This is a story I thought up after hearing the song "The Night" by Disturbed and their new album Indestructible. This is not a song fic, but it is loosely based on it. Enjoy

Chapter 1: Coaxing the Target

The sun was setting over the dragon realm, sending bright orange and red hues across the autumn landscape in last hopes of shedding light. Leaves on all of the trees were falling, tumbling helplessly in the breeze before crashing onto the soil with a subtle crack. One leaf managed to ride the wind's current until it slapped against the face of the black dragoness, Cynder, who instinctively shook her head to rid the itchy leaf off of her snout. It was more than odd at the fact that she was alone, however, many times she always preferred to be so. The dragoness took a breath and padded forward, listening attentively to the breaking crunches of the fallen leaves underneath her.

Why am I even here? Cynder asked herself. She looked up through the gap of two large oak trees and sighed. The leaves on the oaks forced the appearance of wild flames dancing off of the branches and fluttering towards the ground like different colored embers. I should go back...No! They'll never understand. She continued to press on, the scythe tip of her tail swaying to and fro just barely scraping the tops of the crusty dead leaves. "What's the use?" she said out loud. Cynder turned her head to look back at the path she had made through the leaves; it stretched quite a long way. "Why go where everyone that hates me is?" She let out a growl and slammed the sharp tip of her tail down, impaling a hapless leaf and shattering it. She lifted her tail up and inspected the damage she created. If only it was that easy. She shut her eyes and shook her head before turning again to continue cutting her path. I wish I could fall apart like that. How can anyone forgive me? She walked past the trees only to hit a grassy meadow. The crumpling leaves vanished, and the sound of crisp grass replaced them. Cynder's claws dug into the soil with each step, enjoying the refreshing feeling it gave in between them. Suddenly she threw herself down on her haunches and hung her head. What about Spyro? I can't just ignore him if I am to stay here? We fought together...we're friends. She lifted up her head, a faint smile crossing her face. He...is a friend. I can run again...NO! She turned her head as if shamed by her own thoughts. I am done running. I'm just avoiding the ceremony, that's all. She snorted and brought her wings up over her head to cover her own stupidity. "...Which is running," she muttered. She climbed to her feet and took another look back, the sun setting directly over the path she had created. Spyro is the hero, she thought. I was just in the way. With that inside her mind, she continued on her trek through the meadow, until she reached the river just at the end of it. She took one step towards the water and lowered her head for a drink.

"You came a long way just for some water," a familiar voice suddenly said from behind her. Cynder shot her head up, almost at the point of choking on the liquid she had devoured. "Where are you going, Cynder?" Spyro somehow managed to find her. He was at a hover just above the ground flapping his wings with enough force to keep him airborne. She watched as he lazily circled her. "You realize the party is about ten miles in the other direction." He tucked his wings in to land beside her. "What's wrong, Cynder?"

"I have things on my mind," Cynder replied, turning her head to face him. "Besides, can't a girl take a little walk on her own to relax?" Spyro shook his head and gave his usual coy smile.

"Well, relax would have been a five minute stroll. This..." he looked back at the path. "...This is more of a different sort." Cynder took her eyes away from him, instead focusing on the gentle swaying of the grass beside her. "So, why are you out here, Cynder?"

"I can't do it," she said sadly. "Everyone there hates me for what I did."

"It wasn't you, Cynder," countered Spyro. "No one has yet to understand the ways and tricks of the Dark Master. It was not like you volunteered for this." He sat on his haunches and dipped his head for a drink. Upon resurfacing, he shook his head and scratched his scalp with his right forearm. "The way I see it, whatever happens in the past should be forgotten. No anger, fear, or distrust can either bring the past back or change it. Those that refuse to accept what is in front of them because of something committed in the past will never get through life."

"It was my destiny." Spyro smirked and leaned in just a tad closer to her.

"Cynder, we both cannot change our fate in life, but we can always change our destiny. What happened to you, no matter how you view it, was just a minor setback. You should forget that it happened. We're heroes now...?"

"You're the hero," she whispered. "I just assisted." Spyro suddenly lifted his paw up to gently set it on hers.

"How could you say that, Cynder?" he asked. "If it wasn't for you, who knows what could have happened to me. I may be this 'destined savior,' but I'm still no stronger or braver than a mere hatchling. When I lost control of my powers, who was there to snap me out of it?" He nudged her with his snout. "Well?"

"I was," she replied meekly. "But..."

"But what? You leapt into harms way to break me out of my own chains. If you wouldn't have, I could have lost even more control and harmed those closest to me. If no one else sees you as a hero then...then that is on them!" He snorted and looked away. "I remember first finding out you were like me; just a small hatchling with so many expectations and stress. Finally, you're here with us again, older, wiser and even stronger than the last time we were together."

"Same with you," she shot back kindly. "What's your point?"

"The point is that I don't want you to leave again." Cynder withdrew her hand away from underneath his, placing it at her side. "We're free, Cynder. The fighting is over and we don't need to keep moving anymore."

"You don't need to," Cynder harshly replied. "You are still seen as the 'good' dragon, while people still shrink away from me." She stood up and turned away, her scythlike tail swishing nervously behind her and slicing the tips of the blades of grass with each swipe. "Face it, Spyro, I will never be seen as a hero by these people, no matter what I do. There is nothing for me." She started to walk away, but Spyro quickly leapt to his feet, sneering through his teeth.

"Nothing?" he said angrily. "How can you say 'nothing'?" He inched closer with his teeth still clinched. "If you want to talk about nothing, look at what I have. My family is dead and my entire life has been devoted to only fighting! I've never even had one moment to enjoy the world and explore on my own. I will never get a second chance for the things I've done in my life, but you did and you have it now." Cynder took a defensive stance and cautiously watched Spyro inch closer to her. "Do you even realize the things I've gone through for you, Cynder? I may have nothing, but to keep you here, I'd give even more away." She lowered her head, a subtle tear falling off of her black-scaled cheek. "You are my friend, and I can't let you do this to yourself."

"It's not you who has that right," she sadly explained with her head still arched downward. "I know you care for me, but I feel like I am just wasting your time. You've been seen as a hero for your entire life. Try being called a villain for a while, and you'd see how heart wrenching it really is." Spyro quickly dropped his sneer and rushed over to lift her snout with his own. Their eyes connected for a brief moment, only to be pulled away by each other's embarrassment.

"Cynder, I know you are not a bad dragon...I always knew." She sobbed softly and kept her head turned. "It should never matter what other people think of you. It only matters on how your friends feel." He waited for her to turn and face him, but she still sat there in silence. "Look at me, Cynder." Slowly, she craned her neck to turn her eyes back to him. "Please, trust me. If I didn't let you fall during the war, then what makes you think I'll turn my back on you now?" He lifted his paw up for her to take it. "Come on." She looked at his claws, extended and shimmering white. His hand looked so inviting to her, but doubt overtook her comfort. She turned her head again and began to walk away.
"Spyro, I can't."

"I'm not having you leave again," he said, forcefully. "If I have to go another day wondering where you are, so help me...?"

"So now you're getting demanding?" Cynder asked with a slight laugh, amused by his perseverance. "What would you do if I left?" She turned to face him, a smirk finally across her face. Lets see just how badly he wants me around, she thought as she waited for the answer.

"If you do leave, I'd fly out and chase you down." He moved closer to her to where they were almost snout-to-snout. "Then I'd put you in my room and bind you in shackles so you'd never leave my sight!" She suddenly turned away and blushed, realizing how sensual his comment really was. Spyro cocked his head but finally caught on to his accidental description and turned away himself. "Maybe...not like that." Cynder let out a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah." She turned back to face the path she created. "I just can't do it..." Before she had a chance to even move, a dull pain rattled its way up to her brain from the end of her tail. She roared in surprise and quickly turned around to see Spyro's lips wrapped securely around her tail, just before the knife-like tip. "What are you doing?" she asked, trying to wiggle her tail free from his grasp.

"I am making a choice," he said, his voice muffled by Cynder's scaled tail. "I won't let you go. I've made my decision, now you must make yours!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I will not let go, Cynder, so you only have two options. You can pull your tail back and slice the mouth of your friend to escape, or you can come with me to the ceremony." He looked up at her. "We are still friends, right?" Silence fell in the meadow as she stared down at him. The purple dragon had managed to find the loophole in her attitude. "What's it going to be?" Her tail drooped limply from Spyro's mouth, the scythe hanging lifelessly just beside his neck. Without putting movement in her tail, Cynder turned her body to face him.

"Yes, Spyro. We are still friends." She let out a frustrating sigh. "Lead the way." He gladly released his grip and leapt into the air, followed closely by Cynder. After several minutes of flying, Cynder spoke up. "So what gave you that bright idea? It seemed pretty desperate for you."

"Desperate?" Spyro asked, looking back at her. "No, I think it was brilliant. It just shows how much I know you, Cynder." He paused to take his eyes back in front of him. "Only evil people would be willing to hurt someone else in order to get their way."

"So..." She trailed off. "You did it just to prove a point?"

"Well it could be seen that way, since you still think of yourself like that, but I did it for another reason."

"And what would that be?" Spyro looked back at her and snickered.

"You'll see when we get there."

PEACE!