Coincidence

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“Coincidence?”

“Yes.”

“That’s your name?” a nod. “Your actual name?” another nod.

“That can’t be real.” murmured one of the other dragons. He looked at them, but did not give any further response. The group gathered seemed either satisfied or quelled in their questions, leaving him be as they sought something else to entertain themselves. Coincidence was used to this kind of query, having heard it enough growing up to last him a lifetime. He wasn’t overly interested in the conversation again and again with every passing clan he joined, but he also didn’t really think it too much of a deal.

The origins of the pearlcatcher explained the choice of name his parents had given him. After years of trying, all of the clutches his parents had would end up unviable or worse. Dragons would not make it to hatch day thanks to predators, leaving them childless. The two dragons decided to stop with their attempts, no longer able to take the grief of losing their children. It seemed that it was this that would lead to Coincidence’s coming to be, as after no longer trying they somehow managed to have a happy and healthy hatchling. It just seemed like coincidence that they should stop trying and be given this success, and so they named their son as such.

Coincidence’s parents were clearly meant to have many offspring. They had ample amount of love to give and so Coincidence grew up with a large family of many adopted dragonlings that had been abandoned or lost their families young. His parents were good and doting, caring for each of their adopted offspring as they cared for Coincidence himself. It had given the young pearlcatcher good roots, good love and good company. Unfortunately Coincidence felt himself an outlier within the group, as many of his siblings were skilled in areas that the pearlcatcher was not. While he had seemingly been a miracle child, it was all of the other dragonlings that his parents had adopted that would bring pride to the family with their intelligence, their bravery, their creativity. Coincidence felt he had fallen short.

It was something a stranger had said that put Coincidence on his path throughout life. He had gone to sunbathe near one of the small pools of water within his birth clan’s territory when he met them. They were not from his clan, not even from the water flight. They greeted the pearlcatcher, then asked if he would object to some company before the stranger made their way into the territory and properly introduced themselves. Coincidence welcomed the stranger, and after a few moments of quiet had passed a book was produced. Coincidence.

“Have you read this one yet?” the stranger had asked. “I bartered for it at my last stop. I’ve heard it’s quite good.”

“No, what is it about?” Coincidence peered at the leather bound book in the other dragon’s claws.

“Magic,” the dragon smirked. “A traveling mage and the things he come across. I can read it aloud if you’d like?” Coincidence nodded.

The dragon read the book for them both, first just a chapter or two until they were both fully engrossed in it. The story was indeed about a mage, and the magic they had come across in the fire flight’s lands. Coincidence found it enthralling, but left saddened the author had not traveled to the other flights.

“Ah well, perhaps this dragon is of the fire flight,” the dragon mused. “Unless someone were to write about another flight, I suppose we would have to be satisfied with that.”

Coincidence however was not satisfied with that. He wanted to learn about others, he wanted to learn about his own. He went home that afternoon with thoughts in his head, and in the morning he had decided. This chance encounter with the stranger had put him on a path. That path would lead him from his birth clan and to other parts of the water flight. His parents were not quite as thrilled about their son leaving, but didn’t want to hold him back all the same. Coincidence packed up his things intent to write about the mysteries of his birth flight, and set off.

Over the years Coincidence learned one thing especially, thanks to his encounters. He had gone looking for secrets of the water flight to share with the world, hoping to discover unknown wonders. He was not a mage, and his understanding of magic not nearly as powerful as many magic wielders. He didn’t expect to stumble upon those magical secrets, but yet they had a strange habit of finding him. Coincidence discovered a grotto of water nymphs, a hot springs imbued with magic that it healed those weary when they sat in the warm waters. He found night pixies that would serenade with beautiful voices and make the coral of a reef glow. He wrote down his findings, documenting his travels through the different clans.

The first time he encountered Fate was merely as a passerby. He had noticed the other pearlcatcher, her vibrant cyan wings and deep blue body were as gorgeous as the deep water pools that Coincidence had traversed throughout the flight’s domain. But she was gone as quickly as he, off to her next destination as he set out under rumors of an enchanted ogre leaving in an underwater cave. It wasn’t until he ran into her yet again that he finally approached.

“Well, look who I ran into.” crowed Coincidence.

“Please,” flirted Fate, “this was meant to be.”

His life had always been a series of coincidences. Traveling from one place to search for a local legend brought him to something else, usually unheard of. It made him privy to experiences he was not expecting, into circumstances he had no idea had been a possibility. Fate was one of those circumstances. She claimed it was meant to be, and for the first time in his life he was inclined to agree. They decided to travel together from then on, while Coincidence wrote his findings on the things they discovered and Fate lived in the moments of what life threw at her. Eventually they came to the Gemini Clan, which held far more intriguing encounters for Coincidence than he had experienced in any other clan. He was inclined to stay, and for once Fate agreed. The two took up odd jobs here and there, but while Fate felt inclined to assist Oolong, Coincidence would read, write and traverse the clan’s territories to see what might come his way.

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