Aki woke suddenly to a strange sound, looking around drowsily. Her white hair cascaded over her shoulders as she sat up and froze, seeing a figure in the far corner. Now fully awake, Aki scooted back defensively in her bed until she hit the wall behind her. "Who are you?" She demanded in a harsh whisper.
"I'm sorry I scared you, but I wanted to talk with you alone. My name is Ryoho."
Aki looked toward the figure as he stepped forward out of the shadows, and into the moonlight peering through the one window of the room. The light revealed a handsome man that looked about Aki's age with bright yellow eyes. His hair was entirely black, except for one white lock of hair over his left eye. "I just wanted to talk about the plan my father has for us- you probably don't know the details." Ryoho moved forward beside her, pausing momentarily when he saw how beautiful she was before stiffly sitting down beside her on the bed.
"Sure, what did your father have in mind?" Aki said, calming when she saw the kindness in his eyes, hidden beneath pain and anxiety.
"You probably didn't know that my brother was also captured by the humans along with myself. He's still there."
"Poseidon wants us to save your brother?" Aki asked curiously.
"The only reason I escaped was because I went a little… crazy." Ryoho looked down in shame. Aki put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly and gasped at the feeling of electricity traveling up her arm. They both moved away, looking at each other in confusion.
"There hasn't been two white dragons alive at the same time before." Ryoho whispered, relaxing and moving back toward her. "And though I'm not as pure as I used to be, you are. Maybe if we work together we can save my brother."
"I'd be glad to try and save him." Aki nodded, smiling sweetly. Ryoho gazed at her for a minute before looking away uneasily.
"I'm just afraid I'll turn you black too." He muttered, making her chuckle.
"You won't corrupt me that easily. I'm pure, not naïve."
Ryoho smirked slightly, looking up when Aki let out a loud sound of triumph. "I made you smike, Ryoho. Your angst is no match for me." She said with a chuckle.
"What's going on in here?!" Shinta stormed through the door to Aki's room, making Ryoho jump to his feet. "What are you doing here? Get away from Akita!"
"Akita?" Ryoho glanced to Aki having heard her name for the first time, jumping back as Shinta lashed out angrily.
"OUT!" Shinta yelled, his fangs bared angrily.
Ryoho looked one last time to Aki before enveloping himself in a bright light and vanishing from the room.
"How did he do that?" Aki gasped as Shinta relaxed.
"I don't know. Aki, I told you he was dangerous. How long were you talking to him?"
"Not long. He doesn't seem dangerous to me. Depressing, but not dangerous, or were you talking about a different kind of danger?" Aki smirked slightly to Shinta, who only got angrier at the accusation.
"Just get to sleep and don't let any more strange men into your room." Shinta growled, and stormed back out, closing the door behind him.
"Touchy." Ryoho's voice sounded again once Shinta was gone, reappearing beside her bed in another bright flash of light. "I'm guessing he's your older brother I've heard so much about."
"How did you reappear?" Aki said quietly, so Shinta wouldn't hear them again.
"Easy. I just turned to shadow. We do actually have an element you know, it's light." He held out his hand, where a small sphere of light hovered above his palm. "This is the last of the light in my soul. Once I lose this, I really will be gone."
Aki held her hand above the light to try and feel it, marveling at how warm it was. The light suddenly got brighter, the area of white in Ryoho's hair widening. He gasped and took his hand away, his hair returning to normal as he looked at her in shock.
"You need to learn how to control your light." Ryoho rubbed his palm, and looked toward the door uneasily. "But for now I should probably go."
Aki nodded, somewhat sad to see him go. He was the only other dragon who might understand her, even though he was the black dragon.
Ryoho nodded as well and opened the door quietly. "I'll see you later, Akita." He smiled softly before closing the door again to sneak out of the hut.

Shinta glanced back at Ryoho as they returned from the second council hearing, which had mostly been making out the details of the start of their journey. Ryoho was to travel with them to the far south, where an encampment of humans was keeping dragons captive. Ryoho was looking at Akita as she chatted with Hi. He didn't like the looks Ryoho was giving his younger sister, and ground his fangs in frustration at the council's decree for Ryoho to be with Akita.
Quetzalcoatl approached them, signing as Shinta bowed. "I did not want to ask this of Aki in front of the council. I was curious to see her dragon form, being the sister of an ice serpent."
Shinta nodded as Aki stepped forward with a blush. "When I first turned, Shinta freaked out. You won't freak out too, right?" She looked first to Quetzalcoatl, then to Ryoho.
"No, my dear, I will not as you say 'freak out'. I am just curious." Quetzalcoatl smiled.
"Okay." Aki said reluctantly, and stepped back from everyone before starting to glow with a soft golden light. The form elongated into a winding snake-like form with large wings. The glow faded, revealing a pure white dragon with metallic golden wings and long curved golden horns. Hi and Ryoho stared in shock as Quetzalcoatl smiled in satisfaction.
"You're a golden white dragon?" Ryoho finally managed to whisper.
"I knew you would take after your grandmother. I had a feeling with the golden strands in your hair, but I had to be sure." Quetzalcoatl nodded.
"What's the big deal of gold horns?" Aki asked, her voice echoing in their heads in the ethereal tone that all dragons spoke in.
"They are also rare. You make a beautiful dragon, Akita. You look the same as your grandfather as well." Quetzalcoatl smiled knowingly and left to attend to his business as emperor.
Shinta looked to Aki with a smile as she changed back to her human form.
"I can't believe you're a golden dragon. I've never seen one." Ryoho said as they continued walking.
"Nor have I, and I'm older than you, kid." Hi looked back to Ryoho.
"Oh yeah? I'm 53." Ryoho said defensively.
"I'm 364." Hi countered, and chuckled when Ryoho grumbled in frustration. "How old are you, Shinta?"
"285." Shinta replied with a shrug.
"And you, Aki?" Hi looked back at Aki curiously.
Aki looked at the ground in embarrassment, a blush coming over her face. "21."
Ryoho chuckled and mockingly punched her shoulder. "You're still a hatchling! That's fine though, it's no big deal."
Shinta growled at the contact between them, but stayed silent when Aki smiled in thanks to Ryoho.
"So then, they want us to try and convince the humans to release the dragons they have captured there." Shinta said, looking back to Aki. "Are you sure you're up for that? It sounds dangerous."
"I think I can manage it." Aki smiled confidently, glancing to Ryoho.
"Alright." Shinta stopped in front of their hut, and turned round, his yellow eyes bright. "Ryoho, I have two rules for you."
Ryoho raised en eyebrow warily at the sudden threatening stance, but stayed quiet.
"One: if you have any sign of turning completely black, Hi and I will kill you with no hesitation."
"Agreed." Ryoho nodded solemnly.
"Two: if you hurt Aki in any way, I'll rip off your horns." Shinta's eyes flashed angrily.
Hi chuckled and Ryoho smiled wryly as he nodded again in agreement to the rule.
"What's so funny?" Shinta hissed.
"I don't have horns. I'm a water dragon." Ryoho grinned wryly.
"Oh." Shinta said in realization. "I'll have to resort to the more drastic punishment then. After all, something has to be done."
Ryoho blanched, his imagination going wild with what that punishment might be. "I won't hurt her." Ryoho sighed in frustration. "I'm not a psycho, you know."
"But you could be. Just be warned." Shinta snapped, and walked into the hut, shutting the door behind him.
"Don't mind him, kid. He's not used to guys hanging around his baby sister. You two go have fun. Hey Ryoho, why don't you show Aki around a little?"
"That's a great idea- I haven't seen the dynasty in over 15 years, I hardly remember anything." Aki said in excitement.
"Well, there's not much around here to show you. I suppose I could guide you through the forest." Ryoho shrugged casually. Hi smiled and moved toward the door.
"That sounds good, make sure Akita doesn't get bitten by any snakes. I'll see you later today then, sunshine." Hi said before walking through the door as well.
"Sunshine?" Ryoho looked at Aki curiously, who shrugged.
"He calls me that sometimes. I have no idea why, though." She said, and followed Ryoho to be guided around the dynasty.