Static

The Sandsurge grunted, sparks flying from his body while he walked. The sandy landscape itched at his feet, hitting the same scratch marks as always, dusting his claws everywhere he trekked. Dunes, storms, gusts, and anything more.
What.
A.
Drag.
There’s nothing out here, nothing but the blowing winds, scorching breezes, and the dry air that practically causes a drought in one’s lungs. Even worse, not a soul seemed to live anywhere in these desolate piles of dirt; he had been here for years, yet never found another drake in the midst. You’d think that, with his bright coloration and stark contrast against the vibrant tan, someone would’ve found him instead.
He stopped, huffing to himself spitefully. “There’s not a damn soul here,” he mumbled. “I knew I should’ve stopped searching a while ago. This place just feels too big to find anybody.”
Static wanted excitement; he wanted energy, to do something, anything, more than what he was always found to do; walk around aimlessly in hopes he’d find someone. Had he finally realized it was a mere pipe dream, he would’ve ceased his relentless search ages ago.
Now he just feels ridiculous.
The sweltering sands biting at his legs, hinting at the arrival of yet another storm, he shook his head in disappointment, slugging himself towards the nearest shade. Eventually sitting himself under a thick acacia, he sighed, looking off into the distance.
What more is there now? I truly am destined to spend my remaining days here, to perish under the sands that burn my skin, never to see another living being. Do I really deserve this? Had I done something to cause this? Should I give my apologies for it? To whom? And why?
. . .No. I can’t let myself wither away like this. It’s pathetic, boring; I don’t wish to die quietly, no matter what fate has in store for me. I want to die through adventure, through memory, through anything better than this!
His thoughts made his heart beat fast, pumping adrenaline and vigor throughout his body. Sparks starting to energetically fly all around him, magic rose to his fingertips, muffled, as he continued to think.
There is more to my life, to everything, than I perceive, isn’t there? Ha, I know there is; my life can do more than roam aimlessly forever, and I, one day, will surely prove just that. I’m going to have a damn adventure at least once, even if it kills me!
His claw clenched in response, surging magic through it at the same time. A buzzing feeling tipped at his talons; normally, it wouldn’t increase after this point, as he always sets off to do something after his mental pep talks. Suddenly, an odd, warping, vortex sound noised right underneath him instead, unfortunately too quiet to hear over his confident thoughts.
Static, grinning, could start to feel something tugging his tail under his spot. He readjusted himself, but the feeling never wavered. Tried again, and it still remained. A third time, yet still no change, so he decided to check himself, assuming it was a little scorpion or something.
Soft, bright light faded into his vision, originating from the portal’s outer rim as he turned, disappearing as he fell inside.
3







He breathed in, letting the gentle winds brush past his puffs of fur. His abyssal scales a stiff difference to the greenery and stones around him, he opened his eyes. The distant sound of conversation and laughter rose in his ears as he shook himself, readjusting his position. Shoi prefers to keep to himself, always found alone basking in the sunlight or napping under his favorite spot, some low-hanging branches next to the nearby creek. Big, yes, but that doesn’t stop him from doing things he likes.
He enjoys a slow life, quiet and focused. Fast-paced things like the nearby clamor bother him and frequently make him avert to somewhere else, like how he stays alone where he sits currently. Why bother wasting so much energy, he asks himself, then answers that you don’t, and it’s rather silly to do so.
He supposes it’s fine if you like doing it yourself though.
Leaning back against the thick trunck behind him, he sighed, breathing in the crisp, warm air. Peaceful days; peaceful days are all he wanted. . .
. . .then a random Sandsurge fell from the sky.
It slowly faded into his hearing as well, the peculiar sound of someone screaming and quickly getting louder. And faster. He assumed a drake nearby was running where he was and went back to relaxing until something big and hefty crashed right on top of him rapidly. Both layed in a heaping pile of groans and stillness for a moment before whatever fall on top of him started to chuckle, growing to a roaring laughter.
“Hell yeah! Finally, something exciting!” He continued to laugh at whatever he was talking about, his rambunctious movement reverberating on the drake right underneath him. The Sandsurge flailed a little for a moment before sliding off the Imperial with ease, shaking himself and scoffing as he looked around. Shoi just laid there like he couldn’t care any less.
The other looked up to the sky, watching the fading image of his entrance disappear before looking back down. He jumped in surprise.
“WHAT THE HELL?!-”
Shoi just sighed, murmuring, “Please be quiet. . .”
The Sandsurge zipped his mouth shut, walking over to the Imperials head. He bent his neck down to inspect him, looking half confused, half humored.
The Imperial blinked slowly, switching his gaze up to him. He didn’t say anything though.
“. . .Apologies for falling on you, I guess.” The Sandsurge grinned. Shoi softly huffed, looking elsewhere.
“Just be loud somewhere else, please. . .”
The Sandsurge deadpanned. “You’re not normally much fun, are you?”
“My fun refers to peace and quiet, if you please.” He rolled his head tiredly to the side; the other drake moved his to the same side to see him better.
He scoffed. “That’s lame. Haven’t you ever done anything exciting?”
Shoi shook his head. “Too much for me. . .”
“. . .huh. Have you ever tried?”
He shook his head again. “I don’t want to. . .I just know it will overwhelm me.”
The Sandsurge shook his head. “That’s not a good enough excuse. I want you to try it before you start spouting crap like that.”
“. . .what. . . .?”
As he rose his head and walked over to Shoi’s side, he asked, “Can I get a name, by the way? Not entirely sure if people do stuff like that, since I’ve never really met anyone, but I do. I can give you one if you don’t have one though.”
Shoi’s thoughts on the guy were jumbling his head; where’d he even come from? What’s he trying to do? Why won’t he leave him alone? He sighed, waiting for whatever else he was going to attempt when his body immediately felt like it was hovering. He roughly yelped, “Ghh! What-” He could hear grunting coming from underneath him, sounding similar to that Sandsurge’s voice.
He heaved. “Hup! We’re gonna go somewhere!”
Shoi began wriggling around in the Sandsurge’s hold, sputtering, “Let me down! What are you–stop this! Please put me down!”
He just rolled his eyes. “Would you stop being a child about this? You don’t even know what we’re gonna do.” Shoi’s tail kept flapping against his face while he spoke. The Sandsurge moved it a little, then gently bit it to hold it while they moved.
“Gah!”
Muffled, he responded, “I’m mnot hurming you. You’re fmine.” He clumsily started walking in one direction, despite not knowing exactly where he was heading. He just thought it felt funny for the Imperial to be squirming while he moved.
Shoi, on the other claw, didn’t find it funny at all, and continued to struggle for a while until he gave up an hour later. He slumped in defeat as the Sandsurge continued, pausing at one point all of a sudden. The Imperial, confused to feel them stop, rose his head a little. “Why had you stopped?”
The Sandsurge leaned his head to the side, looking up and grinning. “What, did you want to keep going?”
Shoi looked unamused. “I thought you wanted me to do something exciting. This place doesn’t look very exciting at all.” The place, unsurprisingly, looked liked where Shoi had first met the drake, and where he was first enjoying himself in peace.
“Yeah? Well, uhm. . .” The Sandsurge looked sheepish. “I don’t, uh, really know where I’m goin’.” He awkwardly cleared his throat, knowing there wasn’t any point to traveling for the both of them; he was hoping something would appear and cause the twosome to do something about it. Nothing had happened for almost two hours since he left with the Imperial.
Shoi grumbled, then squawked as the Sandsurge dropped him to the ground. He shook himself, bristling the dirt out of his dark fur before rising, towering over the oblivious dragon.
“I’m sure there’s probably something around for you to do,” he thought aloud. “I don’t wanna realise I just ended up in another boring place for the rest of my life. That’s the whole damn reason I was so excited.”
“Be excited somewhere else,” Shoi replied coldly. “I don’t wish for people like you around.”
Crossing his arms, the Sandsurge turned around to meet Shoi. “Damn you too pal; you live somewhere lame–oh.” His eyes ran up the Imperial’s figure all the way to his head. His neck started to hurt when you met Shoi’s eyes.
“If you don’t like it so much, then leave.”
“. . .I didn’t realise you were so big. People come in sizes like that?” His head tilted, perplexed. Shoi looked embarrassed.
“Wh-what??”
He started walking around the Imperial, taking a good look everywhere; mostly at the size. He chuckled, “What the hell? I had no clue things could get to your size. How’d I even carry you??”
Shoi kept needing to turn his head and neck to watch the Sandsurge move about. “Excuse me??”
“Uh, you’re excused or something, hell if I know.”
“Why are you talking about my size? Imperials are always this big!”
He peeked out from Shoi’s side, looking like a curious hatchling just found something new. “They are?! What are Imperials??”
Shoi looked confused; his annoyance suddenly drained. “What do you mean?”
“What else would I mean?? Listen, I’ve never really spoken to people, but I knew they existed. Mostly. I’m not entirely sure whatever the hell “Imperials” are.”
“What about Snappers?”
He shook his head.
“Auraboa?”
Again.
“Do you even know what you are?”
“. . .Auraboa?”
Shoi looked away for a moment, flabbergasted. How couldn’t he know what even he is?? He turned back; the Sandsurge looked expectant.
“Do you know what I am? I know I’m a dragon at least. That’s about it.”
“. . .how. . . .how odd. . .”
“It’s not like it’s that big of a deal, you know.” He snuffed. His arms were crossed again.
“Do you know what a name is then?”
“Yes of course I know what a damn name is! I told you I had one earlier! I was asking if you had one in case you didn’t.” He frowned, glaring a sharp gaze back at the sympathetic-looking Imperial. Sparks started to ***** from his body in agitation.
“What is it then?”
“Static. Only because I like how it sounds. It was a word I made up one day out of boredom before realising I could give it to myself. Did you have one or not?” Static sounded impatient.
“. . .Shoi.” The Imperial nodded. Static nodded back.
“Is that a word you made up too? Show-yeee?”
“It’s ‘Shoi’, and no, I didn’t make it up; My mother gave it to me.”
Static looked. . .distrought. “Your mother?”
“Static, have you really never met anyone else?”
“All my memories are alone. I know no one.” A moment of silence passed before Static huffed, regaining his confident expression and adding, “N-not like I cared anyway. It was just so boring being all alone.”
“I suppose so, for you anyway. It gets troubling even for me sometimes when I get lost in these woods; glad to know you eventually found a way through them-”
Static started shaking his head, wagging a finger. “No, no, I wasn’t here. I have no clue how I got here, but I did it. I was somewhere else.”
Shoi felt dubious. “Right. . .then where were you?”
“A desert. I assume you’ve never heard of it.”
“I believe I have. I’ve heard things from the others.”
Static gaped his mouth. “You’re telling me there are other people?! Why didn’t you say anything hours ago?! Dammit! I would’ve gone to meet them instead if you just said that!” He flailed his arms around as he spoke. Shoi took a worried step away.
“You left faster than I could tell you. I didn’t even know what, or who, you were looking for anyway.”
He sighed. “Yeah, okay, that makes more sense. Well, can you lead me to them then? I’ll leave you alone if you do.”
Shoi felt a burst of joy run through him hearing that. . .and a sliver of sadness too. There was something about the Sandsurge that both annoyed and intrigued him. He wanted to know more about Static; how he lived, where he lived, how he did things to himself knowing he had never met anyone else until Shoi. Of course, in a hopefully calm manner. How was he to do that if he leaves?
But. . .he’ll leave him alone. Shoi could get back to his peace and quiet. No one would bother him like that again.
But. . . .he’ll leave.
He heard the Sandsurge obnoxiously sigh through his thoughts. “Are you gonna take me or what? I thought you wanted to be by yourself again; you’re making this longer than it has to be, y’know.”
Shoi rolled his eyes, turning around and instructing, “Follow me.”


Through the woods for around half an hour, Static started fidgeting with his fingers, tiny sparks sporadically flying around here and there. A few had hit Shoi while walking before he spoke up about it.
“Static. Stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop shocking me. It’s annoying.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
He stopped, turning his head and saying, “Yes you are. Stop doing that.”
Static looked annoyed, sparks flying off of him more as he replied, “I said I’m not doing anything.”
“S-Stop that! You’re doing it right now!” Shoi jumped back a few times to dodge the flying strikes. Static twitched his fins in frustration.
“Doing what?!?”
Shoi grabbed his claw, looked him dead in the eye, and squeezed it. Sparks flew from it like liquid dripping from a sponge. When he released it, Static examined it closely.
“Oh. . .”
The Imperial wiped his hand on his arm, then turned back and continued forward. “However you’re doing that, please stop. You keep shocking me.”
Static shrugged. “It’s not like I know how I’m doing that, Sho.”
“It’s ‘Shoi’.”
“Shee.”
“Shoi.”
Static grinned. “Shaw.”
Shoi turned his head, glaring at him. “I know you’re doing that on purpose.”
“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Your name is hard to say.”
“It’s four letters.”
“Four letters that are hard to say when put together, Shot.”
Shoi growled as he turned back, “There’s no ‘T’ in it.”
Static snickered. “You should learn to take a joke, y’know. You’re so stiff about everything.”
“Just stop making jokes about my name.”
“Look, the other times were a joke. Your name is kinda hard to say.”
“What, better than Static?” He rolled his eyes.
“Um, yes? I mean, you just said it, and keep saying it, without a problem. Why else do you think I haven’t said yours yet?”
Shoi opened his mouth to answer, then closed it.
“See?”
He sighed. “That doesn’t mean you keep making fun of mine.”
“Just trying to lighten the mood a little, since we’re gonna be traveling for a while.”
“Lighten it some other way.”
“Like what?”
“Uhm. . . .tell me about yourself.” Shoi was hoping this would go where he intended.
“Sure, I guess? What were you wondering about? Why I’m so enthusiastic or something?”
“. . .sure.”
“That’s just the way I am,” he started, crossing his arms. “I know you probably don’t like it very much but you’re gonna have to put up with it anyway.”
Shoi sighed. “I’m very aware, but that’s not what I’m asking.”
“Then what are you asking?”
“Just tell me something about yourself, anything.”
“What did you want to know?” Static kicked away a small log; he was getting annoyed.
“I suppose you’re not good without questions.”
Static shrugged, looking astray from forward. “No one’s really asked me anything since you’re the first person I’ve met. What else am I supposed to do?”
Shoi went silent, glancing behind him. The Sandsurge seemed melancholy, deep in his thoughts for a moment. He turned his head back, ducking under a thick, overhanging branch. Giving Static a while to himself, he eventually spoke up again. “Apologies for not considering that.”
“I’m sure you’d want to talk about it, right? You’re so damn persistent about asking, so why not talk about it? Is that what you’re thinking?”
Shoi felt sheepish, even a little rude. “N-No, if you don’t want to-”
“You’re really pissing me off right now. You better tell me your honest answer.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly. “. . .Yes, I do.”
Static sternly responded, “Ask. You already know I’m not good without a question.”
“Static-”
“Ask,” he interrupted coldy. Shoi felt more nervous than guilty.
“Er. . .how was it then?”
“How was what?”
“Static, you don’t sound like-”
He pressed, “How was what?
Shoi sighed. “How was it being alone? I know I seem odd to ask, but I can’t imagine living for so long without meeting anyone else.”
“To me, it’s boring; to you, it’s probably heaven or something.” He huffed.
Shoi rolled his eyes. “I seem that boring to you?”
“Tch, of course you do. You don’t like anything exciting. You just like sitting around everywhere doing nothing.”
“It’s pleasing to me. It doesn’t mean I’m boring.”
“My apologies for not specifying; I mean you’re very boring,” he responded, grinning. Shoi groaned.
“Ugh, it’s difficult to speak to you sometimes, you know that?”
“Why? ‘Cause you’re too slow to understand what I say?” He snickered.
“I’m not slow-”
“Yes, yes you are,” Static interrupted. “Don’t think you’re not. With how little you do I’d be surprised if you could run.”
Shoi stopped walking, turning to the bored Sandsurge who greeted him mundanely. Static just shrugged.
“No really. If you can run-”
“Of course I can. Stop making assumptions.”
“Stop acting like that then.”
“Static-” Shoi was cut off by the sudden, excited cry from someone calling out in the distance.
“Fuzzy crystal back!”
Static and Shoi both darted their heads to see a large, lengthy serpent swiftly slithering towards the duo eagerly. Shoi groaned, while Static started to smirk; he liked their energy.
When it was easily in their view, the Sandsurge realised it was another drake. A snake-looking dragon with, somehow, an even longer body than Shoi, bright green wings with color-matching fins spanning their body, and a giant grin spread across their face. They looked happy to see the Imperial.
Static crossed his arms, elbowing Shoi’s arm. “Heh, who’s this guy?”
Before Shoi could answer, the approaching dragon gasped, wide-eyed at the Sandsurge. Static looked confused as to why she was changing her direction mid-flight, but realised she was heading towards him instead a moment too late. He grunted as she crashed into him, knocking him over and energetically tangling around him.
“New friend!” She exclaimed, squirming all around him. “New friend new friend new friend new friend-” She continued repeatedly, eventually cupping his face and checking out the new guy.
His face now smushed, he managed, “Uh, hey pbthere.” His head was suddenly hugged against her own. “Ack!-”
“Yay! Fuzzy crystal bring shocky berry!”
Sparks started to fly as he laughed. “Are you talking about him?” He pointed a thumb towards the Imperial. Shoi stood there wearing a tired expression. The serpent nodded fast.
“Yes! Fuzzy crystal! You shocky berry! New friend!”
Static guffawed. “Ha! I see that! Don’t tell me that’s his actual name!”
“No no! He’s called Shoi! I give him nickname! Fuzzy crystal!”
“How the hell can you say-” The Sandsurge paused, looking to Shoi. “What’s that?”
Shoi sighed, looking around himself. “What’s what?”
“What she said. A nickname. What is that?”
He gave a confused expression for a moment before remembering Static’s predicament, dawning a new face of realisation. The other dragon answered for him before he could explain. “Nicknames!” She clapped her winged claws together. “Funny names for friends! Shoi’s is fuzzy crystal! Yours is shocky berry! You try giving Manya nickname?”
Static felt nervous; the excitement from his faced seemed to drain. “U-uh, Who’s Manya?”
“Auraboa on shocky berry! Me! Give me nickname?” Manya looked eagerly patient. Shoi started to step over.
“Maybe not, Manya. He doesn’t look too alright-”
Static instantly started glaring at him, pointing and exclaiming, “Damn you! I can think of something!”
“Static, I know you don’t want to even though you can. I can see how uncomfortable you look-”
More sparks flew off the Sandsurge in agitation. “Doesn’t mean I can’t!”
Shoi sighed. “You can, I know. You look like you don’t want to.”
Manya looked nervous. “Oh no. . .Shocky berry doesn’t need to give Manya nickname if berry sad.”
Static’s fingers buzzed. “I’m not sad!”
“Not sad? Mad?”
“No!”
“Hungry?”
“No. . .a little, but not right now!
“Does berry want hug?”
“Manya, I don’t care if you give me one. I want this guy to know-”
Shoi interrupted, “Static, I already know!”
“Like hell you do!” He slammed a fist down, his magic surging straight through his fingertips. Something whirred right below the jumbled mess of Static and Manya, quite quicker this time around.
In an instant, a hole appeared under the Sandsurge, pulling him inside with surprising strength. “Surprsing” meaning he was surprised at how sudden it was and wasn’t able to escape. Static could feel the Auraboa untangle herself as he fell, trying not to fall in as well. Shoi swiftly to investigate as she slithered away safely, unfortunately falling in as well when the portal grew wider.
He yelped, “Manya-ah!” He seethed as he tried to take hold of the edge of the hole; it burned his palms right on contact. Shoi gunted as he fell inside, the distant sounds of water beckoning nearby.













“Useless, huh?” The Wildclaw grumbled, kicking over a rock in frustration. The poor stone froze over in an instant, crumbling to pieces in the next roll against the sand. He huffed. “They just won’t give me a chance. I can do other things. I can use magic; I can do that. I can’t use weapons, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m useless.”
He paused near the water’s edge, peering into the wavering reflection. His own started back, pupil-less with ice gently drifing away from them into the winds. He chuckled, a hint of doubt in its tone.
“They can’t be serious, right? It’s not that bad, right? Right? My magic is fine. It’s probably even better; wouldn’t they want a strong Ice mage in that war?” The Wildclaw slowly sat himself on the soft sand, dragging a finger in the dirt under the waters.
“Tch. They’re making a mistake. They need me.” His finger dug deeper.
“I’m a necessity.” The water started to grow cold.
“I’m not useless.” Ice immediately started to freeze over the nearby surface.
“Just give me a chance!” His claw slammed down in the water, or what was left of it. The ice surrounding his hand shattered by the force on contact.
Coincidentally, a vortex appeared right above the agitated drake, summoning two other dragons ranomly in the air. The Wildclaw, at the sound of yelling popping out ot thin air, quickly switched his gaze upward right at the moment they were to land on him. He scrambled to move, but only managed to dodge about half before they actually landed on him.
“Gck!” He gasped for breath as the air was instantly rushed out of his lungs. Unable to turn his head to check what was on top of him, he attempted to wiggle his way out instead. Vainly.
Somewhere above, he heard: “Hey, I did it again!” It sounded muffled, however.
Then another voice: “Static, what’d you do?!” He didn’t sound muffled at all; it was very easy to tell how upset he was.
Movement from on him made it more difficult to find escape, only until the heaviest-feeling object finally removed itself from on top. Black feet dappled with crystal met his eyes, turning themselves to face him. In aggression, he swiped at them, causing crimson to stain the drake’s scales. He heard a grunt before the claws moved away.
“Gah! What the?!-” A head lowered to meet his. An Imperial. . .great. An Imperial fell on him. Just. . .makes the day all the better.
The other voice, now clear, spoke again. “I think something cut you.”
The Imperial deadpanned, looking up. “Oh really, Static? I couldn’t tell.”
The Wilclaw was getting tired of it. “Get OFF!” He shook himself violently, catching the other dragon on him by surprise. He could hear grunts of confusion as it fell off.
Whoever it was skittered off to the Imperial’s side, crossing his arms as the third stood up. The Sandsurge huffed. “What the hell man? You could’ve just asked me to get off.”
The Imperial replied, “No you wouldn’t.”
“You don’t know,” he rebutted. “I didn’t do that for you, but that’s ‘cause I got off before you asked anyway.”
“Uh, true, I suppose.”
“There’s no damn ‘I suppose’.”
As the two continued their petty quarrel, the Wildclaw turned around and strode to leave, not giving enough of a care to keep listening. As their voices faded out, he could hear one of them stop speaking quickly, footsteps approaching afterward. He was suddenly tackled in an arm hug.
“Gah!-”
“Hey, hold on a second,” he started. It was the Sandsurge. “Lemme apologise-”
“You already did!” The annoyed drake grabbed onto his arm, but when he tried to remove it, nothing budged.
“Eh, not really. I didn’t even say sorry.” He acted unfazed.
Through grunts, The Wildclaw responded, “Doesn’t matter! Just leave me alone!”
“Nope! Let me apologise first, and then I will.”
A third voice piped in, sounding like the Imperial’s. “Static just let him go. You can tell he doesn’t like this.”
The Sandsurge responded, “I don’t care, I’ll say sorry first.”
“Say sorry after you let him go.”
“I think you should know by now that I’m not going to listen to you.”
The Imperial sighed, walking arund to the front of the two, limping very slightly. “My apologies on his behalf. Static can be very stubborn.”
“Damn right.” Static smiled as he rose a thumbs up. The Imperial rolled his eyes.
“You are so much to deal with, you know that?”
“You didnt have to follow me in.”
“I fell in. That wasn’t my choice.”
“How the hell did you ‘fall in’?”
“I won’t talk about it.”
“Why? Embarrassing?” He smirked.
The Wildclaw, getting even further annoyed, decided to bite Static’s arm in hopes he’d release. The Sandsurge did, in fact, let him go, cradling his wounded arm like he held a child.
He cursed, “Sand’s breath! Why the hell-”
The other barked back, “I said to LET ME GO! What part of let me go DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?!”
Static, oddly grinning, lunged, taking both the Imperial and Wildclaw off guard. With a loud thump, he landed heavily on the smaller drake, sand spraying everywhere.
“OOf-”
“That sounded like a challenge!” Barely struggling, he managed to hold him down. “You want me to let go so badly? Make me!”
The Imperial rushed over to their side, exclaiming, “S-Static, stop! This isn’t necess-”
“This is totally necessary if he wants to fight so badly!”
“He never said-”
Suddenly, the Wildclaw went to bite another arm of Static’s. Static, thinking he would, rearranged his claw to grasp the Wildclaw’s maw, trying to keep it closed.
The Sandsurge chuckled. “No words are needed in a fight, Shoi!”
The Imperial softly gasped. He knew he was serious; Static just refered to him as his real name. Why though?
The twosome tussling started shuffling around everywhere, kicking up sand and dirt before rolling closer to the waters. The Wildclaw scratched and flailed, secretly moving them both towards the blue. If he just got him a little closer. . .
He felt Static laugh on him. “Meeting people is so fun! I didn’t know it could be get to something like this! This is way better than meeting Shoi!”
Shoi rolled his eyes before reverting back to his worried expression. To him, Static seemed so happy and energetic, but maybe too much. What if he hurt him without knowing?
As if to answer his thoughts, the Wildclaw, with strain, managed to topple the Sandsurge off of him into the water. Before Static could get back up, or really move, a fist slammed next to his head, and with it, a wave of ice instantly covering him like a blanket. The Wildclaw fiercely stood, breathing heavily. Not a single drip of blood had fallen from him, to Shoi’s surprise.
“Don’t MESS with me!” The smaller drake bellowed. “Kral is never laughed at. NEVER! Don’t take me as a FOOL, take me as your OPPONENT!” His frustrated eyes glared at the Sandsurge under the ice, who was frozen with a big grin on his face. They switched from him to Shoi in a second.
The Imperial felt nervous. “Uh. . .”
The Wildclaw started growling, stepping towards Shoi. Ice grew under his footsteps, becoming hard and sharp. “Were you thinking of laughing at me too, Imperial?”
Shoi began to walk backwards. “N-no no! I have nothing to laugh about!”
“You sure? You’re sure you’re not like your idiot over there?”
“Rest assured, I’m not like Static.” He roled his eyes again. “Definitely not like Static.”
The Wildclaw’s glare became harder, making Shoi even more worried; He looked as if he were to pounce at any moment.
Just moments before he actually were to, a loud crack sounded behind them, originating from the water. More cracks were heard as they turned around, the distant, but familiar, laughter erupted from the breaking chunks of ice on the shore. Shoi quietly gasped; the Wildclaw darted back.
Static, after the last crystals fell or melted off of him, sat up, chuckling to himself. He turned his head towards where he thought the other two were, greeted by the image of the Wildclaw speeding at him again. Smirking, he stood up, sparks starting to fly off his body; the smaller drake slowed, glaring and pausing at the water’s edge.
“. . .Aren’t you gonna try and attack me again?” Static asked, humored.
The other drake snuffed. “Don’t test me, Sandsurge.”
Static rose non-existant eyebrows, then leaned to the side to see Shoi and yelled back, “Even he knows what I am?!”
Shoi yelled back, while the third looked confused, “Probably so!”
Static leaned back, crossing his arms. “Yeah of course he would. Look, Kral was it? Honestly, I gotta thank you.” He rose a claw up.
Kral flinched, ready to counterattack; he was stumped to see Static’s hand out. Still not taking it, he asked, “. . .what for?”
“For givin’ me a thrill! What else for? I like you; you’re a lot better than Shoi is.”
The Wildclaw still stood there, confused and looking him up and down suspiciously. “. . .Shoi?”
“That guy over there.” He pointed with the same claw towards the Imperial, who remained far away. Static deadpanned. “Shoi, get the hell over here. Stop acting so scared.”
As the Imperial returned, Static looked back to Kral, who looked like he was trying to hide his defeat. The Sandsurge scoffed. “Pal, are you just this angry all the time or something?”
Kral huffed, looking even further away. “I don’t have to answer.”
“. . .That’s a yes when I know it-”
“No it’s not!” He growled at Static; Static just chuckled.
Shoi, having just met up with them, interrupted, “Static, I’m sure you said something rude about either of us. I swear I heard you say something about me.”
Static answered, “Yeah, you’re right, I did. He’s a lot better than you. You’re boring.”
Shoi sighed.
“And a scaredy cat.”
“Odd you know what that is.”
“And a-” Static stopped, yanking one of Shoi’s arms the Imperial was leaning on more, causing him to fall.
“Gah-”
“And a damn know-it-all who can’t keep his mouth shut. Stop bringing that up.”
Through a groan, Shoi replied, “Sorry.”
As he stood back up, Kral piped in, “What’s he talking about?”
Static intervened, “Nothing. It’s just something he knows he should stop talking about so much.”
The Imperial sat himself down, resting his arms and legs after giving up trying to stand again. He sighed, “Maybe you should talk about something else then.”
“You brang it up–don’t sound like I started this.” He huffed. Kral started to turn to leave before Static caught him by an arm hug again, this time far less aggressive.
“Ghh!-”
“Where are you even going? Is there something else to do here?”
Kral calmly removed Static’s arm while explaining, “Yes, I need to go train.”
“For what?”
“Have you never heard of the war that’s been raging here for years?”
Shoi and Static looked at each other in disbeilef before Static chuckled. “Pfft, no??? Neither of us have ever been here before.”
Kral immediately sped forward, pulling his claws up to Static’s neck. “You’re spies for the other side?!”
Static looked unfazed, removing Kral’s arm. “No. Do we even look like we’re from the other side?”
Shoi asked, “Who is the other side?”
Before Kral could answer, Static joked, “Well if this guy lives on a beach, don’t you think the opponent would be something like fire or whatever?”
The Wildclaw, seriously, answered, “Yes. You’re correct.”
“. . .oh.”
“We’re stuck in a stalemate,” Kral began. “For so long have we fought against each other, but recently, we’ve found ourselves tugging at each other with the same force. Neither side is able to progress as a winner or loser, and it’s nagging at us.”
“Damn.”
Shoi looked sympathetic. “Goodness.”
“Wait, what exactly are you doing in this? Are you just hitting people with ice shards or something?”
Kral glowered at Static. “Of course not. I have a very important role in this war.”
“What-”
“I’m not allowed to disclose it.”
“...said that kinda fast.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yeah. . .yeah you did.” He smirked.
“Well, either way, I still can’t disclose it.”
“. . .you don’t have anything, do you?”
“OF COURSE I DO!”
Shoi tried, “S-Static, maybe-”
Kral stepped forward menacingly. “You wouldn’t understand. You’re not embedded in a long-raging war like I am. I have things to do far more important than you could ever even do.”
Static responded, “If that’s the case, what are you doing alone on the beach while there’s a war going on?”
Everyone went silent. Shoi looked anxious; Static smiled; Kral clenched his fists; nobody said anything for a long second.
Then Kral threw a fist towards the Sandsurge.
Shoi jumped in surprise, while Static immediately caught it, thrusting it down but not letting go. Sparks started to fly off his body as Kral spoke.
“Don’t you DARE test me, Static!-”
“Glad to hear you know my name-”
“I won’t be ridiculed by the likes of you!-”
“Then don’t!-”
The two kept at each other, Kral’s fist trying its hardest to force against Static’s claw holding it back. Shoi nervously watched the two bicker, all three oblivious to the ice creeping up Static’s arm.
Now, one wouldn’t really think lightning sparks and ice wouldn’t do much, if anything. One would think that. Sounds weird, right?

Then a portal opened right under Kral.

Kral was trying to use his magic as extra power to force against the Sandsurge’s claw when he suddenly pushed an immense amount out. With the Ice magic colliding with Static’s electricity spouting everywhere, it had caused some sort of reaction that, for some reason, probably plot progression, created a portal underneath him. He let go of the Sandsurge the moment he could feel the ground disappear below, dropping inside with an exiting yelp.
“AAaaahh!-”
Static, thinking he won, shouted, “I knew I’d-Ah!-” he unfortunately fell inside seconds later.
Shoi was attempting to run off again, but fell in as well once the portal expanded like last time. Luckily, just the tips of his fur brushed against the edge, crisping it ever-so-slightly as he passed.



All three, in order, landed in a wide expanse, filled with flora and buzzing with life. Kral was found in a tree, Static’s head was stuck in the ground, and Shoi, eventually, landed halfway in a bush, half in the nearby creek.
Kral flailed around, trying to unstick himself from the branches. He was able to break them away after a few tries, falling from the one he was sitting on and reaching the ground next to Shoi. The Imperial just laid there like he was tired of it.
After picking himself up, the Wildclaw walked over to where he thought he saw Shoi’s head, watching as he glanced at him for a moment before looking away. Kral perked up at the sound of Static muffled nearby, turning to find him, only his head, stuck in the ground. Sighing, he walked up to his body trying to pull himself out and pushed at his side, helping him pop out his head.
Static rolled onto his side after his head came out, laid there, looked up to Kral, and gave a thumbs up with a smile. Kral rolled his eyes.
“I can’t even think how just your head got stuck in there.”
Ignoring his remark completely, Static asked, “Can I guess what Shoi looks like?”
Kral shrugged.
“He’s sprawled out somewhere nearby and he looks bored.”
He nodded his head, turning it towards the Imperial’s direction as the Sandsurge picked himself up. Standing, they both headed to Shoi, who still remained halfway in the water.
Upon arriving, they heard him sigh gently. “I’m back home. . .”
Static looked around as they stopped. “Oh yeah, this place does kinda look like where I landed the first time.”
Kral bristled, double-taking. “What do you mean the first time??”
“Heh, yeah. I did the same thing you just did, and it sent me here, where I met Shoi. Then we talked, then I did it again by accident, then we met you-”
“Wait wait wait, I didn’t do anything. What are you talking about?”
“I mean, I didn’t do it for sure; I always feel it whenever I do it.”
“Do what???”
Static pointed up; Kral craned his head upward to find a small hole in the air, its rim looking sharp and the inside colored like his beach’s sky.
As he watched it close and vanish, the Sandsurge continued, “I didn’t feel anything when it appeared, which is why it caught me off guard. I completely doubt Shoi did it for numerous reasons, so it has to be you.”
Kral looked back down. “Why not Shoi?”
Shoi piped in, “Yes, why not me?”
Static answered, “Shoi, we both know you wouldn’t. Plus, I bet you’d be freaking out by what happened if you did do it.”
“Well who says I did, I just didn’t feel it?”
“Kral, did you feel anything literally a moment or two before it showed up?”
The Wildclaw thought for a moment. “. . .I think so? I thought it was just my magic.” He sighed, shaking his head.
“Me too. I dunno what I can really do, but I know I can shoot sparks and make random holes in the air. Kinda like you now, but you don’t shoot sparks.”
“I don’t wanna believe I did that. That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Oh well. You’re gonna have to put up with it now.”
Kral grumbled as Shoi spoke. “Well, now since you both can portal, and I cannot for some reason, you two can go back to your places now. I can stay here, where I originally was before all this.” He huffed, turning his head. Static shook his.
“There’s no way I’m going back, especially knowing I can go to different places now. That damn desert is the last place Ill ever think about going back to.”
Kral looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“I lived somewhere else before all this, Kral. I had no clue I could make those things. Really wish I did years ago though; otherwise I would’ve left that hellhole sooner.”
“You lived in a desert?”
He nodded solemly. “Yeah, until I met Shoi. By falling out of the sky. Actually, it was the same way we met you. I made a portal by accident, and then fell inside.”
“. . .Right.”
“Anything’s better than that desert,” he commented coldly. “I’ve been stuck there for too long; it’s about time I finally went somewhere else.”
Kral readjusted his silks. “I couldn’t understand that feeling; I always seem to find myself busied with something,war-related or not.”
“Lucky you.”
“That’s not lucky Static.”
“It is when you’re me and you’ve never seen another person in your life until now.”
“. . .oh. B-but how???”
“Don’t ask. I have no idea either.” Static seemed out of the mood to speak more about the topic.
Shoi intervened, “Uh, no one needs to ask anyway. I’m sure well all have something to do anyway. Kral, did you need to leave?”
Static growled, “That’s still about the topic Shoi; you know I have nothing to do, especially now that Kral is leaving.”
“You can probably find Manya somewhere nearby, you know.”
Kral stated, his voice fading out as the sentence continued, “I mean, I guess I could. . .stay. . .a bit longer. . .-”
The Sandsurge immediately side-hugged him again, to Kral’s surprise.
“Ghack!-”
“Aw hell yeah! I thought you had tough war stuff to do though?!”
Through a grunt, he answered, “Yeah, well, I’m sure they’ll be fine without me for a little while longer; seeming as we’re in a stalemate anyway-oof!”
“Woo! Alright then! I have no idea what we’re gonna do, but I’ll think of something-oh! We should go find Manya!”
“Who’s Manya??”
Grinning, he answered, “Oh, you’ll like her. Probably. I dunno, You’re kinda iffy around people, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He turned around, still hugging Kral, and took up Shoi’s tail. “You’re coming too, fuzzy crystal.”
“Fuzzy crystal???”
Shoi groaned, embarrassed. “Don’t ask.”
Static snickered, saying, “I bet she’ll call you something like icy or whatever.” Releasing his arm around the Wildclaw’s neck, he strode forward, tugging the Imperial right behind him. Kral watched him as his head dove under the water, then rose back onto the land limply.
“Do you really mind that?”
Shoi shrugged. “I’m used to this by now; Static will probably drag me around anywhere like a child.”
Static, in the front, responded, “I don’t really care; he doesn’t do much about it anyway.”
Kral, surprised, continued behind Static. “Huh. Okay. You sure you know where you’re going though?”
“Yeah, I think so. I remember seeing this area before Manya found us. We’ll be fine, and if we aren’t, I’ll ask Shoi for directions.”
Shoi grunted in the back as a rock slid under his head.
“See? We’ll be fine.”
The Wildclaw felt dubious. “I don’t think that was in agreement.”
“He’ll do it anyway.”
He sighed. “Whatever then. I guess I’m following you now.”

Written by Gubyub 567852