Backstory Interlude 4: Oceana, Unagi & Unsophylax - Until We Meet Again
Oceana entered the crowded streets of the water clan. Perched on an island, the streets were alive and bustling with merchants and tourists alike. It was almost too loud for her tastes, she figured she wouldn't be staying long. There was always more to see, and Oceana was going to see it all!
Ever since she had run away from her mother's pirate ship, she hadn't looked back. There was always another whim to follow, a new day to be experienced. As much as she didn't like crowds, she had to admit it was a new experience, and big cities such as these had their perks. She might as well stay the day and move on tomorrow.
Oceana was so enthralled in her thoughts that she failed to notice the wagon of goods moving in front of her, pulled by a large guardian while a coatl fluttered around making sure everything was in order.
"My goods!" The merchant shrieked as the guardian made a sharp turn to avoid Oceana, spilling the contents all over the cobblestones. Oceana let out a cry of pain as a ceramic bowl shattered over her head and a wheel of the wagon ran over her tail.
"Watch where you're going." The guardian grunted.
"Now Brutus, don't get your tail in a twist. It isn't this lovely young lady's fault that you ran into her. I know this wagon is your charge but you musn't snap at potential customers." The merchant scolded.
The guardian rolled his eyes. "I'm not paid enough for this." He muttered.
Oceana moved to help gather the items, but cut her forepaw on a shard of ceramic.
"Oh, my dear! Are you alright?" The merchant moved to help. Oceana looked up at him, and for a moment got lost in his bright green eyes, as lively as the wind. Then she shook her head.
"No, I should get going." Oceana said, snapping out of it. "I have places to be, you have places to be."
"Nonsense, I insist on doing something to apologize." The merchant said with a smile. His eyes were twinkling. There it was, his eyes again. "Oh, forgive my rudeness! My name is Unagi, what's yours?"
"Oh! Oceana!" Oceana said, realizing she was losing focus again.
"Are you sure you're okay, that looks like a nasty cut." Concern flashed in Unagi's eyes. "Brutus, bring my wares to my stall. I'll meet you there in a bit. Don't worry, I'll pay you extra."
With an eye roll, the guardian trundled past, making some comment that neither Oceana or Unagi could hear.
"So, are you from around here? I'm sure I would have recognized a face like yours." Unagi said, looking at her with curiosity.
"I am a traveler." Oceana rose her head high. "I belong to no clan. The world is my home, I go where the wind brings me."
"Ah, a true vegabond!" Unagi laughed. "You and I are birds of a feather. I travel from clan to clan, selling my wares, and I have long forgotten when it is like to have just one home. The wind is my home, and every dragon is my family. There's truly nothing like it."
Yes! Oceana thought, finally feeling understood for the first time in her life. "That's exactly it!" Oceana giggled.
"Come, let me show you around this wonderful clan. I have been here a number of times, I know where all the best places are." Unagi offered.
"I appreciate it, but I prefer to make my own way." Oceana said, slightly regretfully.
"Well." Unagi responded, looking a little hurt. "If you change your mind, I'll be in the marketplace."
"It was nice meeting you." Oceana said, feeling as though she should say something more.
"It was a pleasure to meet you as well." Unagi grinned sadly. "May we meet again."
Oceana had left the city early that evening. The draw she felt towards Unagi, it scared her. She couldn't be around. It was time to move on, to find somewhere new.
It was not the last time she was to see the charismatic merchant, however. She ran into him on several other occasions, and she was sure to keep their visits short.
Currently, she was staying in a charming wind clan known as Windkeep Tower. She found that she ended up at this particular clan somewhat regularly. It was one of her favourite stops. This time, however, she was to run into a familiar face.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" Unagi asked, perking up from a stall he had set up in the marketplace. "Oceana, it can't be!"
Oceana's breath caught in her chest as her eyes met Unagi's. She always forget how lovely his eyes were. She wished she could follow them forever, just as she did the wind that created them and- no. What was she doing? It never could be.
"Hello!" Unagi said again. "Has the cat perhaps got your tongue?"
"No! Sorry!" Oceana exclaimed quickly. "I just have somewhere I need to be."
"Wait!" Unagi exclaimed as she turned to go. "Why do you have to go? Don't both our hearts beat for the thrill of travel? Why not share the journey, and bind our lonely hearts as one?"
Oceana was caught off guard by his offer. "I-"
"Just think about it. You do not need to respond right away." Unagi cut in. "I know this is a big decision. I just- I am enamored by you, Oceana. Your eyes sparkle with the light of thousand stars, your spirit cannot be bound. You are a beauty, Oceana, and I want to spend the rest of my life traveling by your side."
Oceana couldn't take it a moment longer. She took off to the skies, trying to get her wings to catch the breeze to urge her on faster. She had stayed too long, it was time to move. Above her, the stars were beginning to emerge. She would choose one and follow it, and never look back.
She never looked back.
"Who is that?" Unsophylax asked, catching sight of a despondent coatl making his way to a market stall and fiddling with the wares distractedly.
"Who is who, Soph?" Moaggie asked, not looking up. Soph sighed. She loved Maggie, she really did. She was thankful to the snapper for taking her in when she was a hatchling, alone and parentless after hatching in an empty theatre. Maggie had taught her everything she knew, and Soph owed her her livelihood, and her vast collection of gems, jewelry and other shiny baubles. But sometimes she didn't notice the things Soph did.
"Nevermind." Soph sighed, not taking her eyes off the stranger. He was the most gorgeous dragon she had ever seen.
"You're not getting any ideas, are you?" Maggie asked, finally looking up. "That's Unagi. He's a terrible flirt. You don't want to get involved with a dragon like him. Traveling merchants rarely stick around to make good mates, I wouldn't be surprised if he has a string of lovers wherever he goes. You stay away from him, you hear me?"
"Yeah, whatever." Soph said, not listening. Who said anything about being mates, anyways? Still, she couldn't sneak away with Maggie watching her, and that frustrated her to no end. She wasn't going to let a guy as stunning as him get away from her.
Finally, long after the sun had set, Maggie declared it was time to pack up their wares. Soph could hardly focus, and the moment everything was packed away, she dashed over to Unagi's stall. The coatl was packing up his wares as well.
"Hey, do you want some help?" Soph asked.
"Thank you." Unagi said, clearly distracted. Soph bit back an irritated response, and helped him pack away his wares.
"Hey, I know it's none of my business, but are you alright, dude?" Soph asked.
"I lost something very important to me." Unagi sighed.
"Sorry." Soph said awkwardly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Alas, there is nothing that can be done." Unagi said, looking forlornly at the moon.
"Alright. Um, I've got to get going." Soph's heart sank, this wasn't going how she had hoped.
"Wait! I'm sorry, I have not been myself." Unagi sighed. "Would you perhaps like to help me take my wares back to my room?"
"Sure, why not?" Soph grinned.
Helping Unagi with his wares turned into a shared dinner, which turned into a moonlit flight through the cool air of the windswept plateau. The two stayed up talking until the sun rose, Soph had never met someone who listened to her talk the same way Unagi did, like she was the most important thing in the world. By the time the sun rose over the horizon, she was asleep, curled up against him. when she awoke, it was noon, and Unagi was still by her side, staring out at the Sea of a Thousand Currents.
"You're still here. What about your market stall?" Soph asked.
"It can wait. I did not want to wake you. You looked so peaceful." Unagi said softly, running a tail across her cheek.
Soph could do nothing but smile. "How long are you staying in Windkeep Tower?" She asked.
"Oh, I was planning on leaving tomorrow, but I think I can be persuaded to extend my visit." Unagi grinned.
"Unagi! Unagi!" Soph exclaimed, racing down to the outdoor marketplace. She could hardly contain her excitement. By the time she reached the space where his stall normally stood, she looked around in confusion. He was normally up bright and early. had he slept in?
"You're too late!" Cattail called from her stand. "He left early this morning!"
"He
left?" Soph asked, feeling her heart drop.
"Yeah, what's it to ya? He's a travelling merchant, he wasn't going to stick around forever. He'll be back eventually, he always is." Cattail explained.
"I know that, I just-" her breath caught in her throat. How could she explain her hopes and dreams, the way they had bubbled up inside of her with every moment spent with the merchant, how they had come to fruition just this morning, but he didn't know. And now he wouldn't.
"Look, if you're going to get involved with someone like that, you need to be prepared for the consequences." Cattail pointed out. Soph hated the smug look on her face. She turned to go, anxious to return to her quarters.
"Woah, Soph, is everything okay?" Maggie asked as Soph almost bumped into her mentor.
"Everything's fine." Soph snapped. Cattail was right, why should she depend on anyone? Her own parents didn't even care about her. Why else would they abandon her egg like that? When she had kids- Oh wait.
"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Soph asked.
"Anything." Maggie said, looking shocked.
"How did you do it, when you raised me? How do you do the whole mother thing?" Soph asked.
"Soph, you don't mean-?" Maggie asked.
"Nevermind any of that, are you going to help me, or am I going to have to figure it out myself just like everything else I've ever done?" Soph snapped.
"No, of course I'll help." Maggie said, her gaze softening. "Soph, I'm so sorry. he doesn't know, does he?"
"No. I was going to tell him this morning." Soph sighed. "Nevermind all that though, I'll show him I don't need him. I can do this, and I'm going to be the best mother in the world!"
"Mommy! Mommy! Look!" Voiken exclaimed, running up to Soph's market stall with his sister. "Look! I sold a twinket and I got a tweasure!"
"Oh Voiken, that's great! You're great at this!" Soph grinned at her hatchlings. She still felt a bit awkward around them, she wasn't used to being a motherly sort of dragon, but she knew what it was like to be alone, and she didn't want that for her children. If she could just support them until they were big enough to hold their own and make their own way, that would be enough, it would have to be.
"We're going to be the best business dragons around!" Veilwing exclaimed, jumping up and down. "The best of the best!"
"That's a great dream." Soph grinned. "You are going to be great at that."
"I know we are!" Veilwing sounded slightly indignant. "Hey Voiken, what are we going to sell?"
"Time!" Voiken exclaimed.
"Silly Voiken, you can't sell time..." Veilwing frowned at her brother.
"But mom said we can sell anything we want!" Voiken said, looking confused.
Soph just laughed. Really, it was Unagi's loss, missing out on all this. Maybe once upon a time, she had hoped they could be a family, that she could join him on his travels and sell her sparkly creations to the world, but such a dream faded long ago. She would have to be content with this. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was what she had. It would have to be enough, until she could see him again.
Unagi was packing up his wares for the night when she caught sight of a familiar face. His heart leaped out of his chest, he thought he would never see her again! Sure, his time with Soph had eased the pain, but more than anything, his heart yearned for Oceana.
"Oh, Unagi." Oceana looked as though she had been caught off guard. Unagi grinned, getting lost in her sparkling golden eyes. They held the light of a thousand stars.
"Oceana, it's good to see you again." Unagi dipped. "I must apologize for my impertinence at our last meeting. I was perhaps a bit too rash."
"No, it's okay." Oceana said, shifting her weight. "I shouldn't have run off like that."
The two stared at each other for some time, hardly knowing what to say next. It was as if time stood still, and nothing else mattered in the world but being here in this very moment.
"Please, let me spend the afternoon with you. I will follow your lead, wherever you wish to go." Unagi offered.
"Sure." Oceana said, surprising Unagi. He hadn't expected it to actually work.
"Just give me a moment to close up shop and we can be on our way!" Unagi exclaimed, rushing to lock away and cover his goods. He could almost swear he saw Oceana give a small smile, but it was gone before he could be sure.
"Good morning beautiful." Unagi sighed as he woke up and turned to face Oceana. The two had spent the past few days together, and it had been pure bliss. He was sure that if this time he were to offer, if he could perhaps shift his business to cater more to Oceana's traveling whims, perhaps the two could start traveling together. What he saw, however, shattered any daydream he had been entertaining himself with.
Oceana was gone, nowhere to be found, and in her place were three round wind eggs.
Once his children had grown up and left to follow their own destinies, Unagi found himself to be rather lonely. It had been nice to travel with other dragons, if only for a short while, even if his traveling companions were excitable children who messed up his wares more than they helped to sell them.
It was then that he found his way back to Windkeep Tower, only to discover he had quite the surprise waiting for him.
"Those are-" Unagi's jaw hung open as he looked where Soph was pointing.
"Children? Yes. And I had to raise them on my own, thank you very much." Soph huffed.
"Soph, I am so sorry, you have to believe me, if I had any idea, I would not have left you in such a way." Unagi babbled. "You should have written me, something! I would have stayed, I would have helped, at least until our hatchlings had grown."
He saw Soph's face soften as he spoke. "Well, don't do it again." She said, socking him in the shoulder.
"You mean?" Unagi said.
"Yeah, I forgive you." Soph shrugged. "I mean, it's not as if you knew, and they turned out fine."
"So you'll give me another chance?" Unagi asked, feeling a spark of hope bubble within.
"Yeah, whatever. We had fun." Soph grinned. "I've missed you."
"I missed you too." Unagi said, though even as the words left his mouth, all he could think of was the beautiful dragon who broke his heart. He wondered where she was now, and if she knew about their three beautiful children. If she didn't know, would she had left if she did? Regardless, none of that mattered. What mattered was the here and now, with Soph. Yet try as he might, he did not feel for Soph with the same intensity he did with Oceana.
Unagi moved to get up, accidentally disturbing Soph.
"Huh? Are you?" Soph said, lifting her head sleepily and letting out a giant yawn.
"It's time for me to go." Unagi admitted. "You know me. It's the open skies that call me, and it's time to move my business."
"And your taking Ridgeway?" Soph asked, referring to their son, who slept soundly on the other side of the room.
"Every dragon should see the world someday." Unagi said, returning to his defense. "I want him to see there's more to life than this tower."
"Whatever." Soph yawned. "I'm going back to sleep."
Unagi felt a bit guilty as he roused his son and moved to leave, but he was itching from staying on one place for so long. Besides, he had recently received a surprising letter from Oceana, saying she'd be visiting a clan on a small island on the Sea of a Thousand Currents. Unagi just had to go and meet her, to see if he could rekindle the spark that was once there.
Besides, he knew that Soph would be here waiting for him should Oceana grow too flighty once again.
So, to get the story behind this story, I orginally bought Unagi to be Unsophylax's mate in my alphabet legacy challenge. Shortly afterwards, I got Oceana and made the mistake of scrying her with Unagi because he was my first filigree dragon and I wanted to see what it looked like passed on. I fell in love with both scries and decided I would alternate nesting him with Soph and Oceana and here we are.
I actually really appreciated having the chance to explore his relationship with the two of them more in depth, because before I saw it more of a casual understanding, but writing it and delving deeper, I realized the dynamic of Unagi being head over heels for one and using the other as a rebound was much more interesting (and realistic. I can't have all of my dragons being decent folk).
The timing actually really worked out well because Unagi is RTB tomorrow and it's Oceana's turn to have a second nest so he'll be going on with her once I hatch Lin and India's nest in a couple days. If anyone is interested in these hatchlings (or any of the hatchlings from any of my pairs) please let me know!
I've had this ending planned for months and it makes me so happy that I've finally been able to release it and see your reaction!
Ah well, 'Ichi-go, ichi-e', eh? 
