm listening." She responded with a reassuring smile. Isla took a deep breath, before she hesitantly spoke out the words that had been locked inside her for too long.
"I ran away because my parents were going to force me to marry another dragon, a male IceWing from the higher Circles, in hopes that he'll drag me up the rankings at the same time. And... well, I was terrified." The thought of being engaged to a dragon that she barely knew, and a male at that... it was enough to make her shudder in fear. 
"I never told anyone of this, because I didn't want my parents to know..." Horrible mental images flashed through her mind at the prospect of the two ruthless IceWings finding out about her little secret. She almost wanted to back out from telling Anima this... but the lilac dragoness had gently held her talon in her own, and it gave her just enough confidence to get the words out.
"I'm... not attracted to males. I - I knew it a long time ago, but I really just couldn't say anything about it." I felt so lonely, seeing all the pretty female IceWings around me, some of them who already have mates.
She was unable to look at Anima, terrified of the expression that she might see on her face. She wouldn't be surprised if she was disgusted or angry, something that she would have expected from her parents. 
"So... you like females, then?" Her voice was filled with nothing but curiosity. No hostility, no judgement - nothing that Isla had expected to hear. She looked up at the lilac dragoness who was waiting expectantly for an answer, before nodding slowly. 
Much to her surprise, the other dragoness had quickly pulled her into a hug, leaving Isla stunned. She was admittedly unused to physical affection, as well as having a dragon that would so readily give it to her... but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. In fact, the little IceWing found that she was liking the warm feeling of being in another dragon's embrace, even if she had barely known this dragon that was currently hugging her. Though, when she thought about it, Isla had never really knew anyone well her whole life.
"There's nothing wrong with that, you know? You should be happy for being yourself, Isla. I understand that... you might have some troubles back there, but everyone in Hikari is very accepting of relationships like this." Anima pulled away from the hug and gave her an encouraging look. "In fact... I think you are very brave for admitting this. Not many dragons would do that to someone they just met." 
Isla let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. "I... guess I was just... lonely. I never had someone to tell this to, after all. And... it feels better, now that I've gotten it out." 
"Whenever you need someone to talk to, you don't have to be scared to reach out to me, you know? I'll be here to listen." Once again, the pink dragoness gently held both of the IceWing's talons in her own, the act alone enough to chase away the doubts and fears in her mind. 
"I've never had someone who said that to me," Isla admitted. "All I can say is... thank you. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have anyone to share this with..." 
"It's okay, don't feel that way. There are many dragons in Hikari that aren't straight, you know?" 
"Really?" Isla asked, not daring to let the hope seep into her voice. 
"Yeah. You know, Kurante is in the same boat as you, and she's... really open about it." The pale dragoness blinked, only now processing that the green dragon that had rescued her yesterday was gay. "Not to mention that our leaders, Infia and Snowflake, are in a polyamorous relationship with another RainWing, Rainstorm. You see, Isla, no one is really gonna judge you here. As long as you remain in this town, you're safe." 
This time, Anima affectionately twined her own tail around Isla's, the unfamiliar contact making the IceWing blush slightly. She felt oddly comforted by the gesture, though. Her smile warmed the pale dragon's heart, and she finally smiled back at her, the pink dragoness grinning at her reaction. 
"You know, I've never really seen you smile until now. It makes you look cute, you know that? You should smile more often." Isla blushed significantly harder at that statement, her mind almost coming to a complete halt. Was that... an attempt at... flirting? Or was she just thinking too much? Probably the latter. 
"Um... thanks." "No problem. So, where were we?" She asked, a gentle reminder for her to finish her story."... oh, right. So, as you know, I escaped and I didn't really have a destination in mind, except that I knew I needed to get away from there. I guess I ran out of energy and fell into the river, but I don't exactly remember..." The conclusion of her memory had brought another fresh wave of sadness again, and it was obvious that Anima could tell that she was upset. 
"Hey, Isla, is everything alright?" She gently took one of the IceWing talons again. Isla would never admit this out loud, but she was starting to enjoy the physical contact she was receiving - well, at least, from this one dragoness. 
However, the wounds in her heart were still far from fixed. She didn't know how to continue, how to live a life that she had never imagined that she could have. So she told the lilac dragon exactly just that.
"Anima... I feel so... weak. Helpless. Fear pushed me to do the unthinkable... and now, I don't know what I'm supposed to do... Where do I even start, now that I'm free? What can I do when I... when I'm not even sure what, or who I can become now? I just... I just don't know what to do, or if I should even be here at all... I feel... lost."
She had never expected to really open up to a dragoness she barely knew, but somehow... she felt safe, telling her everything she felt so deeply from within. Or maybe she was just desperate - desperate for someone to finally understand, for the chance to finally not drown in these silent thoughts alone.
Isla felt the warmth of a pair of soft lavender wings wrap around her again. She didn't know why - she had always felt out of place, back in the Ice Kingdom, but in her embrace, she felt... at peace. Like she finally belonged somewhere, like she was finally... accepted.
"It's okay... you'll be fine. You're stronger and braver than you think, Isla. I understand what they did to you was terrible... but you can do better than them."
"... Really?" The pale dragoness looked into Anima's clear blue eyes, which conveyed nothing but sincerity. 
"I mean it." Not that I don't believe you... but my parents wouldn't have agreed. The voice in her head that had been silent up until now spoke up. She was still unable to get rid of the doubts that she had about herself, the painful memories that came every time her old home was mentioned...
The pink dragoness must have seen her saddened expression, for she squeezed Isla's talons and looked at her with a smile. "Aw, don't be too sad about it. I'll even sing for you!"
... That caught her attention really quickly. 
"... You can sing?" Isla looked at her with surprise clearly evident on her face. 
Anima's eyes lit up at that question. Instead of giving her a verbal response, she sang. 
What followed was a minute of gentle melodies flooding the IceWing's ears. She was speechless as she watched the dragoness before her sing, listening to every note and incantation closely. If she had thought that her voice sounded beautiful before hearing her in a song... she sounded outright godly.
It wasn't just her voice - it was the way she sang every word of the song, how the tone and mood of her melodies shifted in accordance to the lyrics. This song appeared to be a mostly happy one. While she did not explicitly state so, Isla was sure that Anima hoped to lift her spirits with this song... and she had succeeded.
She had never heard tunes like this in the Ice Kingdom. IceWings had no appreciation for arts such as this, and music was often looked upon with great distaste, unless one could make good money off it. Isla didn't know that she longed for such melodious sounds in her life, had forgotten what it feels like to live in tune with harmonious voices. 
Anima had reminded her that beautiful sounds did still exist.
"What do you think?" She asked as the song came to an end. Isla failed to form a response immediately - she was still stunned by the fact that Anima had such a perfect singing voice.
"I've... I've never heard anything like that before... your voice... it's so... beautiful." 
"Thank you." It might have been her imagination, but did Anima just blush at that compliment...? It was hard to tell from her already pink scales... "Well, did it make you feel better?" 
Isla smiled, before honestly replying, "Yeah, it did." 
She hugged the pale dragoness again before saying, "I'm happy that you do." 
"So... are you a singer, or something like that?" She asked curiously. 
"Well, as a matter of fact... I am." Unsurprisingly so - if she didn't make use of such talent, her pretty voice would be wasted... 
"I assume that you've never heard of me?" Isla shook her head. 
"I wish I had though." 
"Me too, I mean, I didn't know my singing could make anyone so happy. If you want to hear me sing again, by any chance... you only need to ask." 
Anima did have a penchant for making her smile. 
"I'll keep that in mind." 
She wasn't lying - she felt a lot happier after hearing the other dragon sing to her. Though, now that her mind was clear and free of depressing thoughts, she had one question she had been meaning to ask her... 
"Um... sorry if this sounds rude, but what tribe are you from, exactly?" She couldn't exactly tell - even though she was sure that she definitely had RainWing blood. 
"Oh! I'm half RainWing and half SkyWing." So I was right. It made more sense now, that the dragoness had much larger wings than her. 
"My parents told me that I have some IceWing blood too, but since I don't really see it, I don't consider myself one." She chuckled. "Though, I can't really change my scale color consciously." She gestured to the smooth gradients of light purples and pinks of her body. 
"I think they're pretty." 
... 
Did Isla just say that out loud? 
"Oh, stop that, you're making me blush." Okay, that was definitely her face turning red. It somehow warmed Isla's heart to see the lilac colored dragoness getting flustered in a good way. 
"So... what can we do now?" She asked hesitantly. 
"Hmm..." Anima placed a claw under her chin thoughtfully. "You know, there are many things in Hikari that aren't common to dragons who live outside of it. Do you want me to show you?" 
"That would be nice. But, um... if it's okay with you, I'm not ready to go outside just yet..." Even though Anima had told her that residents here were friendly and accepting, Isla was still having a hard time with seeing other dragons... she knew she wasn't ready. 
"Oh, that's fine. There are many things in my house alone that I have yet to show you." She grinned at the IceWing. "So, are you ready to find out?" 
She found herself smiling back at the hybrid. "I am." 
Chapter 5
It was an eventful day, despite neither of them moving very much. 
Anima had explained almost everything she could about the technology in Hikari, how most of the electronic devices functioned, as well as how they were closely tied to most of their jobs. Much to her surprise, Isla understood almost everything she told her quite easily. She was much smarter than she thought. 
She had remembered seeing the almost childlike wonder and excitement in her eyes when she showed her the collection of romance novels she owned. When she flipped the first page of one of the books, she had looked up at Anima with an unsure glance, almost as if she felt like this whole situation was surreal. 
"I've never had the chance to read for relaxation before," She had said. 
It only added to the list of reasons that the little hybrid could feel sorry for her. 
She was actually amazed when she found herself enjoying the pale dragoness's company. She wasn't the talkative type, but somehow... Anima didn't mind. When she was relaxed and at peace, she was fun to spend time with. Despite being quiet, Isla was not difficult to talk to - it's quite the opposite, actually. 
The lilac dragoness had studied her expressions closely throughout their conversations. Needless to say, she was... fascinated. She loved how much emotion her golden eyes can show, how they flashed in understanding when she listened to her explanations, how they glimmer with curiosity when she heard something new, and most importantly, how they glowed with joy when she heard something that she liked. 
And while she did speak, her voice was gentle and soothing. Isla didn't know that she was complimenting Anima's voice while having an equally amazing one herself. She believed that if she did try to sing, she could do it just as beautifully. Even more so, she was soft-spoken and generally polite, something she greatly appreciated, even if she usually didn't judge other dragons by that. Anima also found her mannerisms to be rather cute in general, such as her tendency to blush when she is embarrassed and the way her ears twitched when she something caught her attention. 
Who knew there was such an intricate personality beneath the mistreated dragoness, such a wonderful side to her that her parents never programmed? 
Honestly, Anima was almost furious when she heard Isla's story. She could just as easily assume that she lied, that she made up the entire story for sympathy points, but somehow that just didn't click. Deep down, she just knew that the sad dragoness was telling the truth. When such deep emotions were reflected in her eyes, she knew that there was no way it could be faked. 
Yet, she couldn't believe that such parents exist - dragons that were willing to abuse their daughter in any way solely for fame. It explained why the IceWing looked so thin and malnourished - she had never been properly cared for her entire life. 
They should have known that the pretty little dragoness was much too good for them, so much more than they could ever ask for. 
It also made Anima more determined to take care of the now homeless dragon. 
After she had made sure that Isla was comfortably reading while sitting on her bed, she logged on to her computer, shot Kurante a message, inviting her to a game while confirming that the IceWing she had helped rescue was completely fine. 
The two had spent the rest of their day in her room, mostly enjoying each other's silent company. Sometimes, Anima would talk to herself, a habit she had developed while she's playing a game. This day was no different - except that she actually had someone to talk to. More often than not, Isla would be confused at her seemingly random remarks, and would question her about it. She was more than happy to clarify the way her game worked and what her comments meant. 
She had only left the room to prepare their meals, and much to her delight the little IceWing seemed to be enjoying their cuisine so far. At least, Isla seemed to be enjoying her time here, and Anima hoped that it wasn't going to change anytime soon. 
She assumed that it was just because of her empathetic nature that she felt happy whenever she saw the pale dragoness smile. 
Night came sooner than she had expected. When the last rays of sunset had disappeared behind the distant mountain ranges, she let out an unexpected yawn. After some casual gaming sessions with her friend, she had chatted with her for a while, talking about their plans for their street performances tomorrow, as well as possible locations for them to host their next concerts, all while listening to some music. She didn't notice that it was getting late until a sudden wave of exhaustion made itself known. 
Regardless, it was about time she'd gotten some rest. She had agreed on travelling to Possibility the next day with Kurante for their performance, and she would need to wake up early for that. 
After shutting off her computer, she turned to look at Isla, who was still immersed in reading. Anima was quite impressed by how fast she went through two books in just half a day. However, the IceWing's tired eyes did nothing to hide her sleepiness as well. She shook her head and smiled. 
"Hey, Isla, I think it's about time we get some sleep." 
The pale dragoness looked up from the page she was on, her eyes conveying surprise. "It's this late already? I guess I lost track of time..." Her golden eyes looked back almost longingly at the book. She recognized that look - Anima knew how it felt when you were halfway through a chapter and your parents were asking you to go to bed. She didn't resist a chuckle. 
"I know you're dying to finish that chapter, but at this rate you'll probably fall asleep on the book." Isla looked like she wanted to argue with that, but probably realized that she couldn't deny the fact that she was about to collapse, thus kept silent and nodded anyway. 
"We do have bookmarks, though. Here, let me help you with that," The little hybrid gently slid a bookmark she grabbed from the table and marked the page she was currently on, before placing the book itself on the table. 
"... Oh, right. I forgot about bookmarks... thank you." The IceWing was unable to suppress a yawn of her own. She almost squealed internally from just how adorable her antics were. Even the way she blinked her golden eyes sometimes made her heart flutter. In her subconscious, she vaguely recalled what this feeling meant, but the combined efforts from her conscious thinking and her tiredness pushed those thoughts away. 
After making sure that Isla had laid her head back on the pillow and settled into a comfortable sleeping position, she flicked off the light switch, letting the room fall into complete darkness, with only the pale hint of moonlight entering the window. 
"Um... Anima?" 
"Yes?" She responded to the IceWing, even though she couldn't see her in the dark. 
"Where have you been sleeping yesterday?" 
"Why, as a matter of fact, right next to you, of course." Anima blushed as she said this, her mind interpreting it almost too literally. 
"... You let me use your bed while you slept on the floor?" Even without being able to see her expressions, she could almost hear the guilt in her voice. 
She let out a somewhat sheepish laugh. "Well, I technically have an extra room just next door... but I don't mind. I've fallen asleep many times on the floor before, just ask Kurante, we've both been there. Plus, it's not like it's uncomfortable or anything, with all of these pillows." 
"... Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, you've already done so much for me, you don't have to..." 
"Isla, don't worry about me. Kurante didn't rescue you for you to make me happy. Like I said, you're my guest - while you're here, just try to relax and let me take care of you, got it?" 
"... Okay." 
"I mean, if it bothers you, I could always use the other room..." 
"What? No! I - I mean, you don't have to leave..." Deep down, Anima was relieved that she said so. She might have stayed yesterday night just to keep an eye on Isla... but now she realized that she truly didn't want to leave her side. The thought of leaving her alone brought an unsettling, cold feeling to her heart. 
"Relax, Isla. I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me to." 
"... Sure." 
"Good night, Isla." She repeated the words she had said the previous night. Except, right now, she got a response. 
"Good night. Sweet dreams." The soft voice of the tired dragoness reached her ears, bringing a smile to her face once more. 
Her slumber was filled with pleasant dreams, indeed. 
-----
...
Was this just a dream? 
Why had fate been so cruel to her, yet so kind to her at the same time? 
The same question had been lingering in her mind as she watched the little hybrid sleep, the soft colors of her scales rippling in the moonlight. It's clear that she was already safe in the depths of slumber. She looked... beautiful. And, well, adorable, in her own way. 
How had Isla been so lucky to meet such a kind-hearted dragon after her close encounter with death? 
She had taken care of Isla and fed her well - much better than any IceWing ever had. Most importantly, she felt so contented and peaceful whenever she hugged her, and she couldn't resist that warm feeling that shot through her heart every time they had any physical contact. 
She had been silently observing the hybrid, and she was just so... admirable, in many ways. Isla found many little quirks about her that she had never learned to appreciate in other dragons before, in just a little over a day. She somehow found the way her large ears twitched whenever she was surprised or happy adorable, and she adored her tendency to sometimes talk to herself... 
It wasn't just that - somehow, Anima had made her feel happy, truly happy after so many years, almost like as if she wanted to stay here in this unfamiliar town just because of her presence... 
Why were her emotions so confusing? 
You're too good for me, she thought silently. She couldn't help but smile at the lilac dragoness laying on the ground, before proceeding to close her eyes and let a dreamless sleep overtake her. 
Isla had never known the feeling of looking forward to tomorrow. 
Until now. 
Chapter 6
Out of habit, she almost jumped out of bed once the first light of dawn had crept through the window.
It's morning already?
Her mind went into a state of temporary panic, before she realized that she was safe, safe from her parents, safe from the cruel world in the Ice Kingdom... safe in the home of the little hybrid sleeping on the ground next to her. 
Isla slowly got up from her resting position, leaning over the edge of the bed to look at Anima, who was apparently still sound asleep. She took the opportunity to admire her outward appearance better. 
She only now noticed that her scales were constantly shifting in intensity and color, never staying the same shade for too long. Now that she paid attention, she noticed that her wings were slightly larger than an average dragon's, making her SkyWing genes obvious. Everything about her features were so... perfect. She was neither overweight nor too skinny, and even when her lively blue eyes were closed... Isla found her to be rather charming. Well, and adorable. 
She couldn't explain it - she enjoyed her company greatly. She had only known Anima for such a short time - yet she somehow already felt attached to her, like she's someone that she had known for her whole life. It was hard for Isla to even explain what she felt at that moment - the happy dragoness was just so easy to talk to, and for once, she didn't feel the need to be better than what she currently is... Maybe it was only because she left the stressful environment of her old home, but she highly suspected that the dragoness that she found to be rather pretty had something to do with it. 
The small hybrid was beginning to stir, and Isla looked away quickly, blushing as she realized that she had been staring without meaning to. She wouldn't have wanted to be caught doing that - that would just be embarrassing, and probably disrespectful, now that she thought about it. The last thing the IceWing wanted to do was to upset the dragoness who had been nothing but nice to her. 
She heard the other dragon yawn before she stretched and sat up, her soft blue eyes fluttering open and gazing upon Isla. The sight of Anima's lilac scales, which now rippled with a soft shade of rose pink in the early morning light almost made her heart skip a beat. 
"Good morning! How did you sleep?" Isla was surprised that she could speak so energetically with a bright smile on her face, for a dragon who had just woke up. 
"Morning. I slept well, actually." She smiled back, her heart feeling light for once. 
"That's great! I'm glad that you're feeling better." There was it again - the warm feeling swelling up in her chest every time she heard her say those words of encouragement. It all sounded silly that it meant so much to her, but Isla couldn't deny that it was exactly how she felt. 
"So, do you want to follow me to my kitchen for a bit? You've never left this room, you know." Anima extended a talon to the IceWing, who took it without much hesitation this time. 
"I'd love that." 
Isla proceeded to follow the other dragoness out of the small room, leading her into another space that she had never thought she would see. It wasn't like the Ice Kingdom was completely devoid of luxuries such as pillows and blankets, but as far as she was concerned, they were usually reserved for royalty or dragons from higher circles. It was clear that the town's residents' simplistic (or what she assumed from what Anima had told her) way of living was showing in their homes - specifically their emphasis on comfort. 
Category:Content (Light Fairy)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Genre (Romance)