FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was moderately busy at the Inn. A major event had just concluded a few days ago, but many of those who participated had decided to extend their stay, finding the venue to be quite accommodating and relaxing. In spite of the number of people passing to and fro through the foyer, no one seemed to take much notice of a green-scaled lady navigating the crowd. Shi was completely naked and sported a rather heavily swollen abdomen. The dome shifted gently as shi walked, meaning someone was concealed under hir smooth hide. The dragoness showed no sign of impediment from hir burden. In fact, shi rather visibly relished it.

Carmel caressed hir stomach idly as shi walked, basking in a strong content sensation. Shi could feel Jace squirming softly inside hir, intent on keeping him trapped there for as long as shi could manage. After all, he didn't seem to mind all that much. The fennec seemed to enjoy letting his girlfriend do all manner of things to and with him. As if gliding on air, the dryad dragon approached the front desk and greeted the clerk.

"Hello. Have you seen Smokey this morning?" Carmel's voice carried almost a melodic quality. Shi was in a fine mood indeed.

"Hey Carmel," The young hare behind the counter said, "Yeah, up in the dining hall with Shayna, Miss Inara, and I think Sirius and Brian joined them. They decided to have an early lunch."

"Thank you." Carmel smiled.

The spiral staircase leading to the upper level of the main hall saw the lady brought to just outside the dining room. It wasn't quite lunch time yet, so there wasn't a terribly enormous crowd, but it was far from empty. Carmel gave the room a quick scan and located the group shi sought, smiling and waving to them. Almost immediately shi was spotted and waved over to join them. The five already seated welcomed the sixth as shi approached. The sight that greeted hir amused the round-bellied lady.

"Well, I guess everyone's been busy." Carmel said, noticing that everyone at the table, hirself included, had a large, round stomach.

Smokey chuckled and reached over, offering hir sister a half-hug. Shi was still weighed down a bit by hir own swollen middle. Shi wasn't even really that close to giving birth yet, and Ivory just seemed to keep growing.

"Yeah, I guess ours is the table reserved for expectant parents." The blue lady said as shi turned to look over at the others.

Shayna nodded, still carrying the rabbit nurse shi had taken as something of an apprentice.

"Smokey, Inara, and I, we're all going the full term. Sirius and Brian, they just felt left out when they sat down." The angelic lady smirked.

Carmel tilted hir head, "So, what, they just grabbed a couple of random guests and stuffed them in?"

"Close," Brian giggled as he squeezed his heavy, round gut, "A couple of wolves from Sirius' pack."

The white wolf next to him rolled his eyes a little.

"He just teleported them right into us so we would 'fit in'. It was rather sudden, and not just for the two of us. Thankfully, these two don't seem to mind being unexpectedly yanked out of their day-to-day lives like this." Sirius gave his gently shifting dome a firm pat.

"We were just about to order," Smokey said, "Would you care to join us?"

Carmel nodded.

"I'd love to. Don't mind Jace, though. He's being punished." Shi said, a subtle tinge of somewhat twisted pleasure in hir voice.

That garnered interest from the rest of the table as the green dragoness sat down.

"Punished?" Inara asked, the vixen reclining in hir seat as hir own belly took up most of hir lap.

Carmel smirked with a nod.

"He has a nasty habit of not checking and maintaining his rock climbing gear, so when he goes around performing network maintenance, he sometimes ends up stuck, or on the rare occasion, falling. I caught him this time and gave him a good scolding. Now, he's just going to stay in there until he can learn to be more careful." The pale jade dragoness looked down at hir tummy, giving it a firm poke. The act was answered by the fox inside stretching out in the direction the poke came from.

Inara frowned softly in mild confusion.

"But, why punish him? The Promise would have caught him, wouldn't it?"

"It would have," Carmel answered, "But he'd have to go through the whole process of falling, getting hurt, and dying before he could be brought back. It's very unpleasant, trust me, I know. And... well... I kinda have a hang-up about it."

Smokey interjected, "Bad past experience. It's not a pleasant memory."

Carmel turned to face the blue, still amused and delighted that hir brother was now hir sister, at least for the time being.

"Actually, that's why I wanted to come see you. Jace and I had a conversation about the whole falling thing. I think it might be time we let him in on a few things," The green lady looked back down at hir belly, caressing the dome tenderly, "We've been together long enough that I think I owe him that."

The angelic dragoness grinned a little at the implication.

"So he's not just a fling, he's a keeper huh?" Shayna asked.

Carmel nodded with a soft blush.

"Yeah, it just kinda happened over the last couple of years. Might as well just start saying it's official at this point."

Jace stretched his lover again, making hir moan softly. Ordinarily, he would grin and keep going, but perhaps it was an inappropriate time.

"Just tell hir shi can't keep me sequestered in here forever, as nice as that might be. I've got a job to do after all. I don't need my boss firing me because I can't escape his... um... hir... sister's belly." The fox's voice came softly muffled through his girlfriend's womb.

"I think you're safe," Smokey said with a chuckle, "But if that's what you two are here about, I suppose there's nothing wrong with explaining. Inara, Sirius, Brian; you've all been patient with us in spite of how cagey Carmel, Shayna, and I are about this. You're practically family at this point so, I guess it's only fair I let you all in as well."

"Let us in? What exactly are you going to be explaining?" Inara asked.

"I think he's going to tell us about why shi and Carmel have such a close relationship," Sirius answered, "And I'm guessing it explains why there are days, few and far between, where Smokey turns into a recluse."

The blue lady nodded, "That's right. And not only that, but it also kind of has to do with how the Inn got started."

"What can I get you all to eat?" The waiter, having waited patiently for a moment for his chance to jump in did just so, thinking it might be better to say his piece before the boss got started on hir story.

---

"Hello Smokey. If you're watching this, then something has happened and we are no longer here to share with you what we had hoped to cherish together as a family. By now, you're probably pretty close to graduating from the mage's academy and we could not be more proud of the progress you have made. Whatever you intend to do with your life after your schooling is over, we have no doubt it will make us just as proud."

The image of Smokey's parents flickered above the small crystal projecting it as his mother spoke. The lady's voice was gentle and lovely. No doubt she could raise it if necessary, but she clearly preferred to maintain one's composure. Her husband had allowed her to speak, knowing she was far better with words than he was, but he deeply wanted to have a least something to say.

"Whatever took us, we hope it was fast and painless. And we hope you didn't have to suffer seeing us struggle to hang on. It's a special kind of hell seeing a loved one go through that. And while you might have been spared that, unfortunately, if you're watching this, then it falls to you to take care of this final wish of ours." Smokey's father turned to look to his wife, who nodded and looked to her tummy. It was large, round, and difficult to miss.

"This is your sister, or brother," She said, "Though we were hoping to encourage the former. We had intended for her to be a graduation surprise. And we had hoped you would come home with us to help raise your new sister in the traditional manner, just as we raised you. Since we're not here, you'll have to find a way to hatch her on your own. I would certainly hope you have a special lady in your life that can help you with that, but if not, there are... other methods."

The green fellow nodded, "While we would like for you to try using the old traditions, if... for whatever reason, you find you are unable... whatever way you see fit to hatch her would be fine, so long as you do hatch her. If we are gone, then the two of you are the last of the family. There's a reason why we waited so late in life to have the both of you."

Smokey's mother closed her eyes and sighed softly. She braced herself with the pause to reveal what she wished she could be saying face to face, "You have an older brother. He would be a great deal older than the both of you, but he was taken from us when he was still a baby."

It was clear that mention of the revelation hurt the woman deeply. She still had not let go of the pain, and how could she? Smokey's father took her in his arms to comfort her as he continued on in her place.

"We've left a small album telling you about him. We went out of our minds trying to find him, but... after a long, grueling search, the authorities discovered what little remains there were to be found. There was an argument made by a couple of folks that he might still be alive, that what we found was misleading, but they admitted the chances of that were pretty low. So low they couldn't justify continuing the search. It nearly destroyed us. How long we fought and hunted, better than a decade. We weren't even sure we could bring ourselves to have another child after him."

By now, Smokey's mother was in tears, fighting to keep her composure. She managed to recover enough to speak.

"It's why when we had you, we decided to follow the old traditions. That way if something similar happened to you, we'd have a better chance of getting you back. And that's why we hope you do the same with your sister, or brother." She fought again to keep from breaking once more.

Smokey's father gave her another squeeze before speaking.

"You two are the last of our family. Hold on to that. Don't let each other go."

Bolstered by the plea for their children to cherish one another, the lady broke in through her husband's words.

"Regardless of wealth, status, or power... the bond you and your sister will share will be the strongest and most important thing in your lives. Cherish it. Nurture it. And know that even though we cannot be there to hug you when you're sad, comfort you when you're hurt, or rock you to sleep when you're scared, we will always love you. More than we can put into words." Mrs. Aquatos lifted a hand to her cheek, wiping away the tears that had formed during their recording. Her husband gave her one more squeeze, sensing she wouldn't be able to go on much longer. They'd have to end their recording soon.

"We love you, son. And tell your sister... or brother... about us. And let them know that even though we never got the chance to meet them, or even known their name, we love them just as much. We will always be with you. Please, take good care of each other."

The image of the two parents faded as Smokey continued to stare through the space where they had been standing. He sat at his desk in his bedroom, letting the power of what had been said to him wash over him yet again. This wasn't the first time he'd watched the recording. It was one of the very few things he had left to remember them. His parents had been in their apartment on the south side of the city he'd been going to school in when the earthquake hit. They left this world quickly and without pain, something to take comfort in.

Even after four months, Smokey still couldn't believe they were gone. And not just them, but all their belongings in their apartment. Initially, he thought he had no photos or keepsakes. The building had been completely demolished and anything that might have survived burned in the fire that followed. Thankfully, a precious few items had survived by having been kept at the treehouse. They had planned on moving back to their home out in the forest, the home Smokey had grown up in, but that would have happened after he graduated. His teachers had given him a little leeway in the last month of the semester. His grades were high enough, and he'd just lost his entire family. No one had the heart to rush him through his course work.

"You watched it again?" Asked a feminine voice from over the dragon's shoulder.

Smokey nodded and turned to face the ghostly image of a pale blue vixen.

"Yeah. Can you blame me?" He offered a half-hearted smile.

"Forgive me, I do not see how watching the recording any further can provide any assistance with our plans. The data has not changed since it was recorded." Iris said. Her somewhat robotic speech was bereft of all but the most basic emotions encoded into the crystalline matrix that produced her.

"It's not that I'm looking to see if something's changed. I've been watching it over and over to make sure I'm not missing anything. I'm pretty sure mom and dad would be a little taken aback by what we've got planned... so... I guess you could say I'm looking for some sign of approval, that they'd be okay with this," Smokey said, then looked into the vixen's eyes with an earnest expression, "You knew them a lot longer than I did. Hell they commissioned you. From all the experience you've had around them, how they felt about family, how do you think they'd react to this?

Iris was confused by his explanation. To her, the answer was already perfectly clear.

"They asked you hatch your sister however you can. The fact that you are going so far to ensure that you follow the old traditions would make them happy. I know they would never ask this much of you, and they might be somewhat ambivalent on the matter. Any negative reaction I believe would be due to their concern for your comfort and freedom, but ultimately, I believe they would approve." For a synthetic intelligence missing the higher emotions algorithm, she could still provide comfort and assurance with the best of them.

Smokey nodded, giving a hint of a smile after a moment.

"Thanks, Iris."

The azure vixen dipped her head in acknowledgment, "However I am able to help."

Smokey offered a half-hearted laugh, "Convince Zephyr to come back and help me?"

Iris knew he wasn't serious. She had been present to witness their breakup. The young, grey dragoness just wasn't ready to be a mother, even a surrogate. Nor was she interested in moving to the middle of nowhere for at least a decade. She was too much of a big city girl, and she had her whole future ahead of her after graduation.

"Even if it were within my power, I believe it would violate my morality subroutines." The vixen said, perhaps a little too coldly. It was all she could offer. She knew of sarcasm, but she still had not mastered responding to it.

"I know," Smokey said, "It's just wishful thinking. It's only been a few weeks, a little over a month. I still miss her."

"Is there something I could do to help ease your transition?" Iris asked.

Smokey shrugged, "Just... keep me company?"

Iris nodded, "That is well within my design parameters. I will need to power down for several hours to recharge every few days."

"I know," Smokey said, "You've been helping a lot actually. Who knew my nanny would be helping me over a breakup while I try to hatch my sister?" The blue dragon chuckled.

"I have been examining the possibility of extending my range beyond the house. I could potentially assist with retrieving supplies from town under the right circumstances. I have already begun investigating what alterations to my matrix would be required." The vixen moved about the bedroom, tidying up as she went along.

"So... you're telling me... I wouldn't have to go into town?" Smokey asked.

"It is possible," Iris said, "Though there is still a strong likelihood you would have to. If necessary, I can arrange for Mr. and Mrs. McKinney to deliver groceries and sundries and I could bring them up from the ground."

"I think that might be for the best. At least... for a while." Smokey said. He had begun looking over a few of the pages in front of him, reviewing the spellwork. It was going to be interesting, this change.

"Are you certain this is what you wish to do?" Iris asked, "Your blood pressure and heart rate increase dramatically whenever you review the incantations. There is still time to locate a surrogate."

Smokey shook his head, "No, there really isn't. Not if I want to completely trust them. No, it's got to be like this, or not at all. And not at all isn't an option."

"Very well. Do you require my assistance?" The vixen asked.

"No, I think I've got this," Smokey paused, blushing softly for a moment, "Um... but... if you don't mind, I think I'd like to be alone for this part. It's going to be awfully embarrassing for me."

"As you wish. I shall go and make the necessary preparations for when you are ready." With that, Iris collected a brass key from atop Smokey's desk. She turned towards the closet door, closed it, inserted the key, and gave it a turn. A soft flash of light seeped out between the door and the frame. When it opened again, the closet was gone and an inky black cavern lay beyond. The holographic vixen disappeared into the darkness and the door closed behind her.

Smokey watched her go, then looked back at the papers in front of him. It was unorthodox to say the least. Dr. Carnegie and Dr. Tristan both told him these were highly unusual circumstances, but it was possible. He trusted his teachers, and silently thanked them once again for their discretion on the matter.

"Alright, there's no point in dragging this out. Get it over with, get the rest of it started, and get through it as soon as I can. After all... it's not like I'll have to do this again." Smokey mused.

The floor had been cleaned to pristine condition in preparation for tonight's event. The blue dragon began drawing the circle detailed on the papers in chalk on the smooth hardwood. It would be easy to clean off after the fact. It took at least ten minutes to lay down the first layer of spellwork, then another ten to trace out the finer details that would refine the desired reaction. All he would have to do is step in and activate it.

Smokey stood at the edge of the completed circle once it was done, checking and double checking his work. Everything had to be absolutely perfect, he thought. One little slip-up and it could have rather unpleasant consequences. For instance, he could end up making this little change permanent. That wasn't part of the plan. The drake stripped out of his clothing, leaving himself completely nude as he tried to think of something meaningful to say in order to commemorate the moment.

"Mom... dad... this is for you, and my little sister." Smokey said, then closed his eyes and stepped into the ring.

As he reached the center, he triggered the spell and the circle began to glow brightly. It was as if a grand program had been called and run. Energy swirled viciously around the dragon. He winced and trembled, terribly nervous. The waves of light and power washed over him and began to seep in, sending a sense of tingling numbness over his extremities. Smokey's breathing turned to a steady, light pant as he began to feel the changes take place; tightness here and there, strange churnings inside his stomach, and a shift in his center of balance.

As the transformation carried on, the drake felt a sharp surge of energy race up through his body from between his legs. He cried out aloud in surprise, but not pain. He then opened his eyes in shock as the sound of his voice reached his ears. It wasn't his original voice. It was more feminine, a slightly higher register. He glanced down to see that his manhood was gone, now replaced by a smooth cleft, tucked neatly between two womanly thighs. His chest was still flat, but it didn't stay that way for very long. As he gazed down, his attention was jerked up along his form as a pair of ample swells ballooned out from his torso.

The waves of magical power began to ebb, the sensation of wind swirling about the drake faded and the tingling faded. Smokey peered into the mirror above the nearby dresser and stared at the reflection gazing back. The slim, yet subtly masculine form was gone. Now, the dragon was a female, and to her own eyes, a startlingly attractive one. Was it possible to be attracted to your own reflection, she wondered. Of course it was, the term was called narcissism.

Smokey blushed as she gazed over her new body, tentatively daring to explore the new curves. It was hard to believe that this was what the spell naturally did to her. As far as she was aware, there wasn't a component that was designed to augment the subject's appearance. Then she paused as a notion hit her. This spell was crafted specifically to make it possible for her to hatch her sister's egg, to get her body ready for all the rigors of motherhood. Was that what was responsible? Was it possible she just didn't know she was attracted to the motherly figure?

The dragoness collected the papers she had used to craft the circle and read over them one more time, finally stopped as she spotted one section of the wording. There was no doubt in her mind anymore.

"They turned me into a MILF!" Smokey cried in dismay.

She went back to looking in the mirror, turning this way and that. Her hips were nicely widened without being too broad. Her backside had gained definition, as well as her thighs and calves; a smooth, graceful thickening, no doubt meant to help her stay on her feet once she gained the 'baby weight'. Her chest was difficult to pull her eyes away from. It wasn't her first time gazing at a pair of breasts, and these certainly weren't the largest she'd seen. However she had been granted a beautiful set. Smokey lifted her hands to cup at the pert swells, marveling at how soft and yielding they were. Not to mention sensitive. The new lady gasped as the pleasant rush raced up her spine from tending to her bosom. It brought an unusual heat from between her thighs. She was actually rather turned on by all of this. She couldn't stop now.

A hand dipped down to her new cleft, stroking softly, almost timidly, over the surface of her glistening lips, now dotted with little flecks of moisture. Had playing with her breasts done that? The curious mind had to know, so she began to massage her chest further, and in greater earnestness. A moan forced its way from her lips and she gasped feeling a soft moistening spread across her fingers below. Hypothesis confirmed. No point in stopping. Smokey continued to knead into her new chest before growing bold enough to stretch open her new petals. An entirely new jolt of electricity shot through her as she traced along the interior of that new, mysterious realm. Her first few minutes into being a woman, and she was already beginning to masturbate. Part of her was embarrassed by that. The rest was too keen to carry on to care.

As the dragoness explored her womanhood for the first time, her legs began to turn to rubber, failing to hold her up. Unsteadily, Smokey wobbled over to the bed and flopped onto her back. She lay there, beginning to pant while she squeezed one of her breasts, even taking the time to tease over the nipple and bask in that new wonderment, while her other hand delved further. A single finger had pressed deep into warm, slick, supple tunnel beyond, right up to the knuckle. It was an incredible sensation, but it came coupled with a strange longing. It wasn't enough. A second finger was added, and that seemed to help, then a third, and there she held, stroking along her new velvety walls furiously, losing herself to the new experience of being a woman.

With no knowledge of what was to come, or how to properly tend to her new needs, the dragoness didn't last long. She arched her back and cried out in a shriek of orgasm. Her entire body was aflame now, skin tingling, heart racing, lungs burning for air. It was as if every inch of her had turned into a nerve ending that only reacted to pleasure, and someone had slapped her, hard.

After a moment, she settled, panting furiously. Her mind swirled with a mix of emotions and thoughts. Maybe this whole thing wouldn't be so bad. She had been considering turning herself male again after she started the process, but that had been quickly pushed away for fear that it might have unintended effects on the baby. No, she wouldn't risk that. She knew she would have to stay female for the duration. Now though, that didn't seem like so bad a thing.

"Can I get you something to cleanse yourself with?" Iris said. The vixen had walked back in sometime in the last few moments.

Smokey jerked up into a seated position, covering herself with a start.

"Iris! I just... I mean... Why didn't you knock!?" The dragon stuttered.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to interrupt. Do you find the changes acceptable?" Clinical as ever, the vixen was.

Smokey blushed brightly and looked away, still keeping herself covered. Why, she wasn't sure.

"It's fine... I just... I got curious, okay? Where's my bathrobe?"

The vixen bowed her head slightly before moving across the room to the chest of drawers. A garment was removed from its grasp and handed to the dragoness.

"Curiosity is a natural reaction to this type of situation. And if I may make a suggestion, I would wait to dress after we have completed the process. Once everything has been done, we can take initial measurements for your new wardrobe." Iris said.

Smokey frowned and took the robe, quickly wrapping up in it.

"Initial measurements?" She asked in confusion.

Iris nodded, "Yes. Your body will continue to change as time passes. Clothes that might fit at the beginning may become too tight later on. We will need to make alterations as you progress, or buy all new clothing."

The dragoness sighed and stood, still a little unsteady after the powerful orgasm. She still even felt a little warm down in her belly.

"This sounds like it's going to be a hassle, staying properly dressed." Smokey grumbled.

"Then perhaps, at least while you are at home, you could choose to go naked. Your mother did rather often." Iris commented.

The idea brought a new blush to the azure dragon's cheeks and she turned to head towards the closet door, now a portal to the cavern Iris had just visited briefly.

"Let's just get this over with already. I'm not exactly looking forward to this." Smokey grumbled again.

The two ladies strolled through the doorway into a cool, dark cave. The key had magically connected the doorway to what was the only way in or out of the space deep in the mountains just across the lake from the house. It had been perfectly pitch black earlier, but upon Iris' arrival, several torches lining the walls flickered to life, casting warm, orange light across a mountain of gold and jewels. It was the Aquatos family horde, and it was only the second time Smokey had laid eyes on it. The first was when Iris brought her in to show her the egg her parents had left. It was still terribly impressive.

The precious metals, stones, and other rather cliche items one thought of when the notion of a 'dragon's horde' came up were all there. Before seeing this place, Smokey had been concerned she might need to sell the house, unable to afford to keep it. Now, she had almost nothing to fear. She had enough money to cover anything that might happen. Of course, having such wealth thrust upon her was a problem in itself, one she would have to approach later. Supposedly, her parents' lawyer knew about this but preferred to not talk about it unless absolutely necessary. It was too closely tied to some rather unpleasant chapters in the distant family history.

As Smokey walked through the horde chamber, following Iris, the treasures it held grew less intrinsically valuable and more personal in nature. Keepsakes from the family, dating back centuries. There were books detailing the family line and lore. She would have to pore over those later. There was even a small grouping of mementoes from her parents. The first time she spotted them, Smokey had frozen in place and almost broken down into tears seeing that not all had been lost. Now, she didn't have time to look over the only few links she had back to them. That would need to wait until the deed was done.

Just past the shelves lined with personal belongings stood a pair of wooden doors made for a cabinet. They were ornately carved and had been set into the stone lining of the cavern itself. A circle had been drawn around them, etched into the rock itself to ensure it couldn't be worn off easily. It was a protection spell, meant to slow down the passage of time, to a modest extent at least, and to maintain a certain temperature within its range. This was where Smokey's parents had stored the egg. They didn't dare take it with them to the city, not after what they had gone through before. They had agreed that every child they would bare after would never leave the safety of their remote home, the treehouse and the horde chamber, until raised to a certain age.

Smokey was about to embark on that same adventure herself. It was the final wish of her parents after all.

With great reverence, the blue dragoness opened the cabinet doors and peered inside. Within the stone hollow sat an egg, opal and smooth. It was large enough that had Smokey sat it in her lap, it would nestle against her stomach and provide a 'shelf' for her breasts to rest on. The drake bit her lower lip nervously. It was big. Awfully big. But it had to be done. And her mother had done this three times. She could do it at least once.

With extreme care, Iris and Smokey both hoisted the egg out of the protection of the ward, taking its warm, silken cushion with it, and set it carefully down on the floor.

"Now that the egg has been removed from its resting place, time is very short. You must do this now. Any further delay will result in the egg becoming unviable." Iris insisted. There was a hint of urgency to her voice, almost sounding like panic. Clearly, this was something terribly important to her.

"Okay... there's nothing for it, might as well get started. Do we have any idea if it's a boy or girl?" Smokey asked, slipping out of her robe. It would be easier doing this naked. She covered herself again shyly, then slowly pushed past the emotion. Iris had seen her naked as a child, as a boy at least, plenty of times. And she had seen her mother naked many times as well. Not only that, but Iris wasn't exactly one to act on sexual inclination, since she had none. At least, none Smokey knew of.

"The egg has been resting long enough that the sex has been fixed in place. Your mother and father arranged it that way. They made the decision early on that they wanted a daughter. And they even provided a suggestion for a name, though I suspect they would have deferred to your judgment under these circumstances." Iris said, helping to quickly pose the dragoness over the egg.

"Yeah? A little girl? What's the name they picked?" Smokey asked, beginning to tremble. She needed the small talk to help her get a handle on her nerves.

"Carmel. They chose it because in an ancient language, it means garden, and your mother had hoped the two of them could start and tend one." The vixen finished adjusting the dragoness, stepping back to have a look at her.

"Carmel, I like it," Smokey said, shivering a little as the egg came into contact with her womanhood, "So... I just... push down? What if I break it?"

Iris shook her head, "That should not be a concern. The shell is still quite thick and strong. It shouldn't give at all as you progress. Just relax, breathe steadily, and let your body do what it already knows to do."

Smokey nodded, taking a slow, deep breath. Her legs were already bent, crouching over the ovoid object. It was warm to the touch, and something about the contact felt good, but not in a sexual manner. It felt as if it was correct, appropriate. That encouraged the lady and she began to push down, letting her weight come to rest on it fully. The egg didn't move in the slightest. Smokey, however, could feel her body shifting around it. Her petals parted and stretched. There was an intense sensation of stimulation, naturally, but it was the veneer atop a deeper instinct, a desire to mother the egg. The drake continued on, feeling her hips begin to bow out in response to so large an intruder.

It was becoming difficult for the lady to keep her composure. Her breath quickly turned to a rapid pant. Her abdomen slowly swelled, stretching to house the egg gliding into her. The wider it grew inside her, the slower her progress became. Soon, Smokey was clenching her teeth as she tried to press down, but no progress could be made. Over a third of the smooth object was concealed inside her, but she couldn't seem to go any further.

"Nnngh! I... I'm stuck! I... I can't... I can't stretch anymore!" She grunted.

Iris moved around behind the dragoness, slipping her arms around to caress over the lady's form, alternating between her stomach and thighs, and all that was in between. It wasn't a sensual act, but a therapeutic one.

"Just breathe. Relax. Your body will tell you when its ready to continue. You can feel muscles contracting. Focus on them, learn how they move. Focus on making them relax and soften, then inhale and pull. You'll feel them constrict and try to hold onto the egg." Iris said, using as soothing a tone as she was capable of.

Smoke nodded panted, trying to get a handle on herself. Moisture had begun trickling down the smooth surface of the egg, making moving on top of it easier, but going down was still at an impasse. She closed her eyes and began trying to control her breath again, straining to focus her attention on the muscles she could feel trying to work below. She had to gain mastery over them for this to work. After a few more-even breaths, the drake could feel her passage slowly soften and allow for a little more of a stretch. As soon as she felt the egg beginning to progress into her again, she gasped in surprise. Instinctively, she contracted around it and her body gripped it, actively trying to draw it in. She could even feel the weight of the egg as it lifted off the cushion for a moment, just before she lowered herself further to let it rest on the ground again.

That was it. She knew where it came from now. All she had to do was replicate that.

It was a long, frustrating process, trying to get back to that same degree of control, but every few moments, Smokey managed it, and the egg pushed up into her womb a little further. Fifteen minutes it took to reach the tipping point. Her stomach was heavily distended, her legs ached, her lungs burned, and she was running out of strength. Just as she was about to give up and just take a break, she clenched one last time and a lewd sucking noise came from below her. She had reached the lower curve of the egg. Her body's inherent desire to draw it in was now augmented by the shape of the intruder, and it slid up into her slowly of its own accord, disappearing out of sight little by little. Smokey shuddered and moaned as she dropped onto the ground, her rump now resting on the cushion the egg had sat on. The flexing and undulating in her belly continued for several moments as her petals slowly closed behind the ovoid. And then, it was gone.

She had done it. Smokey had managed to pull the egg into her womb. She sat there, leaning back heavily against the holographic vixen acting as midwife. She was completely exhausted. And it wasn't from pain. She had actually come to climax at least twice during the process. She wasn't sure if that was normal. It was obvious the drake had enjoyed it, but Iris didn't seem to think anything of it.

"Well done. Your parents would be proud of you. It usually takes a good deal of practice to learn how to do this." Iris offered in comfort.

Smokey nodded, closing her eyes as she began to run her palms over the heavy swell in her belly.

"I can see why. God, I'm spent." The blue dragon looked down at her pregnant tummy, "Hello Carmel. I'm your big sister."

The words came so naturally she didn't even notice she had used the term 'sister' right away. Technically it was true. Sure she'd go back to being the older brother eventually, but for now, sister worked just fine for her.

Iris took hold of the now rather gravid dragoness and helped her up onto her feet. Smokey's legs were mightily shaky, relying almost entirely on Iris for support. The dragon and vixen slowly stumbled their way out of the horde chamber and back to the drake's bedroom. There, Smokey almost immediately flopped onto her back, still struggling to catch her breath. With so large an object inside her, she couldn't fully inflate her lungs anymore. Everything would shift around and make room eventually. Once that was done, she wouldn't feel short of breath, but that was a good long ways away, several weeks at least. She would have to take it easy for the time being.

"In the interest of safety, I recommend you go on bed rest for at least a week. You're not used to your new condition or sex. If you push yourself too much, you might injure yourself." Iris warned, lifting the blue drake's legs from the floor and turning the round lady so that she was laid out on the mattress properly.

The dragon didn't fight her nanny.

"With how tired I am, I might just sleep through the whole week." Smokey mumbled.

"I will prepare something for you to eat and prepare your first dose of vitamins. We should get an early start on preparing Carmel for a healthy birth and first few years of life." The vixen tugged the sheets up over her ward, then turned to leave.

Smokey whimpered and pushed the sheets off of her. She was too hot to sleep under anything at the moment. Her hands moved to fawn over her swollen abdomen. It was as if she was drawn to do so. And the act was quite pleasing. She would have nine months of this, waiting for the egg to acclimate to her, and for her to acclimate to the egg. Then it would hatch, and she could either give birth or continue carrying the hatched whelp. Her parents had made it pretty clear what the choice would be. She was in this for the long haul, at least eighteen months. Possibly longer. However long it would take to establish and solidify the bond. There wasn't much literature to be had on the subject, largely because it was a somewhat private affair. Few dragons spoke on the matter. Thankfully, having two world-class professors helping her out, Smokey was given a copy of almost every book on the subject.

The lady moaned softly as she settled there on the bed. The warmth from earlier returned again. How could she be aroused at a time like this? She needed to rest. Sure, the books said this whole experience would play havoc with her hormones, but this fast? Smokey shivered and began rubbing her thighs together. She couldn't stand it. She had to.

A hand pushed down to her groin again, teasing at the very entrance that had just devoured an egg moments earlier. The drake's other hand remained pressed firmly against her stomach, swirling across the dome slowly. Something about the added weight and size made the experience more intense as she teased herself. Smokey found she simply couldn't stop herself. She lost all sense of time, bringing herself right up to the very edge of climax, then falling away as she fell limp, struggling to catch her breath. It was terribly frustrating.

"Are you experiencing difficulty?" Iris said, having walked in on the dragoness in the middle of her stimulation.

Smokey jerked in surprise, eyes wide. She tried to sit up and curl away, desperate to cover herself. The new pregnant belly she carried made that a good deal more difficult.

"Wh... Iris! This isn't what it looks like! I swear!" She cried.

The vixen shook her head, "I know what it is. For many women, the libido increases throughout pregnancy, and usually you would have a slower buildup to this size, making it easier to acclimate to it," Iris said, setting down the tray holding Smokey's dinner on the desk, then turned to move to the bed, "You however have had no time to get used to the weight and shape, so it has jumped much more strongly. And with your exhaustion, you're tiring yourself out before you can achieve orgasm. You will need assistance."

Smokey blushed furiously, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"It is pointless to try to deceive. Your mother was similarly afflicted. Lay back and relax. I will help you." Iris said.

The dragoness attempted to refuse, but the holographic vixen was persistent. Before too long, she could feel a rather realistic muzzle delving between her thighs. A new warmth began to spread along the drake's groin. How Iris was able to warm her body like that was strange. She wasn't real, just a projection. It must have just been clever programming. Such thoughts quickly faded as a tongue traced over the dragon's petals. It stole Smokey's breath away, but briefly. She moaned and spread her legs, unable to resist any further. Her need far outweighed her embarrassment.

Iris in her direct machinations wasted no time. She lapped away swiftly and with firm pressure against her ward's loins, not succumbing to fatigue, or even the need to breathe. Her efforts grew more insistent as the dragoness trembled, clutching at her belly. The brute force attack on her nethers could not be held off or slowed. Iris saw Smokey in need and intended to satisfy that need. The vixen did not toy with subtlety or foreplay, she shot for the endgame. In barely a few moments, her ears flicked as they were filled with the sound of the blue dragon's cries of passion. Smokey writhed as she was launched into yet another orgasm, at least the fourth since she became a woman not even an hour ago.

The pregnant drake's form relaxed completely, her chest heaving for breath. Iris removed herself from the needy woman's loins and stepped away to retrieve a towel. With it, the vixen cleaned her muzzle and Smokey's groin. It was just another part of the job according to her, take care of the blue dragon she had been created to take care of. With gentle effort, she eased Smokey up into a reclined, seated position, leaning back against the headboard.

"You should be feeling much better now, more in control. Let me know if you start to feel that again. I can help you through it. For now, you should eat." Iris said, bringing the tray over for Smokey to dine.

The dragoness blushed furiously, having never thought of the vixen in such a way before. Was she originally programmed for that? Or was that added later? Or had it naturally evolved as an inherent part of her mandate? Still trembling from the shock and experience, Smokey nibbled at her dinner.

"Th-thank you..."

"You're welcome, miss. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you." Iris said.

Smokey bit her lower lip, "Actually... are you going to need to power down to recharge tonight?"

---

"How much longer am I going to have to put up with this?" Smokey complained, laying on the couch, holding her stomach, out of breath yet again. It had been a couple of weeks since this all started. She was beginning to get used to it, but she was still easily winded. Thankfully, the tyrannical vixen had permitted her to at least move to the couch from time to time.

Iris walked in from the kitchen, setting down a tray with a sandwich and a glass of water on it.

"You will need to build your stamina. You're body is still adjusting." The blue fox said.

Smokey whimpered and struggled a bit to sit up. Once she was upright, she leaned forward towards the coffee table holding her early afternoon snack. Her legs were forced apart by the heavy swell of her bell and the cushion underneath compressed under it. It was an odd sensation, but certainly not unpleasant. Without ceremony, the dragoness collected the sandwich and began eating it. Her vest refused to fit around her at this point, so she left it open. Her chest had grown even further in the days since her pregnancy started. Under the right pressure, she could even make herself leak and milk through whatever garment might have strained to cover that bust. Tired of putting clothes through the wash so often, the dragoness decided the vest alone would be fine. After all, there wasn't anyone here to see her.

"Is there anything I can do to adjust faster? Its getting old running out of breath just walking from one room to another. I don't know how I'm going to get down the tree at this rate." The blue lady said between bites. How her mother had climbed down out of the treehouse while pregnant puzzled her.

Iris nodded and settled next to the dragon, pressing a palm against the expecting belly. She paused there and felt the smooth orb, checking on the progress of the child within.

"I'm afraid not. You can't rush these things. And as for getting up and down the tree, I can have the McKinneys build a sling for you to sit in and use a motor to raise and lower you." The vixen pulled her hand away, satisfied with her readings.

"God... I'll be an invalid. I'll allow it at first, but I plan on working my way up to flying up here and back down on my own!" Smokey grumbled, finishing off her sandwich quickly. Her stomach growled as she leaned back, holding the firm dome. Her eyes lowered to the distended middle she had accepted and sighed. She couldn't help but admit to herself that it did feel rather good. The mobility issue was a terrible inconvenience, but she was rapidly coming to like being pregnant.

A horn honked from outside, far below on the ground. Iris stood and moved to a nearby window, peering out. Smokey remained seated, eating hir sandwich.

"It is Mr. and Mrs. McKinney. They have brought the weekly list of supplies. You should return to the bedroom while they bring them up." The vixen said.

Smokey whined a little, "I'm tired of being a hermit. I need contact with other people!"

Iris moved the dragon's side and helped her up, then started walking her to the bedroom. She would get the tray in a moment.

"You originally said you didn't want anyone to know if at all possible. I have only been fulfilling that wish." The fox said.

"I know," Smokey whimpered, "But... maybe that was a bad idea. I mean, everyone in town knows mom and dad died. They're gonna start asking questions when I show up with a baby sister in a couple of years."

"I cannot advise that you leave the treehouse at this time." Iris said.

"I'm not talking about going anywhere... I'm just saying it might be nice to actually get to see Tommy and Lucy. As far as they know, I've been sick. But the rumors are going to start spreading soon. You know how small towns are." The dragoness said.

"If you wish to change the arrangement, please tell me how I can help." Iris said. She could have said 'I told you so' but that was largely unhelpful. She did however know this was going to happen.

"I dunno... are there any clean shirts left? Maybe I could put one on and meet Tommy and Lucy when they get up here." Smokey said.

"I will check to see what is clean." The vixen said, easing the dragoness down to sit on the bed. The nearby chest of drawers was explored until a suitable garment could be found.

After a few moments, a knock came at the front door. Iris answered it and granted access to the McKinneys. The two mountain lions smiled and walked in once they were permitted, each one hauling a heavy hiking pack full of the goods they had been asked to bring.

"Afternoon Iris," Tommy smiled.

"Good afternoon, Mr. McKinney." The vixen answered, helping his wife with her pack.

"How's Smokey doing?" Lucy asked, "It sounded like he had been holed up in bed for days. Is he any better?"

Iris turned to glance over her shoulder briefly, gazing towards the hall to the dragon's bedroom.

"Smokey is well." That was as far as she managed to get before Tommy and Lucy chimed in again.

"Oh that's wonderful to hear!" Tommy said, "We were startin' ta worry he was gonna need a doctor ta come out here and drag him inta town!"

"Is he busy? Can we see him? It's been ages." Lucy said.

Iris cleared her throat and tried to reign the two excitable cats in. They quieted down, now feeling a mild sense of concern.

"I must apologize. It was requested that I deceive you about Smokescale's condition. It isn't what I had led you to believe. Smokey had requested I conceal the truth to spare the possibility of embarrassment." The blue fox explained.

"The truth? Embarrassment?" Tommy asked in confusion.

"Why what on earth would he have to be embarrassed about to the point where he'd lie about being sick? Has he been up and about this whole time!?" Lucy started getting more spirited in her exclamations.

"Please understand," Iris continued, "Circumstances required a highly... unusual solution."

"Oh, honey," Tommy said, "Has he gotten into trouble with the law?"

"No, all is well. Please, have a seat. It is easier to show you rather than to try and explain." Iris said. She guided the older married couple to have a seat on the sofa. They were deeply curious at this point, though their concerns that something was wrong had only marginally faded.

The vixen turned and headed down the hallway, disappearing from sight. After a moment, she returned, this time with the blue dragon the McKinneys had been asking about. They both gasped seeing the once male blue drake slowly waddling her way down the hall, having taken a decidedly feminine figure, and sporting rather large, round belly. An old t-shirt sporting some ancient cartoon Smokey had grown up watching stretched over her chest, concealing the bust beneath, but only barely. If the shirt could feel pain, it would have been rather uncomfortable holding the dragon's breasts in. Carefully, Iris helped Smokey into the easy chair across from them. She sighed in relief once she was off her feet, blushing so deep her cheeks were purple.

"H-hi guys. It's been a while." Smokey said, offering a sheepish smile.

The initial shock had been pretty powerful, but a few questions later saw the cougars convinced the dragon sitting in front of them was indeed the Smokescale Aquatos they remembered. Once the short version of the explanation had been offered and accepted, the McKinneys began asking all manner of questions, far too curious about this new condition.

"So... you dragons can just... pick when you wanna get pregnant?" Tommy asked.

Smokey, still blushing throughout the whole thing, though not quite as much, grimaced a little.

"Well, it's not quite that simple. Mom and dad didn't just decide to start. It kind of happened. Once it does happen, then yeah, we can kind of take a little more active control over things." The dragoness explained.

"You must have been hiding this for months." Lucy said, still gawking a little at the large dome.

Smokey shook her head.

"No, actually, I've been like this for only a couple of weeks now."

"A couple of weeks!? Honey, you look like you're just about ready to pop!" Lucy cried.

The drake chuckled a little and blushed, looking down at her stomach. She couldn't help but rub it.

"I know. And I'm only gonna get bigger. Or so I'm told. This is how it works when you take over a full formed egg. And then go through the traditional methods." Smokey said.

"Just what are these... traditional methods?" Tommy asked.

Smokey took a breath and tried to gather her thoughts. She knew this question would come eventually.

"When a dragon has a child, the mother can choose to lay the egg as soon as its ready and let it hatch in a nest. This is pretty normal. Or, the mother can choose to withhold the egg, let it hatch inside her, then give birth to the hatched whelp. Or, she can choose to hold the baby longer. It's an ancient practice that started as a means of ensuring the child's survival. Two circumstances this is used under. First, there are so very few dragons that the safest place for the child is in the mother's womb. By the time the child is born, it's big enough that the mother doesn't have to devote every last shred of her attention to it, she can hide the child and go hunting, then come back. Second, the population is so dense that it's meant to slow down growth and foster a bond within a clan." Smokey explained.

Tommy and Lucy didn't say anything, expecting there to be more. And there was.

"As this method was used more and more during times of high population, that bond became more powerful. A mental link develops between the mother and the child, and often with the father as well. In rare instances, the mated couple's other children develop a bond with the unborn child as well. This had always been there, but generations passed before anyone realized what it actually was. It's a survival trait. The bond allows the parents to sense if the child is in danger or hurt. And the child is able to sense the parent's intentions when instructed to obey. Like, telling a toddler not to touch what's on the stove because it's hot. In that moment, the idea of what hot is and how badly you can be hurt is conveyed. The toddler better understands why the parent is telling them not to touch the stove and more readily listens." Smokey said.

"Wow," Lucy said, "That's pretty handy. Wish I'd been able to do that with my little ones! They just ran around and did whatever they pleased!" The cougar cackled with glee.

Smokey chuckled softly, still blushing.

"You'd have to stay pregnant for at least twice as long. The longer the child and mother are together, the stronger the bond."

Tommy laughed, "I don't think I'd be able ta take that! You were a cranky she-beast there towards the end!"

Lucy elbowed her husband playfully and laughed with him.

"What? You afraid if I'd gone that long I'd have eaten you alive!?" She cried.

Smokey couldn't help herself. She started to laugh along with them. All the fear and dread of revealing this change to anyone had melted away. They didn't think she was strange, weird, or a degenerate. They saw a child trying to honor her parents' final wishes as best she could. It was a tremendous relief to be accepted. Smokey sighed and reclined a bit in her seat. She held her stomach and just drank in the sense of the tension melting away. It felt marvelous, like a warmth spreading over her chest.

"Oh dear. Oh... oh honey. Um... I think... You seem to have... well... you're leaking, dear." Lucy said, pointing to the dragon's chest.

Smokey's eyes flew open and she glanced down to see the two slowly spreading wet spots in her shirt. She sighed and whined realizing what had happened.

"This was my last clean shirt." The dragon complained.

Immediately, Lucy stood and moved over, taking the drake's paw.

"Don't you worry one bit, sweetie. I used to have that problem when I was having my litter. I wasn't quite as big as you are, so, you're probably gonna have it a bit worse than I did. C'mon, I'll help you out." Lucy said as she pulled Smokey to her feet. The older cat was stronger than she looked. Then again, she and her husband were ranchers, and extremely active in tending their land.

Smokey blinked as she was pulled on back down the hall to her bedroom. This was unexpected, not to mention the fact that the cougar treated it exactly like it was, a natural occurrence.

"Go easy on her, Lucy! It's her first one!" Tommy shouted down the hall.

Iris watched on with a subtle wave of nervousness.

"What is it that Mrs. McKinney intends to do?" The vixen asked.

Tommy sniffed idly, "Oh she's just gonna help Smokey with her little leaky milk problem. Happens ta mothers all the time. Hell I bet it happened ta Mrs. Aquatos too."

"Help how?" Iris said, more concern in her voice than she should have used.

"Now settle down, sweetheart. Lucy's gonna take good care'a the both of'em. She knows all kinds'a little tricks ta help an expectant mother deal with all the bits and bobs'a havin' a baby. She's probably back there right now rootin' around, tryin' ta find somethin' that'll help keep lil Miss Smokey from milkin' through another shirt quite so quickly." Tommy said, making sure to keep an even, soothing tone.

"Very well. If it helps Miss Aquatos, then it should make her much happier." Iris said, easing down into the easy chair Smokey had been in.

"How's she holdin' up? Handlin' it okay?" Tommy asked.

"She has expressed frustration. No doubt it is due to the suddenness of the change and the long period needed to acclimate. She misses the independence she once had. I have assured her that as she normalizes, she will regain much of it. However, I fear it cannot come soon enough for her."

Tommy chuckled, "Yeah, bein' that big, I'd expect it's one hell of a grace period getting used ta where everything is. Ya turn a little too fast and ya knock over everything on the table. But I tell ya, I'm pretty damn relieved seeing this is what's been goin' on. Was startin' ta think maybe one day we'd come up here and we'd find him dead on the floor."

"Has there been much gossip regarding Smokey's reclusive period?" Iris asked.

"Oh hell, honey. You know how it is in town. Word travels fast, and the more outrageous it is, the juicier, and the juicier it is, the faster it spreads. There are plenty'a rumors goin' around. No one actually believes them. At least... no one worth talkin' to." Tommy said.

"So, it might be wise to take Smokey into town to put those rumors to rest." Iris said, contemplating things.

"Well, sure, it'll certainly put'em ta rest. Just don't expect everyone ta take ta Smokey's new... um... lifestyle... so easily." The cougar offered.

"Yes. I'm sure there will be some resistance, but it would make Smokey happy, getting out of the house." The vixen mused, already working out plans.

"Now hold up there, little lady. When last I checked, Smokey here liked ta fly in ta town, rather than walk or drive. Now near as I can figure, she's in no condition ta do that anymore. Maybe after she gets used ta everything, but not right now. And you two don't have a pick up ta get ya into town. That's gonna make it a might tough. No way can she walk all that way, not like she is, and nowhere near that far." Tommy said.

"Of course. I would never suggest she walk all the way to town and back. However, as you say, we do not have a vehicle. We will need to procure one." Iris said.

"You... wanna buy a truck?" Tommy asked.

"Given the terrain and the nature of the supplies we would likely need to purchase on a regular basis, yes, a truck would likely be the wisest solution." She answered.

Tommy furrowed his brow softly, leaning forward in his seat.

"Well, I'm glad ta hear that. It's been botherin' me seein' someone livin' out here without gettin' themselves a good ole truck, and I'd love ta help, but... I can't buy it fer ya. Not even if ya get me the money. Maybe I can drive Miss Smokey to the dealership and let her do the buyin'." The cat said.

"No, she still needs another week of bed rest before she can attempt to leave the treehouse. I'll need to modify my matrix to give myself the mobility necessary. You will drive me to the dealership and I will procure a vehicle. I am able to act on behalf of the Aquatos family on all legal matters, including such a purchase." Iris said, sounding a little too bossy.

Thankfully, Tommy had been around the holographic vixen long enough to not take offense. He chuckled and leaned back in his seat.

"Sounds good ta me. I'll just hafta make sure the wife knows this isn't a date." Tommy waggled his eyebrows.

"I assure you Mr. McKinney that not only do I not intend any romantic entanglement, but I am functionally incapable of such a relationship." Iris said, not getting the joke.

Tommy simply laughed.

---

Another week passed with Smokey spending most of her time laying in bed. Gradually, she was getting up the nerve and the strength to wander around the house more. She was even able to shower standing up for once. She deeply enjoyed showering these days. In fact, she couldn't wait to finally get up the strength to take a trip down to the lake and go for a swim. It'd been ages since she'd last gone swimming. Her entire body ached with a longing to return to the water.

Unfortunately, that would have to wait. She had other, more pressing matters. The sling that would grant her access up and down the tree had been constructed and she was finally ready for her first outing.

Ever since Lucy found out that Smokey was pregnant, she had been coming over almost every day, perhaps a little too giddy about getting to help another mom to be. She taught the dragon about what to expect, how to deal with certain problems (like milking through her shirt), and even some of the best home remedies for pregnancy-induced ailments and cravings. The kindly feline even helped fit Smokey with a temporary wardrobe that would get her through her first few trips to the shops.

Now, dressed, strong enough to walk for a few hundred yards without needing to rest, and feeling less self-conscious, she was ready.

Iris helped ease the dragoness down from the treehouse and over to their new truck. It had been a relatively easy process buying it. Iris was far too good at reading the salesman and casting aside his shark-like manner. He was left speechless when Iris began quoting the actual statistics of the truck she had picked out, and how much it was supposed to retail for. Factoring in how much the dealership needed to make in order to turn a profit and the salesman's commission, she came to a price she thought was fair. The poor salesman never saw her coming.

Tommy had never seen or heard anything so funny.

"For our first trip, I believe it would be wise for me to drive. I selected a vehicle that provided enough space for you to fit behind the wheel, however I think it might be ill advised to do so on this trip." Iris explained.

"You just wanna hog it all to yourself. You've gotten a taste of the independent life and you're chomping at the bit to hold onto it!" Smokey giggled, easing down in to the passenger seat.

"Miss, I assure you that I intend no such thing." Iris said as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"I'm just teasing. But I have to say, I'm really proud of you. Going out and doing things on your own like you've been doing. That's pretty unusual for synthetics of your class. You've really grown." Smokey reached over, taking hold of the vixen's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, miss. I would be dishonest if I were to say that I have not enjoyed this expanded range of freedom. I feel better suited to tending to your needs now." The vixen started the truck as she spoke, putting it in gear and driving slowly through the graveled clearing that had been put in place for them to drive and park on.

"Is that all? No... curiosity about what you can do for yourself? Traveling to places you've always wanted to go?" Smokey asked.

"I have no desire to travel, unless it is to accompany you, miss. It is my purpose. Does not every creature strive to not only learn what their purpose is, but to fulfill it?" Iris did have a valid point.

"I guess so," Smokey asked, "But for the rest of us, sometimes part of the process is making our own purpose, our own place in the world, not just what everyone tells us we're supposed to do."

"I see," Iris said, "Perhaps someday, when my services are no longer required, I can... find a new purpose." It was clear she had a difficult time accepting such a notion.

Smokey didn't press the issue. She simply sat watching the trees pass by as they drove along. They didn't remain quiet the whole way. Conversation was had about what they were going to town to shop for, what they might do if they encountered less than welcoming attitudes, and the like. The rough dirt road gave way to a paved one, leading into town. Before too long, they were driving through the main drag. The street was lined with several small shops. One of them in particular was the target of the two ladies' search. Out in front stood Lucy, waving brightly as soon as she spotted the truck.

Iris parked and climbed out, quickly moving around to help Smokey onto her feet.

"Glad you two could make it! C'mon, let's get you two inside outta the sun. It's gonna be a hot one today!" The cougar said, taking the dragon by the arm and guiding her into the store.

Immediately, Smokey blushed heavily. It was her first trip into public since the change, and it was her first time in a maternity store.

"I'm not really looking for anything fancy. Just some shirts that fit, maybe a few pairs of pants." The dragoness said.

"I getcha. Don't wanna be too girly," Lucy smirked, "But if yer gonna be doin' anything outside, like gardening or what have ya, you'll probably want some overalls. Who knows, maybe we can go shoppin' for you too, Iris."

The vixen shook her head, "That will not be necessary. My matrix is capable of creating a number of garments suited to most situations I should encounter." The holographic lady said as she stood in what amounted to a set of robes.

"Maybe it would be best if you changed into something a little more like what everyone else is wearing?" Smokey said.

Iris looked down at her clothing, then over to Lucy, then to the clerk behind the counter. She nodded and closed her eyes to make the change. A shimmer passed over her form, her robes transforming into a shirt and blue jeans similar to what she had seen worn throughout town.

"Is this more to your liking, miss?" The azure fox asked.

Smokey rolled her eyes a little.

"It's not about whether or not I like it. We're just helping you blend in a bit, feel like you belong." The dragon said.

"I see. Thank you for your considering of my feelings, though it is not necessary." Iris responded, immediately moving through the store to search for items to add to Smokey's rather simplistic wardrobe.

Smokey sighed and looked to Lucy, "She's really nice once you get to know her. I promise. She's just... a little different."

The cougar nodded, "Different is something she certainly is, and ain't nothin' wrong with that. Now c'mon. I got things ta show ya. I came in here yesterday to do a little scoutin'. I wanna see if ya like what I found!"

Lucy took Smokey by the paw and dragged her through the store, delighted that she had a new lady friend to shop for clothes with, even if she used to be a boy.

The trip was awfully successful. Several bags of clothing were loaded into the truck bed, covered, and tied down as the trio moved through the square. Before all was said and done, Smokey was dressed in a new outfit that was far more comfortable than what she had come into town wearing. Had her chest gained an inch or two since they left the house? Her new ladies' undergarments were doing an excellent job of keeping her from leaking through her top immediately. Lucy certainly knew her stuff.

The clerks at the various stores, many of whom had known Smokey before the change, were quite surprised by her new appearance. Some couldn't stop staring or keep their jaws from hanging as the blue dragon walked by. Some were mildly distracted while they tried to talk to her, their gaze slowly lowering to drink in the new curves and jerk back up in shame. A few didn't really seem to care that much. Mr. Coulson in the hardware store was an odd mix of reaction and non-reaction. He commented on Smokey's new look, but in that way old men did when they wanted to make it clear they didn't really have a strong opinion, but felt they had to somehow address the elephant in the room.

Smokey liked him. She always had. Surely the old squirrel thought it odd that the little boy who loved to run straight to the wooden model airplanes was now a very heavily pregnant lady. If he did, he didn't seem to show it. Maybe he knew Smokey's parents well enough that he'd been made aware of this whole process. Maybe they had let him in on their little secret. They had to get those cabinet doors guarding Carmel's egg made somehow, and neither Smokey's mother or father possessed such skill. Maybe they commissioned him.

"So yer gonna need a crib at some point, I'm guessin'." Mr. Couslson said, eyeing Smokey's belly.

"Eventually, not for a good long while though. I'm actually more interested in learning a little about gardening. Mom wanted to teach Carmel about it. I'd like to do that in her place if possible. I'm going to need a place to do my planting." Smokey said.

The old squirrel nodded, "Yeah, well... ya can start with a couple'a planter boxes, then when ya feel like yer gettin' the hang'a that, we can move ya on to a raised garden box on the ground."

Smokey shook her head, "No, let's go ahead and start with the raised box. I wanna dive right in."

Mr. Coulson grinned a little.

"Well look at you, tryin' all sorts'a new things. I tell ya, yer mom and pop couldn't get ya to play in the dirt for anything when you were little. Always too interested in flyin' and swimmin' and playin' with those model planes. I'll get some things together and meetcha out at your house this afternoon. We'll getcha started right away." He said.

Iris nodded, "A hobby would likely be a wise idea. Something to keep the mind occupied."

The squirrel frowned softly, "Listen here, sweetheart. Gardening is more than just a hobby out here in the sticks. It's a way'a life. Yer takin' it upon yerself ta nurture somethin', give it all the things it needs to grow up strong and healthy and pure. There's somethin' of a science to it, sure, but those of us who do it for a livin', we love it. To us, there's nothin' more magical than makin' something grow." He fussed through his little speech, not actually offended. It was more for Smokey's benefit than Iris', making sure the dragon understood the connection between gardening and parenthood. He knew she was a bright kid. She'd draw the parallel without any trouble.

"Thank you, Mr. Coulson. I really appreciate it. We'll see you out at the house later." Smokey said.

"Good. And I expect you ta get yer hands good'n dirty." He pointed at her as he narrowed his eyes expectantly.

Smokey smiled, "Of course. I'll do what Iris here will let me."

The rest of the visit to the hardware store passed and their purchases were put in the bed of the truck with everything else. Lucy had taken off before they got to Coulson's place, needing to head back home to help with the chores. Smokey and Iris climbed into the cabin and began making their way back home. The dragoness felt a renewed sense of confidence, unable to keep from smiling as she idly stroked her grand stomach. Their little outing had gone rather well.

"Ya know, I had fun today." Smokey said.

"I'm pleased to hear that, miss." Iris said.

"You know," The dragon said, pondering something more, "I'll bet I could head back to the city and no one would bat an eye at me."

"It is very possible. Though I might caution against such a long distance trip for the time being. I might suggest purchasing a vehicle better suited for a long voyage than a truck. And you should give yourself more time to build your strength. You had to rest rather frequently today." The vixen said, concerned that Smokey might be biting off more than she could chew.

"Nonsense. I'll just fly back. I've been doing some thinking. I bet I could change size like I used to and that would make it just as easy as if I weren't pregnant." The dragoness said.

"Perhaps, though it may have unforeseen effects on the baby." Iris warned.

"Well, I'll test it when we get back to the house. I'll size up, and just fly up to the house. Short trip, short stay as a big girl, then come back down to what everyone else thinks is normal." Smokey smiled.

"As you wish. A brief experiment such as that should limit any effects." The vixen nodded.

By this point, Smokey was giddy with excitement. She'd found a loophole in the mobility issue. Sure she wouldn't be able to stay big in the city, but around the house, she could just default back to the size she had grown up as. It's what the treehouse had been built to accommodate. It had felt so strange wandering around the house in the 'less frightening' height. Now, maybe she could get a chance to properly stretch.

The truck pulled up to the trunk of the tree holding the Aquatos home aloft and the two ladies climbed out, preparing to begin hauling their goodies upstairs. Smokey practically bounced on her feet as she unstrapped everything.

"I can't wait. I gotta try it now!" Smokey said gleefully.

"Miss, please do be careful." Iris said, stepping away to a safe distance.

"I will. I promise." The dragoness said.

Smokey closed her eyes and relaxed a sort of muscle deep inside her. It wasn't so much a physical one but more one of a mystical nature. She had trained for so long as a child to hold her smaller size. It got to the point where it was almost a reflex action, allowing her to sleep or be put under without growing back out. It had been years since she could do this again. Obviously, she was excited.

Slowly, a subtle shine surrounded the dragon. She felt the tingle of the magic going to work, releasing its seal on her height. Gradually, she began to grow, passing six feet easily, then seven. Her clothing didn't seem to strain or stretch, growing right along with her. It was a little something she had prepared on the way home, making sure she didn't shred her new wardrobe. The overalls loosened about her belly as she climbed in height, shivering as she stretched her wings out behind her. Oh it felt marvelous, like getting out of the car after a long trip.

Soon, Smokey towered over her vulpine companion, her true height of nine and a half feet, giving her a commanding countenance. Her tummy was considerably smaller, little more than a soft paunch rather than a large, heavy dome. She giggled and began dancing softly around, careful not to step on anything important or valuable.

"Oh man I've missed this so much! It feels great! And look! Carmel stayed the same size! I could stay like this when I'm home and I'll be able to get around without any trouble at all!" The dragoness cried in joy.

"Yes, miss," Iris called up to her, "But please be careful. Your new mobility might give you the illusion of invulnerability, but you are still in a very delicate condition. The fact that Carmel is now so much smaller compared to you means she is more fragile than you."

"Of course, of course. I'll be careful. I promise," Smokey looked down at her much smaller stomach, cupping her hands over the gentle bulge, "Hear that? Big sister's gonna take really good care of you."

As if responding to the blue lady's words, a warm tingle passed through Smokey's body, feeling as though it was coming from the egg itself. A soft tightness gripped the dragon's belly, making her frown a little as she held the subtle curve. It felt like she was stretching, as if she were filling up somehow.

"What on earth?" Smokey said, gently pressing against her tummy.

Iris watched carefully, examining the dragoness with her rather intricate array of senses. It was rather handy having a medical scanner built into your midwife.

"It is as I was concerned might happen. Your sister was conceived and carried at full size. She is responding to your shift and growing to match you. It will only take a few moments, and you will be roughly the same proportions as when you were small."

Smokey whined a little, shivering as she felt her stomach growing further and further. She was conflicted on the matter. Part of her was overjoyed to be mobile again. But, in the brief moment she spent close to how trim she had been originally, she found a strange sense of emptiness. She missed the belly.

"Well, I guess I'd better get a move on getting stuff up to the house before I'm too heavy to fly." Smokey said, ambivalent on the matter. Without a moment's hesitation, the dragoness collected a large portion of all the new purchases and launched herself into the air. It definitely felt good getting into the air again, but she could already feel the steady weight growing in her middle. She'd get one--maybe two more trips before she had filled out completely.

Iris simply collected what she could and began climbing. She watched Smokey carefully during the two remaining trips, marking the noticeable drop in speed as the dragon got heavier. By the time the vixen had reached the deck and set her load down, Smokey had flopped onto her rump, leaning against the wall of the house, panting for breath. Her belly was now large enough to fill her entire lap just as it had before. The fox approached and pressed a palm against the dome, sensing through the flesh.

"I'm pleased to say that Carmel is as healthy as ever. In fact, she seems to be responding positively to being her natural size once more." Iris said.

"Yeah?" Smokey asked, "It's weird. It feels different than when I was small. There's this sort of... warm sensation in my stomach. It feels good, like... a... a happy feeling."

Iris nodded, "That is likely your sister's emotional state. She is pleased to be back to her normal size. Possibly because she sensed how happy you were to be your usual height as well. The bond has already taken hold."

Smokey blushed and shivered softly as the realization dawned on her. She had heard about the bond a lot during her research. She'd heard about it from her parents growing up. But, feeling it, on the parent side at least, made it so much more real. This was actually happening. She was going to go through with this. And something about being her true size made the whole experience that much more pleasant.

"Wow... I can feel her. I can really feel her." Smokey said with a smile.

"Come, let's go inside and I will prepare something for you to eat while we wait for Mr. Coulson to arrive. He should be here in an hour or so."

Smokey nodded, "I probably ought to shrink back down before he gets here. I can always grow back up once he leaves."

The dragoness stood and immediately reactivated the 'muscle' she had trained. In seconds, she had shrunk back down, compacted into her 'common height' frame. But there was a problem. Smokey stood there, gasping and moaning as she clutched her stomach. Carmel's egg hadn't shrunk with her. It was just as large as it had been once it swelled her out. She couldn't move, standing there on her tiptoes, leaning on the enormous stomach.

Iris dropped what she was carrying and moved immediately to the dragon's side, examining her.

"Are you in pain? Where do you feel the discomfort the most?" The vixen asked, almost frantic.

Smokey shook her head, shivering again as she groped over the grand swell.

"D-doesn't... doesn't hurt... oh god... holy crap..." She panted breathlessly.

Iris frowned softly, unsure what Smokey meant. Then the scent hit her. Smokey was deeply aroused, soaking through her new overalls between her legs.

Carefully, the vixen helped the dragoness remove the garment, which somehow managed to stretch right along with her without ripping, and plunged a hand between the blue lady's thighs, stroking the quivering folds below.

"It would appear that I will need to offer you relief like this more frequently than expected." The fox said.

Smokey couldn't speak. She simply cried out in elation as she was brought towards climax. It wouldn't take long at all. She would need to teach Iris how to go about this slower so she could enjoy it longer. In fact, it took only a matter of moments. If Iris was anything, she was efficient. Smokey quivered and panted, sighing in relief as her belly began to shrink, gradually returning to the size it had been before all the size-shifting antics.

"Holy crap... okay... note to self, exercise caution when doing that." Smokey huffed.

The vixen nodded, helping the dragoness to her feet to get her inside.

"It would seem that Carmel has a delayed reaction to your size changes. It would be wise to take that into account when engaging." Iris said.

"Maybe Dr. Carnegie and Dr. Tristan can help me out. They helped me get this far." Smokey panted as she eased onto the sofa, clutching her stomach as she reclined. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but she would probably do that again when no one was looking.

"That would be a wise idea, and it would give you reason to visit the city again, rather than just going on a whim." Iris said.

"I'll give it a little while. Need to get more used to this. Maybe I can practice flying by going for a swim." Smokey said, not mentioning that she was interested in replicating the little 'hiccup' she'd just gone through.

---

Days passed. Mr. Coulson helped the two girls build a small above-ground garden and began teaching them the basics of good plant husbandry. He was a good teacher, if a little gruff at times. As Smokey got more active, she settled into the pregnancy further. Soon, she was able to walk about the house without any real difficulty. Flight was still a little troublesome. Her trick of returning to her natural size helped, even when Carmel swelled out to join her. The trip back to the big city was planned and prepared for, much to Smokey's giddy anticipation. Iris was her natural reserved self. When the day finally came, Smokey took on her normal height and waited patiently for the vixen to retreat into the small, crystalline amulet she wore. It was her projector, now modified as a temporary storage device. She housed a copy of herself in it to make the trip north.

Smokey collected her pack, slung it over her shoulders, and took flight, heading back towards the school she hadn't visited in almost a month. Her professors asked her to check in with them after she had gotten started with this little 'project'. And it had completely slipped her mind. She would make good on that promise now.

The rooftop she had landed on countless times when making the commute during her enrollment greeted her again. Even though she was larger than before, she was still well supported. It had been built and reinforced to handle heavy landers. Slowly, the blue shrank herself down, thinking perhaps a more gradual process would give Carmel a chance to catch up. It certainly kept Smokey from soaking her shorts like before.

The halls were just as she had left them. The dragoness smiled at students as they passed, some unable to tear their gaze away from her enormous stomach. Iris remained in 'sleep mode' in her crystal, giving the dragon a little alone time to enjoy her nostalgia. The professors were no doubt in class at the moment, so she wandered the campus. A few students decided she was an interesting enough sight to behold that they approached and began chatting her up. And so, Smokey found herself sitting on the soft, warm grass of the quad, several girls around her, giggling and chatting away while one or two rubbed her rather large tummy. And this was the sight that her friends beheld as they walked up on her.

"Smokey? Is that you!?" A grey mare said, staring wide eyed at the pregnant dragoness.

"You're a girl!? And you're pregnant!?" Cried the slim tiger holding the equine's hand.

"Nick! Terri!" Smokey blushed furiously, now terribly embarrassed, "What are you guys doing on campus!? I thought you'd moved on!"

"I got offered a position as a junior professor! And Nick and I got engaged so he's living with me now!" Terri, the ashen horse explained incredulously, "What are YOU doing here!?"

"And how do you end up like that!?" Nick cried out again.

---

"I still can't believe you modified your own matrix." Nick said as he perused blocks of mystical spellwork in Iris' makeup.

"It seemed the only logical course of action considering the situation. If I have damaged myself, please inform me of the errors I have made so that I can avoid them in the future." The vixen, now appearing semi-transparent, sat patiently as the tiger worked away.

"From what I can see, everything appears to be just fine. You did a great patch job. In fact, if you hadn't highlighted the parts you added and modified, I don't think I'd have been able to tell the difference!" The tiger said in astonishment.

Iris frowned softly, one of her newest abilities, "I do not understand why that should be cause for surprise."

Nick chuckled and pushed away in his rolling chair, moving around from the illusory console projecting out of the vixen's back to look at her like a person.

"You haven't spent much time around other synthetics have you? Or kept up with what's been happening with them lately?" The tiger asked.

Iris shook her head, "The limit of my worldly experience has been confined to the property of Mr. and Mrs. Aquatos, as well as the recent trips into town as well as to university when Smokey wished to visit. There were only a handful of synthetics there, low class, information custodial grade."

"Well my dear," Nick said, grinning softly, "You wouldn't be aware of the growing trend among type five and above entities like you. Spontaneous protocol generation. Everyone thought it was just because of how synthetics interacted with one another. As an entity like you remains in operation, you take in input, index it with associated parameters and such. You modify your responses in communicating with others based on that. Most synthetics exchange this information freely among each other. It's sort of like a 'note swap'. Like they go back and forth saying 'Look, here's this one situation I was in. It got super awkward and this was how it resolved. Later I found out what it was all about and I should have reacted like this instead. Now you know so you don't have to go through it yourself.'"

"I see." Iris said, looking somewhat confused.

"That was pretty expected. You're designed to learn. But your people aren't made in factories. You're either made by a master spell caster for a specific purpose, or commissioned by someone for a variety of reasons. It wouldn't make much sense to have an assistant who couldn't learn. But we're finding entities like you that are starting to change themselves, edit their spellcrafting, like editing code in a computer. They're expanding their parameters, even going so far as to prevent degradation of the spellwork. They're operating beyond their expected lifespan. Your people are evolving." Nick explained excitedly.

"We are evolving?" Iris asked, "And that is... good?"

Nick pushed himself back and threw his arms out in a grand gesture.

"It's fascinating! Now, normally, we only see this in synthetics that are in regular contact with other synthetics, but you... you've been isolated for almost the entirety of your operational life. And yet, you're doing the same thing as the others!" The tiger wheeled himself back around, making one or two more changes through Iris' console before closing it down.

Immediately, the vixen shivered and gasped softly. Her transparent figure shimmered and she solidified once again, looking like any ordinary blue fox dressed in a simple robe.

"I'm reading the newly inserted lines. They should be incorporated fully in a moment," Iris said, turning around to face Nick, "Thank you very much for your help. I do not believe Mr. and Mrs. Aquatos intended for me to operate nearly this long. It would be prudent to schedule regular examinations of my matrix."

The tiger snickered, "Get a checkup just like us organics. A damn good idea if you ask me."

Iris nodded, "Then with your permission, I would like to retain your contact information so that I may reach out to you should I have any more trouble."

"Oh no, no, no. I'm nowhere near qualified to perform a proper run through of your systems. My specialty focuses on the crystalline matrix you're actually stored in. I'm studying the spellwork side of it, but I'm no hologram doctor. Let me give you the name of someone who's far more qualified." Nick began digging around through his bag to pull out a notepad.

"Stop pestering the girl, Nick," Smokey said, finally returning from the bedroom, towering over everyone in her natural height, "I'm sure she's interested in trying out her new toys."

The tiger looked up at the large dragoness moving to settle carefully on the couch.

"I'm not pestering her, I'm letting her know what's going on with her people. You should get some kind of a connection out here; seeing stone, telepathy antenna, hell even something as simple and cliche as a crystal ball, just so you two can keep up with the outside world!" Nick exclaimed, still baffled that there wasn't even so much as a phone line to call into town.

Smokey groaned softly as she eased down to sit, the couch creaking under her weight. It had been a little more than nine months since she made her first visit back to the university and her belly had grown even more.

"I want to keep this place as much like it was when mom and dad lived here. Once Carmel's old enough, I'll make sure she can access whatever she needs. There is such a thing as information overload, you know." Smokey said.

"Yeah, but only if you don't know what you're doing." Nick complained.

"The lady has a valid point, my boy," Crooned an old owl emerging from the same bedroom Smokey had come from, "There is something to be said for the charm of a simple existence. Perhaps one day we will have arranged for such connections to be more easily managed. For now, it's far too easy to get swept away by the tide of news."

"Thank you Dr. Carnegie." Smokey smiled.

"Please, my dear, it's Geoffrey. You only needed to call me that when you were my student," The old bird smiled warmly up at the big dragon, "And while we are in your home, it is only appropriate that I be the one to use formalities like that."

Smokey shook her head, "I won't hear of it."

"Oh but I insist!" Dr. Carnegie said.

"Oh stop it Geoffrey," said a hare who had only just followed him out, carrying a bag with her, "Enough of this silly posturing. We are all friends here."

Nick grinned, "Yeah, you tell'em, Becky!"

The rabbit jerked her head over to glance at the tiger, "That's Rebecca! And either Professor or Dr. Tristan to you!"

Nick swallowed and shrank a little in his seat. It was impressive how the diminutive rabbit could so easily silence a predator like Nick. She smirked and turned back away, always enjoying that little reaction to her show of strength.

"Of course... I suppose I could allow 'Dr. Cottontail' as those of your class were always so fond of calling me," Rebecca chuckled, turning her attention back to the dragon, "Smokey, you are in excellent health, as is Carmel. She has hatched and the shell has been almost completely absorbed. You should start feeling her kick a lot more in the coming weeks."

The dragoness looked down at her stomach, stroking over the dome. She could actually feel movement inside her. This was only the latest visit from her friends, both classmates and professors. They had made it a regular occurrence ever since Smokey simply appeared on the quad.

"Good. Glad to hear it. It felt really odd when she started pushing out of the shell." Smokey said.

Terri smirked, walking in from the kitchen with a tray of glasses for everyone to drink.

"I'll bet! I've been doing a little reading on dragon physiology since you surprised us. This bond thing is pretty interesting, even though there's not much out there to read about it." The mare said.

Geoffrey nodded as he collected a glass and sipped it daintily.

"Most dragons prefer not to discuss such matters. I'm not entirely sure why but I think it may have something to do with the fact that it can sometimes lead to a sort of addiction." The owl hooted.

The blue dragoness blushed and bit her lower lip, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Yeah, if you're not careful, you can end up so attached to the condition you actually start trying to find other ways to induce it once you give birth." Smokey said.

"Indeed," Rebecca raised an eyebrow, as did everyone else, "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Everyone turned to look at Smokey as she crumpled a little, shrinking into her seat, though not literally.

"I... may have been doing some reading on surrogacy." She said, deeply embarrassed.

"Surrogacy?" Nick asked, confused.

Terri gave the tiger a gentle elbowing in the side as she giggled, "Smokey's gotten so attached that she's considering having other people's babies for them."

Nick's eyes widened as he looked at the mare. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Is that even possible!? I mean, for folks who lay eggs, sure... but... is that possible with mammals!?" The tiger almost shouted.

"Calm down, Nick," Rebecca said, "You're embarrassing the poor girl. And to answer your question, yes. It is possible to act as a surrogate for just about any couple. It's an expensive process though. Now, why don't we move on to other topics."

"Hmm, yes, quite right," Geoffrey said, his rather proper nature making him sound even more stiff than usual, perhaps on purpose, "I must say Missus Aquatos-"

"Smokey..." The dragoness corrected.

"Hmm, yes, Smokey. I must say, you have a very lovely little cottage." The owl continued.

The blue lady dipped her head softly, "Thank you. Mom and dad did an amazing job building it and making it into a home."

"You say that every time you come out here, Geoffrey." Rebecca chuckled, putting her exam bag away before taking a seat in a nearby easy chair to sip on her own glass.

"Well it doesn't change the fact that it's true. In fact, I would dare to say that were this an establishment that charged to temporarily reside, I would happily pay for the luxury," The old owl bowed to the dragoness, "Your hospitality is beyond extraordinary, my dear."

The high praise brought Smokey to blush as she sat, not permitted to lift a finger for herself given her state. Part of her hated it, but another part quietly enjoyed being tended to like this.

"Thank you. I'm glad you all like it out here so much. You come so far just to fuss over me, I'd hate for you to dread the idea of spending the weekend out here." The dragoness said.

Nick grinned a bit, "How can we not like it? Beautiful views, good company, cozy accommodations; it's like you're running a bed and breakfast out here."

"I have to admit, it's pretty nice having everyone here. Makes it feel more welcoming." Smokey said, "And I've actually been thinking about that."

"Oh? Thinking about perhaps delving into the hospitality industry?" The owl hooted quietly.

"Maybe. It's just a thought. I wouldn't really be able to do anything about it until after Carmel is born and I don't have to stay right there with her all the time." The blue lady said.

"A bed and breakfast in the trees," Terri mused with a smile, reclining in her seat, "I'd pay good money to stay in a place like this. Especially if you keep cooking the way you do."

Smokey blushed again. A soft twitch under her scales gave her reason to gasp softly. Her hands moved to the site along the smooth dome of her tummy, marveling at the novel sensation of feeling the baby kick. One she settled, she kept her eyes on the belly, caressing over where the kick had come from.

"The house is too small to be a proper bed and breakfast. I'd need another couple of bedrooms, a bigger kitchen, and dining room. Not to mention I'd need something to make it easier for people to get up and down. Honestly, trying to expand the house to include all of that would be impractical. It'd be easier to just build a second treehouse in a neighboring tree and join the two deck to deck." Smokey said.

"Sounds like an ambitious project." Rebecca said with a smile.

"Oh yeah, ambitious doesn't begin to describe it," The blue dragon said, "I can plan it out now, but I'll have to wait until I'm skinny again before I can even think about building it. After Carmel's born. Once that happens, I can get serious about it."

---

"What sort of tree is that?" Smokey called out, pointing to a nearby trunk. He was busy sawing away on a piece of lumber, working to build a wall frame for a second treehouse.

"A common mountain pine! A conifer native to temperate climates, usually around the foothills of mountains, near wetlands, and along rivers!" Cried out the voice of a little girl, gleeful at being challenged in her knowledge of the local flora. She sat on the original deck only a few dozen feet away, watching the construction as she studied.

"Good, and how long do those live?" The blue drake asked.

"On average, they can live to be one hundred years old! The oldest one on record was three hundred and twelve when it finally died of natural causes!" The young green dragoness shouted back excitedly, "C'mon! Gimme a hard one!"

"Okay, okay, settle down Carmel," Smokey said, grinning a little, "Tell me about the sapling growing in your garden."

The blue fellow smirked and looked up at the elderly squirrel helping him build the frame. Mr. Coulson was mightily impressed with the little girl's zeal for plant science.

"It was a gift from one of your professors back at the academy, a friend of Dr. Tristan's. It's supposed to be a Greater Obsidian Magna, but they're said to be extinct, died out over five hundred years ago and all their seeds harvested and enshrined as magical artifacts. Legend says the Magna was one of the earliest trees to arise, and at least ten different subgroups descend from it. It was said to be as tall as a Coastal Redwood, have the canopy of a Ancient Oak, and bear fruit that would promote long life and-"

"That's good enough, honey." Smokey interrupted with a chuckle. He had a subtle flash of embarrassment as the girl approached a topic he felt she wasn't ready to join the discussion on.

Carmel sensed this and took no offense.

"Alright. What else ya got, big brother?" The young, green dragon asked cheerfully.

"Perhaps you should resume your other lessons." Iris said, approaching from behind, carrying a small stack of books with her.

Carmel whined softly as she looked over the tomes.

"Awww, c'mon. I was just getting started!" The girl protested.

"There'll be plenty of time for plants and trees later. There are other things to life you should know. Who knows, you might just like something else even better than plants!" Smokey smiled.

The eleven-year-old girl rolled her eyes and took the books Iris offered her with a thank you.

"Doubt it! But fine, studying stuff that isn't about plants--and therefore isn't cool--it is." She smirked, flexing her sass muscles a little. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, and the older blue dragon just chuckled at the joke it was supposed to be.

"You got yourself a handful in that one, Mr. Aquatos." Coulson said, gesturing with his chin towards the young lady.

"I sure do. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Smokey replied.

"Smart as a whip, that girl'a yours. Why's she all by herself out here in the middle'a nowhere? Why don'tcha take her into the city, let her go to school at one'a them big fancy academies like you went to?" The old squirrel asked.

"It's how my parents raised me, and it's how they wanted her to be raised. She's well above average compared to other students her age, skipped a couple of grades. Once she's done with primaries, I'll look into a vocational study, just to fill the age gap before secondary school. Once she's old enough for that, I'll look into an apartment back in the city and we'll find her a school she likes." Smokey answered.

"Aren't ya worried she won't be able ta... ya know... interact or whatever they call it?" Coulson asked.

"I had a little trouble myself when I was just getting into a more public school, but the way my parents raised me helped me more than I realized. I'm hoping I'll have the same effect on her. And if not, she's a bright girl, I'm sure she'll find her own way." Smokey said.

"Well, s'good ta hear ya got a plan. Often folks who have kids pushed on 'em don't have the first clue what they're doin'. I'd say you turned out ta be a pretty good dad." Coulson offered, leaning back away from the frame he and the dragon had just put up. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and gave a noisy exhale.

"Well, I'd like to think I'm a pretty good big brother at least. Certainly not perfect... god... all the way from when she was two to five... I was a mess, just trying to keep up and chase after her." Smokey laughed.

Mr. Coulson grinned as he leaned back against the rail behind him.

"You should'a seen me, I had triplets ta chase after. Two boys and a girl. After a while, I enjoyed goin' ta work ta get away from the tornado at home!" He laughed.

Smokey laughed along with the squirrel, standing back and looking over the progress they had made. The deck itself was finished, though it needed a proper rail rather than the temporary one. The walls were framed for the most part, and they were just about to get started putting up the paneling for the roof. In only a couple of weeks since construction started, they'd gotten this far. If only he'd known it would be so quick, he'd have tried to tackle it a lot earlier, maybe even before Carmel was born.

He blamed himself for the delay lasting almost a decade and a half. The pregnancy lasted longer than he intended. He didn't want to admit it but had grown a little too attached. Then he was so focused on tending to a newborn that he couldn't really think about much of anything else. He didn't even change back to male until Carmel turned three just to make sure she wouldn't need to nurse anymore. That transition back to his original sex was somewhat jarring for him. The initial change hadn't been like the change back, largely because almost immediately after he turned female, he ended up pregnant, and that brought with it a whole host of other interesting facets.

Being suddenly lighter in the chest and wearing a different kind of underwear, designed to accommodate the additional mass downstairs, was something he really had time to examine. Carmel didn't really seem to notice too much. It was a little odd for her to switch from calling him 'big sister' to 'big brother', but once Smokey felt she was old enough, he explained about their parents and their final wish. He strategically left out all the logistical details of what the differences between men and women were functionally used for, deferring to the standard, "I'll explain when you're older" deflection.

Smokey really had been pretty decent at the whole parenting adventure. Iris had been a tremendous help, having gone through raising him from a hatchling. She gave him advice, tended to the baby when Smokey was too tired to, and made sure to keep the house in regular order. Smokey helped when he could, but those first couple of years, he spent a lot of it exhausted. He was jealous of the fact that his parents had each other as well as Iris. Anytime that notion came up, it brought him back to the painful memory of his breakup just before diving into taking care of Carmel.

The blue dragon shoved the unpleasant thought away and looked down as his stomach growled. It was getting close to noon. Just as he was about to open his mouth to say something about it, he felt a dull sting in his right index finger, as if someone tried to run a knife ever so lightly across the face of the digit, but there was a piece of cloth in the way. Smokey winced softly and lifted the hand to determine the cause of the pain. As he suspected, the muted fashion of the pain suggested the cause. There was no injury to speak of, not on him at least.

"Carmel? You okay?" Smokey called out. He had heard what he thought was quiet, sharp inhale of a wince come from here just moments ago.

"I'm alright. Just a stupid little paper cut. I told you, anything that's not about plants... lame." She called back out.

The blue chuckled and rubbed the aching finger under the others of the same hand.

"Well, why don't you put it down for now and we can all have lunch. I'm pretty hungry. How about you, Mr. Coulson?" The blue drake asked.

The squirrel nodded, "I could eat. What's on the menu at Chez Smokey?"

Coulson's attempt to use the expected accent was always amusing. He knew he wouldn't ever really be able to master the tongue, so he instead used it as a source of humor.

"I'm afraid we don't have much at the moment. I was only able to make a few sandwiches with what was leftover from last night. I will need to make a trip in town for groceries, preferably later today." Iris said, walking out with a tray carrying the very sandwiches she mentioned.

Smokey whistled seeing that the holographic vixen's modesty was hard at work yet again.

"They look fantastic. And I swear, I will never get used to you being able to guess when to have food ready at just the right time. It's downright spooky." The drake snickered.

Iris set the tray down on an iron wrought table, welcoming the three to pull up their chairs to sit and eat. She seemed unaffected by the comment, responding in her usual matter-of-fact manner.

"I simply track your vitals through the crystalline sensors Mr. Nick was kind enough to install around the house. I read your blood sugar levels and determine when it is the best time to eat." The vixen said.

Smokey pulled away from having taken a bite of his sandwich, marveling at the taste. He rather enjoyed sandwiches made from roast beef the night before.

"Even before he put them in, you could read all of us without any trouble; me, mom, dad, all of us." The drake said, covering his mouth with a hand as he rather ungentlemanly spoke with his mouth full.

"When one spends a significant amount of time around a person, one develops a certain... intuition... for their habits and moods." Iris said before turning to head back inside. They were going to need more water for the table and she intended to bring some out in a lovely glass pitcher.

The sight was not unlike a picnic crossed with a street-corner cafe in a large, old city. It struck the blue dragon that it was terribly pleasant eating out on the deck with guests. It must have struck Carmel as such as well because she almost immediately chimed in with a comment on the thought.

"How big is the deck for the second house gonna be?" The young, green girl asked.

Smokey paused, looking to his sister before glancing over at Mr. Coulson. The squirrel knew the dimensions far better than he.

"There'll be about six feet of walking space around the whole house when it's all said and done, pretty good amount of space." Mr. Coulson answered.

Carmel frowned softly and shook her head, taking another quick bite from her sandwich, then shoving a couple of crispy potato chips in after it. She had taken after her brother's rather casual stance on table manners for the moment. Parroting was not at all uncommon through the bond.

"Won't be enough. The part that sticks out closer to the main house ought to be bigger, maybe give it a retractable cover. We can put a bigger outdoor table and chairs there, have meals outside when the weather's nice like this!" Carmel said, trying to keep from letting bits of chip get flung from her lips.

Smokey nodded, clearing his mouth with a sturdy sip of water. Once he was sure he could speak without being rude, he followed up on her thought.

"I agree! It wouldn't be too much additional work to expand it. And a retractable awning wouldn't be too hard. I've seen that sort of thing out in front of restaurants in the city. I bet we could even set up an outdoor cooking space, a grill or something!" The blue dragon said excitedly.

Mr. Coulson wiped his mouth with a napkin, the most proper of the three, before taking his turn.

"Settle down you two. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's get the house built first, then we can look and see what'll go into the add-on. All sounds like a fine idea, but should make sure we're not gonna hurt what we got in the works first," The squirrel said coolly, "Besides, I don't know much about how safe it'd be with a grill in a tree house."

Carmel smiled brightly.

"Big brother can make the fire! He likes making s'mores when we go camping around the woods!" She said.

Mr. Coulson turned back to the blue, somewhat surprised.

"I thought you couldn't breathe fire! I thought you were a water dragon!"

Smokey blushed and put his sandwich down, following the old squirrel's lead by dabbing a napkin to his lips before answering.

"Common misconception. Some water dragons can in fact spit fire. We're just not terribly adept at it. I can maybe get a flame hot and big enough to sear a steak. I can't sustain it for very long. I end up having to take a breath after only about twenty seconds or so. I could light a grill easy. Maybe after a little practice, I could cook pretty consistently with a few spurts of my own flame."

Mr. Coulson shook his head with a quiet chuckle before picking up his sandwich, readying for another bite.

"Devilish creatures, you dragons. Always get surprised by something new about you folk every day I'm around yer kind," The old squirrel lowered his sandwich for a moment to look pointedly at Carmel, "Especially you, little missy. Yer puttin' me ta shame with your gardening skills. Pretty soon, I'll be askin' you for tips rather than the other way 'round."

Carmel went a lovely shade of magenta at his words.

"It's just stuff from books I've been reading, and practicing down in the garden. I'm not that good." She said modestly.

"Not that good?" Smokey stopped her, "You've mastered some of the basic plant growth spells mom tried to teach me. I was twice your age when I started and I still have plenty of trouble with them. You keep going the way you're going and you'll be an amazing druid."

The little girl was starting to get a little uncomfortable with all the praise. She didn't think anything of what she was able to do, and being called amazing for it didn't quite feel just to her. Quickly, Carmel decided to change the subject.

"I know you said we should finish that house, wait and see what we can work with before we dream any bigger, but... I was wondering. I had this idea last night. What if this goes really well and more and more people keep coming? What if we need to expand more? I was thinking we could build more tree houses all around, in a circle around the main house. They could all be connected back here with bridges. We could even decorate them differently, like the different seasons! One could be the summer cottage, then on the opposite side, you've got the winter lodge, then in between them spring and autumn! I could even grow plants that you usually only see that time of year in each!" Carmel excitedly spilled out.

Smokey laughed and reached over, taking the little girl by the arm to keep her from getting too worked up.

"Easy now... that's a pretty big if. I'd love to see this place take off that successfully, but let's just wait and see what happens with the one house. If you want to decorate it like that, you go right ahead once it's finished. We'll call it the spring burrow, since that's your favorite season. How's that?" The blue drake said with a smile.

Carmel's eyes lit up brilliantly, unbelievably excited at the prospect of being put in charge of decorating the first tree house addition.

"Really!?" She nearly shouted.

"Really. But only once it's finished." Smokey said.

"Can I go have a look at it!? I've got to get started right away planning out what I want to do!" Carmel speedily jabbered, bouncing giddily in her seat.

"Not right now, sweetie. It's still not very safe. We'll need to finish bracing the framework, get the roof on it, and put up a better rail." The blue dragon said.

His little sister visibly deflated, but only just. They had planned on getting almost all of that done today. Maybe when they were done for the day she'd get her chance. Before she could say anything more, Smokey continued, a bit of a wry smirk tugging on his lips.

"You know, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have a little help running the place once it's finished. Shopping for groceries, upkeep, housekeeping, things like that. If it's just you and me, Carmel, might be a little too much when we get all booked up." He said.

Carmel's eyes widened a little at the revelation.

"You mean, we'd have a maid!?" She asked excitedly.

Smokey laughed, "Not necessarily a maid, but an employee, someone to help out around the place. They'd probably have to live in town for a while, until we get a little more space opened up, but I think that would work out. In fact, I put an ad in the paper last week, both in town, and back in the city."

The squirrel put his sandwich down and gave a look of concern.

"Isn't it a might early for that kinda thing?" He asked.

Smokey shrugged softly, "It's not like I can't afford to pay them. And it would be good to have someone already on staff in case we actually do get really popular."

"Alright, I ain't yer daddy. You know what yer doin'." Coulson said.

Carmel was bouncing in her seat, her eyes huge. She was intensely curious about the ad, what it said, what sort of person her brother was looking for. Just as she was about to ask, a deep roll of thunder caught everyone's attention. The four turned to look off to the west to find a tall, dark mountain of cloud filling much of that half of the sky. How had that snuck up on them without anyone noticing?

"Looks like we're done for the day, Smokey," Mr. Coulson said, "With how quick that little storm sprang up, I'd be lucky to get back into town before it started pouring on me."

Smokey nodded and collected a large napkin, taking the uneaten half of the squirrel's sandwich and his chips in it and folding it all up in a neat package.

"Then we'd best get you on your way. I don't want you getting stuck in the mud out here on my account. We can finish this later. Iris, would you please help Carmel take her things inside while I see Mr. Coulson to his truck?" The drake said.

"Of course." The vixen said, having already begun collecting the little girl's books.

"Awww!" Cried Carmel, "Now I'm gonna hafta wait even longer to get a look at the space!"

The blue dragon sighed as he felt her disappointment. He hated squashing her desire to be creative, and this was a big project for her. He wanted it to be a positive experience.

"Alright, you can go and look while I'm down below making sure Mr. Coulson gets away before the storm. But you gotta follow the rules. Rule one: no less than an arm's length inward away from the rail. I don't want you going anywhere near the edge yet. Rule two: you don't go inside the frame. It's still not completely secure yet and I don't want anything falling on your head. Rule three: you walk around the outside of the house without touching anything, then come straight back to Iris and go inside. Deal?" Smokey eyed his little sister.

Carmel squealed with glee and darted around the table, throwing her arms around Smokey's neck in a tight hug.

"Deal!" She chirped.

In a flash, the girl was away, crossing the little bridge connecting the two decks a little too quickly for the blue drake's liking.

"Slowly!" Smokey called out to her. Immediately, his little sister obeyed and slowed her pace.

"Hope she keeps that spirit when she's all grown up." Mr. Coulson said, crossing his way over to the rope ladder leading down to the ground below.

"I hope so too. I'll meet you down below." Smokey said, collecting the squirrel's packaged lunch, still wrapped up in its napkin.

The dragon spread his wings and gave a great flap. With ease he was lifted into the air and he tipped himself forward, angling to dive over the edge of the deck and sail gracefully down to the grass covered earth below. The old squirrel scurried on down the ladder, his claws having long since given up trying to hold him secure enough to climb. Coulson eventually set down on the forest floor with a grunt and turned to see his blue friend standing there waiting politely.

"You dragons showing off. You just wait 'til yer old enough ta feel like me. Then you try screamin' down from the treetops." The squirrel jabbed at him playfully.

Smokey chuckled and walked the old hardware store owner back to his truck.

"Hopefully I'll get to enjoy flying a bit longer before I start wearing down. And hopefully I won't be around much after that happens. I don't think I'd be able to go without flying. I'd miss it too much." The drake said.

"You might find yourself thinkin' differently as you get older. But, I suppose that's to be seen when it comes. You take good care of that little girl up there. I expect you back at the shop tomorrow if the weather lets up." Mr. Coulson said. He climbed into his truck, taking the little knapsack housing his sandwich.

"Can do." Smokey said, stepping away as the truck rumbled to life.

Ever since Mr. Coulson agreed to help the blue drake build his treehouse, Smokey had helped him run his store in town. After all, stepping away for a project like this took a significant amount of time out of his schedule, and an extra set of hands made the work at the shop go faster. Smokey was all too happy to help him out, learning more about running a business than he had in school.

The old, beat up truck trundled along over the uneven ground as it turned and rolled away, slowly weaving about through the trees. Smokey stood there, watching as Mr. Coulson disappeared from sight. He took a breath and let out a pleased sigh. The scent of the coming storm on the wind tickled his nose and put him in a decent temper. He'd be able to tell ghost stories in front of a nest of candles to keep Carmel entertained tonight. She loved that.

As the blue drake turned to return up to the treehouse, he felt an odd sensation. It was a twisting of a knot in his stomach, dull and distant. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and back. One of his wings was plagued with the sensation of being stabbed and set on fire at the same time, very near one of the joints. He winced and coughed, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of him. So powerful was it that it forced him onto his knees.

Smokey gasped for breath as he felt a new sensation, a light-headedness that often plagued the inner ear when falling unexpectedly. It came with a powerful wave of nausea and he began trying to crawl his way over towards one of the occupied trees. He had a sense of what was happening, and it terrified him. All other thoughts were shoved aside as he tried to reach in time.

A soundless crack ripped though his whole form, leaving him breathless and speechless. An intense pain seared through his entire body and then suddenly vanished. The sudden spike and rapid disappearance of sensation took less than half a second. And the pain was gone. All of it. The dizziness, the light-headedness, the stabbing in his wing, the powerful ach in his chest and back; it was as if a light switch had been turned off. The nausea remained though.

The dragon crouched there in the grass, his eyes wide as he stared at nothing. He sought the familiar sensation that was now oddly absent. He searched frantically for the noises he'd grown used to, the questions and images. But they were all gone. In their place was a grand hole, as if someone had made a great rip in a silken white sheet, the jagged edges exposing a deep, dark, inky blackness of the void beyond.

Tears began to well up in his eyes as the realization dawned on him. A new pain, not physical, gripped his chest. It threatened to tear him completely apart as he struggled to breathe. Slowly, the blue dragon began to rock back and forth on his knees, clutching at his chest with both hands as his mind splintered and fractured. His breathing finally caught and he took great gasps of air, but they would not cure his dizziness. He couldn't control himself now. All rational thought was gone.

A great, terrible, mournful wail filled the woods, drowned out by a heavy roll of thunder as the rain started down.

---

A roll of thunder passed through the sleepy, little town. Dark, heavy clouds hung ominously overhead, threatening to open up a torrent of rain. A cool wind blew through strong enough to make the traffic lights sway as they dangled from their lines. It was late enough in the day that most people had closed up shop for the night. Many opted to close early in favor of getting home before the weather struck. It was an unspoken rule for the people of the little town.

In such a small community, it was hard for strangers to pass through unnoticed. Doubly so if the stranger was strikingly different from the usual townsfolk. Even with the weather threatening to be nasty, the few people still out and about stopped and stared as a lady of ivory hue casually strolled down the sidewalk. She was dressed simply in plain clothing, a shirt and pants, and hauled a pack between the two large, feathered wings behind her. The word 'angelic' was an apt description, but the word 'dragon' was equally accurate. Normally those two ideas were in conflict with one another, but they blended quite well to create the unfamiliar woman.

She cast her gaze about, looking for anyone who might still be open. What few people were on the street were moving away from her. It wasn't out of fear, at least not of her. Everyone was scurrying to prepare for what promised to be one hell of a storm. It was looking like she would need to find a place to hunker down for the night. Just as she was about to change the focus of her search, she spotted a storefront still illuminated amidst the fading, eerie green light.

It was a hardware store, almost completely devoid of customers, but there was an older gentleman inside, looking as though he was making preparations to close down. The dragoness quickened her gait and crossed the road. Quickly, but calmly, she pushed the door open and stepped in out of the wind. It gave her a chance to straighten her long, opalescent hair and give her wings a bit of a fluff.

"I'm about ta close up. If'n ya need anything big, it'll hafta wait 'till tomorrow." The old squirrel said.

"I'm not going to be long. I just need directions." The lady said, approaching the counter.

Mr. Coulson turned at the sound of the voice and froze momentarily, more than just a little stunned by the lady's countenance. He couldn't deny that she was rather unique.

"Now where on earth would you be wantin' ta go when it's about ta start pourin' and blowin' out there? Should find yerself a room at the motel, two blocks south, then hang a right. Can't miss the sign." The squirrel said.

"Thank you but I'm actually trying to find somewhere that's outside of town. I was responding to a newspaper ad requesting help. It's for a bed and breakfast out in the woods? Owned by a Mr. Aquatos?" She said.

Mr. Coulson frowned and shook his head with a bit of a sigh.

"Knew that ad was a fool idea. How long ago did you see it?" He asked.

"Only last week. Why do you ask?" The lady tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Those idiots must'a had him pay for it all in advance. And no one told'em ta stop," The squirrel grumbled, "I don't think you wanna see Mr. Aquatos or his home." Mr. Coulson said. The tone of his voice had turned slightly somber.

The lady frowned softly. She wasn't sure why the old squirrel was being so resistant. She treaded carefully forward.

"I don't suppose you could tell me why?" The dragoness asked.

"He's in a right sorry state. Has been for months now," Mr. Coulson said, "Ever since this string'a storms got started."

"A sorry state? For months? What happened to him?" She asked, ever so subtly adding insistence behind her voice. She was running up against the clock after all. The storm outside wouldn't wait for her.

"The little one died. She was a sweet thing. Bright, happy, quick as a whip. It's a real shame what happened to her." The old man said.

A picture was beginning to form in the lady's mind now. She could start to guess what was going on, and it was rather grim.

"You said he'd been like this for several months. How long exactly?" The dragoness insisted.

"Exactly?" Mr. Coulson said, "What good's knowin' that gonna do ya?"

"If I'm right, I might be able to help him. Please, tell me." She said, remaining gentle but persistent.

Mr. Coulson shrugged a little. He didn't see any point in withholding.

"About three months ago. He hasn't been the same since. Not right in the head. S'not like him at all. I've known him since he was a little whelp, and that's not the same boy I knew. No one's seen him for weeks. Refuses to let anyone visit anymore." He said.

"Of course. It tends to have that effect. Can you tell me how to get there?" The dragoness asked.

"If yer sure 'bout goin' with a storm this close, I can't stop ya. Take the road south outta town. About twenty miles out there's a spur, heads southeast. Follow it for another fifteen miles and you'll see a dirt road on the right. That'll lead ya straight to his place. It's usually a good twenty minutes'a rough drivin'. It'll be at least four hours walkin', minimum. Maybe you'd better wait until the mornin'." Mr. Coulson said.

"Thank you. I'll be fine. And I won't be walking." The lady said as she turned to leave.

"Hey, miss!" The squirrel called after her, "Just in case, if ya don't show back up in a while and someone comes lookin' for ya, what name should I be listenin' for?"

The lady smiled softly, turning to look over her shoulder, "No one should come looking, but thank you for your concern. My name is Shayna. Have a good night."

With that, the dragoness disappeared out the door. Mr. Coulson sighed watching her leave. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was in for a rough trip and an unpleasant arrival.

Shayna turned and began down the sidewalk. She checked the straps on her pack, making sure they were snug. She gave a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching, then spread her wings and flapped hard. The sight would have given any of the townsfolk reason to believe an angel had visited. And since small towns tended to have rather quick spread of word, rumors would no doubt circulate that the angel they had spotted had come to put the blue dragon to rest. She hated the theological fanaticism that tended to follow her if she didn't handle things just right.

The road out of town saw her fly south just as she had been instructed. Shayna turned to look at the storm rolling in. It was looking even closer and more hateful than ever before. The wind had picked up too, making it difficult to stay on course. Thankfully, it didn't slow her down too much. Soon, she spotted the spur Mr. Coulson had described and turned to follow it. The woods grew much thicker down that road, concealing the tarmac almost completely from time to time. It would be hard to find the dirt road she was looking for. Shayna dipped lower to watch carefully. The threat of weather was looming larger behind her. The scent of rain was growing thick on the air. She could hear it in the distance. There had been no one on the road since she took off, and she was far enough away from the town that she felt alone enough to push a little harder.

A soft white light surrounded the angelic lady and she suddenly darted forward through the air, her speed doubling, then tripling, as she flew. She didn't want to fly in the rain. It wasn't that she couldn't, but it was very unpleasant in her opinion. And while walking would suffice, she just rather preferred reaching her destination ahead of it instead. The dirt road came in short order, thanks to the jump in speed, and Shayna turned to sail off along its even more obscured and winding path. With no obstacles blocking her patch, Shayna kept her course true and her eyes on the ground. She was flying so quickly she lost sight of the road from time to time, so she dipped closer to the trees, sailing only a few feet over the tops. She had to be getting close.

And then the road vanished.

The angelic lady blinked and slowed herself, banking around in a graceful arc. She discovered the road again and continued along, much more slowly. When it vanished again, she brought herself to a stop, flapping to hover in the air. She gazed down, looking through the trees hoping to find some sign of a building. With it getting so dark, it was almost impossible. She was walking at this point.

Shayna dropped down through the trees and landed on the dirt path. The wind made the trees sway strongly overhead, filling her ears with a noisy rustle. From the ground, she could see a small shed with a truck parked inside. It looked like it hadn't been driven in quite some time. There was a small pile of debris, lumber it appeared, only a short distance away. Shayna approached it and gave it a brief looking over. Her gaze lifted upward to find the two wooden decks above. Of course, it was listed as a treehouse in the paper.

The lady spread her wings again and took to the air once more, this time only briefly. She reached one of the two decks in very short order and alighted on it. The wooden planks creaked and groaned unhappily. They looked and sounded poorly, as though no one had treated them to withstand exposure. A wooden frame stood, ramshackle, in front of her. One of the walls lay over, appearing to have broken the railing where it had fallen. That accounted for the debris. It had been this long and no one had tried to clean up the mess. Or maybe Mr. Aquatos scared off anyone who tried to.

A new crackle of lightning split the sky and its counterpart boomed very shortly after. The storm was almost on top of Shayna now. She turned and crossed the walkway to the other deck, interested in the house that appeared complete. It looked to be in poor shape. Mr. Coulson said there had been a string of storms, and they had certainly taken their toll. Branches and twigs were strewn about the roof. Many of the windows were cracked or broken out completely. Some of the shingling on the walls had broken and fallen loose. And there was no light coming from inside.

Shayna wasn't interested in camping out in a storm, so she walked to the door and gave it a firm rapping. It creaked open slightly. It had not even been closed completely. How it stayed so close to shut in spite of the wind was a small mystery.

"Go away!" Came an angry voice from within the treehouse.

"Mr. Aquatos?" Shayna called back.

"I said go away!" Came another shout.

"Mr. Aquatos, my name is Shayna. I saw your ad in the paper looking for someone to help you run your bed and breakfast. May I come in?" She asked.

"Tell the paper to stop running that stupid ad and leave! There is no bed and breakfast! We're closed indefinitely!" Through the anger in the words, pain could be heard.

Shayna closed her eyes sensing that pain, letting it embolden her.

"Please, Mr. Aquatos. There's a nasty storm that's almost here. I'd rather not have to fly back to town in the rain. May I come in? At least for the night?" She asked, trying to peer in through the gap between door and frame.

The sound of someone rummaging around filtered its way out to Shayna before a figure welled up behind the door. It was thrown open and a rather angry blue dragon stood there. He was gaunt, dangerously thin. His face had a sheen suggesting it was wet. His mane was an utter mess. And he smelled as if he had not bathed in days.

"I said go away! I don't care if you have to walk back to town in the rain! I want to be left alone! Didn't they tell you? I don't want any visitors! Now leave!" The blue dragon tried to slam the door but doing so pushed him off balance and he stumbled backwards to the ground. His back struck the coffee table and he yelped in pain. The door swung lightly on its hinges, nowhere near hard enough to close. He was in very bad shape.

Shayna decided it was time to ignore his requests to leave. He was in no condition to make demands. She stepped in and closed the door behind her.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I said leave!" He screamed hoarsely, unable to get enough volume out of his weakened voice to sound imposing. More pain than anger carried through his words now. And likely, it was not from falling down.

"I can't do that. You're hurt, and I have a responsibility to help someone needing medical attention." Shayna said. She moved a hand to turn on the lights, but the switch did not respond. She flicked it a couple of times before giving up on it. The power must have been out.

"What, are you a nurse or something?" Smokey said derisively as he tried to roll onto his side. In such a weakened state, he couldn't get away fast enough.

"Something like that," Shayna said, moving over to the blue dragon before he could get too far, "How long has it been since you last ate something?" Her hands moved quickly over the other drake's form, giving him a rushed examination.

"I don't know. I don't care. Just leave. Please." His voice was calmer now, but sounding like he was fighting back tears.

It was then that Shayna realized his face wasn't wet from crying. A window over the couch had broken in with the heavy wind and the shards had rained down on the couch. Smokey had been laying there. It was a miracle they hadn't hit his eyes.

"You're bleeding. Lie still, I'm going to try and find something to bandage the wounds." The dragoness said. She didn't need him to tell her how long it had been since he'd eaten or drank. She could tell well enough he was deep into the dangers of starvation and dehydration. Just getting him something to eat and drink wouldn't suffice. He needed more drastic measures. He probably didn't even have enough water to form tears anymore.

"Why are you doing this? Just leave me alone." Smokey groaned, rolling to curl up on his side on the floor. It was all the energy he had left. His angry flinging open of the door and his attempt to slam it must have been the absolute last of his strength.

"Because if I do, you'll die." Shayna said, quickly scanning the room, hunting for bandages or something that could stand in place of them.

"Fine. That works. Just let it happen. It's what I deserve." His voice was growing softer. He was losing the will to even try to argue.

"I can't do that," Shayna said, "And no you don't. No one deserves to die. Just lie still, I'm going to get something to clean you up with."

The lady looked about before spotting a few candles on a nearby cabinet through the gloom. She crossed the room and collected one. Shayna held the candle close before blowing gently across the wick as if to blow out a flame that was not there. Smoke began to stream from the end as a tiny light flickered to life. It grew stronger once she stopped blowing, then used it to light the other candles. With the first light in tow, she disappeared into the hall, moving with purpose. The guest bedrooms were ignored, as was the guest bathroom. Without much regard for privacy, Shayna barged into the master bedroom. A person's life was at stake. She decided begging for forgiveness was better than asking for permission. At least he'd be alive to beg forgiveness from later. His bedroom was in poor condition as well. The windows had been broken in and leaf litter had blown in over what looked like weeks. The bed sheets were torn to shreds. From the looks of it, the blue dragon had done it himself over several small or one big fit of rage. Books and other belongings that had once been on shelves where strewn about the floor, no doubt knocked there during his grief fueled tantrums. Shayna was appalled at how much damage had been done to the place. And she wasn't going to get anything out of Smokey about how it all happened. Not in his current state.

The master bathroom yielded nothing helpful and so the dragoness returned to the bedroom, wondering if maybe she could find some clothing that could be made into makeshift bandages. Just as she was about to delve into the closet, a strange, soft pulsing light caught Shayna's attention. It was muted under a thin piece of cloth. Curiously, she pulled the scrap away to find a disk-like crystalline structure resting there on the corner of the miserable drake's desk. It slowly brightened to a gentle, blue glow, then faded, repeating the cycle gradually.

Shayna frowned in confusion before reaching out to collect the multi-faceted object. She had some idea of what it was, but she was puzzled. If it turned out to be what she thought, why had it not done something to tend to the blue dragon laying in the living room bleeding and starving? With a few measured strokes and taps, she activated the emitter. In a flash of hologramatic light, an azure vixen appeared. She turned about quickly, looking around to take in her surroundings.

"This is unacceptable." The fox said.

"Hello." Shayna called out.

The vixen spun around swiftly at the sound of another's voice, one she did not recognize. Immediately, she began trying to investigate this lady's presence.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Where is Mr. Aquatos?" Though she was incapable of approximating emotions, she still sounded a little frantic.

"My name is Shayna," the dragoness began, "I came because of an ad I saw in the paper, but the old man who runs the hardware store let on that something bad had happened. I decided to come see if I could help. And he's in the living room, on the floor. He's in terrible shape. I need bandages, alcohol, and a phone."

"Shayna," the fox said as if doubting the lady's story, "Please stand by. I am synchronizing with the nearest timekeeping instrument." The blue, semi-transparent lady went rigid as if she had turned into a statue.

"Okay... but... I don't really have time to waste. He's in the final stages of starvation and dehydration. His face is badly lacerated. I need to treat him immediately, and to do that, I need supplies. I didn't come prepared for a medical emergency." Shayna said.

After a moment, the vixen loosed up again and blinked a few times.

"It has been over a month since last I was activated. Mr. Aquatos imposed a lockout on my programming. Manual activation only could override it. Thank you for waking me. My name is Iris. Please wait while I attempt to check on Mr. Aquatos' vitals." The vixen said.

"You can do that?" Shayna asked.

"Yes," nodded Iris, "Before the incident, Mr. Aquatos and a couple of his friends installed sensors all over the house as a safety precaution."

"Good. Now, while you're doing that, where can I find some bandages." The dragoness insisted.

"Stand by," Iris said, seeming to stare into nothingness for a moment, "I have a reading on Mr. Aquatos. He is, as you say, suffering from severe dehydration and starvation. The lacerations to his face are not life threatening but they should be bandaged to prevent further moisture loss. There is a first aid kit in the kitchen. However, we do not have the necessary medical supplies to treat his critical state."

"Let me worry about that," Shayna said, "Can you interact with physical objects?"

The vixen nodded.

"I can. Will you have need of my assistance?" Iris asked.

"I will. You get the kit and I'll look into figuring out how to get some fluids into him." Shayna said.

The pair of girls left the bedroom behind, returning to the blue dragon laying on the floor. Had Iris been able to show it, she would have looked horrified at the state of things, especially Smokey. Carefully, the two of them hoisted him up and carried him to the couch. He was considerably lighter than Iris remembered him being. It made her worry all the more.

"Now you stay still. Your friend and I are going to go get the first aid kit and something for you to drink." Shayna said.

"Nobody deserves to die." Smokey muttered tiredly.

"That's right. Just hang on, we're going to get you taken care of." The angelic lady replied.

Shayna gestured for Iris to lead on to the kitchen. The vixen did just that and soon the dragoness was looking around for anything she could use to slowly trickle fluid in a controlled fashion.

"So, I know you've been out of it for about a month, but you had to have been around for whatever caused this." Shayna said.

Iris nodded, "I was indeed."

"Can you fill me in? I know that a little girl died, and I heard his mood changed drastically, so I've an idea of what might be involved." The dragoness said.

"Yes, Carmel. She died approximately three months ago. It was very sudden and unexpected." Iris said.

"And traumatic for Mr. Aquatos it looks like. Where's his wife?" Shayna asked.

"Mr. Aquatos is not married. He-" Iris froze for a moment. Her eyes widened in horror.

Shayna found the look rather disturbing. She stepped over towards the vixen, wondering just what had stunned her to silence.

"What's wrong?" Shayna asked.

"Mr. Aquatos' blood pressure has very suddenly dropped dangerously low and continuing to fall. I fear he may have harmed himself." Iris said. It was the first time she had somehow managed to put a sense of fear into her words. Had the situation not been dire, she would have been rather excited to simulate an emotion.

Without another word, the two ladies raced out of the kitchen and back to the couch. What they found horrified them. Smokey lay there, his eyes glazed over, his face a dull grey-blue, and a heavy stain of crimson streaking down over himself and onto the floor.

"Dammit!" Shayna cried, dropping to her knees and jerking open the first aid kit, "Get something to put pressure on the wounds!" She shouted to Iris.

The vixen did as she was told, grabbing as much gauze as she could spare from the kit and jamming it against one of the blue dragon's wrists. Shayna took the other, squeezing it as tightly as she could.

"The lacerations are deep enough to render the tendons unusable. He must have used his claws and slashed both arms at the same time. He will need stitches and a transfusion. We cannot remain here. We must relocate him to a hospital." Iris said.

A powerful flash of light filled the room, overwhelming the dim candlelight, then a mighty crack of thunder shook the whole house. Wind tore at the sides of the little home and rain pelted the wall facing into the torrent. Shayna shook her head.

"There's no way we can get him to a hospital in this. And it'd be at least a couple of hours if we tried to brave it in that little truck down there. He needs help now. We don't have a choice. We're stuck here." The dragoness said. She closed her eyes and pressed her palms around the wrist in her grasp. She had only one option left to her. The only alternative was to let the blue drake die. That was unacceptable.

A soft white light seeped out from between her fingers for a moment before fading. Once it was gone, Shayna changed the gauze and bandaged the wrist.

"You are a healer." Iris said, not able to infuse her words with incredulity.

"That's right. I was hoping to not have to do this, but I don't really have a choice. He's critical. Let me see his other wrist, and start cleaning his face." Shayna said.

Iris moved the dragon's other wrist to the angelic lady's hands. The same soft light came from her palms before she changed the gauze there and bandaged the wrist. Once the mortal wounds were tended to, Shayna took Smokey's hands one at a time and began blunting his claws, one finger after another. She simply pressed her finger against the tip as if using it to cut herself. But instead of drawing blood, the sharp points dulled and rounded, becoming useless for cutting or slashing.

With the blue dragon disarmed, Shayna then placed her palms on his chest and brought back the warm glow. It didn't linger for long, but it did the job of stabilizing him. The angelic lady then sighed and slouched against the coffee table behind her.

"Alright, he's out of the woods... for now. He's still in bad shape, but he's not going anywhere for at least another hour." She said.

Iris screwed her face up into a look of confusion, an attempt to mimic what she had seen before in others given a lack of comprehension.

"If you are able to heal him, why not heal him completely?" The vixen asked.

"When you've been doing this for as long as I have, you learn that sometimes, it's best to not fix everything right away. Just get them stable, then figure out what's actually wrong." Shayna said.

"But we know what is wrong. He is in need of nourishment and hydration. And his wounds need to be closed." Iris said.

"Sure, I could bring him back to a completely healthy state, but consider what just happened. He just tried to kill himself. I make him healthy again, that means he's even stronger, maybe strong enough to get the job done before we can stop him. No, we need to treat the cause, not the symptoms." Shayna replied.

Iris paused, seeing the logic behind the strange lady's reasoning. It was difficult to accept leaving someone in pain 'for their own good', but this woman had just come from nowhere, and before there had been a chance for either to get to know her, she had gone to extraordinary lengths to protect the life of a stranger. That was enough to give Iris reason to trust her.

"I wish to extend my thanks for tending to Mr. Aquatos in his time of need. If you had not come, I fear he would have wasted away and died in only a few more days if not sooner." The vixen said.

"You don't have to thank me. Besides, we're not done here. He's going to need round the clock care until he's no longer critical," Shayna paused and leaned in, speaking to the blue drake, "Hey, you... why'd you go and do that?"

Smokey whimpered and tried to roll away onto his side. He found he was too weak to do much of anything.

"Like you said," he said, his words slurred slightly, "Nobody deserves to die."

"That's right, nobody, so why'd you try to kill yourself?" Shayna said, resisting the urge to scold him.

"Because I'm nobody. So, I deserve to die." That was as much as Smokey could muster before his eyes fluttered closed. He was unconscious.

Shayna sighed and slumped back again.

"He's deep in the mess. Whatever happened hit him really hard. It's going to take a good while to get him back to a serviceable state. And in a hospital, he'd be put on suicide watch. What good that does keeping someone alive can seriously damage them in other ways, at least someone in this kind of condition. Let me guess... he was bonded to his daughter when she died." Shayna said.

Iris shook her head.

"Carmel was not his daughter. She was his sister. But yes, they were bonded. Powerfully." The vixen said.

"That's what I was afraid of. Usually, this kind of thing causes irreparable damage. Almost every dragon parent who loses a child they're bonded to never survives beyond a few months after the child's death. If we're going to make him better, it's going to require some pretty drastic action." Shayna said.

"What did you have in mind? Will it be harmful to him?" Iris asked.

"He'll be just fine, no matter what happens. Physically at least. The mental side of it, I can do a sort of patch job, get him functional again. But he'll be unstable. He could easily fall back apart. If he does before he's had a chance to get anchored again, he won't come back again. No matter what I do." Shayna said.

"Is there any way that I can be of assistance?" The vixen asked, now very curious about what this woman had in mind.

"Yes there is. If I'm going to make him better, there's really only one way I can do that. And if we play our cards right, it should only take two, maybe three weeks. And we won't need to take him to a hospital." The dragoness said.

"Please, explain." Iris insisted.

Shayna took a breath. This was the part where most people tended to resist. But given the circumstances, the negative reaction might be kept to a minimum.

"Best thing for him right now, in my personal opinion, is surrogacy. And since you're a hologram, you wouldn't be able to provide him with the biological support he would need. So, looks like I get to play mother." The dragoness said.

The vixen didn't seem fazed by this. Considering what Iris had helped Smokey through, this seemed fairly normal to her.

"Very well. How does one go about engaging in such an act with an adult?" The blue fox asked.

"Well," Shayna said, "If you'll forgive the crudity of the explanation... ya grab him and shove him in. It's pretty simple. Once he's in, you can tell me what happened. And I mean everything. If I'm going to help him, I need to know just as much as if I had been here myself."

Iris nodded and began helping with preparations.

An hour later, the angelic dragoness was reclined on the couch, huffing for breath quite strongly. Her stomach was very large and round. The blue dragon was nowhere to be seen and the artificial vixen stared at the dome intensely, fascinated by what was already happening inside.

"He is meshing with your biology, as if he was your child, and you his mother. I did not know such a thing was possible with an adult." Iris said. Her sensors could read through Shayna to detect Smokey's condition. He was stable now, and would remain so, she was certain.

"Well, it's possible. In fact, some folks do it for fun. I've been known to from time to time, but not for a rather long while. It's been an... interesting few years for me," Shayna said, moving to lay across the couch's length. Without much thought, she gripped the vixen's hand and pulled her down to join her in a strange sort of cuddle, "Now, he's safe and secure. I need to know what happened. Tell me everything."

Iris was taken by surprise at the sudden tug but settled in against the gravid dome easily. It was oddly familiar to her, not unlike when Smokey wished to feel her close by at night while carrying Carmel.

"There is much to tell, and I will not be able to inform you of the events during my month under lockdown. However, I will tell you all that I know." The fox said.

---

The cleanup effort was fairly significant. The windows that had been broken in had to be boarded up just to get through the night. It had been long enough that the house's interior had been exposed to the weather that water and insects had gotten in and caused a fair bit of damage on their own. Shayna and Iris had their work cut out for them, but neither seemed put off by it, so long as the sleeping blue dragon recovered. Shayna wasn't at all hindered by the weight or size she gained. She simply took it all in stride. Iris was deeply impressed.

Several days passed as the two girls worked on repairing the house. They took several trips into town to shop for groceries and materials. Naturally, the sight of a heavily pregnant angelic dragon was hard to ignore. And thankfully, Smokey had kept all of his old maternity wear, even if it was rather tight. Carmel had been a much smaller passenger. During all of this, Iris related to her ivory-hued guest the circumstances that had brought everything to its current state.

Carmel had been eagerly exploring the framed house atop the new deck. She was following Smokey's instructions to the letter, keeping a safe distance from the rail, making sure to watch her step, moving slowly, everything. The wind had suddenly picked up and a branch broke from high above. It fell onto the framed structure, destroying the roof and knocking one of the 'walls' loose. It just so happened that Carmel was standing between it and the rail. In a panic, she locked up and it fell on her, knocking her back into the rail. She hit with such force, both her own body and the wooden wall frame sandwiching her against the rail, that she broke through the guard and tumbled over the edge. She hadn't even enough time to properly scream. By the time she was falling, the wind was knocked out of her and one of her wings had been broken. The fall ultimately claimed her life; and rather abruptly and traumatically, the link between brother and sister was severed.

When Mr. Coulson arrived the next day, he found Smokey crouched on his knees, holding the girl's lifeless body. He was soaked to the bone and icy cold. He'd stayed out all night in the storm, not caring about anything but his sister's death. Iris had tried to convince him to come inside, but he remained unresponsive all night long. Word quickly spread through the town and his friends tried to help him through the aftermath. They arranged for a funeral, even though Smokey was strongly against the idea. He simply wanted everyone to leave him alone. Before they could actually hold the service, just to spite them, he buried Carmel's body under the tree she had been nurturing, then locked himself in the house. Iris had tried to encourage him to spend time around his friends, but he refused. Much of the time he spent lying in bed. He hardly slept and ate, slowly wasting away as his hygiene suffered.

After a particularly heated argument between the dragon and the vixen, Smokey being the only one to yell, he took Iris' crystal and essentially turned her off. In the month that followed, more storms had rolled through, battering the house, breaking windows, damaging the roof, and littering the deck with twigs and branches. It didn't take long for the home to fall into a terrible state of disrepair without Iris there to take up the slack. Smokey must have felt it a fitting end to his miserable existence.

Through all the time the two ladies spent together bringing the treehouse back to its former glory, Iris felt comfortable explaining further about the Aquatos family. She told Shayna about how Smokey's parents had died in an earthquake many years ago, shortly before his graduation, and about Carmel's egg, how it was meant to be a surprise. That led him to taking the somewhat drastic action of turning himself female to hatch her personally. His girlfriend at the time was so put off by the idea of suddenly becoming a mother and living out in the middle of nowhere that she broke up with him. Since she was unwilling to assist, and because it was something Smokey had to do, they realized their lives were going to take very different paths. It hurt him, more than he was willing to let on, but he simply pushed it away and focused on his sister. He was the last of his family at that point, and he was desperate to reach out to any other kindred spirit he could. It became almost an obsession for him.

When Carmel died, he was alone again, the last of his family. He blamed himself for all of it and tortured himself constantly. Nothing Iris could say would get through. It was as if he had become a completely different person. Before the accident, he would never have turned Iris off. He respected her too much, always treated her like a real person. The loss of Carmel drove him insane and nothing seemed to matter to him anymore. Iris admitted that in part, she was grateful she wasn't present to see the last month, unable to stop him from mistreating himself, powerless to heal him.

Shayna wasn't terribly surprised by the story. She had heard, and even seen, this sort of thing before among other dragons making use of the bond. An event like this, the child dying suddenly, often left the parents suffering intense trauma. Almost every reported case of such an instance usually ended with one or both parents either committing suicide or simply wasting away until they starved to death. There were rare instances of a parent surviving the loss of a child after bonding, but the mother or father, or both if that was the case, were never quite the same ever again. They grew detached, reclusive, even hostile towards other people. It was possible that this accounted for all the rumors and legends about nasty dragons that terrorized the land. Any children born to dragons like that would grow up to be just as nasty if not more so. This may have been why they were so hesitant to discuss the bond with anyone other than other dragons. Shayna however seemed less reserved about the matter.

The angelic lady shared all she knew about the bond, how it worked, where it came from, how to manipulate it for those that were 'more advanced' parents. Iris found it all terribly fascinating and listened with great interest, all while keeping a close watch on the lady's vitals, as well as those of the blue drake she carried. His health improved steadily, and the holographic vixen was encouraged by this. Apparently, through all the years in service to the Aquatos family, and the traumas that came with it, she had picked up a bit of a quirk.

The vixen checked Smokey's health rather frequently, every few minutes in fact. It took quite a while for Shayna to convince her that it wasn't necessary. Whenever Shayna went to bed, Iris would go with her, clinging close as if trying to protect her and her belly. The angelic lady found it endearing and welcomed it.

The two ladies lounged in bed as the sun shone through the new windows they had managed to install the day before. Iris was pressed against Shayna's side, an arm draped over the large, round swell of her stomach, and her head resting against the angel lady's shoulder.

"What's on the agenda for today, Iris?" Shayna said, fighting the urge to simply lay there and soak up the warm sunlight.

"By my estimation, all necessary repair work has been completed. There are no more major projects remaining. All other activities are general household upkeep. It would be wise to wash the laundry and sweep the deck. Other than that, there is very little to do." The vixen said.

"Good," Shayna replied, "Then I guess this is probably the best day to go and see Carmel."

She had been holding off on this until the house was a home again. After all, she needed to make sure Smokey was well on the mend before trying anything too strenuous. As if climbing onto the roof and replacing shingles wasn't.

Iris propped herself up on an elbow and looked at the dragoness.

"I must confess I am still very curious as to what you hope to accomplish." The blue fox said.

"I'm exploring all my options. If I'm going to help Smokey recover, I have to know what I have available to use as part of his therapy. He's been through a lot; lost his parents, his girlfriend, his sister, last of his family. Once he comes out, he'll be physically healthy, but he'll still be pretty lost in his own head. It won't be quite as bad as it was before, but it'll be tricky getting him stable again." Shayna explained.

The dragoness reluctantly sat up, letting her vast belly spill across her thighs as she stretched. Iris sat up with her, pressing her palms to the huge, gravid dome, giving both of them a quick examination.

"He is doing much better. His weight is almost within the safe range. His heartbeat is much stronger. And I'm reading no sign of scar tissue across his face or his wrists." Iris reported.

"There will still be a mark on each wrist after he comes out. He needs to see proof of what he tried to do. Once he's better, the marks will fade." Shayna said as she turned to climb out of bed. She stretched again, extending her large, fluffy wings with a yawn.

Iris followed suit, climbing out of bed and moving to collect something for the dragoness to wear. Since they didn't have to go into town today, Shayna opted for her preferred attire, a simple white robe with blue trim along the cuffs and center line. She didn't bother closing it. It wouldn't reach around her enormous belly. Since they didn't expect anyone to visit all day, she opted out of putting on anything else.

The two ladies left the bedroom behind and aimed for the kitchen. A short breakfast was had while they outlined all that was going to be done that day. There wasn't much, like Iris had explained earlier. The two chatted idly while Shayna finished eating. She was rather interested in Iris' story. Commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Aquatos as a nanny for Smokey long before he was hatched. She helped raise him, as well as helped his parents tend to the household needs. She was very much a live-in nanny at that point. Iris neglected to mention some of the more intimate details, deciding it wasn't pertinent.

Shayna delighted in stories of Smokey growing up, partly because it would be a good foundation for his mental recovery, but also because she was genuinely interested in him. Iris found it somewhat odd that she was so very vested in a person she'd only just met moments before inserting him into her womb. But, given the rather disarming and kindly nature about the dragoness, Iris wrote it off as just a personality quirk.

When breakfast was finished, and it was a sizable one, meant for two adults after all, the ladies descended to the forest floor. This was an area Shayna had not spent much time exploring yet. She was keen to once they had handled everything up at the house. Now, it was as though a whole other world was open to her. It was nice getting out finally. She was going a little stir crazy only visiting the town for groceries and building supplies, then coming straight back to spend all her time up at the house.

Iris led the heavy dragoness through the woods along a path until they reached a clearing. It wasn't very far. In fact, it was easily spotted from up on the deck. What couldn't be seen was the tree Carmel had been growing. It was a good bit older than a sapling. The trunk was thick enough that it was impossible to wrap both hands around and have fingers and palms touch. It was at least twenty feet tall and had an impressive canopy. Considering it was only three years old, it had already gotten quite big.

Underneath the tree lay a ring of stones, oblong, with dark, rich soil filling the center. At one end was a large rock with a flat face. It was simply adorned, reading only 'Carmel Aquatos - age 11' and nothing else. Shayna shivered softly as she moved to settle on the soft grass next to the simple grave.

"So the bond lasted until she was that old? How long did Mr. Aquatos carry her?" The angelic lady asked.

"Nine months to hatch her, then an additional twenty seven months. A total of three years." Iris answered.

Shayna balked slightly, "Three years!? It's no wonder he's such a mess! I'm surprised he didn't try to kill himself almost immediately!"

"Had Mr. Coulson not come by the morning after the incident, he likely would have died from exposure. He refused to listen to me, as if he couldn't hear or see anything going on around him." The vixen said.

"Sensory shock. He got so used to feeling Carmel that the sudden absence was a jolt to the system. Like diving into an ice bath after sitting in a sauna for an hour. How strong their bond was probably accounts for the chill I felt when I sat down. Carmel is still here." Shayna said.

"Still here? Of course her body has not been moved. But, that isn't what you're referring to, is it?" Iris asked.

"Her spirit. She's lingering and in pain. It's rare, but a bond like what they had can actually allow the child's soul to persist for a time after death, usually in a place that is significant to them. And I'm guessing whatever significance this place has is why Mr. Aquatos buried her here. Tell me about this place." Shayna said.

"Mrs. Aquatos, Smokey's mother, had expressed a desire to grow a garden with Carmel if ever she got the chance, and hoped that he would do the same. Carmel took to botany and gardening quite well. Any book Mr. Aquatos could procure for her was consumed and re-read with frightening speed given her age. Just over there," Iris pointed to the ill-kempt patch just a short distance away, "Is what remains of the garden they had been growing together. They had hoped to harvest vegetables from time to time to feed to guests when certain ones were in season."

"So, it was a source of fond memories for the both of them. And the tree? Is it significant at all?" Shayna asked, gazing at the young, strong trunk and its canopy above. She seemed quietly fixated on it.

"It was a gift from a professor at the academy Mr. Aquatos graduated from. He insinuated that it could possibly be the last remaining seed from the extinct Greater Obsidian Magna. After significant research, I concluded that it was far more likely to be a Common Black Larch. Carmel however never wavered in her belief that she could bring back an extinct plant." Iris explained.

"Greater Obsidian Magna," Shayna said, slowly climbing back to her feet, "I'd almost forgotten what they looked like. It's young. And it's very quiet."

Iris paused, looking between the dragoness and the tree. A conflict was building in her coding, trying to process what was being said and what it suggested.

"Surely you haven't seen one alive, and the last one died long before photography was invented." The vixen said.

"Oh I remember the last one. I remember it very well. It was a place I used to visit frequently. I wasn't there to witness the day it died, but I certainly felt it." Shayna said, moving to stand next to the trunk. She placed a palm against the rough bark and closed her eyes as if engrossed in the feeling of her skin against it.

"You cannot possibly have been alive in the time of the Magnas. The last one died over five hundred years ago." Iris protested.

"Seven hundred and eighty-three this winter," Shayna answered, pausing before turning to look back at the vixen with a shade of embarrassment to her words, "I'm... a lot older than I look."

"You're eight centuries old? How is that possible? The longest lived dragon on record died at just past six hundred. Mr. Aquatos himself is only in his late thirties. His parents were upwards of three hundred when he was born." Iris said incredulously.

"On record, sure. But dragons are notorious for not wanting to keep records back past a certain point. Some foolish notion about not wanting to remember an embarrassing point in our cultural history. Anyway, believe me when I say I'm old enough to have seen the heyday of the age of the Magnas. And this is a very young specimen. Carmel did a fine job tending to it. It's strong, but dormant." Shayna said.

Iris stared at the angelic lady, dumbfounded by the admission and revelation. Thankfully, being who and what she was, she didn't remain silent for but a brief moment.

"Forgive me but, how does knowing the species of this tree help?" The vixen asked.

"It helps a lot. It gives us a new option for Smokey's treatment. At the very least, I can ease Carmel's suffering." Shayna said.

The dragoness closed her eyes again and focused her thoughts on a singular point. A faint aura of white surrounded the palm pressed against the trunk before her and began seeping into the wood. Within a few moments, a powerful rustling showered down on them from above. The leaves of the tree had grown larger. The limbs above grew thicker and stronger as did the trunk. The entire tree itself suddenly sprouted several feet, growing until it had added a good two stories to its height. The canopy stretched out in all directions, casting a larger shadow on the ground. Somehow, instead of feeling cool, it carried a welcoming sensation. It was as if the tree whispered in a hushed voice that it would watch over the two underneath.

Iris watched in awe, startled by the dragon's magical prowess. Never before had she seen such immediate and vast results. It was impossible and yet she had watched it happen. She began to wonder just what sort of creature she had allowed to remain in her master's home and to house him in so intimate a manner.

"What are you?" Iris asked. There was no fear in her voice, were it possible for her to express it. But there was a muted awe.

Shayna blushed as she stepped away from the tree, its mighty trunk now a good four times as thick.

"I'm... complicated. But as I'm sure you're beginning to wonder, Mr. Aquatos is perfectly safe, and so are you. And I'm happy to say that now, Carmel is resting peacefully." The dragoness said.

"Resting peacefully?" Iris asked.

"She's at peace, still bound here by her link to her brother, but at peace. Hopefully that will help him as well. But more than that, I've just laid the groundwork for... an unorthodox treatment, let's call it." Shayna said.

"By encouraging a tree to grow?" The vixen said, returning her gaze to the canopy above. She still could not quite believe what she was seeing.

"By awakening the last Greater Obsidian Magna in the world. With good care and regular tending, it could grow to become the largest tree on the planet. In fact, if things go the way I hope they might, it could be the beginning of their return. And I would very much like to see that." Shayna said, holding out a hand to help Iris to her feet.

The vixen took the dragoness' hand and stood, still trying to process all of the information she had just taken in.

"You have incredible power. Why are you here of all places and not on the council or teaching at one of the great academies?" Iris asked.

"I have my reasons. One of them being I rather prefer a quieter life than either of those jobs would allow. I think we're done here. We can head back up to the house. I could use a snack." Shayna said.

Iris followed along quietly. With a subtle shift in her vision, the vixen began giving the dragoness a good looking over, examining not her vitals as much as the makeup of the magical power surrounding her. It was densely confined rather than flaring brightly like many powerful wizards, mages, witches, and warlocks. It was as if the dragon was interested in masking what she was. It was consistent with the idea of wanting to live a quiet life. Confinement like that would help her keep a very low profile.

When they reached the grounds below the house, Shayna sighed and looked up at the deck high above.

"I really don't want to have to fly up there right now, and I've never been terribly fond of climbing. If you'll permit me one more little indulgence, I promise I won't show off anymore after this." The dragoness said.

"Indulgence?" Iris asked.

"Yeah. I'm thinking about an easier way to get up and down to and from the treehouse. Watch." Shayna said. She turned and stepped away from the vixen. She looked around for a moment before finding a sturdy stick and returned. Instead of saying anything, she simply began to draw a circle in the grass-covered soil. It took a bit of effort to create a proper ring only about five feet across, but once it was done, Shayna tossed the stick away gently.

"Forgive me for intruding, miss. What may I ask are you doing?" Iris asked, puzzled by the behavior.

"Well, you have to have an actual circle if you're going to use the kind of rune magic I'm about to put in place. Now, I just need a symbol of some sort that we can recognize, that we can keep down here and up there to mark the end points. Got any ideas?" Shayna said.

Iris was confused.

"A symbol? To use as end points? End points for what?" The vixen questioned.

"I'm going to create a sort of mystical bridge. You step inside the circle, there's a little flash, and then you're up on the deck. To get down, you step back in the circle you landed in, there's another little flash, and boom, you're back down here. It doesn't have to be anything special, just something we can recognize as not naturally occurring." Shayna explained.

"I'm afraid I would not know what to provide you with." Iris said, quietly cursing her simplistic powers of imagination.

Shayna looked around, trying to think of something to use before she stopped, gazing at the crystalline broach Iris wore. It served as her means of freedom, her ability to move about unhindered and unbounded. In the center of its surface was a small, golden symbol for a tree. She smiled a little and gently reached forward to cup her fingers under the broach, admiring it.

"I didn't realize how beautiful this was. Who made this?" Shayna asked.

"I was commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Aquatos. The three mages that crafted me have long since passed. They were already very old when I was created." Iris said.

"And then it was modified so you could go pretty much anywhere more recently it looks like. Why a tree?" Shayna asked.

"It was the emblem Mr. and Mrs. Aquatos requested be put on the stone. They would not explain the significance of the emblem, but they felt it was appropriate given their home was in a tree." Iris explained.

Shayna simply smiled and lowered her hand again, taking the vixen's in hers. Their fingers interlaced as the dragoness closed her eyes again. Iris watched as the densified magical power suddenly flared from the lady, like a small starburst. A powerful warmth surrounded the both of them as light blocked out all that could be seen. When it faded again, they were no longer on the forest floor, but standing on the deck high above where they had just left.

Beneath their feet was a circle branded into the wood and within it was the very symbol of the tree from her broach. Shayna smiled with a bit of a giggle as she looked down at it.

"I think that will do nicely! Now there's no more need to fly or climb. You just use the teleportation circle." The dragoness said.

Iris watched as the lady's magical energy closed back up, sealing itself back into her form completely, still just as brilliant and intense as before. Were it possible, the vixen might have felt scared, but then the overwhelming sense of gentleness that radiated off the dragoness would have made it melt away.

"Fascinating." The blue fox said.

"That's one way to put it." Shayna smirked, strolling into the house as Iris followed. Since the encounter with the tree, the dragoness had seemed far more chipper.

It was a welcome change to the vixen. She had spend so long dealing with the depression and glower attitudes of the blue drake and those who came to visit him, she had begun to grow weary of it.

Several days passed. Shayna visited Carmel's grave and the tree once every morning. It had continued to grow, slower than the sudden burst it received from Shayna's little show of power. It was becoming a proud, mighty thing, separating itself from its kin in the forest. It even began to bear fruit. That seemed to interest the dragoness considerably. The oddest thing was there was only a single fruit to be found hanging from its limbs. Shayna explained it was what had once been called a 'Reririan Peach', meant to promote long life, good health, and great fertility. Iris had many questions about the fruit, why there was only one, and why Shayna was so careful to guard it.

Shayna declined to answer, saying she would explain later.

When it finally came time for Smokey to be re-born, only three weeks after he went in, Shayna made a very simple affair of the matter. She simply woke up one morning, walked into the bathroom, and sat down in the shower with the water running. With very little fanfare, and very little in the way of noises from her, her passenger slipped free. She tugged him up against her chest, so he wouldn't accidentally breathe in the water from the spray, and held him as he came back around.

Iris watched from just outside the shower, ready to assist however she could. She was pleased to see the blue drake in much better health. He wasn't completely restored, still a little on the thin side, but he was nowhere near as boney and gaunt as before. After a good rest, the two dragons emerged from the shower, the angel still supporting the blue. His legs were a little uncooperative at the moment.

All three made their way back to the living room after drying and dressing, then eased Smokey onto the couch. He was still groggy and weak, but that was nothing a good breakfast couldn't cure. This time, Shayna stayed with him while Iris cooked the meal. Smokey cast about, looking over the room.

"You... cleaned up..." He managed to sputter.

Shayna nodded, watching him like a hawk for any sign he might try to injure himself again.

"We did. Iris was a tremendous help. And the people in town were very friendly and eager to lend a hand in bringing this place back. But don't worry," She said, lifting a hand to stop the blue before he could speak, "None of them actually came down here. They just helped us buy the supplies we needed. How do you feel?"

Smokey turned to look directly in front of him, staring off into space while trying to decide how to answer.

"I guess... I guess I feel okay. My face doesn't hurt. I don't feel nearly as weak." He said, restricting his answer to only his physical self.

Shayna nodded as he spoke, giving him a gaze he felt could peer right into his soul.

"And how are you feeling?" She made sure to draw out the last word so the blue would understand her meaning.

Smokey remained quiet, lowering his gaze. He didn't like the question. He didn't like it because it forced him to rehash all the negative feelings plaguing him. In an attempt to put a cap on it, he gave something of a cop out answer.

"How do you think I'm feeling?" He said, trying his best to not sound snarky.

"I think you're still hurting. The bond was severed and you're in withdrawal. You're blaming yourself for what I understand was very clearly an accident that you couldn't foresee. You miss your sister, and your parents, and you feel like you've let all of them down." Shayna said, taking his answer as nothing but completely serious.

Smokey fell quiet again, turning to look away.

Shayna pressed ever so gently to get him to talk.

"Keeping quiet won't help. You have to work your way through it. It's going to be long and difficult, but it's possible. I've seen people come back from the brink. It's rare, but I think you can make it." The dragoness said.

"And what if I don't feel like I deserve to come back?" The drake asked.

"Then you have to trust me to know that you do." Shayna said.

Iris returned in that moment with something for the both of them to eat and drink, making sure Smokey's meal would be both easy to consume and digest. Soup was always a good choice when trying to fit those two criteria.

"Miss Shayna has gone to rather extraordinary lengths to ensure your recovery. In my experience, one does not put forth that kind of effort without holding some sense of value in the end result. And while my assistance is not of terribly much use in this regard, I still wish to aid however I can. Without the Aquatos family, I am without purpose." The vixen said.

A flicker of a spark flared in the blue drake's eyes at that last comment. It was almost as if he were angry. Not at Iris, but at hearing her denigrate herself. He had discussed her 'purpose' with her before, and it had always been a difficult concept for her to grasp. It was an old discussion, threatening to become an argument, and he just didn't have the energy to do battle on that front.

"Then I guess you'd be more like the rest of us than you thought possible." Smokey said.

Shayna sighed and moved to help him with his lunch. It was tricky for him, relearning how to use his arms, hands, and legs. Thankfully, the memory was still pretty fresh and he regained some dexterity in short order. The bowls were taken away once he was done and he reclined, eyes closed. He was clearly in a great deal of inner turmoil. At least he wasn't as aggressive or violent as he had been when Shayna arrived. Had he not been so weak, she was sure he would have assaulted her. Now, he just seemed to be stewing.

"It's going to be a long, difficult road. I'm going to be here to help you through it." Shayna said, hoping to encourage Smokey.

"Why? You hardly know me. We're out in the middle of nowhere. And based on everything Iris has told me about what you've done since you came here, you're way too qualified to waste your time on me." He said.

A smile tugged at Shayna's lips.

"Maybe I'm really interested in the job you posted in the paper." She said.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don't think the bed and breakfast idea is going to pan out. You'd do well to find another one if you're so interested in the industry." Smokey muttered.

"Maybe I'm interested in this particular one. A little work and I bet this place could be even more amazing than it is." Shayna said, her smile growing, hoping it might become infectious.

Smokey kept his gaze pointed away, unable to even bring himself to look at her.

"It won't be the same. Carmel was such an important part of it... I don't think I can do it without her." He said. His voice wavered, threatening to crack under the pain of her loss.

"Well..." Shayna said, having hoped to delay bringing it up by a day or two, "I didn't want to say anything about this right away. I was hoping to get you on a little more stable ground first, emotionally, but I guess it might actually help you get there. What if I told you there was a way she could come back?"

Smokey rolled his eyes and shook his head. He didn't even bother to respond.

Shayna let the pause hang in the air for a moment before continuing. She had planned this out pretty extensively in the days leading up to Smokey's re-birth.

"Iris took me to see her grave. It's a beautiful spot. And the tree she's under... it's rather impressive for its age." She said, quietly trying to draw out a little more conversation from him.

Smokey shrugged.

"That was her doing. I just gave her the books to read. Without her, it'll probably end up withering and dying. Especially if I try to take care of it." The blue drake said.

"Oh I don't think that would be the case at all. It's extremely healthy and strong. In fact, I think it could go on to be the centerpiece to the whole place. I think that would make Carmel happy. Don't you?" Shayna said.

"More likely I'd end up messing something else up and destroying the place that gave her some of her happiest memories." Smokey said bitterly.

"But what if she could help you?" Shayna asked.

"She can't!" Smokey said angrily, "She's gone! Dead! I killed her! She isn't coming back!"

"She could. There's a way." Shayna said.

"Yeah? And how's that? Wish really hard?" The blue had slipped into sarcasm, and it stung.

Shayna was undeterred.

"That tree I was talking about, Iris tells me the seed it grew from was a gift from a professor at your old alma mater. He said it was supposed to be the last viable seed of a Greater Obsidian Magna." The angelic lady said.

"Iris has been filling your head with nonsense. It's just a regular tree. There's nothing special about it except for the fact that Carmel was growing it." Smokey muttered.

"You're wrong. It's special. Very special. Your professor friend was right. It's the last Greater Obsidian Magna in the world. And your sister had been nurturing it. It had bonded with her, not unlike how you and she bonded," Shayna paused for effect, and watched as Smokey turned to look her in the eye. His expression was one of skepticism tinged with the tiniest glimmer of hope. She hoped to fan that glimmer into a flame, "Trust me on this. I know what I'm talking about. It's a Magna. And it's been dormant the whole time she was growing it. I just woke it up while you were recovering."

"How is that possible? They said all the seeds were made into artifacts, rendered inert." Smokey said.

"All but this one apparently. Your friend must have gone to great lengths to protect it. He knew you lived out in the woods well away from civilization at large. Maybe he thought you and your sister would be its best chance for survival. And he was right. Right now, it's pushing its roots deep underground, tapping into the world's leylines. The magic that flows through the land will connect with it soon, and when it does, it will grow. And fast. I gave it a little bump to nudge it along. And I also secured your sister's bond with it. She's a part of it now. We've got a rather rare and fortunate set of circumstances here. And I think... it might be possible... to bring your sister back to life." Shayna said.

Smokey looked long and hard at the angelic lady, wanting deeply, badly to believe her. He needed to believe her. The only other alternative was darkness.

"How?" He asked.

Shayna and Iris helped the blue dragon outside and down to the ground. He marveled at the teleportation ring, wishing he had thought to try something like that before. The trip to Carmel's grave was spent with Shayna explaining the finer points of the runic transport system, something Smokey had little experience with. She discussed it conscientiously, pleased that it distracted him from his negative emotional state.

Rather than try to explain how she could bring the girl back, Shayna opted to simply take both her new friends to see the progress already made. The tree had grown several more feet since last the angelic lady had checked on it the day before. She and Iris were not surprised by this. Smokey meanwhile was utterly astonished. His last memory of it was of a much smaller, younger looking plant. This however looked like it could pass for some of the oldest members of the forest. Suddenly, he was finding Shayna's explanation to be far more plausible.

"Carmel's tree has been doing very well. It's still just a juvenile, but it's strong and healthy. And it's only going to get bigger. Even now, she's tending to it." Shayna said.

Smokey looked over the proud tree in awe.

"She is? How?" He asked.

"After she died and was buried here, her spirit lingered. This was partly because of the bond with you holding her here, but it was also partly because she had developed a rapport with her tree. It served as an anchor point for her. Before I stepped in, she was in a great deal of pain, again because of the bond with you. She was feeling how terribly hurt you were. She was unable to find peace in that state." The angelic lady said, pausing as she watched Smokey react.

"She was... in pain? Because of me?" The blue went pale, threatening to crash back into profound depression.

"Unfortunately yes, but it couldn't be helped. It's the nature of the bond. So, as an act of mercy, I bound her to the tree completely. It eased her pain and allowed her to rest peacefully. She's part of it now. If we were to exhume her body, you'd probably find that the roots have already begun to consume her physical form. As it grows, it will slowly draw her body in completely. She and the tree are now one." Shayna explained.

"So... she's alive?" Smokey asked.

"Not in the same way as before the accident, but in a sense, yes. She is alive, inside the tree." Shayna said.

"Is there a way to get her out?" The blue asked, walking forward. He reached out and pressed a palm against the trunk. The contact brought a curious warmth he didn't expect, spreading out from his core all the way to his extremities. He recognized it. It was Carmel. He could feel her in the tree, faintly.

"She can't ever be exactly like she was. She's bound to the tree, now and forever. She will live with it, and even die with it. She will have no physical form save the tree itself," Shayna explained, pausing again for a moment, "Unless..."

Smokey turned to look back at the angelic lady, his eyes widening slightly.

"Unless what? How do we bring her back!?" He asked, trying to control the mild hysteria.

"We have a unique set of circumstances. Your extremely strong bond with her and her bond with the tree both serve as anchor points for her, providing her a link between both the physical world and the spiritual world. If you had died as well, she would have been drawn by the tree into the other, and you might have gotten pulled along with her. But with you still alive, she's got a bridge between both. By knowing how that bridge works, we can guide her back to our side of it, but she'll still be able to cross back and forth at will." Shayna said.

"Okay... so... she's here, inside the tree. She's got a link back and forth between our world and... this... spiritual world you mentioned. We do something and it brings her back to this side. What exactly do we do?" Smokey asked, daring to get his hopes up.

"That's where things get... unorthodox," Shayna said, "What do you know about the Greater Obsidian Magna?"

Smokey shrugged a little, "There are plenty of legends about them. They're supposed to grow to be the absolute biggest tress on the planet. They're supposed to have personalities of their own, and a few of them could even talk. On rare occasions, they can bear fruit that's supposed to grant good health, long life, and... a certain... vitality."

"It increases fertility. Sometimes overwhelmingly." Shayna said, rather matter-of-factly.

Smokey blushed deeply at the notion, "Yes... I had... heard that somewhere."

"Well, this tree is no different. It will be able to bear fruit. In fact, it already is," Shayna turned to walk around the trunk, now so large none of the three could wrap their arms around it and touch their hands on the other side. Smokey followed in curiosity, stopping when she did below a rather large, pale-hued orb dangling from a branch above, "This is the first Reririan Peach to be grown in several hundred years. And it's been grown by Carmel's tree for a very specific purpose."

"It wants someone to have a lot of children?" Smokey asked, confused.

"Not several. Just one. And one very specific child," Shayna said, "Whoever eats this peach will end up pregnant, and that child will be Carmel, given a new body. She'll still be tied to the tree, in fact, she'll be part plant, a dryad, but she'll be virtually identical in appearance and mind to the girl you knew."

"Really!?" Smokey cried.

"Really... and before we go any further, I need to make you completely aware of what will happen," Shayna said, "She won't come back as a baby, she'll be the same size and apparent age as she was when she died. So whoever carries her, they're going to have a difficult time getting around if they're not used to that kind of size and weight. And it will have to be a full term or longer. In this case, the bond will need to be repaired, so it'll likely have to be as long as you carried her the first time."

Smokey nodded, stepping forward as if asked to in order to volunteer.

"Whatever it takes. I can do it." He said firmly.

"There's also another issue," Shayna said, "After she's born, she'll have to stay within close proximity to the tree. She won't be able to go more than a few miles from it. Any further and she'll start feeling faint. If she goes too far, she'll fall asleep and won't wake up again until someone brings her back."

"She'll... be trapped... out here?" Smokey said, suddenly feeling reserved on the matter.

"Yes. She'll be trapped, restricted to a rather small corner of the world. Likely for thousands of years." Shayna said.

It was a terrible choice to make. Either Carmel could remain as she was, only vaguely aware of the world, at peace, nurturing the tree she was part of as it continued to grow, or she could be given physical form again but never able to travel the world, attend a mage academy, or even return to the sleepy little town she had visited before her death. The blue drake struggled, trying to determine which was the better choice.

"She'll never be able to go beyond a few miles from the tree. Never." He said.

"As the tree grows, her range will extend. Once it's full size, she might be able to reach the town. But that will be at least a decade from now." Shayna said.

Smokey mulled this over, trying his best to figure out just how he could justify trapping his sister in a single place for thousands of years. And then it dawned on him.

"Then I guess I'll just have to make the bed and breakfast idea work. And make it bigger than we had originally planned. Big enough to have permanent staff all year round, people to help keep her company, enough visitors and commerce that she'll have regular contact with the outside world. I'll start a library for her, get her as many books as I possibly can." The blue dragon said, sounding as though he had solidified his decision.

"So you're going to go through with it? You? Personally? I could volunteer. I can act as the go-between for the bond. I've done it before." Shayna said.

"No. I appreciate the offer, but this is my responsibility. I've only just met you. I couldn't ask you to stay trapped here next to a tree for three years. I did this starting the minute I decided to hatch her myself. I'll see it through to the end." Smokey said grimly.

"Well... that's awfully noble of you but... neither of us would have to stay right by the tree. If she gets too far away, she just falls asleep. No ill effects... of course, unless she stays asleep too long without some sort of support. She'll still need food and water, but not when she's inside one of us." Shayna said, trying to give the blue options. But it was too late. He was already reaching up trying to pick the peach.

"Is there anything special I need to do before I pull it? Would it hurt her if I don't do it right?" He asked.

Shayna just blinked. He was diving headlong into the idea.

"No, it's just like an ordinary peach, just... really big, and you'll end up pregnant after you eat it." She said.

With that, the blue drake plucked the peach with both hands. It was almost twice as large as his head, and heavy for its size. He grunted as his arms strained to catch it and keep it from hitting the ground. Immediately, he dropped to the ground, legs crossed, and sat the peach in his lap. Before either Iris or Shayna could say anything, he began tearing into it, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh.

"I would have gotten a knife and sliced off pieces bit by bit, taken my time to eat it in a couple of sittings but... if you're gonna just dive in, okay." Shayna said.

"I believe his desire to see his sister again is driving him. I should have prepared the transformation spell he used when hatching her the first time." Iris said, watching quietly as the blue dragon devoured the large fruit.

"Won't be necessary," Shayna said, "I took the liberty of weaving it into the makeup of the peach just in case."

Iris turned to look at the angelic dragoness, her brow scrunching up in a look of slight confusion.

"Then, why did you offer to volunteer? Wouldn't the spell have affected you?" She asked.

Shayna chuckled a little and wrapped an arm around the vixen, guiding her a short distance away so they could sit down and wait while Smokey carried on.

"I've been at this long enough to make sure there's 'error catching' in my spell work. I bet I could dive into yours and straighten out a few things most people wouldn't catch." She said.

"If you are to remain and become a resident as it sounds as though you have insinuated, it would a great relief to know that you would be able to update and maintain my matrix should it be necessary." Iris said.

Shayna chuckled and gave the holographic fox a light squeeze.

"Yeah, I'd be glad to have you around too. You're good company." The dragoness said.

It took Smokey a good hour to work his way through the peach. About halfway through, it became clear he was losing steam. It was a lot to consume, and he wasn't quite one hundred percent yet. Steadily, his stomach bloated out, groaning and grumbling unhappily as it was stuffed. He panted, powering his way through as best he could, slowing down with every bite. As he ate, he failed to notice he was already undergoing a change. It was far more gradual than the spell he used so many years ago. Each bite transitioned him that much more towards female. His chest softly swelled. His hips widened. There came a vacancy between his legs. And his voice gradually shifted in pitch.

Eventually, he was able to pull the last bit of flesh off the pit, roughly the size of his fist, and slumped against the tree. He was no longer a he, but a she, just as it had been with Carmel's egg. She held her gurgling middle, feeling quite out of breath. As she sat there trying to let her stomach settle, she finally noticed the change. It surprised her, but it quickly clicked, making sense. Of course she would need to be female. Still, her belly wasn't nearly big enough to house Carmel. It was just the result of eating so much. There had to be something else.

"Okay... that's... the whole thing. What... do I do... now?" She asked between pants.

"The pit, too." Shayna said.

"What?" Smokey asked, wondering if it was a joke.

"You have to swallow the pit, too. The flesh is there mostly for energy, and to make sure whoever's doing this is 'properly equipped'. The pit itself contains the actual magic. For it to do its work, you have to swallow it." The dragoness said.

Smokey looked at the large, oddly shaped seed that had been buried at the center of the peach. She looked back to Shayna who gave her a gesture of encouragement, then opened her mouth and shoved it in. A strong, uncomfortable gulp saw the job finished and she sighed. Her eyes glazed over as she sat there, quietly complaining mentally about how uncomfortably full she was.

The discomfort faded almost immediately as the seed reached the churning chamber it was headed for. Smokey found it curious that so quickly her indigestion was cured. Then she gasped and held her bloated middle, startled by a sudden growth spurt. Her middle bulged outward quickly enough to be noticed by all three watching. The weight of it grew steadily. It was working! Smokey could actually feel a life forming inside her! She moaned as her belly stretched out further still, beyond the biggest she had been during her first pregnancy. Carmel had grown quite a lot, and now she was getting to see just how much!

Shayna stood and moved to sit next to the writhing blue. She ran a palm over the steadily growing dome, hoping to ease the powerful sensations and help Smokey weather the storm. Iris joined them, taking the other side. She began examining the growing dragoness and marveled to find the life signs of a second within her. And more than that, they matched the last readings she had taken of Carmel, within a reasonable margin. When the blue drake's stomach stopped expanding, she was huge; large enough to carry four, maybe even five eggs the size Carmel's had been. Smokey panted furiously, not prepared at all for the experience. And not because it was unpleasant.

Three pairs of hands roamed over the sphere, two of the ladies unable to believe what had just happened. It was in that moment, when all had fallen still and serene, that Smokey noticed something. A familiar presence had returned. The gaping hole that had driven her to despair was filled once again. There were cracks and gaps around it, but it was filled and well patched. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around the heavy bulge, and she sobbed in pure joy.

"She's back! I can feel her! It's Carmel! My little sister is alive!!" Smokey cried.

Shayna said nothing for the time being, smiling and slipping an arm around the blue lady to hold her in comfort. Iris remained quiet as well, unsure how to contribute to such a moment. Never before had either of the two azure ladies witnessed someone returning from the grave, let alone in such a fashion.

Smokey rocked slowly on the ground, not caring that she was so large she would probably have a bit of trouble walking or maneuvering. It didn't matter. Carmel was alive, asleep and likely to remain that way until she was reborn, but alive. And she didn't care that she would have to spend three years like this to repair the damage to both of them. That was when it hit her.

"When the bond was severed, it nearly destroyed me. I was completely wrecked. You said Carmel was in pain before you bound her to the tree. Please tell me she's okay." Smokey begged of Shayna.

"Carmel is going to be just fine, mentally. You on the other hand, you lived with the pain for so long that you're still going to be unsteady. Little things might set you off. It's going to be a long road, but we'll get you back as close to normal as we can." Shayna said.

"Carmel is going to be fine... mentally. What's that mean?" Smokey said, now suspicious.

Shayna bit her lip and grimaced a little. This was the part she wasn't sure how either would react to.

"Well... she's going to be almost exactly the same as you remember her, just... part plant. A plant dragon. A dryad." She said.

"Yes... and?" Smokey said, sensing more to the story.

"Funny thing about plants, most of them are hermaphroditic." The angelic lady said.

Smokey paused, gazing blankly at Shayna for a moment. She was putting the pieces together and trying to process the bigger picture, "She's going to have-"

"Yes," Shayna interrupted, "She's going to have both. And they'll both be functional. It'll probably be a little awkward for her to get used to at first, but I think she'll settle into it after a while. That's... not a problem... is it?"

The blue lady blinked a few times once again and shook her head as if to snap out of a stupor.

"Not for me, no. I don't care so long as she's the same Carmel I carried and raised. As long as she's still my sister, I don't care what's swinging between her legs." Smokey said.

"Good. Now, we should probably head back up to the house. You're probably going to be very hungry in a little bit. There's only so much a single giant peach can do when you're this big." Shayna said.

"You'll have to help me. I don't know if I can carry her like this just yet. She's really damn big," Smokey said, pausing for a moment before coming to another realization, "Oh damn. Everyone in town is going to flip out when this gets out."

Shayna laughed and helped haul the very heavy blue lady to her feet, keeping her steady on one side while Iris supported on the other. The blue vixen looked past Smokey to the angelic lady.

"No one seemed all that upset when Miss Shayna and I ventured into town during your recovery inside her. It would seem the people there are more accepting than we originally surmised. I believe they might be shocked, but they will quickly accept it." Iris said.

"I agree," Shayna said, "But I think for the time being we ought to keep this quiet. Hearing a girl, dead for months, has been brought back to life by a magical tree just might stir up some unwanted attention. I'll head into town tomorrow and make a few calls to a couple of people I know. I'll see if I can't get some help to come out and give us a jump start on expanding the tree house, maybe build that library you were talking about."

Smokey allowed herself to smile for the first time in months.

"I think that'd be great. And... I don't know if calling it a bed and breakfast would really be all that accurate. I think it'll be too big to call it that." The round, blue lady said.

"Perhaps we could call it an inn." Shayna replied.

"Yeah. An inn. An inn up in the trees. A treetop inn." Smokey said.

---

"Every expansion since then has been designed specifically to prevent anyone from falling no matter what stage of construction it's in." Smokey said, looking around the table. Hir story had come to a close and it had stunned a few of the listeners into silence. Jace was one of them.

Inara however was more curious than stunned.

"So that's how all of this got started; a blue dragon looking to honor his parents' final wishes." The vixen said.

Smokey nodded, blushing softly at the oversimplification.

"That's the crux of it, yes." Shi said.

"Just how long did it take for you to go from a single treehouse with one expansion all the way to what we're sitting in now?" Inara asked.

"Quite a while," Smokey answered, "We worked in phases, gradually adding room as it gained popularity, adding amenities as it became clear they were in demand. There were two or three designs we went through before we reached the one we're using now. Carmel was born for the second time about fifty years ago, and we had our grand opening--the third one, introducing the Inn as it is now--only ten years ago."

"Fifty years. That's quite a while, and that doesn't count how long the bed and breakfast phase lasted beforehand." Inara said.

"To be fair, we didn't really do much business before the expansion. We weren't exactly advertising it back then." Carmel added.

Jace finally shook himself from his stupor and pressed out from within the green lady's belly.

"You're sixty years old!?" He cried.

Carmel blushed furiously. Shi'd never actually told him how old shi was.

"Well, sixty-one... if you don't count the time I spent in utero. Didn't know you were on the arm of a cougar did you?" Carmel chuckled uncomfortably, suddenly a little worried that Jace might be taken aback.

"Honey... you gotta show me whatever it is you do to take care of yourself because you don't look a day over twenty!" The fennec cackled. It eased Carmel's tension, which he could probably sense being wrapped up inside hir.

"So, that should explain a few things for everyone here," Smokey said, "You'll have to forgive me for opting to leave out the part where I invited my friends out for the first time, I discovered mom and dad's horde, and found out about Carmel's egg. I didn't think talking about breaking up with my ex would be fun for anyone to hear. Not that Carmel falling and dying was fun."

"Perfectly understandable." Inara said, waving a hand dismissively at the blue dragon.

"It sheds a lot of light on a few things." Jace said, still trying to be part of the conversation in spite of being hidden.

"I knew something rather nasty had happened to you a good while before we met," Sirius said, "I didn't know that's what it was."

Shayna reached over and took one of the blue lady's hands in hirs, gripping it firmly in affection.

"It's something the three of us keep pretty close to the vest. And for all the good I was able to do to help Smokey heal, there are still a few cracks that break open from time to time. Thankfully, they're rare anymore." The angelic lady said.

Smokey gripped hir beloved's hand a little more tightly, smiling back at hir.

"I still don't quite understand what compelled you to jump in with both feet when you knew nothing about me. For the record though, I'm glad you did." The azure lady said.

"It's just the sort of person I am." Shayna said, smiling back.

"There are still a few things I'd like to know about," Inara asked, "Like this little town you mentioned visiting. Is it still there? And how long has the garden been around?"

"The town is still there," Smokey answered, "It's just gone through a number of changes as well. And the garden as it is now was new at the most recent grand re-opening. It's been around in some shape or form since the first time we officially opened our doors after Carmel came back."

The green dragoness pushed back from the table, climbing to hir feet. Everyone had already finished eating during the story and shi was eager to get moving.

"If you'll forgive me, I have to get back to it. Since I'm keeping Jace in 'time out', I have to cover his workload and there's still a good bit left to do." Carmel said.

The rest of the table nodded to hir, bidding the lady farewell for the time being. Inara expressed an interest in a more personal tour of the garden sometime, something the dragoness was quite happy to agree to. The jade lady took hir leave and returned to the out of doors, sighing quietly as shi felt the grass between hir toes again. It was always a pleasant sensation returning to the natural world. Shi didn't mind being inside the Inn, but this was where shi truly felt at home.

"Alright, so I've already taken care of three nodes, there are three more to go in the main complex, then if there's time we can look at visiting the annexes." Jace said, his voice softly muffled by his lover's embrace.

"Okay, just try and be patient with me. Computer stuff isn't my forte." Carmel said.

A silence hung between them for a moment as the dragoness waddled hir way through the grounds before lifting a hand. A vine reached down and took hold of hir wrist. In seconds, it snaked down around the whole of hir arm and shi was effortlessly lifted into the air. More vines joined in, cradling hir gravid form as shi was hoisted aloft, aiming for the next server room.

When the long pause had lasted a bit too long, Carmel spoke again.

"So, now you know why I'm the way I am about people falling from up here." She said.

"Yeah, not quite what I expected. It's pretty heavy stuff." Jace said, gently stretching the lady's tummy to make hir purr.

"Now will you be more careful when you're up here?" Carmel asked.

"I promise," Jace said, "No more by-the-seat-of-the-pants business. And if I want you to catch me, I'll make sure you can hear me first. You're not going to stop keeping an eye on me, are you?"

"Not on your life. I'm going to watch you like a hawk. You're mine and I'm gonna take good care of you." Carmel said rather definitively.

Jace just chuckled and gave his girlfriend another good stretch before curling back up around his own swollen stomach.

"I'm perfectly okay with that." He said.