Miriska

She looked back at the cave she'd grown up in. The place, that should have been a home, a place, in which she could feel comfortable ... but had that ever been the case?
For as long as she could remember, she had felt ... unsafe there, although she hadn't realized this fully until relatively recently.
With a sigh Mystery turned her head away from the cave and started walking. Ever since deciding, that she'd move out, she had been waiting for an opportunity like this - her """parents""" went on vacation in the Everbloom Gardens, one of her brothers went to visit their uncle and her other brother went on vacation in the Zephyr Steppes, whilst she stayed behind at the cave.
She knew, that her younger brother would return the next day and thankfully she got finished with packing - and storing some of her stuff in a safe place - just in time to leave tonight.
But... now that she was leaving... why did her steps feel so heavy? Why was this so ... hard? She'd been looking forward to this, hadn't she? So... why did she suddenly have second thoughts about leaving? After packing all her stuff and making sure everything was ready for her to go?
She stopped and looked back once again. Was she making a mistake?
... No. Mystery had thought about it, a lot and for a long time. This *wasn't* a mistake ... however, it *would* be a mistake to stay and continue her existence in that cave, being miserable and having no way to change it there.
She took a deep breath and started walking again. Things would get *better* now, she'd finally find out, what *she* liked and how *she* wanted to dress, she'd finally find out, what hobbies she'd like to pick up, aside from the quiet ones, that she already had.
And she'd also finally find out, *who* she was and wanted to be. Too often had she wondered, if she really knew herself and too often the answer had been "no". She... never really got the opportunity to experiment with clothes or anything, because the few times she tried, she got ... badweird comments from her """mother""".
Mystery clenched her teeth and furrowed her brows in anger - those people, who raised her, she refused to call them her parents, because they failed to actually *be* parents.
So many things had gone wrong. So f***ing many. And yet they kept saying what a great job they had done at raising their children and what a harmonic family they were, completly ignoring all the fights they had with Mystery. Except... was it really fights? They just kept yelling at her and if she dared to """talk back""" to them, they just yelled more.
She shook her head, in an attempt to get rid of those thoughts. She didn't want to think about those people. Not now.
Mystery had to admit, that she was going faster now though - her steps felt lighter, powered by the anger she had repressed for so long.
Finally, after all these years, she was free ... and all they'd find was a note, saying that she moved away. No reasons why, just that. They wouldn't understand anyways. They never did.

The sun was already rising, but Mystery still kept going, despite growing more and more tired. The only things keeping her going were the feeling, that she wasn't far away enough yet and anxiety. Of course it was anxiety.
She already passed several inns, but didn't dare to stop at any of them. What if she wasn't far away enough yet? What if they could easily find her, whilst she was sleeping? What if-
The thought was interrupted, when Mystery bumped into someone and irritated she looked up at the tall banescale, that raised her left eyebrow and looked down at the coatl.
"S-sorry", Mystery stammered, whilst getting up. "I didn't ... I didn't see you there." She gulped. "... I know how that sounds, considering how tall you are and all, but I- I didn't pay attention and-" "Hey, it's alright", the stranger sighed. "You look ... tired. Have you slept at all...?"
Mystery winced. Was it that noticeable? Did she look *that* tired? "I'm taking that as a no then", the stranger said and the coatl opened her mouth... but closed it again.
If it was *that* obvious, she couldn't really deny it. Besides... she really didn't get any sleep, she had been walking the entire night after all.
"I- I'm sorry", Mystery mumbled, what caused the banescale to tilt her head. "For what?" "... I don't know."
She sighed and wanted to walk past the other dragon, but was stopped by the strangers wing. "Hey... look, I don't know why you're doing that to yourself, but... maybe I can help? My sister and I are staying somewhere nearby and she's a skilled magician, she put up some protection spells, so no one can sneak up on us and steal our stuff, whilst we're asleep ... you could stay with us for today and sleep, so you get some rest?"
Mystery blinked a few times. Did ... that stranger really just offer, that she could stay with her and her sister? It took her a moment to fully process this and she slowly looked up. "You... you mean it? And you're not just trying to steal my stuff or something?"
The stranger snorted amused. "Nah, don't worry, your stuff is safe. You don't look particularly uhhh... rich anyways, so there wouldn't be much to take from you", she shrugged and Mystery blinked a little surprised.
"It's just an offer though, you don't *have* to accept", the banescale added. "Sorry, if I sounded a little pushy, I'm still getting the hang of this." "Uhhh... no, no, don't worry, it's okay, I just... I just need a moment to see what options I have."
"Well, I mean, you *can* walk until you pass out, I guess, because I *know* there's a lot of places to stay at for a night in the direction you came from and you didn't stay at any of them. The next inn isn't too far away, but I doubt you'd stop there... or would you?"
"I- ... no, probably not." Mystery bit her lower lip and then cleared her throat. "So uhhh... where are you and your sister staying at?"

The banescale - who introduced herself as Persephone - brought her to a clearing with a big tent. A skydancer was already busy with making pancakes and only now Mystery realized, just how hungry she was.
"... did I even take a break to eat something last night?", she mumbled to herself with furrowed brows. Considering just *how* hungry she was, the answer was probably no.
"Hey Mel!", Persephone called out to the other dragon now. "I brought a guest, she'll be staying with us for the day, so she can get some sleep!"
The skydancer nodded, smiled at Mystery for a moment and went back to making pancakes... and more pancake dough. "I- I brought some food along, you guys don't have to feed m-" "We insist", Persephone interrupted her. "I mean... of course you don't *have* to eat pancakes with us, in fact there'd be more for me then... buuut... you know, Mel's pancakes are fantastic, I wouldn't wanna miss out on those, if I were you", she smirked and Mystery just... looked at her for a moment.
She had to admit, that those pancakes *did* smell godly though and with a little sigh she gave up. "Alright... guess I'll have more food for travelling then too, if I don't eat it right now, huh?" "True true!", Persephone responded with a wide grin. "Got any good recipes, by the way? Maybe Mel is willing to share the pancake recipe, if you can share a recipe with us?"
The skydancer raised both of her eyebrows and looked at Persephone, who just pretended not to notice that look. Mel gestured around with her hands, but when Mystery just looked a little lost at her, she grabbed a pencil and paper and wrote something down on it.
'Don't listen to her, you don't have to share a recipe with us, I hand the pancake recipe out for free all the time lol'
"Uhhh...", Mystery shook her head. "Uhm... thank you...? Sorry, I just... start to *really* notice how tired I am, but uhhh... I don't think I have any recipes anyways...? I mean, I can share how I make my sandwiches, when I actually have all the ingredients and it doesn't end up being a sadwich, but... I guess that's about it?"
Both Persephone and Melasune just ... looked at Mystery for a moment in total silence.
"Dang girl", Persephone huffed. "Did your parents teach you *anything*?"
Mystery grimaced. "... considering how you guys reacted...? Not really, no. That's why I...", she hesitated. "... that's why I waited, until everyone is on vacation, so I can move out without anyone knowing, that I even wanted to move out."
"Daaang...", Persephone grimaced. "Hoo boi. What a mess... but you're in the right hands now!" "I... what???" "Look... you seem a little lost, we're apparently moving into the same direction right now... you could stay with us for a while. We can give you some recipes and teach you all the things, that a dragon your age should know by now."
Mystery opened her mouth, but closed it again and looked at the ground. So... she *should* know more, than she did, huh? "It's NOT *your* fault", Persephone said, a very stern tone in her voice. "It's *theirs*. They failed you, not the other way around. It's nothing you should be ashamed of, *they* should be ashamed."
Blinking some tears away, Mystery lifted her gaze to look at the banescale. "... yeah", she mumbled. "It's just... kinda hard to really internalize that." "Oh, yeah, definetly! But hey... if you take us up on the offer, we can keep reminding you, until the damn voices stop repeating that you are supposedly the failure and all that bullsh**."
"You know what... I'll think about it, once I got some sleep", Mystery said. "Great! Seems like breakfast is ready by the way - you guys start without me, I'll quickly prepare a place to sleep for you, so you can just go to bed once you're done!"
"Thank you, Persephone, I... I really appreciate that." "Eh, don't mention it", the banescale shrugged and vanished in the big tent, whilst Melasune and Mystery sat down to eat.

Months passed by and a lot of things changed - she finally found friends, that were sticking around, not because they *had* to (like in school), but because they actually *wanted* to. She finally learned things, that she should have learned waaay longer ago, but... better late than never, as Persephone liked to remind her. She also found out, that Persephone wasn't *reaaally* a banescale, but a demon, that Melasune had summoned, when she was just a little hatchling.
It... hadn't changed her opinion of Persephone though, it simply didn't matter to her what she was, because she knew, that they were friends and *that* was, what mattered.
And then there was that other thing... one day Melasune asked her, if she liked her name and her answer had been, that she *technically* liked the name, but ... it didn't feel like it was *her* name?
"Mystery" had only ever been used by people she didn't like or in situations, that had been very stressful for her. There... simply were too many bad associations with the name. Too many to keep it.
Melasune told her, that she didn't have to *keep* that name and whilst they didn't have any ideas for a new name that day, they ended up finding one at some point - Miriska.
From then on she only introduced herself as Miriska and it felt ... right. This was her name now, one she got to pick herself with the help of her found family.
Miriska, Melasune and Persephone are still on the road, adventuring and sometimes visiting Mismar in his tower, telling him of their wild adventures.