Prompt Write #1

Wings of Wind

Going from living off scraps and sleeping on a stone to eating three hot meals a day with a warm place to retreat to each night was a drastic lifestyle change Tango never expected in a million years. Getting to be enriched with new experiences in life made him realize the life that he had been painfully deprived of living. He couldn't be more grateful to Spyro and Cynder for accepting him into their home and making him a member of the family. To him, it was the most he deserved in life, having been wild and nearly savage for seven long and painful years.

The first few months had been by far the worst of his entire life, even more than his first couple years on the edge of the Whispering Wilds. He had grown used to rocks and sticks jabbing into his side while he slept that he almost missed them, sneaking to the roof most nights to sleep in the terrace garden. Cynder and Avala didn't really find it too humorous that he found the rose bush as a comfortable place to rest his head. Though with some convincing, Tango eventually agreed to try and sleep in his own bed, which soon enough worked wonders for him.

However, the little yellow dragon hated sleeping with blankets. He found them to be itchy and discomforting, waking up in a cold sweat from a nightmare of blanket monsters on top of him. Tango used them to make a sort of nest instead, to shelter from the occasional draft coming in through his window.

Soon enough, Tango felt comfortable with his new life. Looking up to Spyro and Cynder more often for guidance and interacting with his adopted sister, Avala. It didn't take long for him to take a liking for her as a sibling, eventually teasing and messing with her too. However, it did get him into trouble with her, as the larger ice dragoness was strong enough and big enough to grab him by the scruff of his neck and dangle him over the second-story balcony of the home. Avala liked to do that to him on more than one occasion, especially when the sneaky lightning dragon was caught snooping in her room.

Though throughout the next few years, Tango began to grow and grow, eventually surpassing his sister in size and strength, and it was him that was capable of dangling her over the third story balcony just for the sole reason of one uping her. Their playful rivalry grew, and their emotional bond became stronger and stronger with each passing day. Yet, it was the later years where they quarreled more, getting into fights and occasionally getting physical. But it was at the moment they realized something all too real.

Besides their parents, those two were all they had in terms of family. They knew better than to spend their waking moments being in each other's face or seeing who could pin the other till their bodies were on the verge of breaking. It was at that moment they understood that they were supposed to look out for each other, and just like that, their attitudes changed, and the aggression ceased to exist. A pact being formed that they would never go to bed angry with each other, requiring them to set aside their differences and work it out. And for that reason, Tango loved his sister more than anything in the world. He saw her in a completely new light, and it was lovely.

Though Avala wasn't the only person that Tango came to admire in terms of his family.

Tango grew to enjoy the company of his father figure, Spyro, more than the rest of his family. Something about him being raised in the wild just made Tango gravitate towards him more. Like it was the spiritual connection to nature that made him feel more in touch with the more massive purple dragon. He laughed at his jokes and cried in his shoulder and felt safe in his presence. The little ten year old admired Spyro with each passing day, but he still never found the courage to call him an extraordinary word.

Father.

It was one of those words that gave Tango butterflies in his stomach just by the mere thought of it. He imagined the day that he would call Spyro father and the sheer joy that came with it. In his head, it was always this big celebration with his family, and they would spend the whole day together, playing in the sun and sharing endless amounts of love and compassion for each other. However, it was his heart that told him that it was going to be more wholesome and that tears were going to be shed.

Spyro meant a lot to Tango, and he couldn't have asked for a better fatherly figure than the purple dragon himself. It was through Spyro's teachings, and guidance that kept him firmly planted on the ground instead of floating around in the clouds. Learning to read, write, and speak correctly were all taught by Spyro with the help of Cynder and Avala, and the tutors that came around on occasion, but it was the purple dragon that made it his own personal vendetta to help Tango grow in all forms.

However, there was one thing that Spyro had yet to teach his son.

Today was one of those days where Tango would be able to look back and be proud of the accomplishment he made. It was an extraordinary moment for him as it marked one of the many steps to becoming an adult. A challenge that he knew was going to be filled with hardship, fear, joy, and excitement. Something that all dragons must learn at a young age if they are to adapt and survive in the world.

It had been an early morning for Tango. He had jumped out of bed the moment his eyes opened, energy racing as pure excitement zoomed through his veins. The sun had barely started to rise on the far horizon before Tango ran upstairs to wake up Spyro because today was the start of his flying lessons. He used his body as a battering ram and barged through their door, where he immediately began to jump up and down on the purple dragon.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Tango announced excitedly, continuing to bounce on Spyro.

Cynder was the first to grumble her displeasure at being rudely awoken. "Your kid is awake, Spyro," she yawned, her eyes remaining shut.

"Last I remembered, he's your kid too," Spyro mumbled, burying his face beneath his paws. He too, let out a massive yawn but proceeded to snuggle deeper into his bed, trying to go back to sleep.

Tango on the other paw wasn't having any of it, proceeding to push his paws against Spyro's head. "No! No sleeping! You've slept long enough. You're supposed to teach me how to fly today." He watched as Spyro's eyes peaked open. "You promised me we would start as soon as the sun rose."

Spyro sighed heavily but nodded. "Okay, okay, you're right, you win." He slowly lifted his head and looked at Tango, yawning wide and revealing his array of pearly white teeth. "Someone is a little excited for their first day, huh?"

"Yup!" Tango exclaimed. "I'm going to be the best flyer the world has ever seen. Now come on, let's go already!" He used his entire body to push on Spyro, forcibly encouraging him to stand up.

"Alright, alright, just let me get up and stretch first," Spyro chuckled, carefully standing up and stretching out his limbs. "Now, we can go, but let's be quiet and let mommy sleep."

Tango nodded but couldn't resist the urge to give his mother a quick nuzzle. "Sleep tight, mommy," he whispered, rubbing his head against her snout. "Sorry for jumping on Spyro and waking you up."

"It's okay, baby," Cynder whispered, purring her love and affection. "Just remember to be safe and have fun. I love you."

"I will, I promise, and I love you more," Tango said, hopping off the bed and looking at Spyro. "I'm ready."

Spyro chuckled as he began to leave the bedroom with the little yellow dragon in tow. He was careful with each step as the energetic youngling continuously weaved through his legs; one wrong placement of the foot meant an ouchie delay. The conversation that led them was one-sided as Tango badgered Spyro with literally every flying related question his little mind could come up with. Still, the purple dragon's answers were always the same.

"You'll find out soon enough," Spyro's calm voice said to his child. "You just have to be patient."

Tango's response was always a grumble followed by another question, but each time he spoke, he sounded pure and ecstatic. This was his day, and he was beyond ready to make his family proud. They walked down the hall and proceeded down the stairs to the main foyer of the large home, where Spyro immediately led Tango to the front door. He looked down at his son and smiled, his excitement finally growing as much as Tango's.

"Where are we going?" Tango asked curiously, tilting his head. "I thought we were going to learn to fly here at home."

"Nope," Spyro answered. "I'm taking you to an extraordinary place where no one will disturb us. Trust me, you're going to love it."

"Yay!" Tango jumped.

Spyro watched his son light up with sheer joy, his body practically radiating with overwhelming levels of excitement. His sweet smile and pure eyes were enough to make his heart melt, and they hadn't even started to fly yet. This day was already turning into a phenomenal one for Spyro. Getting his father-son time was always a well-rewarded moment for him because it meant he'd be able to bond more with his child, and that was still something special.

"Alright, stay close to me and don't get in anyone's way, okay," Spyro reminded. "We don't want another repeat of last week's incident, do we?"

Tango swallowed heavily, remembering how he accidentally got separated from his family while they were exploring the busy city market. It was a moment of absolute terror, and many tears had been shed because of it, though he managed to run into a friendly stranger who pointed him in the right direction. He'd never held onto Cynder so tightly once he spotted them, inevitably ending that day of public interaction for the lightning dragon.

"No, I don't want that," Tango squeaked, feeling his scales shiver. "It was scary."

"It was definitely scary," Spyro agreed, recollecting at his few moments of terror thinking he'd lost Tango forever. "You gave us a real fright, but I won't let it happen again."

"Promise."

"I promise," Spyro nodded, crossing his heart before opening the door. "Come, we have a ways to go. You can take us there."

"But...how will I know where to go?" Tango asked confusedly. "What if I get us lost?"

"You won't get us lost, I promise. Just look at me when we come across a new street, and I'll tell you which way to go. Can you do that?"

"You bet I can, for I am a master at following directions," Tango announced as he skipped out of the house with Spyro following closely behind him, looking back to see which way the older dragon wanted him to go.

Their path led them through the heart of Warfang, passing through the market districts and straight across the big open city center near the base of the Great Dragon Temple, the crown gem of the city. Tango had been astonished to see it for the first time, his tiny jaw-dropping to the cobblestone in absolute awe. He had visited its halls on numerous occasions, especially during the process of Spyro and Cynder adopting him, a stressful and time-consuming month of his life with papers stacked higher than the tips of his horns. Now during his excursions with his family to the Temple, it was typically to meet with the Guardians.

"What do you think the Guardians are doing?"

"Probably sleeping," Spyro joked with a soft chuckle. "When you get as old as they are, you'll appreciate your sleep more than most, but I'll bet one of my purple scales that your favorite Guardian is in his laboratory fiddling with his experiments. Hopefully, nothing explosive or else Cyril would have his horns."

"And then Master Terrador wrings both of their necks for bickering like children," Tango added with a giggle, having witnessed the act firsthand. "They're worse than Avala and I sometimes!"

"Now I don't know about that," Spyro teased. "You and your sister give your mother and me plenty of headaches."

Tango had taken a real liking to one particular guardian, Lightning Guardian Master Volteer. Something about how he spoke and his fascination with his element, and others for that matter, caught little Tango's attention instantaneously. Of course, it was still a little while before his element would awaken inside of him. For now, all he could simply do was look up at the temple and smile with glee.

"I wonder if I can be a Guardian someday," Tango said hopefully.

Spyro flinched slightly, pondering for a moment to choose his next words carefully. "It's possible, but it takes many years to master your element for the current Guardians to even consider choosing one of their successors." He saw the hope drain from his child's eyes, but quickly redeemed himself. "B-but it's completely doable so long as you commit to trying your hardest and being the best lightning dragon there is. If you can do that, combined with your good heart and kind attitude, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Master Guardian Tango in the distant future."

Tango's bright blue eyes perked up, smiling happily up at Spyro. "I'm not going to let you down, I promise."

Spyro chuckled, leaning down to gently nuzzle the ecstatic dragonling. "One thing at a time, young one. First, we have to get you up in the air. We still have a few more minutes of walking before we get there. Just follow that street right there," Spyro instructed, turning his child and pointing forward.

The yellow lighting dragon nodded and scampered his way forward, his shorter legs occasionally buckling from under him, but never taking a tumble to the ground. Spyro couldn't help but snicker at Tango's slight difficulty with walking.

The little conversations he shared with Tango reminded him so much of his time growing up with Ignitus there to guide him. Sure, he was living in the middle of a war surrounded by death and destruction, but his interactions with his former mentor helped shape him into the adult he was today. The many lessons he learned would be passed down to Tango and Avala, allowing them to prosper and thrive in the new world of growth and peace. However, until the need to teach them incredibly valuable life lessons were more appropriate, Spyro was happy to settle for some simple flying lessons with his son, because that's what great fathers do.

After some more circumnavigating the Warfangian streets, Tango led them down a narrow street barely big enough to accommodate Spyro's broad frame. In reality, it was more of an alleyway. Still, it was completely barren of any trash or musty smells—it actually seemed relatively tidy, and the air quality was near perfect. Though the only issue was that Tango could see that the alleyway had a dead end.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" His question filled with worry that they might've gotten lost. "There's nothing here except this stone wall." Tango approached the wall and tapped his paw against it.

"If you find a path that has no obstacles, it will probably lead you nowhere," Spyro commented, coming to within a few feet of the wall. "Now, place your paw on the wall and concentrate, like this." The purple dragon lifted a paw and pressed it to the stone about chest height to demonstrate.

Tango looked at his own paw, hesitantly holding it to the wall, keeping a watchful eye on his father. It was at that moment when he saw Spyro's paw start to glow with power. He could feel a gentle vibration in the wall, but it quickly changed as a bright light was unleashed upon his eyes, forcing him to cower to the ground with his eyes screwed shut. An ear-piercing hum echoed in his brain, but in an instant, it all stopped, and all Tango could hear was Spyro chuckling at him.

"I guess I should've told you about the flash," Spyro laughed, gingerly lifting Tango up onto his paws. "Open your eyes, and you'll see that there is no longer a dead end, but a gateway to a special place." Tango swallowed heavily, trusting Spyro enough to slowly open his bright blue eyes at the sight before him.

The stone wall had disappeared entirely, opening up to a large courtyard. In the center was a grassy area with a wooden tower slightly taller than Spyro, and a cobbled path made up the border. The sun brought the place to life with light, and beautiful flowers and shrubberies hung from the walls. It felt like an entirely new world for little Tango, who scampered onto the grass with a broad smile, feeling the prickly grass tickling the webs between his toes. He looked around, amazed at the area, not even able to get a single word out due to his excitement.

"I knew you'd like it," Spyro said happily, standing next to the small dragon. "It's a place that only a pawful of individuals know about, and it's perfect for teaching little ones how to fly. Plenty of space and the tower helps to build confidence too." He looked down at Tango. "Would you like to try?"

Tango paused his joy to look up at the tower, gulping at the different levels that seemed to stretch all the way to the sky. "You...you want me to go up there?" He pointed. "That looks really high."

"It's not that high," Spyro reassured, standing on his hind legs and touching the top level with ease. "It just looks bigger because you're smaller, but if you don't feel confident, we can just do some exercises instead. It might be a good idea to see how synchronized your wings are."

"Synchro-what?" Tango questioned with a confused head tilt.

"Synchronize," Spyro emphasized. "It means to have certain things occur at the same time. Like when multiple dancers take the stage and have to perform their act in unison, but in our case, it's when our wings flap at the same time. If our wings aren't in sync, we can't fly."

"Like birds?"

"Exactly like birds," Spyro praised. "Except for the fact that we as dragons don't have feathers or small size."

"Yeah, we grow big and powerful," Tango laughed. "Birds don't have anything on dragons. We're just too amazing!"

"Amazing indeed," Spyro added. "Now, I want you to spread your wings out as far you can. We're going to do some simple flapping exercises."

Tango nodded and did as he was instructed, slowly extending his wings to their full width. Even for a ten-year-old, his wings made him look twice as big, but just as goofy considering his body was rather small in comparison. He'd grow into his wings eventually, but for now, he'd have to make them work. His mesmerizing blue eyes locked with Spyro's amethyst orbs, waiting for further instruction.

"Now, I want you to flap your wings just as I do, okay," Spyro instructed, opening his massive appendages that were a mere meter away from brushing against the walls. "Just go nice and easy. Simple up and down motions, not too slow and not too fast. Don't try to correct your wings separately, either."

Tango watched himself flap, noticing how out of sync he really was, momentarily having a wing up and a wing down. He didn't grow frustrated, resetting himself as his wings kept being thrown out of balance again and again, but he instantly felt the fatigue catching up to him. His mouth breathed heavily as he continued to put forth his best effort, trying to appease Spyro as much as possible. The essential exercise lasted only a few minutes before Tango finally gave in to his exhaustion, panting hard.

"You lasted a little longer than I expected you too. Good job!" Spyro praised, patting his son on the back. "Now that you are stretched and warmed up, we can begin building your confidence."

He beckoned Tango over to the wooden tower, reaching down and gently picking him up with his maw. Spyro set him down on the second-highest level, which put the lightning dragon a few meters above him. Tango's eyes immediately widened, feeling slightly intimidated by the sudden drop. His father sat down on his haunches and looked up at him before casually holding out his paws.

"Jump to me," Spyro spoke softly.

Tango stood away from the edge, refusing to step towards it. He strained to peek over, afraid to see how far down it was, shaking his head at Spyro in fearful defiance. His sister held him over drops much higher, but he knew in those sibling moments he'd never be dropped. However, this was a different circumstance that he was entirely in control of. One wrong move and he'd go straight to the ground, of course, he had no doubt that Spyro would catch him. A soft whimper escaped his muzzle, and his tail stuck itself between his legs.

Spyro immediately jumped into action, rearing up on his hind legs to get closer to Tango.

"Hey," the purple dragon whispered, pressing his muzzle to Tango's cheek. "What's the matter?"

"I'm scared," Tango cried softly. "I can't do it."

"I know you're scared, but it's perfectly normal," Spyro reassured with a voice as smooth as ice. "I was scared the first time I had to fly too, and it was much higher and much more dangerous than this."

Tango burrowed himself underneath Spyro's chin, seeking further warmth and protection, his entire body quivering with terror.

"You just have to trust that I'll catch you, okay?" Spyro continued calmly, gently comforting the little dragon with his paws. "I won't let anything happen to you. Your mother would have my head if you came back home with so much as a scratch. Could you at least try for me, please?"

Finding it within himself, Tango stood up on all fours and nodded hesitantly to Spyro, who sat back down and held his paws out once more. The lightning dragon swallowed the large lump forming at the back of his throat, taking a few shaky breaths before he slowly stepped towards the platform's edge. He looked down at Spyro, who seemed so far away, and felt his legs start shivering again. He'd never jumped from a height nearly half this high, and despite the grass being soft, he was afraid of genuinely hurting himself. Cuts and bruises were not new to him, and thankfully broken bones and sprains had been avoided.

"Tango, come on. You can do this," Spyro encouraged, holding his paws a bit higher. "All you have to do is jump for me, and I'll catch you." He beamed a supportive smile at the little dragon but immediately found it to have little effect. "What if I counted down from five? Would that work for you?"

"Y-yes, I think so," Tango stuttered, his eyes panic-stricken. "Just say it slowly!"

"Alright," Spyro replied. "Five…"

Come on, Tango! It's just a little jump! You can't be afraid of a bit of a leap, right?

"Four…"

Spyro would never let you fall! He cares too much about you to let you get hurt!

"Three…"

The drop looks worse than it is! Besides, the grass is super soft!

"Two…"

How's he already at two?! I thought he was counting slower!

"One…"

Alright, here goes nothing! Ancestors protect me!

Tango closed his eyes and put all the energy he had into his hind legs, launching himself off the platform. For a moment, time seemed to slow down as his body felt as light as a feather. It was like he was floating through water, his body finding no hard surfaces to latch onto, before bringing him back to reality. His heart lurched up into his throat, mild panic setting in as the ground came closer and closer. Adrenaline flew through his veins and his heartbeat against the back of his ribs.

His eyes opened up just as two massive paws wrapped him up and pulled him into a firm hug, a reverberating cheer filling the courtyard as Spyro held him up to his face. Those deep purple eyes were full of pride and joy, instilling the young dragon with an immeasurable amount of confidence.

"You did it, Tango! You finally jumped," Spyro praised. "I knew you had it in you. You had to believe in yourself to just do it. Soon, you'll find leaping from bigger heights come with zero hassle."

I did it!

"Now what?" Tango asked, his voice excited.

The jump itself was thrilling, and not to mention extremely fun.

"Well, we keep up with the confidence building, going higher and higher with each successful jump," Spyro explained, setting his son gingerly on the ground. "But now that you have a taste of wind on your face, I want you to try and open your wings and glide to the ground."

Tango remembered his wings being sucked to his sides when he jumped, and despite feeling almost weightless, he felt his time in the air was sluggish and slow. He wasn't sure how he'd open his wings mid-jump, even if he was higher up off the ground. Though he could see it in Spyro's eyes that he could do it. He nodded his head and stepped lightly towards the tower, eyeballing that top platform with serious intent.

He was bent on beating this challenge with ease but paused as a realization hit his mind. His little body jolted momentarily as Spyro snatched him with his maw and placed him on top of the tower. Confidence bled freely, and he stepped nonchalantly to the edge, looking down at Spyro, wiggling his rump in preparation for the upcoming jump. Spyro had barely sat down when Tango leaped towards him.

The yellow scaled dragonling found the second jump to be far more natural than the first, despite the significant height difference. Tango opened his wings partially but found he had no balance in the air, dramatically tumbling to one side. His mouth opened in the makings of a scream when a rush of wind flipped him back over and into Spyro's waiting paws. He was ecstatic as usual, giggling with happiness as he chipped away at his fear of falling.

"I'm happy that you're enjoying yourself," Spyro chuckled, though his voice went gently stern. "Though you must be more careful. Had I not turned in time, I'd have to be explaining to your mother how you came home with a busted wing or twisted ankle. Trust me! That's not a conversation I want to have, okay?"

"I understand," Tango nodded, dipping his head apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just be mindful next time. You have a lot to learn. Let's try it again. This time, open your wings from the moment you jump and let your instincts guide you."

The process of jumping from the tower and returning to the top of the tower went on for what seemed like forever. The height had changed ever so slightly by only a few meters, which didn't intimidate Tango in the slightest, jumping to his father with ease. Each attempt found Tango opening his wings either partially or not at all, not getting the proper extension his father was looking for. With every failed attempt, Tango grew less eager to try again, growing slightly irritable after jumping multiple times with little to no improvement in his skills.

Spyro understood his frustration, forcing himself to acknowledge it before his son would burst his top out of anger, though he'd have to wait until the lighting dragon was back on the ground. He wanted to find a way to encourage him to try harder and hopefully find the proper balance in his wings to glide safely.

Tango stood on the edge of the platform, his mind roaming with a mixture of feelings ranging from frustration to excitement. He wanted to prove that he could fly, but was scared of the possibility that today just wasn't his day. The level of embarrassment just wasn't something he was willing to fathom, terrified that flying could already be a thing in the past for him. Even he knew how ridiculous that sounded, though it was a severe thought to shake from his train of thought.

The jump had proven to be yet another failure.

His wings barely extended halfway to full potential before he found himself in an uncontrollable spin to the ground. Spyro managed to catch him with his maw, leaving him dangling off the ground by his tail before being settled down onto the grass. He laid in the grass with a growing fire in his eyes.

"I thought I had it," Tango said through gritted teeth, stomping the ground with a paw. "I thought if my wings opened, it would work, but I just fell out of the sky instead." A paw settled on his back, calming his nerves.

"You have to be patient, Tango," Spyro sympathized. "You'll get it eventually. Just don't let yourself feel degraded that you didn't succeed this time. Use that frustration and turn it into a positive."

"But what if I keep doing the same thing over and over again? What if I will never be able to fly?" His voice begged, genuine concern leaving his lips as the thought of being flightless settled on his brain. "I can't live my life like a flightless dragon. I probably am just a stinking, stupid lizard."

Spyro laid himself beside Tango, curling his body around the tiny dragon and wrapping his tail around him. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Tango looked up at Spyro, finding his eyes were saddened by his negativity. He slowly shook his head, looking down in shame at his weak, self-degrading words. His wings slumped down to the grass, and his shoulders sagged. "I just don't know what I keep doing wrong. The moment I leap from the platform, everything seems fine, and then I blink, and it all goes sideways, literally."

Spyro rubbed a paw along Tango's back, gently kneading the soft scales to alleviate the stress. "You just haven't found your balance yet. Flying is not something that is learned by simply opening your wings. It is an art that is mastered with time and practice. Once you think you've got one thing down, you'll find that two more things take its place. It's an endless cycle but easy to follow."

"Why does flying have to be so complicated?" Tango asked frustratedly, ripping up a few strands of grass. "It's something that we should just know how to do….. Like breathing."

"I wish the same thing sometimes, but life lessons wouldn't be called lessons if they were never taught to you in the first place," Spyro explained. "Through these lessons, we can help shape the world how we see fit and strive to make each other better in the process. Which is what I am going to do with you because I won't rest until you learn how to fly."

Tango leaned into Spyro, who embraced him in a loving embrace. As much as his heart wanted him to break down into tears, he couldn't bring himself to shed a single one. Spyro's way with words always found a way to uplift his spirits and encourage him to do better even when he had doubts or moments of defeat.

"Now, I think I might have an idea that we can try if you want?" Spyro eventually asked, having enjoyed the tender moment himself. "We'll be jumping straight into actual flying, but it'll be assisted with a little help. Come on, let's try." He stood to his paws and used the tip of his nose to lift Tango onto his paws. "Stand right in front of me with your tail towards me and open your wings."

Tango did as he was instructed, rolling his shoulders and stretching his wings to their limit without straining them. He looked back at Spyro, who dipped his head in approval.

"Now, this is your takeoff position," Spyro instructed. "Whenever we do more lessons in the future, you will start in this position, okay?" Tango nodded in understanding. "Perfect! What did I tell you earlier about flapping your wings?"

"Flap at the same time and never correct them separately."

"Very good. Now when I tell you to start flapping your wings and gradually start to pick up speed. Take it nice and easy so that your body builds muscle memory."

Tango nodded and let himself concentrate, momentarily closing his eyes to get himself into the right state of mind. He opened his eyes and looked back up at Spyro, waiting patiently for the signal to begin.

"Begin."

A few heartbeats after his words had been spoken, Tango began to pump his wings in near-perfect unison, occasionally going out of sync before making the proper correction. His concentration made him grunt as his cheeks filled with air he was forcing in but not letting out. A sight that amused Spyro, who moved around Tango to stand face to face.

"Make sure you breathe, Tango," Spyro playfully scolded. "Don't want you to pass out before you even get off the ground."

"Sorry," Tango said as his wings faltered, but immediately went back to flapping.

Spyro chuckled as he carefully observed his son, looking for any signs of him lifting up into the air. Tango had found a nice rhythm, beating his wings at a quicker rate, his claws temporarily lifting out of the ground, but not enough to keep him up for very long. He resorted to an amusing bouncing motion, his grunts growing louder each time, but his wings never found the power to lift him up into the air. This meant that Spyro had to reach within himself and use a little elemental magic to assist.

After the war, Spyro learned the basics of his mate's elements, particularly wind. It had taken him a few months to grasp the concept, but now using it was like second nature for him, just as his other elements.

The purple dragon used his power and created a small vortex beneath Tango, who was too concentrated on his flapping. It slowly pushed against his wings, and as he continued to flap, it drove him further and further up off the ground. Of course, Tango's eyes were screwed shut, making him oblivious to his achievement.

Suddenly, his eyes popped open, his eyes going wide as he found himself at chest level with Spyro. A shocked grin formed on his muzzle.

"I'm doing it! I can't believe it!" he cried with delight.

"Just keep flapping!" Spyro urged with a smirk. "You're doing really good so far. Just don't let yourself-"

"WHOA!"

Tango flapped out of unison due to his excitement, his entire body rolling sharply to one side. Spyro quickly guided the wind vortex towards the weak side and caught him before he rolled onto his back and leveled him out once more. The little yellow dragon's eyes were darting all over the place, but he continued to bring himself higher and higher, eventually coming to eye level with Spyro.

"You okay?"

"I'm flying! Look!" he howled, his voice growing in excitement with each flap. "I'm finally doing it!"

"Keep going, buddy," Spyro applauded, slowly lessening the power on the vortex. He wanted Tango to try and keep himself going on his own power. "You're doing awesome! Just make sure you stabilize."

Soon, Spyro entirely cut off his wind element and found Tango hadn't faltered in the slightest. It was like he didn't need the extra boost after all, though it had helped to get him up in the first place. It warmed Spyro's heart to see his son flying for the first time, reliving the same feeling he had when Avala had first learned to fly. Now he was able to enjoy the moment once more and coach his child to perfection.

"Remember that you can use your tail to help you balance. Just like that. There you go! Look at you already looking like a natural-born flyer! If you want, you can lean your wings slightly forward and side to side to move around."

Tango nodded, tilting his wings and finding himself moving forward straight to Spyro's face, nearly rolling forward in his own excitement, but surprisingly catching himself and leaning into a gradual turn. His face was lit up like the sun as he started to pick up speed on his own, venturing further and further away from Spyro with each turn, making sharper turns and banking harder.

Spyro was slightly shocked at seeing Tango figure out how to go faster on his own but didn't attempt to discourage it. "You're doing amazing, Tango!"

He lurched as Tango attempted weaving around the tower, clipping the smooth edge and taking a tumble to the ground. A quick vortex managed to slow him down before he bounced off the ground with a hollow thud and grunt, rolling to a stop a few meters away from Spyro.

"Spoke too soon," he muttered, jogging over to Tango. "That looked a little nasty. Are you okay? Anything hurting?"

Tango rolled over to reveal a bright smile and an infectious giggle leaving his lips completely unharmed by a fall that could've quickly snapped a wing clean. "Whew! Are you supposed to be spinning, or is that just me?"

Spyro laughed, helping Tango to his paws. "Not surprised to see you dizzy after taking a fall like that. Are you okay?"

"Perfect as I'll ever be," Tango nodded. "Can I try again from the tower this time?"

"Absolutely."

Spyro reached down with his forepaws as Tango shook his scales free of grass clippings before allowing his father to pick him up. He held Tango to his chest and reared up onto his hind paws and placed him on top of the tower. The purple dragon fell to his haunches and watched the edge of the tower curiously.

"Whenever you're rea—"

A yellow blur had already leaped into the air in a high arc. Tango instantly snapped his wings open and immediately settled into a stable flight. His shakiness from before had seemed to fade, his confidence having grown exponentially, zooming around the courtyard with loud laughs and whooping with outright glee.

Spyro sat back, simply dumbfounded. It had taken his daughter, Avala, many days if not weeks to even get up in the air, but her brother was already making big leaps forward. It seemed that all he needed was a little help from his father to get himself going on his own. He was proud of Tango for not giving up and putting his best effort forward. Tango made a pass right over his head with a giggle, banking hard and coming back to make another pass.

Though it was Spyro who was playfully grinning as a devilish idea popped up in his head. Once Tango passed over his horns, nearly grazing them, the purple dragon playfully gave chase, leaping and running on the ground after him. The lighting dragon squealed with joy, and the mad chase followed, Tango banking and veering away from Spyro's paws that attempted to snatch him straight from the sky. The game went on for a few minutes before Tango made the grave mistake of losing a few meters of altitude, and before he could pull up, Spyro had already snared him with a massive wing. In an instant, Spyro had Tango against his chest and proceeded to tickle his entire body.

"Thought you were slick, huh?! Spyro teased over the shrills of laughter. "You forgot who you were messing with. You might be a speedy one, but I'm quicker than I appear."

Tango screamed loudly as the tickles ruffled his wings, gasping for air as Spyro relentlessly tickled him.

"Alright! Alri-hight, Dad! I gi-hi-hive up!"

Spyro froze the moment his ears heard that particular word. It was the word he'd been waiting for Tango to say for years now, never knowing when he'd be graced with the highest honor of any dragon parent or any parent for that matter. For a second, he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but the genuine look in Tango's bright blue eyes told the whole truth.

Tango had just called Spyro, Dad, for the first time.

"You...you finally said it," Spyro said in disbelief. "You called me, dad."

Tango smiled up at his father, who leaned down to nuzzle his face. "I was saving it for the right moment. You've made my life far better than I had ever dreamed, and I'm proud to call you my dad. You're my family."

Spyro held back tears as he scooped Tango up into a tight hug. Holding this perfect ball of life against his chest made the purple dragon's heart and soul feel reborn. There was no feeling like hearing your child call you father for the first time, and Spyro had the blessing of having it occur twice in his life. Two beautiful lives that looked up to him and loved him just as much.

"I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad!"

A/N: Took me a while to write this out, mainly due to my job keeping me busy throughout the week and the stress that comes with it. This was a fun prompt to write though, especially since the idea came to me almost immediately. For those of you that are confused, the Discord I am in has started doing writing prompts to get the server active in writing. This one was a prompt involving an interaction between an OC and a character from the Spyro Universe. Of course, I went with Tango and Spyro.

This one-shot is canon to my main story, Tango

Hope y'all enjoyed! Leave a favorite and a comment!

Until Next Time

Atlas Out