Specialists and their Dragons
this is a part two of this post, where I expand on Specialists' dragons and their role in their lives!!
all dragons are given "fancier" names at their birth, issued by the clerics stationed in Red Fountain. Sky's dragon is named Merciful Wraith of Pre-Dawn Blizzard, the second.
for obvious reasons, riders are allowed to pick "nicknames" for their dragons.
hers is Pearl, given to her for her snow-white scales.
she is a calm-mannered, small dragon, who is as quick as lightning.
Sky worries too much to ride her into open battle, but he flies with her for leasure and recon often.
Pearl loves diving in rivers - one of the only times when she becomes animated and playful - and has a bad habit of dragging Sky down with her. the girl just gets so excited when she sees a body of water!
Sky resorts to just jumping out of his saddle when she spots any river, and hoping for only a slightly-traumatic landing.
Pearl loooves Bloom (most dragons do), is playfully antagonistic towards Brandon (headbutts him and lightly nibbs on his arm) and shy around Helia. She is very spoilt by Sky and uses that to her advantage often.
despite her calm demeanor, she is still a dragon and will rip heads off - has done so in fact, to protect her rider.
Riven's dragon is a BIG BOI, much larger than average dragons. He has a dusty pelt and scar-laden skin, accumulated over the long years of his life.
the name was Death’s Harbinger and he was easily the most aggressive/mistrustful of all dragons. even Codatorta, the most skilful rider of Red Fountain, could reliably control the great dragon half the time.
Riven looked into Harbinger’s big, milky, sad eyes and went all lifetime movie - horse girl - “I can tame him” on the poor dude.
after a long routine of slowly earning his trust, then getting adjusted to each other, Riven bonded with Fang - Harbinger’s new nickname.
Fang is a traumatised old dragon, whose size and temperament should be accounted for at all times - but he is also a huge grump. if Fang wants to nap, he’ll lay down on a sun-heated rock and won’t move for the next four hours.
Fang is also territorial over his rider and will puff smoke at Riven - to make him retain his scent, and therefore his mark of protection. Riven is very annoyed, because he doesn’t like smelling like wet dragon all of the time.
to both Riven and Sky’s chagrin… Pearl and Fang love each other.
Fang does add +171627282 points to Riven’s intimidation factor.
Brandon gave up his right to ride his dragon, since he didn’t pursue dragon-riding lessons beyond a school-mandated course
the reason he didn’t is because his team already had two dragon riders - Riven and Sky - and Brandon wanted the team to be well-rounded.
but Brandon loved the freedom of flying and loved his dragon Synrise (ex the Scorching Might of Twin Suns). it was heartbreaking for him.
Synrise is a beauty among dragons, with a golden shimmer to her peach-coloured scales and expressive brown eyes. Usually, she was a well-behaved younging, but she certainly gave Brandon hell.
Synrise hated getting mud or grime on herself and would actively misbehave to avoid that, didn’t like staying in the barracks with the other dragons, and was a horrifyingly picky eater.
Although she liked Stella, Synrise would always get overly excited and play too roughly with the fairy.
both the dragon and Brandon loveeed flying together, though, going high and performing tricks.
her and Pearl got along fine, but Synrise is deathly afraid of Fang.
once Brandon stopped riding her, she would refuse to even look at him when he would come for visits.
but she would leave him little tokens afterwards, on his balcony - usually in the form of dead dears, stolen motorbikes or tree trunks.
since Dream died, Helia hasn’t ridden any other dragon.
Dream was picked as an egg by Saladin, and raised by the older wizard’s hands. Saladin promised his grandson that Dream (then, Regal Legacy) would be his upon Helia’s enrolment to the Red Fountain.
Dream’s scales were a gradient of red and black, carefully maintained and shiny. He was both decently strong and fast, and had a slim, black tail.
Dream was obedient and stoic, a dutiful shadow behind its rider. he rarely betrayed a command, and only when needed to ensure their survival.
Dream was also… shy! he loved to nuzzle into Helia’s chest, or drab his tail over the young man’s legs, but only if they were alone and Helia was the first to initiate contact. he napped the best when Helia curled around him.
Helia, at the time, was obsessed with self-perfection and training, exhausting himself beyond limits. Dream, who always responded to his emotions deeply, took after his rider. He too, grew restless and weak.
Helia knows that it was his fault Dream was killed - the dragon was much too exhausted, to fight through a haze of monsters on a mission Helia led. If not for his own destructive habits, Dream might’ve been alive and well, scouring through skylines. as it stood now, he didn’t even have a body to bury.
one of the only keepsakes Helia retained is Dream’s scales. He always carries one in his pocket. A reminder.
from smallest to biggest: Pearl -> Dream -> Synrise -> Fang
