Pure Imagination

A:N/ Hulllllo again. I just wanted to say Im grateful people are excited I returned to this story. I felt bad for abandoning it. It is a fun story to write, and the characters seem to stand behind me and give commentary lol. Anyway, I'll be keeping this up and would be happy to send out update notices. Just leave meh an email address or something and I'll send a meepit to fetch you. :) Btw, you may wanna hang out the story, cuz on a good night I can crank out 2 or three chapters for updates

In the Land of a Million Drums there is always something going on, on, on on
If you cant locate your thought of might as well go take your dead on home, home, home home..


Saturn had indeed gotten chastised for running off without letting Braxton know where she had been. The centaur was stressed by the fact that she had already been abducted once. Evidence of his distress was all over her room. He had pulled all the clothing out of her closet, torn the sheets off of the bed, and had even moved the large bed a fraction of an inch to see if she was hiding under it. He apologized, cheeks flaming, then informed her she was free to wander the grounds while he got someone to fix it all. Now, she was doing just that, happy to observe the men as they practiced in the courtyard. Her encounter with Akil had been pushed to the back of her mind for the time being. Braxton had taken the blonde to a tavern, lecturing him the entire time. She could understand their wanting to get a few minutes more of fun before they were forced to leave again. Luckily for her though, Braxton and Akil both were in a group lead by Harmon that was not due to leave for three days instead of the one. She watched a few younger males eagerly spar with each other. But not minutes into their mock battle, they suddenly stopped. Saturn was a bit lost for a minute, until a large shadow suddenly over took the courtyard. "My dear Saturn! I was hoping I would find you!" She glanced up, and cried out in delight. Ziggory was hovering a few feet off the ground, staring down at her. "Ziggory! What are you doing here?" The dragon touched down on the now very clear courtyard and folded his wings in. He bent his head down to her level. "I have come to find you and take you back to my home with me...I am in need of your services". She glanced around. The warriors had all but vanished from the yard, some having not been present when the dragon had first crash landed in their banquet hall. "I am in need of your young friend...what was her name.." "Esephle?" He nodded. "yes her..where can she be found?" Saturn raked her mind. She had seen Esephle in the market place. She told the dragon such, and he wasted no time in picking her up and placing her on his back. She winced as the sound of his claws digging into the side of a turret reached her. He had to be higher in order to take off. The dragon spread his wings, flexed them a few times then swiveled his head around to look at her. "Holding on then? I have perfected my flying skills now that my wings no longer feel like lead". She nodded, and gripped the base of his wings, then let out a tiny scream as the ground suddenly rushed away from her. She could see the centaurs and elves who were now gathering in the courtyard, staring and pointing up at them. Ziggory smiled faintly. "I am sure I am now permanently banned from the castle grounds...ah well..." She laughed, and risked a look over his sides. The market place was a flurry of activity. The dragon was scanning the ground. " Sir Braxton will not be happy with me", she informed him, still looking down for signs of the nymph. "Why is that?" "I am leaving again without telling him...he feels some odd need to keep me safe". Ziggory snorted, and a small flame shot out of his nose. "I would like to see him try and lecture a dragon, honestly. Do you see her yet?" Saturn squinted, then pointed. "There...next to the silk stall". Ziggory chuckled. "You have good eye sight my dear..hang on..."

Braxton and Akil both were lounging outside the tavern, watching people go by. Braxtons lecture had ended a few minutes ago, and Akil felt like his ears would be buzzing forever. They sipped their ale lightly, then almost choked when something large, red, and scaly suddenly swooped down and landed not to far away, sending people screaming in the opposite direction from it. "What the hell!?" Braxton had to be patted heavily on the back, Akil's eyes were wide. "Thats the damn dragon from before..what the hell is he doing here!?" The creature turned and spoke to something on his back. A pink head appeared above one of its wings and Braxton yelped in alarm. "Saturn! I told her to stay in the grounds dammit!" Akil stared at the pink headed girl, wanting to yell the same thing. The large reptile placed something else next to the girl, spread its wings, and took off, sending people into cover as they tried to avoid its back draft. "SATURN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Saturn peered over Ziggory's side, hearing someone shouting her name. Both Braxton and Akil were quickly shrinking below them as the dragon gained more air. "Im sorry Braxton! He needs me for something..I'll be back I promise!" Esephle was gripping her waist tightly, watching the ground quickly drop as well. "Why do I have to come along then?"she whimpered, not at all enjoying the sensation of flying. Ziggory sniffed. "I need both of you...the dragon council is having a slight problem resolving the creature herding issue...they were most appalled to think I had been captured of course...but when I told them of you Saturn, they wished to meet you". Esephle let out a tiny sob. "That STILL has nothing to do with me!" Ziggory glanced back at them. "I simply thought you would enjoy seeing the mountains".

Braxton was pacing his room, Akil watching on in amusement. "How could he just come in here and steal her like that? I thought Dragon's were polite creatures, never taking unless asking." Akil rested his head in his hands. "Im sure he asked her Braxton..." Braxton scowled at his friend. "The enemy is on the move, ever gaining closer to us. She cannot simply be running off with dragons because they ask". Akil shifted. He wasn't going to say anything, but secretly, he agreed with his hot headed friend. He didn't wish any harm to come to the young woman either. His liking for her was to great.

The clouds felt moist and cool on Saturn's skin as they soared far above them. When Ziggory did decide to drop below to make sure he wasn't going to run into the mountains he made his home, she was amazed at how much land rolled below them. Esephle had her face buried in the pink haired woman's back, refusing to look or unlatch herself. Ziggory hummed cheerfully to himself, obviously delighted to be having company. After a few minutes, he finally descended below the cloud line. A large mountain range loomed ahead of them, and the dragon was angling himself a bit. "Ziggory, do you live in the mountains?" Saturn asked. He considered her question for a moment, then stated calmly", not exactly. We live more in-between them...in a valley that they surround. Its a rather lovely site..." She frowned. "Well..if you live so securely..how did trolls catch you to begin with?" He laughed, the sound reverberating through his body. "I have an affinity to visit the neighboring Witch and Wizard...they trade me books for my loose scales. Saturn blinked, startled. She had forgotten all about both the scale and the whistle she had been given. "Why do you give them your scales?" Esephle's voice was muffled, but the Dragon heard her clearly none the less. "They like to use them for scribing...it lasts much longer then a crystal ball...and is considerably much cheaper when you trade a dragon directly rather then an elf or dwarf who just happened to find one.Hang on.." Saturn only had a second to tighten her grip on him, as the Dragon suddenly folded his wings and plummeted a good forty feet. She could see the mountain coming closer. "Ziggory...the mountain". He didn't respond, but instead pulled his wings tight against his body and stretching himself out to be as thin as possible. "Ziggory...ziggory!...ZIGGORY!" Both Nymph and girl screamed as the mountain loomed closer and closer, until suddenly Saturn felt the odd sensation of passing through a spider web. She opened one eye hesitantly. They were in a large, watery cavern. Ziggory smirked. "You didn't honestly think I would purposely harm either of you...we dragons haven't lived as long as we have without some sort of illusions to keep ourselves safe. A mountain that seems solid is a very good one mind you". He flapped his wings a few times, regaining the air he had lost in their plunge. Finally, after what seemed like hours, there was another spider web sensation, and then....brilliant..brilliant sunlight. Saturn gasped softly, awed by the scenery before her. The valley stretched out in winding hills and a river that ran through it. Below them, more dragons lounged in sun patches, warming themselves before flight. A few were bathing in the large river. "Esephle..look..." The nymph shook her head. "No! I don't want to look!" Saturn tugged on her arm. "You have to...come on..." Esephle squinted through her fingers, then gasped as well. "Oh..my..goodness..its so...so..." "Exquisite we like to think". Ziggory was slowly coming lower and lower, and the ground went from being a blur of colors to something solid. He touched down lightly at the rivers edge, and stretched lazily, before allowing the two females on his back to slide off. Saturn landed with a soft thump, but Esephle misjudged her landing and landed on her behind. Ziggory pulled her up then turned his attention to Saturn. "Much airier then that silly castle they have you cooped up in", he stated cheerfully, before starting off. "Follow me, if you will". Saturn looked at Esephle, then shrugged and followed behind the large dragon, looking around as she did so. Other dragons, all in a multitude of colors, watched as they passed, curious. A large, black male suddenly stepped in front of them. He was slightly bigger then Ziggory, but the red dragon merely smiled "Hullo Mandrid...a pleasure to see you again". Mandrid eyed Ziggory in a manor that suggested he found the red dragon to be of mild interest. "WHy did you bring them here?" Ziggory ducked his head. "Clearly, Mandrid, you were not present at the recent meeting". "I was away...what has that to do with it?" "Not so long ago i was contained, intended to be sold to the countries enemies for use as a weapon...these young females were with me...one of them saved me..." He wrapped his tail possessively around Saturn's waist. His amber eyes never left the black dragon. "The council requested to meet her...and her companion...in order to see if the claims were true. I was not the only one captured Mandrid...others could have already been sold...as a race we can't allow this..now please...excuse us". The black dragon reluctantly stepped aside, and Saturn followed Ziggory once more, after he released her. "Mind the others not Saturn my dear..they have no reason what so ever to like any other creature beyond themselves." His voice was a low purr as he led them on. Saturn silently wondered what Ziggory might look like in her own world. SHe smiled at the thought, then stopped when he did so. In front of them, a dais rose up. Surrounding it were other Dragons, all just as brightly colored as Ziggory, but showing much more age. The largest of them all, a green female, watched them as they approached. "Ziggory...you have brought them to us then?" He bowed his head. "Yes Esmende...this is Saturn..the one who freed me and her companion who was held captive as well, Esephle." Saturn was pushed forward. The green dragon examined her. "Tell us young one...is all our friend say true..?" Saturn looked back at Ziggory who nodded, encouraging her to answer. She looked back at the green reptile, then took a deep breathe and begin to tell of what had happened....as well as how she had even ended up there. Something told her the dragons would understand this better then anyone else.

When she had finished her tale, the council had talked amongst themselves. Ziggory and Esephle were looking at her in awe. "So...so your not a nymph?" Esephle asked quietly, eyes wide. Saturn shook her head. "No...Im just a normal human..." "I find that amazing that you came here so unexpectedly...from another world indeed". Ziggory sighed, as if this was all so sensible. Saturn shook her head then turned her attention back to the dragon council, who seemed to have finished their discussion. Esmende bowed her head in Saturns direction. "We have decided...that you must be a goddess sent to us from where ever your world is hidden. Perhaps as a sign to help with the war." Saturn almost choked. Esephle patted her back gently as she coughed. "A...a what? Goddess? No..no...Im far from a goddess...I just...I don't...I mean..." She sighed. "Look, Im not really sure why I came here...in all honesty...creatures like Ziggory and Sir Braxton and the trolls...there all things I keep in my room...dolls and..and models and stuff...I mean...." She took the Braxton doll out of her pocket and stared down at it. The little cloth thing frowned up at her, clearly as displeased as his real life self was. It had occurred to her that the doll often reflected whatever the real Braxtons mood was at the time. Right now, by the frown adorning the dolls face, he was horribly displeased. "All of them seem to have lives of their own...they always moved..I just...never noticed...maybe its all just...my imagination?" She hugged the doll close and closed her eyes.

When she opened them....she let out a gasp. Her room...she was back in her room. She stared around herself, mesmerized. "Im...Im home?" Her many dolls were still scattered. And she suddenly realized, she had new ones. Near her pile of unwashed clothes, the dragon doll stood, but next to him was a little green haired woman. The braxton doll was still frowning at her, if anything, his expression had intensified. She glanced around, curious as to what else had happened. She was startled to find the troll doll under a basket, looking very unhappy indeed. Two blonde centaur dolls were sitting inside her castle model, clearly distressed. She set Braxton down with them. The toy centaur pushed one of the blondes down,and she realized it closely resembled Akil. She stared at the dolls for a moment, then made a sound in the back of her throat. "Wait if Im really home...for reals....why can you still move?" The doll gave her an irritated look. The Akil doll he had pushed down was weakly moving its legs, and the other had a large grin on its face. The wings of the stuffed dragon moved, and the little green haired one merely huddled in on itself. The troll was testing the basket, but a pile of books made moving it impossible for the small thing. She sat down on her bed and brought her knees up. Suddenly, she got an idea. "Charlene." She scrambled off the bed, leaping over the little dragon doll who was trying to get her attention as well as the castle and its tiny occupants, who she could have swore let out miniscule screams of freight, afraid she was going to crush them. She reached the door and yanked it open, expecting to see her hallway. Instead....what she saw was somebody else's house, as well as a very startled looking man in purple robes. She recognized him instantly. "Gregory!"