"Alright, get in there! Lousy snake in the grass."

A voice shouted with a crack of something. A hiss parted from the lips.

"Cloudcracker's just about up and running again. Getting the Traptanium Crystals from the Academy too." The Mabu guard at the left side called. The weight of chains was heavy on the form, cold to the touch and like being dragged like a dead body. "To think, you'll be the first one in this cell since the Doom Raiders themselves."

"Sounds totes rad, furball." Dreamcatcher slurred with the chains locked firmly onto her braces. For all her surroundings, she was strangely ecstatic. "I'll take this over that school of lame goody two-shoes any day."

She felt a poke at her cheek, sneering as her bow was nearly touched by the staff the Mabu had. "That 'school of lame goody-two shoes' would have given you a future. You could have been a Skylander like your parents, but you threw it all away." Her metallic scowl deepened further. "Should have spent some more time there if you're that dumb."

Yeah, the news was a shocker once it had made its way around the Skylands and given the subject it had spread like wildfire. She had become the black spot in the Academy's perfect history of putting heroic seeds in the ground and raising up champions of justice and all that. Old timers fainted, gossip vines spread like weeds and all the Skylands were turned upside down and shaken. It was a welcome change.

The sentence was carried out reluctantly, given she was the daughter of famous parents. As soon as she saw their faces and heard their devastated reactions, she all but begged for the sentence. It was the best treat she could have received, to show the world her true colors. To put it bluntly, she'd created a nightmare there was no waking up from. She bobbed in the air, her bangs dancing in delight alongside her, as she strode down the halls.

"Some attitude for a glorified teddy bear." The former student remarked, paying more attention to the cracks and damp halls at her sides, or the prisoners still caged. "See, likin' it here already."

"Shut up! You wanna be a criminal? Now you get treated like one!"

"Kay."

The Mabu nearly kicked her in towards the old cell at the top of Cloudcracker. That podium of stone and Traptanium that crackled with a surging barrier, surrounded by watching towers. For the first time in nearly a full year, that cell, the one that had contained some of Skylands' worst criminals was coming to life. A chill ran through the magical dome, giving her a slight tinge of excitement.

Though she didn't show it, and for good reason. A cage was still a cage. The fun of being a bad guy was in being able to get away with all the nasty things you did. The head turned to the ground sitting in a bed of her own hair.

"Whatevs. This still beats playing nice withal those losers. I mean, 'let's hug puppies, and slide down rainbows, and go on fun little after-school adventures and save the day!' Gag me with a spoon… if I had a neck." She huffed. "Still, think I'll get totes bored."

"Allow me to remedy that!"

That voice… ugh.

His entrance came in just as showy a fashion. It appeared from a bulk of storm clouds that just happened to form, even with the gloomy weather common to Cloudcracker and its occupants. It was an old-fashioned castle, with towers and the broken foundation of bricks and the like, with eerie lights from the windows and spires that gave a trying-too-hard impression. The building hovered in midair atop a self-generated tempest, cackling in turn with lightning strikes, looming over the prison with its shadow.

"Oh, come on! Again!?" A guard shouted.

"Snapshot, what should we do!?"

The reptilian commando came out still in bandages from the last time. He stared towards the fortress like an ant would a malicious giant and huffed. He could still lift up his ice crossbow regardless of the still tens of broken bones in that purse-bound shell.

"Ready the defenses! All personnel at the ready! He's not going to get through us this time!"

The castle sprouted cannons from its bulk, adorned with spikes as was the trend with the villain crowd. They did leave a menacing sight as they whirred, and light drew within their barrels. A well-placed shot at their towers destroyed the palace watchtowers and cause the bubble around her to crack. Everyone just dove out of the way before they found themselves beneath an ill-placed fallen rock.

Such a shame. Dreamcatcher giggled at the though of what Mabu pancakes must have looked like. She'd be taking a rain check on that purse, as well. The drawbridge at the castle gate opened, spitting out the contents of one diminutive little troll and his lackey.

The one with the ears was coughing at all the smoke in the air from the crumbled foundation. Through watery eyes, he found his way around all the knocked-out bodies. "Par for the course, sir. I think they'll be taking even longer on repairs this time."

"But of course, Glummy! A prison is like a prison for us bad guy breed. I don't care for these Sky-losers to get their way with imprisoning the innocent villains of the world!"

There he was. In all of that vainglorious appearance a little imp with a monkey-jaw and planet-sized cranium could have. Suppose he had gotten himself a few upgrades and his robe was less grimy than it usually was. Still, if she could pick and choose her rescuers, she wouldn't be groaning and tipping over right now.

"Where do I start with that statement?"

"Ugh… this would've been perfect if I could have gotten busted out by anyone except you." Dreamcatcher floated over anyway.

"Don't say that. I believe I promised you a lucrative deal in the art of villainy. And I am now here to make good on that promise." He was clutching onto that Spellbook everybody and their grandma wanted. The former student did have to admit it gave an intoxicating sinister aura. The dark Portal Master held out his hand in offering.

"You and I… have quite a future ahead of us…"

It was funny, how everything sparkled that day. The sun seemed especially bright filtering through the trees, newly trimmed, while dew on the lawns glistened like remnants of stardust. The white stone on the towers was almost blinding as well, while a crisp morning breeze flowed past them to his skin. It was like the world had that fresh dawn feeling. Cody looked to all the others assembled, with backpacks and essentials in tow.

After the conflict with Leichter, the school had been repaired in record time thanks in no small part to the combined efforts of the Senseis and students. That and a few calls to easy-to-reach Mabu construction crews. In the time it had taken them to fight of a world-ending threat, Skylander Academy had been restored to its majestic, pristine self, almost with familiarity in its ease. None of the kids dared venture into how that was, even if a few guesses went around.

Cody smiled nervously. The sense of wonder and weirdness never ceased in this place.

"So did you all talk to your families?"

"Yeah!" Pablo hopped shouting. "My abuela was totally all for it… well, after I gave her my famous chili. And she fainted. And we called the doctor. And he laughed. And we all went out to blow up-"

"We get the picture." Jason dead-toned. "Anyway, my folks were pretty whatever about it."

"Really?" Anne gave the same tone back at him.

"For the most part."

Pablo latched onto his shoulder. "Oooh! Were you and your family about to blow up-"

"I just went with the simplistic approach of informing my parents it was a cultural exchange program." Anne sighed adjusting her glasses. She was studious mostly, but she did also take great care in being honest, too. "I suppose it actually is, all things considered. They were willing to allow, on the condition I would send them letters and grade reports."

"How are you going to swing that?"

"I have my methods."

Katelyn had an enormous blush on her face. "My mother… I never spoke to her so freely before. I told her the same things as Anne did her parents; suppose I really put my foot down." She beamed brightly, so much different from the stiff model of an heiress she was when Cody had met her. "She agreed, albeit rather huffily. I didn't know I could do that."

Every one of them had a freeness to them that wasn't there before. Whatever had been holding each of them back was gone. They still held themselves pretty normal from first glance, the same tones and faces Cody had been used to seeing in two words over the course of a year. Yet when light touched down, each of their faces looked radiant and sparkling, like fresh water had cleared a layer of grime. Any bit of tension was completely gone.

The boy wondered if he looked that way to them. Hard to say what it was, though he had cleared away five years of cobwebs from his form and mustered the strength to break out of his old abode. He really hoped he had changed in that regard like the rest of them.

"I feel the same. I talked to my dad… it was… almost easy." He chuckled. "Then again, I can't ignore how I nearly fainted as soon as we got to the Academy. Spyro had to carry me to the nurse's."

Jason and the rest turned to the spires of the Academy. "So… this is where we'll be staying."

"That's right, and it's almost time for your formal induction!"

Hugo burst out the door to the main library, juggling his own glasses and sashes in his hands. They were of the same quality and appearance as Master Eon's though with a few less marks. They'd explained it was a mark of student status here, though as regal as it looked, it was a bit unnerving.

Hugo passed out the sashes and scrolls of paper to each of them. "Now remember, keep your eyes on the crowd, stick to the speeches you've prepared, and under no circumstances should you think about sheep!"

"I have been meaning to inquire, Hugo." Anne spoke. "Why are you so apprehensive towards sheep?

"That is a dark tale full of tragedy and woe-"

"Ah, spare us the drama, Hugo."

Everyone else was gathered at the door, watching down on them with bright smiles. Eruptor was still left exasperated from Hugo's outburst. Something about the sight, mixed emotions and all, seemed fitting.

Stealth Elf popped down from the rafters, grabbing them by the shoulder in a show of emotions. "Looks like you guys are all set. It's gonna be a real pleasure having you aboard with us."

Spyro was quick to follow, grabbing Cody by the shoulders. "Make sure you're ready for the afterparty. Gotta show them our best sides, Code. Still trying to figure out which one."

Master Eon was the last to follow. Him meeting them with a stance of unbridled pride and happy friends by his side. It was a sense of family and belonging that Cody hadn't felt in years. Suddenly the crispness of the air, the warm sun and bright light, everything felt real and made sense. He was sure he'd felt the same as the others.

The sage held out his hand to the boy. "Well, then. Are you ready, cadets?"

Everyone smiled. "Yes."

Who would have thought it would end up like this? Who'd think any of this could happen… but I'm glad it did.

Someone I knew once told me that anything worth doing wasn't easy. It was one of the few wisdoms he'd said to me before everything.

So I'm glad I faced it. And I'm glad I had you by my side.

Thank you for everything.

"Man, that had to be one of Eon's longest speeches yet! I nearly went into hibernation!"

Cody shut the book he'd had with the pencil in between the covers.

Spyro flew over to Cody on the edge of a random floating island. A quaint spot with a meadow of flowers of all colors and varieties. They called it 'The Thinking Spot' or at least Spyro did when he was young and came out to contemplate life with the fresh scents of wildflowers and chirping birds to calm him. It made the boy wish he had found the place when he had first come, just to deal with all the anxiety.

The ceremony had been beyond control, as much as the first party they threw when he had arrived. Cody had just spoken out of the purest of peer pressure and it had roped him into an adventure beyond imagination. It had gone beyond the scope of the school this time, when the Senseis and possibly every creature in Skylands was there. Airships flew with banners of praise and confetti and fireworks dotted the air in breathtaking blindness. They'd had to pry him out of his spot and nudge the speech they'd prepared for him out of his mouth.

How his partner had slept through all the madness was beyond understanding.

Cody still laughed, though. "Yeah. Stealth Elf had to slap you awake five times. You even spit out a few flame breaths. I was getting a little nervous."

The dragon latched onto his shoulders. "Nervous, come on! That's gonna be your job from now on."

"Can't wait."

Spyro hopped to his side and sat. The two just watched the clouds roll by as another wind came. It blew the seeds of dandelions past their heads, carrying them off to lands unknown. They just let the serene space fill them with such thoughts and be pleased with their answers.

"So, you're a full-fledged Portal Master now." Spyro spoke after the long pause. "Well, at least you're a full-fledged cadet. You'll get used to it."

"I've already had a whole year so far."

The dragon shrugged. "A lot can happen around here."

Cody stayed silent, grasping the cover of his book. All the thoughts reflected in it, a year's worth or more, coming into his head in an instant. "You know… I finally remembered something… About my mom." He knew without looking that the dragon's wings had drooped. There was a coldness now to the air. "Everyone said it was my fault she died. They made me some kind of evil demon."

"Uh-huh…" Spyro spoke tonelessly.

His hand brushed the leather of the journal, a roughness that sent shivers down. "I can't deny I was part of that decision to lock myself away, too. I figured there was nothing in the world worth living for. It just seemed like the end."

He spoke softly. "I'm real glad it wasn't. We wouldn't have met."

"That's just it." The two shared a look. "Remember the story my mom told me? About the flowers?"

"Oh, yeah. All those drawings in your closet were those flower drawings you made, weren't they?"

"Yeah. The hospital gave them back to me after she passed. The first thing I wanted to do was throw them away. But I couldn't, after everything I put into them. So I locked them away."

Spyro flipped back to his light-hearted self in an instant. "Too bad. They were pretty good for a five-year-old."

Cody blushed. He remembered how at best they started off as colorful scribbles; some didn't even look like flowers or others did but almost seemed like the had faces on them. His mother always smiled and accepted each one to line the halls of her hospital room. He did get better over time, thanks to no small amount of drawing books to help with the subject. The best ones were put on top, only to gather dust while anything else he'd tried to draw was left unfinished. Hollow and blank.

He smiled, with that weight off him once and for all. "I remember… how the story ended."

"Yeah?"

"After the two friends died, the doctors were able to learn about their illness enough to develop a treatment. They could cure the illness in others that had it." Just reading that was enough for him, once he'd found that old story at his Earth school's library and dared to turn the pages. "Their sacrifice saved countless lives. A shrine was dedicated to them, with millions of flowers in thanks."

"That's pretty awesome. It wasn't for nothing."

Cody nodded. "That's what I think mom was trying to say, too. She knew she was going to die, but she wanted me to have faith that good things could come even from tragedy... And she was right."

"What makes you think so?"

The boy smiled bright as sunlight. "I got to meet you, after all."

Spyro went red. "Heh. You're gonna make me blush. Although, red would make my purple pop a little more."

The two turned to the sky once more. The clouds finally parted to reveal a bright sun itself shining down on them. Their own clouds had been lifted as well, for the first time.

"I'm glad we became friends." Cody spoke.

"Yeah, me too."

.

"Code, this is our beginning."

The end of a journey.

Ladies and gentleman, we have arrived at the finale. Thanks to everyone who stuck with the story just far and read through this journey, one of characters and myself personally. This is actually the first story I've ever finished. I owe a lot to the dedicated readers who have supported me with their comments.

I remember starting this on a whim, as most fanfictions tend to go. Skylanders Academy, the Netflix show, was my entry into this franchise, even though it wasn't an accurate depiction of the original storylines. Even though the show was sadly cancelled, I'm glad I was able to keep the party going a little while longer.

The sequel, I currently have some ideas bouncing around in my head, but I'm probably going to take a little break for now. Possibly come up with something for my own original work. School is also coming up in the meantime. But I will come back to this someday, most likely. The Skylanders' adventures never truly end.

Again, thank you to everyone who stuck around and read to the end. To any new readers who stumble upon this, I hope you enjoy reading it as the others and as much as I did writing it.

Until next time, everyone!