"So, you know the Alicorn prince?" Katil vaguely questioned.
Alicorn? Oh right, they think Mike is a prince. And not a moronic male who has no understanding of personal space..
"Kinda..." Kemal shrugged. "We can all have some surprises, right my princes?"
He picked up a glass of water and eyed it suspiciously.
"Perhaps, a partner?" One of the twins hums out.
He instantly dropped his glass, water spilling everywhere while his face distorted in horror.
Dating… MIKE!? EUGH!!!!!
It was a horrifying thought. "It was worse than that." He confessed. "But that isn't important right now, are you worried?"
Both dragons tensed up their eyes wandering aside in guilty conscience.
"Listen." He extended both of his hands to touch on their thighs. "The prince is no such threat, despite our past he simply tends to be extraordinarily clingy. If anything should be your concern it's that he uses up all my energy for you to touch on."
Their ears twitched in thought.
"So you do not acknowledge him as a potential mate?" Kier questioned.
"He's like the first Azul to me, nice to have, not nice to kiss."
"So you'd kiss us.."
"No." Kemal quickly dismissed his dragon's question while trying to ignore the heat in his pockets.
They seemed dejected but certainly much calmer. Although worried, they were still quite forward.
It's kinda refreshing..
Where Kemal came from it was all about drama and beating around the bush, it was especially difficult when those people attempted to put themselves into his close circle.
When he was honest they'd be upset but when he lied they'd be even unhappier. So why bother trying in the first place?
"I haven't considered anyone to be my 'mate' for a very long time." At that confession both dragons leaned closer, one's tail swaying while the other's wings were twitching. "If anything you're both my very first ones I had ever even considered. I'm surprised that I landed with not just one but two men.. Especially dragons."
He suggested vaguely both twins' tails finally wagging wildly beneath their chairs.
Hah, they actually got excited. I guess telling the truth sometimes isn't too bad.
"So how do you know the prince?" Katil asked curiously.
"It's a long story, too long in my opinion. He should've left me alone." Kemal shrugged.
Disappointment flickered across their features solely on how easily they got dismissed multiple times in a row. "Do you come from royal heritage like us?"
Kemal was about to respond with a no but his thoughts paused.
Royal, no. But, he couldn't remember where he came from.
Everything always seemed like a snipped of his full memory. Whenever he got close to putting all the pieces together they blurred. Ever since he woke up Kemal knew he wasn't alone, that he was looking for someone.
He finally knew who his friends were, but why? Why were they, how were they? People always had been insufferable to him.
I never let anyone in life so why would I…
His eyes wandered to look at the men surrounding him.
He let Azul in because he was all he could rely on. He let the dragons in because..
"Because it was so easy.."
Not realising he slipped up, Kemal looked off into the distance unaware that he never responded to them.
They shot each other a glance before dropping the subject.
"I'm getting so mad.." Mikel grumbled.
"Why!?" Sun questioned.
"I can't hear anyone talk, I can't properly see, and most importantly I can't snoop in on anyone's conversation!!! All I do is sit here and wait for the awakening!"
"It'll start soon! Hush up!" Sun dismissed with a wave.
"My motherly senses are never wrong, I swear he's here!.." Azul's mother bit his lower lip, frantically turning his head around searching for his little boy.
"Darling-"
"DON'T YOU DARLING ME!" He snapped while slamming his fists on the table.
"Just have a look.."
"I'll have a look." His husband submitted knowing his wife has been having sleepless nights for months. He's been hearing him cry on the sofa for quite some time during his moments of 'rest'.
He couldn't bring himself to disobey his beloved for even a second, at one point he rummaged through the trash just to find large chunks of food that he had to eat himself or feed to the animals.
"Prince Katil and Kier, yes?" He approached the two captains who were tasked with protecting his little boy.
"Yes, I'm assuming it has not been going well with the Azul search." Kier responded apologetically.
No, it didn't. Azul was safely kept hidden, on Kemal's orders.
"And.." The man's eyes wandered onto Kemal making him glare as a response.
"The boy who Azul took with him, what happened?"
"Azul tried to take me with him to a foreign area so I pounced off." Without even a second of hesitation he lied.
"I am sorry for what you had to go through due to our son." Azul's father sighed.
"Not at all." Kemal dismissed.
Maybe it was him being paranoid but he could feel the father's eyes linger on him almost suspiciously.
"If I may have your name before I go?"
"You may not."
With that final rejection the man walked off with a deep sigh filled with regret.
"How cold.." Kier mused while wrapping his tail tightly around his future husband.
Something in Kemal's mind began swaying. Why?
Why am I like this?
"Kioshi, give mama a smile." Sabian smiled but Mike shook his head.
"Are my clothes okay? Can I perform now?"
"If anything goes wrong, mama will come to save you." He raised his hand to caress his boy's cheek but the latter only leaned away.
"Must be nervous.." He mumbled before calling over his husband. "Honey, go bring him to his starting position. Everything is set."
With that wave Kioshi's mother turned to face Shine and the younger two. "Remember, don't disturb your brother." With a final warning he turned away and walked off.
"Tair.." Shine called out.
"Yeah?" The Pegasus appeared behind him with a smile.
"Where have you been?" Shine's horn flickered but it calmed once his brother embraced him from behind.
"I found out that they imprisoned the thief but never informed the world about it, there are still bounty hunters in the search."
"He's locked away? You're sure?" Soku tilted his head.
"Yes." Tair nodded while rubbing his little brother's head.
"I've noticed an unexpected alliance as well, Prince Cassiel's little brother vanished with a merman. When I attempted to pursue them both I got struck down by combined water beams." The pegasus explained.
"Are you hurt?" Concern washed over Shine's features.
"No brother." Tair shook his head to his twin's worry. "But I believe they're also looking."
"Why is everyone looking for that thief, what about Shi Fei then." Shine questioned.
"He's in the Coward nation along with Coy, I heard those two are suspected for attempted breaking and entering. Specifically to release the thief, evidence has yet to be found." He stretched his arms above his head.
Tair flapped his wings one last time before using them to cloak himself.
"You went out to gather information didn't you.." His brother laughed.
"Knowledge is strategy my twin." Tair smirked with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I also am aware of the missing fire shifter's location."
The Unicorn's eyes widened. "Azul?"
"Precisely."
Tair's covered gaze wandered towards the direction of the table where the royal Dragons sat with their unknown companion. Shine's eyes quickly followed.
"Azul is there?"
"in his pockets.." Tair whispered.
Soku suddenly tugged at the brothers' pants. "Is Tair staying with us now?" Horu suddenly nodded. "Yes! They're talking so much! He is for sure!!"
"Yes, big brother will stay." Tair nodded while Shine let out a heartfelt laugh.
The herd made its way to sit down on their tables when suddenly their mother loudly announced.
"EVEREYONE HAVE A SEAT!"
Some royals that were standing sat down while the others turned their heads towards the descending staircase where someone was already waiting.
Slowly a majestic prince descended the steps at a steady pace. The moment he walked down the first step faint orbs of light began circling the surrounding area. The closer he got to the bottom the brighter the lights shone. Flickering and flying the magic started engulfing almost the entire palace turning it into a beautiful light show revitalising all of the visitors and even causing some to glow.
Soku's doe eyes begin to shine with his brother. "That's so pretty!" Even the older twins were impressed. An awakening is known to unleash all your magic in order to help your true form to free itself.
Kemal's eyes were glowing watching the beautiful colours flow and fly around, some even flying past him and his table.
"Impressive right!" Katil grinned, both dragons proud of their decision to bring him here.
This is just like my shows! But it's real!
Mike finally got to the very bottom of the stairs, seating himself cross legged into the middle of the glowing orb.
Surrounding only him, strings of red lights began engulfing his lower half. He prepared to close his eyes but perked up when a bunch of grey lines kept tangling together.
Everything was colourful, shades of gold, blue and even red stood out above them all. Yet those grey lines seemed to form something else.
His golden eyes focused on the lines waiting for them to finish their dancing when suddenly his heart sank.
Guilt burdened his heart.
The lights surrounding the visitors and family began to dull and flicker despite their pace never slowing, no, they seemed to grow restless.
"Something is wrong." Kioshi's mother got off of his seat when suddenly instead of sharing its magical essence it began absorbing and stealing from others.
Mikel let out a bloody cough while Kemal felt a growing migraine. They both cover their heads, concerning the men surrounding them.
"GET HIM OUT OF THERE!" Tair screamed while shine suddenly transformed into a large unicorn, his horn bending at the top, eyes covered by his black mane like his little brother.
"KIOSHI!" He huffed while galloping towards the descending staircase, his father carrying his mother on his back was just as fast on the case.
Royals could only watch, not allowed to interfere when suddenly it all went down. Just as the three were about to reach the staircase the particles of light began sucking in faster than they could run.
Everything seemed to slow down a bright grey light engulfing the entire staircase before it shot out a large shock wave sending everyone closest flying. Tables and even glass goods were crashing and shattering, maids and servants having to be caught by royals who could save themselves with magic while Prince Zikan ran to catch the large unicorn that fell unconscious, leaving Prince Cassiel to deal with himself.
"I GOT YOU!" Zikan roared, making sure to steady his head and retreating to the other siblings.
Kemal felt himself engulfed by two pairs of wings turning everything black the sound of wind and shatters getting drowned out.
Azul poked its little flame head out to light up the dark area so he wouldn't sit entirely in darkness.
"WOAH!" Prince Feigling immediately pounced behind his much larger date who put up a magical barrier to protect the both of them from the incoming glass which immediately exploded upon impact.
Prince Cassiel on the other hand simply sat there as his watery body simply absorbed the incoming missiles that immediately got stopped upon entering his body, even sending some of his water around to cover the servants and their host.
"SHINE!" Tair screamed while concealing the little ones beneath his wings, not allowing them outside the safety of his feathers.
"Brother?" His brothers called, but Tair only tightened his wings while extending his arms to hold Shine's limp body.
"Thank you.." He sobbed out, lowering his head to Prince Zikan who only waved his hand.
"Please, we're all here to protect each other."
Large chunks of water began flowing away the glass and plate shards while all of the tables began levitating into the air with some food. Anything that hit the floor was given away to the servants while guards made sure no one was injured.
"Are you okay!?" Sun shook Mikel's limp body in worry, they were sent flying as well but not nearly as strongly as the people inside the walls.
"Shit.." Mikel could only curse under his breath his body vibrating and shaking.
"We're fortunate that Prince Aamon and his family didn't make it." A royal commented.
"Seeing all this wasted food and broken ceramics would've sent them to a coma." Another chuckled attempting to make light of the situation.
One by one they witnessed as multiple barriers of silver began surrounding the grey orb followed by an ominous hum. "What happened?"
"A failure perhaps?"
"Did someone sabotage it?"
"Perhaps darkness took over in his heart."
"It's grey.."
Comments began filling the surrounding area while knights and guards began probing and poking the most outer layer of the barrier.
"Try to carefully enter the barrier!" The centaur commanded, cradling his unconscious wife.