"You know, for someone so adamant about maintaining their societal 'masculinity', you sure have been showing lots of sensitivity." Emboreale looked at Lovey from the corner of her eye. "That wouldn't be very 'masculine', would it?" she wondered aloud.
"That's-!" Lovey couldn't being herself to yell. "That's not true," she preferred to say with a much calmer tone."
Emboreale twirled around the pink dragoness yet again, an almost child-like smile adorning her face. The lights in the chamber started fluttering rapidly, and Lovey could see the dragon's throat moving. She was readying it for something. Then, a horrifying thought entered her mind.
"Wait, are you going to sing? Because if you are, then I'm getting out of he--"
Lovey was interrupted and locked in place by Emboreale locking the pink dragoness in the coil of her serpentine body. The serpent's usually feminine-but-sarcastic tone of voice turned into more serene, smoother voice. And, more importantly, less sarcastic.
The little dragon, who once was someone else. She was brought to our world to live another life and clean her old.
Yet she is still fraught with mental perils that she sees rising from the land as she walks forward. Running in fear with each that she sees, her pace gradually going faster and faster.
Emboreale flew around, her serpentine body creating multiple different patterns and gestures in the air.
"Please stop."
Her words always come with strength and sturdiness, but these are only wraps for her fears and insecurities.
"I'm not insecure!"
I can see that her soul wants but to care and love, but her fears prevent her from accepting these feelings. Her insecurities prevent her from giving these despite the want nurturing at the back of her head.
Why do you reject what comes naturally to every creature? Everyone has different ways of displaying their loves, be they insect small or dragon large. Though they may seem strange to us, it is natural to them, and love is still love.
"I'm cringing so hard."
Love is not something to be feared, but loved. It is the code that we live by, and we didn't help the dragons, then none of us would be here, and all that would roam through our souls would be hatred.
Lovey put a hand to her mouth. "I think I'm gonna puke."
Emboreale smacked Lovey behind the head. "Would you just let me sing?" she asked. "It's not like I got infected by the ponies a while back and need to get this out of my system."
The pink dragoness keeled back, surprised from the sudden change in attitude.
"Now where was I, again?"
All of theses only serve to tarnish your soul, and I can see that the chains and bells wrapped tightly around it aren't by your own hands. And though those who would chain you might not have done so with ill intentions, they still sought to inhibit your mind with the links and poison your soul with the metal. They did leave you with one gift, though. The light gathered around Emboreale's hand to form into a key, which she moved to Lovey. They left you the key. You need only grab it and unlock the restrictions placed upon you.
"Are you done now?"
"Yes." Emboreale rested back upon her usual spot and made a sigh of satisfaction. "I apologize if the lyrics seemed off. I am out of practice. Still, I think it's time you go back up there."
"Why now?"
"Because I think you understand what you need to do now." The serpent smiled.
"I was more preoccupied with trying to not listen."
The serpent huffed. "Sure you were. Just remember that you won't be able to get back home until you open yourself up. No one here will judge you for what you do...except if you try to kill someone or fight unprovoked or--"
"I GET IT! Just get me back up there!"
"As you wish."
The pueric mother returned soon after to grab Lovey and bring her back to the surface, yet the serpent was not left alone for long. The colossal dragon came back down to talk with the First 'Lovie Dovie'.
"So?" she wondered. Her voice held a hint of worry in it.
"She's killing herself," Emboreale said. "Her mind is falling to pieces, and her emotions are bubbling into a cesspool of poison. If she doesn't learn to open herself up instead of holding in her emotions for her 'masculinity', then I'm afraid she'll end up 'breaking' and trying to kill herself."
Pueric exhaled and paced around, trying to find a solution. "Should I try to find things she might like or leave her alone somewhere in the gardens and see what she does discreetly?"
"That last idea sounds good. You know where to leave her specifically?"
"There's the fruit garden. The trees are blooming again, and several colorful birds have decided to roost there. Some of the lovie dovies noticed she seems to deviate towards flowers when they're nearby. It's almost like she forgets everything around her, albeit just briefly."
"That's good. Go with that idea."
"Anything else I should know about?"
Emboreale coughed loudly, letting out some sparkles and light. "How did that get in there?" She cleaned herself off and continued talking. "Yes. It's not whatever backwards society as a whole that put her in that mindset. It's a few select individuals."
Pueric scratched her head. "Should I send her to the ponies after? They're quite joyful and open."
Emboreale laughed ironically. "Are you serious?! If Lovey's previous life was about holding things in, then the ponies are the complete opposite! You can't fight fire with lava! You fight it with water."
Pueric started thinking and spoke in a low tone of voice. "Then I'll stick with my first idea. Don't let the others see her display her affection or she won't show it. Let her gradually become comfortable in the way she WANTS to behave. Maybe we'll learn why this train of thought was pounded into her for so long, too."
"That's a very thought out plan. It's good to always take small steps rather than chuck a young dragon off the ledge and let hope she flies."
The pueric mother realized something. "I don't mean to interrupt yor 'words of wisdom', but did you help her actually learn how to fly?"
No words were exchanged, and the serpent nervously tapped her claws together while looking left and right.
"Well?"
"I kinda forgot?!" she smiled sheepishly. The pueric mother groaned with frustration. "Oh come on!" Emboreale said. "It's not like I've had much contact with the outside world. I only NOW just made a song." She put a hand to her chest. "You have no idea how long I've had the need to sing," she mumbled desperately. "It was such a RUSH! I could sing agaaaaii--" She raised her arm in the air and start melodically stretching the word 'again' until the Pueric Mother raised her hand to stop her.
"Please don't. I know you love singing, but I would rather you not do that while I'm trying to learn more about Lovey Dovey."
"Oh." Emboreale returned to her resting spot and crossed her arms upon her long body. "I thought you were going to say that you hated my singing or that I was making you 'cringe'."
Pueric stretched her mouth and raised an eyebrow over narrowed eyes. "Let me guess: Lovey Dovey said that?"
"Yes."
"Of course she did," the dragon whispered to herself. "Is there anything else about her that I need to know?"
"Only that she's close to snapping if she has that much pressure put on her like she had in the crater. She won't make it until she's decided to release everything by her own volition. So, please." Emboreale joined her hands and pleaded. "Be gentle with her. She's both one of the toughest and most fragile things I've encountered in my long life."
"I will do just that. Thank you."
"Oh, and give her a hug." Emboreale squee'd. "She's so cute when she gets embarrassed or flustered."
"I'll do that. Thank you, First One." The pueric mother bowed.
"Please don't call me that," Emboreale complained. "Makes me feel old."
"Wh-You literally just mentioned your age earlier."
"Yes, but when I say it, it makes me seem wise and with experience."
"I'm leaving now."
"Okay, good bye," Emboreale waved a hand. "And watch her closely."
Pueric nodded and reactivated the platform. It was almost a saddening view to see all the beautiful lights around dim down into blackness, but the Pueric Mother felt comfort in knowing that the First was still there, watching and advising when she had uncertainties, as uncommon as they became nowadays.