I am here and will wait around.

I think I'll have to go soon, if I'm still alone in 30 minutes or so... XD

Sorry, I came late too xP
I have about two hours until an event, so I can stay till then.

I have maybe an hour. X) So how shall we start?

Let's start! I have no ideas though... 'XD

I guess I'll start with something generic. XD

Crowley stepped over a fallen tree as he made his way through the mountains. He was alone today, without Cherry. And he wasn't hunting. For once, he was just enjoying the peace and quiet of the early morning.

(If you want to switch to script style, feel free.)

(sorry for the wait, I lost my comment)
Psyche yawned sleep away as he lumbered out of his cave. His mouth parted to breath in the cool, crisp morning air. Just then, a slightest draconian scent caught his attention. His blue tongue flicked in and out curiously, trying to locate the stranger.

( I can't decide which OC I want to use... Is Psyche okay? I can't remember any of my OCs at the moment -_-')

(Sure, he's fine!)

The sharp scent of another dragon suddenly invaded his nose, and he stiffened to alertness and prepared himself to either flee or fight. Not that HE would ever be caught running away from an enemy...

He turned around and bared his teeth, trying to locate the stranger with his eyes. 'Who's there?' he shouted into the cold mountain breeze. 'I'm warning you right now, if you're gonna disturb my morning walk, I'll rip your head off before you can blink.'

(Okay then. Also, excuse my rusty roleplaying skills, I haven't done this in ages.)
Psyche winged his way over to the intruder who apparently had no intention of hiding himself.
He landed gracefully in front of the sleek, black dragon and gave an amused chuckle.
"Tear off my head? I should be tearing off //your// head, you who dares intrude on my mountain."

Rather than backing down against the sudden arrival of the much larger dragon, Crowley smirked and lifted his head high, his entire posture showing arrogance. 'Ooh, you think you're so tough, do you?' he said. 'Listen - I go where I like, and you can't stop me. I have powers beyond what you can possibly imagine.' He narrowed his eyes, hoping to convey his warning to the other stranger. He really wasn't in the mood to fight today.

Psyche looked his opponent up and down like an appraiser appraising a jar. "Unimaginable powers?" Faking a humble face, Psyche spread out his wings and bowed mockingly. "I am most regretful for my hostile actions, my lord. Welcome to my mountain. Your presence was not expected, so no feast has been prepared. Would you care for some acorns instead?"

'...' Crowley let out his breath in a long exhalation, in a pointless effort to control his rising anger. If there was one thing - ONE thing - he hated most of all, it was people who didn't show fear at seeing him. He tensed his muscles in preparation to leap at Psyche's face, but restrained himself long enough to get a few words in.

'You're messing with the wrong guy, you stupid great reptile,' he hissed, voice low and threatening. 'Now get out of my way or I'll kill you here and now.'

Psyche peered down his snout at the smaller dragon. "Since when did you have authority over me? We have only just met, and you think you are my superior? That you can boss me around and clamber about in my territory?" Slyly, he added, "scrawny black seagull."

That was the last straw, in Crowley's opinion. An almost birdlike shriek of rage tore itself from his throat, and he sprung high up to lunge at Psyche's throat, using his wings to propel himself off the ground. In his outburst of fury, the thought of attacking with magic didn't even enter his mind; he was too overconfident to believe any dragon might have an advantage over him.

Satisfied that his prodding had succeeded, Psyche reared up to meet the crow-dragon's outburst. He parried each claw attack with fluent motions, reminding him of the endless practice sessions that made up his fledgling years.
To antagonize his intruder further, Psyche conversed during their fight. "I urge you to try the acorns, my liege. They are very crisp this time of the year."

'Shut up about the acorns, you weirdo!' Crowley snapped, even more annoyed because he was having to use most of his concentration to keep the larger dragon's claws at bay. It had been a long time since he'd fought someone with true power, and although he would never admit it, he was a touch unnerved. 'Who //are// you, anyway?'

Psyche paused to give the crow-dragon an expression of pity. "I see, you are not familiar with introductions. You must not live near any population." Psyche cleared his throat and tried to look knowledgable "When first meeting a person, you give them your name, rather than demanding what theirs is. That's common knowledge."

(I need to go now... ToT When can we RP again?)

(Same time tomorrow is fine for me. However, if you can't be here then, feel free to write your next RP part whenever you're online. I'll reply to it when I get on. X) )

(I'll just write my next part before I leave.)

(Ok! See you then!)

'Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot!' Crowley growled. Despite this, he let his anger cool and backed away a few paces from the other dragon. Maybe Psyche could be an ally... Well, if he wasn't so annoying. 'But since as you're obviously dying to know, my name's Crowley.'

He completed his introduction with a grin, showing most of his teeth.

(See you another time!)

(I'm here right now, if you see this. If not I'll come back another time.)

(Well I have to go, I'll see you whenever you're on. XD)

"Crowley..." Psyche let the name settle on his tongue before continuing. "It suits you. For some reason I had been thinking seagull. But anyways." He extended a hand towards Crowley. "My name's Psyche. Pleased to meet you, despite the fact that you intruded, did not tell me why you intruded, and attacked me after attempting to lord over me on my own territory."

(Sorry I missed you! My wifi was not working T-T I won't be on for long, and it's probably too late for you right now, so we'll have to meet some other day...? I won't be busy tomorrow, so maybe then...)

Crowley eyed Psyche's outstretched hand like it was something disgusting, but after a few moments he cautiously accepted the offer of truce, enfolding the dragon's paw in a vicelike grip with his own.

'I'd say it's nice to meet you, but since as all you've done is insulted and patronised me...' He left the sentence hanging, a contemptuous sneer settling on his face. 'Anyway, while we're talking, have you seen a white dragon recently? He's my younger brother, and I'm trying to hunt him down so I can kill him.'

(It's OK. XD It's hard for me to know when you're online. I'm usually free every day, but meeting up at the same time is going to be hard. Maybe we should exchange friendcodes to know when each other is online?)

Psyche waited for Crowley to release the paralyzing grasp on his talons before he spoke. "I don't believe I have seen any white dragons as of lately. I was asleep for the past few weeks after all.
"But why bother killing this brother of yours? You should consider yourself lucky to have a living blood-relative. I, on the other hand, am no longer within range of my siblings. They have left for the next world, and I await the day that I too will join them," he ended solemnly.

(Are you sure you wrote the code correctly? My 3DS is telling me it's incorrect...)

'D'you think I care about that?' Crowley sneered. Then he dropped his voice almost to a menacing whisper. 'If you really want to know, my brother deserves to die. He pretty much ruined my childhood, so don't tell me I'm lucky to have him - I'd be much luckier if he never existed!'

(My friendcode is one-zero-three-two one-eight-three-five eight-five-one-seven)

"The past is in the past," Psyche stated. "Your childhood is only a fraction of your life. You still have many years on your hide: don't waste them by seeking revenge on the past. The past is dead and gone. What could this brother of yours have possibly done that hatred should burn so deeply?"
(What is Psyche trying to do, talk sense into a psychopath? XD)

(Could you check your friendcode and rewrite it? Even if you have mine, I can't add you until I get yours.)

'You think I can just //forget// everything he did? You're more stupid that I thought.' Even as he spoke, Crowley was unsure why he was still engaged in conversation with this old dragon. He didn't need to justify his actions to anyone! He scraped a claw thoughtfully across the ground, tracing patterns in the rocks.

'I don't care,' the crowdragon finally said. 'I'm gonna destroy him for stealing my parents' attention...' He stopped and cursed his slip of the tongue. He hadn't meant to say that.

Psyche sat back on his haunches and gazed at Crowley with more curiosity than amusement. "Your parents played favorite with your brother?..."
Suddenly Psyche tossed his head back and let out a sharp laugh. "So that is your true reason?" he mused. "You are jealous of your brother, so you want to murder him? You call me dumb, yet you cannot see the simple truth in broad daylight; your brother is not the one at fault. He has done no deeds towards you: he was born into your family without any say. He never asked to steal your limelight. Seeking revenge on your innocent brother will only harm both of you in the end."
Psyche leaned towards Crowley with a mirthless smile. "You're hearing that from somebody who's been there."

(I added you. X))

Crowley tilted his head to one side and stared up at the larger dragon, bewildered for a moment before quickly concealing it behind a sneering mask. 'Are you telling me what to do with //my// life?' he hissed. 'You can sit there and talk as much as you want, but it won't change a thing. This isn't your business anyway - you're a complete stranger.' He clenched his claws into a fist and stood up, fully intending to walk away from Psyche and return to searching the mountains.

(It's impossible to reason with Crowley. XD)

Psyche drew himself up to his full height and held his snout half a tail-length away from Crowley's, daring the crow-dragon to escape his gaze.
He searched the smaller dragon's face for signs of hesitance or guilt, knowing that he had nicked Crowley's confidence.
"Only a fool would murder with no true reason," Psyche hissed bitterly, not at Crowley but at himself. "Hatred is a flame that burns endlessly if you do not vanquish it while it is still a spark. Murder of the undeserving, once commited, can never be taken back. It is a stain on white silk; a black stain that will ruin your soul forever."
"Indeed, I am a fool," he spat. "My heart is blacker than death. I have done the unspeakable. I have tried to bring punishment upon myself, by living alone in the mountains and dwelling on my actions day after day. But I know that I can only atone through death. But I will not end my own life; I am a coward. I hide in these mountain caves, too afraid to do what I must."

(I'm making up Psyche's story as we go XD)

A flicker of surprise showed in Crowley's face for a split second before morphing into familiar arrogance once again. 'I didn't come here to listen to your life story, old guy,' he said. 'Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna get out of here. You're freaking me out.'

With a swish of his feathered tail, he spun around and snapped his claws together. Immediately a shimmering purple warp-portal materialised in front of him. Crowley threw a grin back at Psyche as he casually moved towards the vortex.

Psyche watched with surprise then curiosity as a darkly colored vortex materialized in front of the crow-dragon. "You are one of them," he said. "The dream walkers who can teleport themselves into dream-like dimensions."
Psyche had heard about these kinds of abilities in the past, but he had never witnessed it.
Curiosity bubbled inside him but he concealed his emotions in a mask of casualness. Instead of asking to go in, since he knew Crowley would not allow it, Psyche prepared himself to leap in before the crow-dragon closed the portal behind him, so that he could view a dream dimension with his own eyes.

Crowley flicked his tail contempteously in Psyche's face before leaping into the portal. His intention was to enter the dreamscape and, from there, make another portal that would transport him to a different location in the physical world. 'See you, loser!' he grinned before throwing himself recklessly inside. The vortex began to close behind him...

...when the larger dragon hurtled after him in a burst of speed. With a flap of his wings, Psyche propelled himself through the quickly diminishing portal and bowled (likely intentionally) into Crowley with the full weight of his body.

Crowley grunted as the force of the blow slammed him into the ground, knocking the air out of him. Everything was silent for a moment as the two dragons skidded to a halt on what looked like dark-blue grass. Finally, he lifted his head to survey his surroundings, still panting for breath.

Crowley's dreamscape territory, Nightmare's Rocks, was a spectacular display of jet-black mountains and a stormy purple sky. Lightning flashed somewhere in the distance and thunder rolled over the landscape as he scrambled to his feet, whirling on Psyche with a full snarl. 'You idiot! What are you doing in my world?!'

Psyche ignored Crowley's furious outburst as he sat up and took in his surroundings in a pleasant and easygoing attitude.
"Hm. Just as I predicted. But, what else would you expect in a psychopath's domain?"
Psyche stood and began strolling through the blue grass, his head tilted to the side and his forked tongue flicking in and out. "So many peculiar scents. I can sense another dragon here too. I want to meet this dragon," he decided.

Behind him, Crowley was trying to decide whether or not hitting Psyche from behind was a good idea. Eventually, he settled for pursuing the large dragon closely as they set off through the black mountains. 'Cherry? Ha! I bet you'd love her. She's almost as annoying as you,' He muttered as Psyche followed the scent trail towards his home cave.

Psyche peered at Crowley through the corner of his eye, surprised that the crow-dragon hadn't put up a fight or attempted to kick him out of the dreamscape. "I'll take that as a compliment..." he said.

"So, who is this Cherry?" Psyche asked nonchalantly. "A lady, by the sounds of it. Is she a sister or relative of yours? Or is she your..." Psyche let the question hang mockingly, looking under his wing at Crowley with a toothy grin. He was doubtful, but curious to see if the murderous crow-dragon could possibly be in a relationship with a dragette.

Crowley made a face as if he was about to throw up. 'Ergh, no,' he said vehemently. 'She's my assistant, I guess. Though she doesn't really do much assisting. She's more of... a travelling companion.' He considered what he'd just said, then shrugged. 'She's not even a friend, so don't get any ideas.' He pointed a wing threateningly at Psyche as they continued walking.

"Ah, I see," he said, unbelieving. "An aquaintance." Psyche thought a moment before speaking up again. "Then why is she still here? According to your personality and your distaste for her, she should be dead by now by your claws. So why haven't you done that?"

(Our earlier comments at the top are disappearing o_o Although, I'm pretty sure you can still see them on the Colors! 3D website...)

(Yep, they're still there on the website. Colors3D can't show more than forty comments at once.)

Crowley shrugged again. Truth be told, he didn't know the answer himself, though he had never thought about it until Psyche brought it up. He hated how this old dragon made him reconsider everything he did, even if just for a moment.

'...She's useful,' he said eventually. 'And I guess it's nice to have some company when I'm here alone...'

Psyche meditated over the Crowley's last words. "So an insane killer like yourself can get lonely...?"
Though he didn't say it, Psyche understood Crowley's feelings. For the past number of decades, Psyche had lived alone in the mountains, brooding fruitlessly over the same thoughts in repetitive circles. Psyche felt a strange connection to the black and white dragon, not through personality or tastes, but because their pasts were so similar.
Psyche cocked his head in amusement. Already, he considered Crowley like a brother to him, but admitting it aloud would disgust the crow-dragon to no end. He didn't have enough information to figure out why Crowley had chosen to become a murderer when he was only disfavored as a hatchling, but prodding him might only give Psyche a slash on the snout.
"How is she useful to you?" he asked instead. "What does she do besides traveling with you? Does she assist you in your slaughtering of innocent souls, or does she just make your bed?" he joked.

Crowley's eyes glazed over a bit as he thought. 'Weeeell, she used to help me kill people,' he said slowly. 'She would distract them so I could hit them from behind. But I don't kill people so often nowadays. I guess she isn't really an assistant anymore.'

They had no more time for words, as Crowley's cave had already come into view. The crowdragon ducked inside the darkened entrance, hissing a quick, 'Wait there' to Psyche.

Psyche sat down by the cave entrance, respectful to not barge in on Crowley's lair without permission. The crow-dragon had gone deep enough into the cave that Psyche could not pick up any conversation.
In the meantime, he pondered over what this Cherry assistant dragon was like, and whether Crowley actually liked her or not. Psyche doubted that the dragonette would have any attraction towards Crowley after having been used to end another's life, unless she too was insane, or at least homicidal.

Crowley ventured into the back area of his lair. The cave was unusual in that it had two rooms, divided by walls of rock; the one closest to the entrance was his own room, while the one further away was Cherry's. He picked his way through the path of scattered belongings and general mess that covered the floor, not bothering to tidy anything up. 'Hey, Cheeeeerry?' he called out into the darkness. '...I brought a super annoying guy for you to fall in love with!' he added teasingly.

Quickly, a draconic shape emerged from the other room. 'What is it, Crowley? I was busy...' Then she paused alertly as she caught the scent of another dragon just outside the cave. 'Who //is// that?'

Crowley only grinned and led her back out of the doorway. 'His name's Psyche,' he explained. 'C'mon, let's go and see him!'

The faint draconic scent that Psyche had caught earlier suddenly grew powerfully strong and he stood before the pair had even reached the exit. He studied the delicate pink dragon as she approached him, and before Cherry could say anything, Psyche switched on his flirtatious acting skills. "Greetings, Ojou-san," he said as he bowed low and spread his wings wide, revealing the bright yellow scales that patterned his dark wings. "I have heard many things about you from your crow-friend, but seeing you in the scales is a truly refreshing experience." Psyche stood and took Cherry's talons in his own, placing a charming kiss upon it. He snuck a look at Crowley's face as he did so, trying to see how he would react to seeing another dragon flirting with his assistant.
"You may address me as Psyche," he suggested. "From where I come from, cherry blossoms are both sacred and beautiful. Although your name is also Cherry, no sakura tree can compare to your youthful beauty," he concluded silkily.

Cherry blinked in quiet confusion at the stranger, then apparently decided to take it in stride. 'Um, h-hello,' she greeted nervously while Crowley snickered uncontrollably in the background. 'It's lovely to meet you, but h-how did you get here...?' She snuck a sideways glance at her boss, rather surprised that he would allow anyone to enter his private dream realm without a challenge.

"Oh, it was fairly easy," Psyche lied in a laid-back manner. "This crow-dragon here tresspassed through my territory, so I confronted him and we battled for a bit. Of course, I came out on top with a few flicks of my claws, and the crow-dragon turned tail and fled into his little portal. I, however, wasn't quite finished with him, so I leaped through and tackled him. Eventually, the crow-dragon gave in, and he gave me freedom to go sightseeing in his domain," he stated, flashing haughty grins at Crowley while he spoke.

Crowley gritted his teeth. 'Shut up, you stupid great Chinese lizard thing -' he started ranting, but Cherry swiftly cut him off before a fight could break out, addressing both dragons calmly.

'Look, I don't really know what's going on, but how about we go back to the... the physical world and talk there? There's nothing much to do here anyway...' She glanced anxiously at Crowley as if waiting for approval.

The crowdragon huffed out a breath and seemed to cool down a little. 'Yeah. Fine. Let's get out of here before this idiot ruins anything in my world.'

(Also, I know Psyche is Japanese, but I don't think Crowley would be able to tell the difference. XD)

(Crowley doesn't know his geography, huh? XD)

Psyche chuckled in his deep voice. "I assure you, my liege, I would not do any harm to this place. You allowed me to stay here, after all, so I shall be your respectable guest during my entire stay." 'Unlike a certain somebody,' Psyche thought, but he decided to avoid the subject to keep the peace for the time being.
"But we won't be returning to my territory," he ascertained before adding, "So that we will all be equals. If nobody owns the land, then nobody have authority over the others."

Perhaps surprisingly, it was Cherry who answered. 'I know a place we can go... It's called Angustis Wood. I've been there a few times to see my... my friends. Nobody will bother us there.'

Crowley, who had been watching like a hawk while his assistant spoke, nodded in acknowlegement. 'I've been there too. It's just south of Angustis City, but it's pretty quiet. Whaddya think, big guy?'

"Sounds like a pleasant place," Psyche said. "I haven't been to a city in decades. It should be a refreshing experience." He turned and gave a nod of acknowledgment to Crowley. "Lead the way, crow-dragon."
(I've noticed that Psyche tends to address people with nicknames that he made up XD However, he will prabably call Cherry and female dragons 'ojou-san', which is Japanese for 'milady'.)

(It's pretty funny how he addresses Cherry in a polite manner, while Crowley is just 'crow-dragon'. XD)

Cherry snapped her claws together to create a portal; unlike Crowley's, which had been an ominous purplish colour, hers was pale-pink. 'Come on, everyone...' she said, and stepped quickly through the swirling vortex. Her boss followed at a spint, not waiting to see if Psyche was behind him.

(It shows the difference of respect that he gives to each of them XD)

Psyche was surprised that Cherry was capable of creating portals as well, and then amused at the difference in appearance and aura between hers and Crowley's. The lack of similarity between the two dragons still shocked him, even though they lived in the same den.

Psyche bounded in after the crow-dragon, and the vortex closed behind him as he landed beside the others.

When the three of them emerged from the opposite side of the portal, the first thing they heard was the roar of traffic. It was distant, however, so Cherry felt no need to jump out of the way of any passing vehicles.

They were standing at the edge of a small forest. Above them, the sky was blue with a few trailing clouds, and the air was warm. On the northern horizon, the shapes of a few buildings could be seen. 'There's the city,' Cherry said. 'We're quite far away at the moment.'

Psyche perked his ears towards the city, focusing on the blarings of horns and engines whirring. The sounds were familiar, but he couldn't quite remember the last time he had visited a city, or any large populations in general. "It really //has// been a while," he repeated aloud.
Psyche suddenly remembered that Cherry had mentioned that she had friends in this area, and he came to wonder why she had parted with them. "Why did you leave the city?" Psyche asked her. "Did the crow-dragon here force you?" he said with concern, eying Crowley suspiciously.

Crowley snorted in disgust. 'You think I can stop her going where she wants?' And Cherry shook her head quietly.

'I still come here often to see my friends, but I spend most of my time travelling with - with Crowley.' Then she hastily changed the subject and said, 'How about we go into the city itself? The locals shouldn't bother us, and we could maybe visit some people I know... That is, if you want to.'

Psyche didn't understand why Cherry was so nervous on the subject, and he still had questions to ask, but he let the conversation slip for her sake. "Fine by me," he replied. "Lead the way."

The trio set off at a quick pace towards the city gates; as they walked, Crowley gave Psyche an explanation of what to expect once they stepped inside. 'Angustis is a dangerous city if you don't know what you're doing,' he said, taking obvious delight in his efforts to frighten the older dragon. 'It's got a pretty high crime rate, and most of the people living here have to carry weapons to keep themselves safe on the streets. I've been lucky - nobody's tried to stab or rob me yet.'

Cherry was the first to reach the gateway and paused there, waiting silently for the other two to catch up.

'Like anybody would even //approach// a dragon that radiates death and insanity,' Psyche thought sarcastically.
"I've got weapons," he stated casually, observing his talons and breathing a test flame. "Any dragon who steals from me would be giving their life in return. Besides, who would care to pick on an old timer like me?"

'Oh, believe me, plenty of people would,' Crowley sneered. 'But since as we're dragons, they probably won't mess with us.' He started to say something else, but Cherry interrupted, turning to address Psyche directly.

'So, uhm... where do you live normally? You can't be from around here... are you?'

"I'm glad you asked," Psyche said courteously. "I was born in Japan, a peaceful island of shrines and culture. My species of dragons is considered sacred there, and we are worshipped and treated respectfully by the habitants. Japan has a number of cities like this, but the area where I lived was very quiet and serene. I left, however, after my siblings died. I do not wish to return there or show my face again."

(Now that I think about it, is this even in the real world? Are dragons part of the creatures on earth, or are people replaced by dragons? Or is it a different world entirely? xP)

(The area we're in now is called Sundusk Island, and it's the main world of my OCs. Because many of my characters are travellers who can teleport around, I consider all worlds to be connected - most of my OCs including Crowley and Cherry know that Earth exists, but they don't live there. Hope that makes some sense. XD I can tell you more about Sundusk Island if you want.)

'Huh. So why'd you leave your home after your family kicked the bucket?' Crowley asked, a hint of genuine curiosity buried in hs rough tone. 'Ooh! Did you kill 'em or something? Are the cops chasing you?'

Cherry frowned at him. 'That's not very tactful, you know...' she began, but was quickly distracted as a road came up and she stopped to check for approaching cars.

"I am no criminal on the run," Psyche snorted contemptuously. "If law decreed that I should be imprisoned or executed for my crimes, then I would turn myself in, with no fight. But," he said as he turned to face Crowley, "Yes, I did kill them."
Without giving an explanation, Psyche turned back to the road and lumbered across.

(*dramatic drumroll* Du-du-DUUUUH! XD)

Cherry stood motionless, not even noticing that Psyche had joined her on the other side of the road and Crowley was close behind. Her mind was whirring, heart thumping a little faster than usual. //Do I have two murderers to deal with now?// she wondered, but forced herself to relax and follow Psyche up the street. Maybe she was overthinking things. Maybe it didn't mean what she thought it meant.

A few silent minutes later, the trio arrived at a small, deserted park. There was a large green field, a few sparse trees and a pond in the distance. 'C'mon, let's go over here and talk,' said Crowley. 'I'm sick of walking.'

(ikr?? XD *bows*)

Though the park was nice and peaceful, the rage of traffic was still audible, and the acrid city scent wafted under his nose whenever the breeze blew. Psyche held in his complaints though as he laid down in the grass next to a lone tree, unfolding his wings to catch the sunlight.
When Psyche's mind focused on making his tired limbs comfortable under him, a sudden realization burst into his head so abruptly that he felt stupid for having not considered it earlier. He asked almost too bluntly, "Why didn't we fly?"

Cherry, who was stretching out in a sphinx-like posture on the ground, looked up curiously as he spoke. 'Well, the buildings and streetlamps would have made it quite dangerous to fly through the city. And the streets themselves are narrow too, barely wide enough for a dragon to walk through. In fact, that's what the name Angustis means - 'narrow streets'.'

Crowley draped his wings out on either side of himself and laid his head on his forelegs, relaxing.

(Ahh, so that's what Angustis meant! I definitely knew the word; I just couldn't remember its meaning XD So much for trying to learn in language classes xP)

"True," Psyche agreed. But he still pondered over why him and Crowley hadn't flown to the crow-dragon's lair back in the Dreamscape, and why they didn't fly from the forest to the city. (Actually, those are my thoughts right now. Why didn't they? XD)
But more important questions flowed through his mind at the moment: why did they come here? Psyche scratched the stubby hairs on his chin with a claw, scavenging through his memory for a reason, but to no avail. 'I must be getting old,' he grumbled inwardly. He didn't want to shame himself by asking though, so he waited for another dragon to speak up.

(It's meant to be spelled 'Angustiis', but I dropped one i to make it more pronouncable. XD And I have no idea why they didn't fly, I guess they wouldn't have been able to talk so easily in the air?)

About five minutes passed before Crowley roused himself from his dozing state and shook his wings, dislodging a few loose feathers. Then he fixed Psyche with a surprisingly shrewd look, his yellow eyes sharp and intent.

'So,' he said. 'I bet you're wondering why I'm still here and haven't killed you yet. The reason is... I think you could be useful. You're a big tough guy, right? I want you to help me find my stupid little brother, so I can get revenge on him for ruining my childhood. Whaddya say?'

Psyche watched Crowley silently with interested eyes. "So you really weren't listening when I tried to talk you out of killing him," he speculated. Psyche pretended to think for a moment before speaking up in his most casual voice. "I decline."

The crowdragon showed his teeth and narrowed his eyes, letting the other dragon see how frustrated he was becoming. 'Of course I wasn't listening to you!' he snarled. 'D'you think you can control MY life? I do what I want, big guy. And why are you talking me out of killing my brother, anyway? You just admitted you killed your siblings!'

His snarl quickly morphed into a devilish grin, hoping to provoke a response from Psyche that was not his usual calm self-control.

"You don't know my past," Psyche hissed menacingly low, infuriated that Crowley would insult him without any knowledge. "Their death was not a case of bad relationships. Rather, the absolute opposite. You desire to kill your brother only because you are jealous of him," he pointed out.

'Then I have better reason to kill my sibling than you ever did!' Crowley ruthlessly mocked Psyche. Although he knew next to nothing of the older dragon's past, he loved watching people get riled up, especially when they were calm more often than not. 'I'm gonna have fun killing Lucifer someday. Or at least doing something that'll ruin HIS life the way he ruined mine. Did you have fun killing yours?'

From a few feet away, Cherry slowly stood up to her full height and glanced nervously as the two dragons stared each other down.

"'Fun?'" Psyche repeated, his voice threateningly low and quavering with the effort to not tear the crow-dragon's sinister face in two. "You think I had //fun// killing the only things that mattered in this //entire world// to me?" Psyche stepped dangerously closer to Crowley with his head low and tilted to the side, his eyes glaring at the black dragon with bitter hatred.
"I //loved// them. They were //everything// to me. How could I kill them and still hope to see another sunrise?
"How would you feel," Psyche asked Crowley, his voice still ominously quiet, "If the only thing that mattered to you in this world was slaughtered by your very own claws? Do you know how it feels to have //nothing// worth living for, after you have personally destroyed them?" Psyche spat the words out like they were maggot-filled, even though he knew that Crowley was intentionally provoking him. Psyche wouldn't fall for it and lose his composure entirely, but the crow-dragon was pressing the wrong buttons.

(By the way, how tall is Psyche? I'm trying to figure out exactly how big he is compared to these pretty small dragons. XD)

Crowley's jaw twisted in a crooked smile. 'Ooh, Psyche, did I say something wrong?' he said teasingly. 'You know I'm just messing with you. I'm sure you had a good reason to kill them, just like I have a good reason to kill mine.'

At that moment, Cherry hastily stepped in to intervene, seeing that Psyche was getting precariously close to leaping at Crowley for a kill. 'U-um, guys? Can we please not f-fight about this?' She looked at Psyche tentatively, unsure if he would even listen to her.

Psyche fixed his eyes on Cherry as if he were deciding whether or not attacking her would be a good idea. Eventually, he inhaled deeply and returned his gaze to the crow-dragon. "She's right," he said. "This won't solve anything."
Psyche didn't like to back down when it was only just getting heated up, but he might lose his cool if he got too into it. Psyche sat down and went back to stage 1. "Give me one good reason why helping you will benefit me," he demanded defiantly. Hopefully, a question that would stump the crow-dragon would wipe that revolting triumphant grin off his face.

(I imagine that an average human would reach up to his shoulder, so he would be a little over 3.5 meters from claws to horns. He would still have to stand up in order to see through a second-story window, but I don't want him to be giant-sized, like Inferno XD How big are Crowley and Cherry?)

(Crowley is 6'0'' and Cherry is about 6'3''. Yep, I measure them in feet. X))

Crowley tilted his head to one side and smirked a little. 'Oh, it //wouldn't// benefit you,' he replied. 'I just wanted to annoy you. It's so //fun// watching a guy like you getting angry.' Almost as if nothing had happened, he settled down with his tail wrapped around his body like a cat. 'If you wanna attack me, go ahead. It'll only prove you can't control your temper...'

'That's enough, you two,' said Cherry said in a surprisingly firm voice, smoothly stepping in between the other dragons. 'We don't need a fight.'

(Ok XD I used meters because I wasn't sure which measurements you were most familiar with xP So he's about 12 feet)

Psyche looked up in surprise at the small dragonette, admiring her bold move despite the tension sparking between the two males. "Do not worry, ojou-san," he said assuringly. "I will not fight him..." Psyche gazed past Cherry to give the crow-dragon a mocking glare. "It would be a waste of energy."
Psyche stood up to leave. "If you want to kill your brother and make a mess of your life, then fine. I gave you my advice and you rejected it; whatever choices you make now are none of my concern," he ascertained flatly.

Crowley snorted contempteously as he also stood up. 'Like I said, you're not my boss. You shouldn't even care what I do. It's my life.'

Cherry hurried towards Psyche as he moved to leave, looking calmer now that the stand-off was over. 'W-would you like me to make a portal for you?' she enquired shyly. 'You can't fly back to your home from here.'

"That would be wonderful if you would," Psyche said gratefully. "But, are you able to create a portal that connects to a place you've never seen or been to? Are there no limits to your ability?" he questioned.

Psyche had never understood the teleportation concept. It was too good to be true. Psyche was certain that there had to be some weakness to the ability, like the inability to teleport to a place you've never been to or only reach a certain distance.

Cherry paused to consider his question before saying, 'Yes, but I'll need you to focus on your world as we step through the portal. I don't know what your home looks like, so you'll need to create a picture of it in your mind and hold it - my magic will feed off your thoughts and bring us to the right location, if we're lucky.'

'As for your other question,' she added, 'there are few limits to portal-warping, other than it being difficult to travel to places we've never seen. We can warp across any distance, to any world.'

"Impressive," he admitted. Psyche opened his mouth to say his farewells, but instead found himself stalling his departure. "What if you create a world in your head as you step through? Will you teleport to a place that is closest to your imagination's? I had had a landscape pictured in my mind when I stepped into the crow-dragon's portal... how did we manage to go to the same place?"

'Because the one who controls the magic has control of where you end up going,' answered Cherry. 'If the portal's creator doesn't know where to go, then the magic turns to feed off the nearest person instead. If I were to create a portal with no destination in mind, then I'd end up going to whatever place is currently in your mind, or Crowley's.'

(I'm making this technical stuff up as I go along, I've never thought about it before. XD)

'Additionally, if the place you're thinking of exists only in your imagination, then you could wind up in a section of the dreamscape... or not going anywhere at all.'

"Interesting..." Psyche mused. "Well, then, I suppose my time to leave has come. I am no longer needed..." He added slyly, "And unwanted." Psyche checked the crow-dragon's expression for what he might be thinking at the moment.
Psyche hated to admit that he would miss the two dragons, even though he barely knew them and was hated with a passion by Crowley. But he could hardly remember the last time he spoke with another dragon, and his mind would only be filled with them after he returned to his home.

Perhaps Cherry noticed something odd in his tone or expression, because she beckoned Psyche a little way across the park with her, out of Crowley's earshot. 'I don't know your history, Psyche,' she began, 'but I hope you have friends wherever you live. I-it doesn't matter what you've done in the past... No-one deserves to be alone.'

"Thank you for your concern, ojou-san," he smiled gratefully. "But you needn't worry about me. However," Psyche paused to look over his shoulder at the crow-dragon who was desperately straining his ears, trying to overhear their conversation. "I am worried about your safety. Around that temperamental dragon," he said. "If you need my strength or protection at all during this dangerous mission, then I shall accompany you. I likely will not take part in the actual plan, but I want to make sure that the crow-dragon, or anyone else, will not harm you." Psyche knew that Crowley would mock him to the ends of the ages if Psyche came along because he was lonely. Instead, he would be invited along if Cherry asks that he act as her bodyguard. It worked out perfectly, because he had flirted with Cherry before, so Crowley would assume that the dragonette was falling for Psyche.

'I-I... th-thank you, Psyche,' she stammered. 'But I honestly don't know if I'll ever call on you for help... I have personal reasons for travelling with Crowley, and I don't want to endanger anyone else. Besides, I don't think he'll ever try to hurt me...' She looked for a moment as though she wanted to say something else, but stopped herself. 'Still, I'd love to see you again,' she said instead.

Psyche studied Cherry's face for a moment, wondering if she would change her mind or say anything else.
"Very well then," he said finally. Psyche turned to walk back, then stopped to face Cherry once more. "If you ever need me, or wish to visit me, Crowley can get you there." In those words, Psyche had made a promise that he would always be there to help.

Cherry dipped her head in quiet acknowledgement while Crowley studied them suspiciously. 'What've you two been talking about?' he asked, then continued without waiting for an answer. 'Well, I guess you're leaving now, big guy. To be honest I'm kinda glad.'

Cherry snapped her claws and a pink portal materialised in the air some twenty feet up. 'Follow me, Psyche,' she said, taking off and winging towards it. 'And remember to focus on our destination as we pass through.'

Psyche, his emotions masked, made eye-contact with Crowley for a small moment before he launched off the field with a powerful swoop of his wings, stirring the blades of grass around the crow-dragon. He followed after Cherry with steady wing beats while preparing an image of his home in his mind.
As Psyche flew, he began to wonder if going to another dimension was actually possible. If dragons could teleport into dream worlds, then could a place of the dead be visited? Would his siblings be there, waiting for him? Psyche shook out his mane, discarding the thought as the vortex loomed closer and closer. It was a silly wish.

Cherry blanked her mind as they approached the portal, not wanting her own thoughts to interfere with the vision Psyche was holding in his mind. They dived into the centre of the vortex and emerged in a sunny mountain landscape she had never seen before, nearly three hundred feet above ground. She folded her wings and descended, Psyche following close behind.

As they landed on the grass below, she turned to the other dragon, looking a little nervous. 'Psyche? I can't help noticing... you look like you're thinking hard about something. Can you tell me about it?' She fixed him with an intent stare, trying to convey that she would gladly help him if he needed it.

Psyche blinked in surprise, still amazed at how sharp Cherry was when it came to percieving others' thoughts. He longed to ask her if connecting a portal to his siblings was possible, if he were even able to picture what kind of place they were in right then.

But what if the place that he conjured up didn't exist, and he ended up back here? What if they truly are unreachable? And even if he did make it to them, would he be able to stay?

Psyche's thoughts and doubts ran so deep that he replied to Cherry without even considering his words. "Is... heaven real?" He wished he could reverse time when he realized how dumb he sounded.
Psyche started again and cleared his throat, this time choosing his words more carefully. "Is the realm of the dead...physical?" He asked slowly. "If the soul parts from the body at death, does it go to a place where no living creature can walk...?" Psyche paused. 'This is stupid,' he thought. He shook his head doubtfully. "Never mind."

Cherry looked down at her feet and considered her answer very carefully before saying, 'In our culture - that is, the culture of Sundusk Island - we believe in an afterlife world known as the Spirit Kingdom. It's a place where dragons, humans, and everybody who lives in Sundusk goes when they die. Only those who have truly died can enter the Spirit Kingdom... it's inaccessable to the living, even by portal.' She shook her head and added gently, 'I know you probably want to see your siblings, but it's just not possible right now. When your time comes... when you die... you can see them again.'

Psyche stood silently in the mountain breeze, comprehending Cherry's words. He understood that it was an impossible dream to see his siblings when he still existed in the real world, so he was not disappointed at the news. But even then, he longed to see them. However, he instinctively knew that his time had not yet come to reunite with them.

Psyche lifted his head up to the sky, watching as wispy clouds were stretched across the blue atmosphere by the wind. "I was the youngest in my family," he said to Cherry, his eyes still on the sky. "I had two brothers and four sisters." He chuckled softly. "They picked on me often and treated me as siblings always would with the youngest, even though we were all from the same clutch. But around others, we acted maturely and gracefully, because we were sacred beasts to the humans." Psyche paused to look at Cherry to see whether she was interested in his story or not.

Cherry was also, coincidentally. looking up at the sky. She didn't speak, but tilted her head to show she was listening and acknowledging everything he said.

Psyche returned his gaze to the sky as he continued. "Our family line was lauded for having protected and maintained order in Japan for centuries. The humans there loved us because we were perfect for the job: we were powerful, quick thinking, sharp in our senses, adaptable to the hottest and coldest enviroments, well-armed and fearless. We were chosen as Japan's sacred image above all of the asian dragons in the world."

Psyche looked down the rigid line of mountains, white birds flitting in and out of the deciduous trees that covered them. "That was why my siblings died," he said gravely. "A group of magical asian dragons came from the caves in the north and began to terrorize the humans and their crops, because they were jealous of us and hated the humans for choosing us over all dragons." Speaking about it made Psyche wonder if Cherry would notice how similar a situation it was to Crowley's past.
"We would have fought back, but the serpent dragons had enchanted our food to

make us sleep when we ate it. Eventually, we caught on to their tricks, and we quit eating and drinking, and we guarded all sides of the town at all times... but the asian dragons were smart. They stopped attacking once our defenses were placed, but they lingered outside of the village, close enough that we could see them, but unable to attack them without abandoning our posts. Their nearby presence told us that the town still needed protection, so we continued to fast, slowly weakening."

Cherry slowly nodded, absorbing his story. If she was honest, she thought it was surprising that Asian dragons - creatures she'd always believed were kind and selfless - would try to cause harm to other dragons. 'What then?' she asked softly. 'Did you ever manage to defeat them?'

Psyche nodded to show that he had heard her before continuing. "They waited two months, and by then our energy had depleted by half. Then the struck. The asian dragons came from all sides, and from the looks of it, they had brought their entire tribe." Gray clouds rolled across the sky as Psyche recalled the fateful battle between seven starving dragons and an army of magic-possessors.

"But they underestimated us." Psyche allowed a toothless grin onto his solemn face. "We were weakened due to our lack of food, but we were still strong together. Our bonds ran so deep that it was as if we were one, and we raged as does an ocean. And we began to win. The enemy's number dropped until they were outnumbered, and not one of us died. But then," he said, his smile fading, "They possessed us." Clouds covered nearly all of the blue in the sky, casting shadows across the wind-blown clearing, emphasizing the dark elements of Psyche's story.

"Who knows the properties of asian dragon magic, but somehow, they managed to make us go violent and turn on the village. I was the only one who was not affected. Perhaps the serpents did not have enough power to possess all of us, so they chose to leave out the smallest of the litter. Or, as I had began to suspect during my time in the mountains, they kept me in my right mind so that I could watch my siblings destroy the home that we had protected since we were born, helpless to stop it, and then my own siblings would turn on me. But that was their mistake."
Psyche's eyes glazed over painfully as he relived the most horrible moments in his memory. "My siblings, like puppets controlled by a witch, rampaged into the city and wreaked havoc. It was devastating, what six of us could do.
"Fire. Wailing. Death. The asian dragons destroyed the reputation that our bloodline had established over hundreds of years in one night. I couldn't let our homeland be crushed, not by my own siblings.

"But I was only one dragon. The smallest, youngest one in the clutch. Against six larger, stronger dragons, of whom I loved dearly. Instead, I stood, frozen in terror, as they tore the place that they had so cherished into pieces." Silently, a snowflake floated in front of Psyche, and another one gracefully followed. He looked up into the now entirely covered sky, white flakes drifting across his vision. His eyes suddenly blurred, and the snowflakes became ashes, the mountainscape a flaming village. Humans ran to and fro past him, screaming and racing for their lives. The form of a dragon swept by up ahead, shouldering through buildings like haystacks, roaring as it passed. An older woman, on her knees facing and away from Psyche, wept silently as she watched her home collapse before her. Noticing his presence, the woman turned around, and she uttered something through her tears.
Psyche stopped, unable to go on, flooded by the vividly realistic vision of a memory he didn't remember.

Cherry stood completely frozen as she listened, then, when she sensed that Psyche would not continue, tentatively reached out to place a heavy clawed paw over his. Above them, the sunny sky had transformed into a stormy landscape; dark clouds rolled and boiled over the mountains, threatening rainfall. 'Whatever happened wasn't your fault,' she said softly but firmly, trying to make sure he heard her. 'I'd hate to be in that situation, up against creatures so much more powerful then me. Even if you couldn't save your siblings or your village, I still... admire you for surviving it.'

Feeling as though she'd said too much, Cherry hastily closed her mouth and stared up at the churning sky instead.

The visions faded as Cherry spoke, but Psyche could still see the outlines of the fire and the elderly woman before him. He stood silently, breathing ragged breaths through parted jaws, trying to remember who the elderly woman was. He recognized her, but could not make out who she was, and why she had appeared in his mind of all times.

Shaking his head, Psyche willed himself to finish the story that he had started. "I don't know what made me think I could do it, but I confronted my siblings. I fought them all, in achingly long and bloody battles. And I killed them, one by one. I overcame the ones whom I thought I could never defeat, and I slayed every one of them, because I could not bear to let them be forced to destroy what they had defended their entire lives." Psyche paused, letting his words sink into both dragons' minds.

"After the battle had ended, I gathered my siblings' dead bodies to the center of the town and mourned for them. The surviving humans gathered around as well, but not to mourn for my littermates. Instead, they cheered and congratulated me on my victories, for having defended their homes." Psyche hissed remorsefully. "I had just personally slaughtered my entire family, yet they thought I had done a good thing. Did they even know that my siblings had been forced to attack? Or did they believe that they had my siblings had decided to betray the humans, and cheered when they finally fell?

"The memories in that town and my anger towards the humans were too much for me, and I eventally fled from Japan. I ended up in these mountains, and I hid here, trying to forget everything that had happened. But when they wouldn't leave, I settled for dwelling on my actions, regretting them and accusing myself day after day.

(By the way, in case you didn't know, Crowley never followed them through the portal. It's only Cherry and Psyche here. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. X))

Cherry made a humming noise in her throat to show she had acknowleged Psyche's words, but said nothing. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke up. 'Even knowing all of that, I don't think any different of you. What you did was necessary... your siblings wouldn't want to destroy the place they'd worked so hard to protect, right? I've done much worse things in my life... and I never even had a good reason,' she finished, a bitter edge to her voice.

(Oh, sorry for the confusement! When I had said that it sank into both dragons' minds, I meant Cherry as well as Psyche, since his story still affected him as if he were hearing it for the first time xP)

"But I still killed them," he contradicted. "It was my choice, so in the end, I am the--" Psyche stopped abruptly, the lost memory reappearing in his mind once more. The elderly woman was in front of him again, fire raging and crumbling buildings in the background. The woman turned to face Psyche, but this time when she opened her mouth, he heard her words. "I remember..." he breathed.
This woman was the one who had raised him and his siblings, the one who had loved and mothered them since they were hatchlings. Kotoki was her name. She was the reason they loved the city so much, because to them she was the heart of it all. She was the love that held everything together, for dragons and humans alike.
Kotoki, elderly but still graceful and beautiful, smiled sadly up at him. "Psyche," she said softly. "My children are suffering. Please... save them." He knew that she had meant Psyche's siblings when she said children, and he knew that she wanted him to end their lives, in order to

rescue them from the horror that they would feel once they came to their right minds, if they ever would.
Psyche could suddenly make out another blur, which came up beside Kotoki. Then more blurs appeared, which slowly moved towards him, all repeating Kotoki's pleas, all addressing Psyche.
"They asked me to do it," he breathed, stunned with the realization. "They understood... they knew why my siblings were doing it. And they cared. The humans wanted me to defeat my siblings, so that my brothers and sisters would no longer have to endure the horrors they were creating. They cared," Psyche repeated, amazed and saddened that he had missed such an extremely important detail all this time.

Psyche fixed Cherry with wide eyes, as if he was seeing her for the first time. "I was wrong," he stated. "That time when they congratulated me on my victory. They were cheering for me because I had saved my siblings." He suddenly felt horrible for having abandoned thhem in such a state, when they had

never meant him harm in the first place. "All this time in the mountains, all these years of brooding over my mistakes... but I didn't make a mistake," Psyche realized. "I did it for the people, for Kotoki, for my siblings..."

(Sorry that my comments have been so long! There's too much to comprehend in each one, and it takes me ages to write them out... -_-')

Smiling faintly, Cherry nodded in understanding. She wasn't sure if Psyche was even fully aware of her presence, being in the strange trance-like state he was, but she felt compelled to say, 'Yes. You did it for them... to save them from the pain of knowing they'd destroyed their homeland.'

(Eh, don't worry about it, I like reading these insights into Psyche's story. X))

(That's good X))

Psyche nodeed like a child being comforted by its mother.

"But," he said as he came out of his trance, "It's been thirty years. Kotoki would be long gone by now, and the humans were in such a horrible state when I left... What if they didn't revive?" More guilty realization washed over Psyche. "The asian dragons weren't all dead - what if they came back? The people would be in no position to defend themselves..."

As Psyche fretted in a very unlike himself way, he happened to notice Cherry's paw, which was still rested upon his own. When did that get there?, he pondered.

'Maybe you should go back and see them again,' said Cherry quietly. 'I'm sure they're OK, the the people who are left will probably want to see you. Besides, it's your home... isn't it?' She noticed Psyche's gaze had drifted from the sky and landed on her paw, which was still resting on top of his. Flustered, she quickly moved it away.

Not seeming to notice Cherry's emberassed withdrawal, Psyche stretched his wings out. "I wonder if they would forgive me for abandoning them," he said. Psyche turned his attention to Cherry, his personality finally returning. "It would be a wonderful favor if you would create a portal for me. But first, you should probably tell Crowley, who has been waiting all this time, where we will be going, so that he doesn't teleport here and not find us. And I am assuming you will go in after me to make sure I reach my destination," he deducted.

Cherry nodded. 'Wait here a moment. I'll go and tell him what we're doing. He probably wouldn't come looking for me, but just in case...' Quickly, she called up a portal and jumped through it, the pink vortex collapsing behind her and leaving Psyche alone.

After Cherry had vanished through the vortex, Psyche sat on the ground, alone with the mountains. Too tired to think deeply, he settled for listening to the rumble of thunder as he waited for the dragonette to return. He desired to see the people in his homeland again, but he felt like a coward for having run away for three decades and then returning timidly. Psyche didn't know if he could face them after all this time.

It took nearly five minutes for Cherry to return. Eventually, a portal appeared several feet away and she stepped out of it, looking around for Psyche. 'I'm ready,' she said when she found him sitting in the same place as before. 'If you're sure you want to go, come and walk through this portal... I'll follow you. Make sure you have a clear image of your homeland in your mind as you enter, or you might end up in a place that looks similiar but isn't the right one.'

Psyche nodded towards Cherry as he stepped towards the portal. He chose to picture a nearby piece of elevated land unaffected by the attack in his mind, instead of the village itself, in case its appearance had changed so much over time that he ended up in a different town when he pictured the old one.

Image ready in his mind, Psyche stepped through the vortex and landed in tall green grass. He took in his surroundings as Cherry stepped out next to him, noting that the shrines stood in their same places on the hill, but when he looked in the direction of the village, the sight horrified him.

The village was beyond repair - it had become a ghost town. It looked exactly like it had during the aftermath of the attack, except that no fires burned. Ash-stained buildings made the place look gray and haunted, buildings lay in heaps of rubble, and not the slightest whiff of a living thing could be detected. Psyche shuddered, and he shook his scales out to stop it.

Cherry felt a wave of vertigo coming on and had to sit down before she fell. All she could do was stare at what remained of the village in transfixed horror. It was far worse than she'd imagined. The smell of ash and death choked her lungs, making nausea rise in her throat. 'How could this have happened...?' she whispered, almost too quietly to hear.

"Behold the things that a dragon is capable of doing," he uttered.
Without checking to see if Cherry would follow, Psyche swooped down to the edge of the town and landed noiselessly, but ashes and rubble crunched under his feet like dry leaves. He quietly began to walk into the village, careful to not step on sharp objects or piles of debris. As typical of country farmland houses, most of the buildings were only single-storied, so Psyche was able to see over them easily with his long neck.

Cherry did follow, albeit cautiously. As she walked through the ruins, she couldn't help noticing that there were no signs of bodies anywhere among the village; no skeletons or other remains. She coughed as some dust got into her nose and raised her head in an attempt to see over the buildings like Psyche was. 'It's horrible,' she said. 'Nothing Crowley has ever done looks this bad...'

"He could if there were six of him," Psyche rumbled. Soon, they had reached the center of the village, and Psyche surveyed his surroundings. The community buildings that lined the stony circular clearing were scorched with vicious flame marks, some parts of the walls melted and resolidified by blazing hot flames.

Psyche's heart lurched when he looked to the very center and saw six mounds of earth. They were positioned in a star-like pattern in a circle, with stones by each one, names engraved in kanji.
Psyche approached slowly, then circled around them, reading each tablet. "Phoenix, Magnia, Riptide, Glory, Spruce, Cirrus," he read aloud.

Cherry kept a few paces back as Psyche examined the area, respectful enough not to interfere. //His siblings' graves?// she thought, looking at the mounds of earth and the tablets depicting each name in Japanese kanji. However, she decided not to say anything unless he said spoke to her directly.

(Haha, this RP is so big it takes longer than usual to load the comments. XD)

(I know, right? It's the longest RP I have ever attended, but it's still been fun! XD)

Psyche took a moment to mourn one more time for his siblings' deaths before walking back to Cherry. "The village is beyond repair. They must have relocated. I'm going to fly up to the closest village and ask around for information. You don't have to come along if you don't want to," he said. "I do not wish to obligate you to come any further."

(I'm still not sure how to end this. XD)

Cherry lowered her head and thought for a moment. 'I really ought to be going back to Crowley...' she said in a low voice. 'He'll be wondering where I am. A-and I think this is something personal to you, something you should do alone.' She looked up at Psyche. 'I want to see you again someday, though.'

(Me either. XD I was thinking that while asking around, Psyche would hear about a white dragon that had traveled through there earlier, and the three dragons would journey together again, but I don't know if you wanted to keep going, since this has gone on for so long XD)

"Do as you wish," Psyche said, dipping his head in approval. "This is my homeland after all, so even if I do not find my people, I will not desire to go back to the mountains. I have resided in that place for too many painful years."

(How about we split it into two seperate RPs? Then we can end this massive thing and continue your idea in a fresh room.)

Although a little reluctant to leave Psyche alone, Cherry nodded in agreement. 'I'm happy for you... and I really hope you find your people again,' she said. Then she mustered her power and summoned a new portal, pausing politely at the entrance to see if Psyche would say any more.

"Thank you," Psyche said with a grateful dip of his head. "Also," he added when Cherry paused in front of her portal. "My story... if you feel it's right, then tell the crow-dragon. I shared it with you when he wasn't around, because I had said that I would no longer offer him advice or try to convince him to do otherwise. But if the time comes when he needs to hear it, then feel free to share it with him," Psyche permitted.

'OK...' said Cherry. 'But if you think he'll ever stop his evil actions, you're wrong. I've worked hard to make him a better person, but some things will never change... Goodbye, Psyche.' She started walking into the vortex.

As the pink dragon began to vanish, Psyche called out. "Cherry!" He had never called her by her name before. He paused before continuing. "Come visit. With the crow-dragon. I'll get lonely here without any dragon company," he said with a smile.

(Oops, sorry for not giving feedback earlier xP I think that's a great idea! You may post Part 2 whenever you feel like it x) Also, will it take place on the same day in the storyline, or days/weeks/months later?)

(Maybe a few days/a week later? It seems odd to cram everything into one day.)

Cherry smiled a little, knowing it would be hard to convince Crowley to talk to Psyche again. But she would try anyway. 'We'll see you soon, Psyche,' she called out. 'Good luck looking for your people.' She turned with a flick of her tail and leapt into the heart of the vortex. Seconds later the vortex closed behind her, leaving the older dragon alone beside the ruins of his destroyed homeland.

(Also, I'll try to get the new room up later this week.)

(Haha, I guess that'd be most sensible XD Well, I guess we'll stop here then?)

(I think this is a good stopping point. We'll continue when I put up the new RP room. X) Also, this was one of the most fun RPs I've had, and Psyche is cool. XD)

(Same with me! x) Psyche and Crowley's personalities spell trouble when they're put together XD)

(Crowley clashes with everyone, even his friends. XD)