A gleam of excitement could be seen in the elder dragon's eye as he continued, {{The both of you are going to help me in developing the innate magical abilities of these curious scale-kin.}}
Your jaw goes a little slack as you try to comprehend how ridiculous that request seems. You take a side-long glance at your cerulean bedfellow, taking in his own dumbfounded expression, taking a small moment to marvel at how expressive a face comprised of a snout, horns and ridged scales can be. {{You can't be serious....}} you reply, reflexively cocking an eyebrow; which comes across a bit awkward given your own draconic visage.
{{Oh, but I am!}} comes the strident remark from the over-sized, amethyst lizard {{It's actually quite impressive how potent their magics already are, given that they rely primarily on passive magics that they use instinctively. As far as I've discovered, there's never been an attempt to formalize its use!}} Blunt-snout is beginning to sound less and less his age as he goes on about his discoveries like an over-excited schoolchild who found an old coin while digging in his sandbox. The old reptile pauses for a moment, collecting himself to elaborate further {{It is my hypothesis that, if given proper training from a young enough age, Kobolds may make one of the most industrious sentient species in our world, paving the way for a revolution of magic industry that could pull their society out of the dark ages and into the future. Alliances brokered between the Kobold and Dragon societies will allow for mutual and significant advances in ways we could only dream of!}}
Well, credit where credit is due. He certainly has a vision, but how realistic could it possibly be? You try to think back to something Diz was saying a couple days ago, but he interrupts with his own broadcast {{The elders would never agree to this... They are extremely resistant to any form of change, no matter how small, always pining for the good old days, back when they were taught how the world worked and what traditions were to be followed}} You nod your head in agreement, that is a significant hurdle to overcome. The sheer scale of Blunt-snout's ambitions may make this a nearly insurmountable task, especially if he intends diplomatic resolutions. These elders don't seem like the type to change their stance on these issues, at least not quietly.
{{The good old days...}} The large dragon scoffs with a dismissive wave of his left wing {{ what good old days? They forget, then, how it was during the Warring Tribes; Egos on full display, traditions thrown away and forged anew over night, casualties of countless raids, conflict raging in the sky, the ash from the world set ablaze enough to blot out the sun only to be replaced by the twilight of our burning homes! Is this the world they pine for? Or is it the one they built on tenuous truces, political posturing and corruption? How so convenient that the rules dictated by the eldest few benefit but the eldest...}} Blunt-snout is visibly fuming with his tirade, smoke pouring out of his gullet as a white-hot flame burns in the back of his throat. With his scales bristling and his face in a wretched snarl, you begin to back away from the unstable drake. You find you're not the only one as you bump into slowly retreating Kobolds and Diz as well.
{{Maybe we should get out of here while our scales are still on our hides...}} proposes Dizzy-tail, {{I really think he's out of his mind and wont to too bothered to make us casualties of his war, either...}} You nod, taking another step back and crouching low into the colourful crowd of diminutive Kobolds.
{{Wait!}} Blunt-snout calls out, regaining some of his earlier composure {{I am sorry for my out burst, but those were dark times and the other elders forget that I am just as old as they and older, if truth be told. I remember those days very well; the Treachery, the Night of Shattered Scales, the Drake's Eve massacre. The loss was terrible, we brought ourselves to the brink of annihilation and barely managed to scrape ourselves back from the point of no return.}} This impromptu history lesson is a little overwhelming to you, a shiver runs down your spine as you look back at Diz to see if he can confirm any of these details. He looks about as taken aback as you.
{{B-but what about the heroes? The ones who saved us from that disastrous era of conflict? Who only fought because they had to, who always took the moral high ground? What about Iron-scale the Unbreakable? or Silver-fang the Defiant? or even Quick-paw the Messenger?}} Dizzy starts rattling of some of what he was taught in his own history classes with the elders back home. A small phrase you'd heard some time ago comes floating back into your memory as Blunt-snout replies to Dizzy.
{{Many are of them are works of fiction at best; at worst, they were butchers, directly involved in the slaughter of hundreds of innocents. You ever wonder why so many 'heroes' died during the conflict? It's not a story without glorious martyrdom and it's also pretty difficult to converse with the dead about what truly happened}} The purple dragon says with a hint of pity in his voice for your friend's apparent naivety.
You speak up, {{History is written by the victors after all, right?}} looking at the grim faces in front of you. Dizzy looks as though his entire world has shattered and he's trying desperately to glue the pieces back together. He's pretty shaken.
{{I-I don't... I can't - they wouldn't lie about that! Would they? Could they?! It's such a pivotal moment in our history! They can't just bury something like that, it's not possible! I can't except that...}} Blunt-snout lets Dizzy have his moment, not interfering with his tantrum {{I know that much was lost in those years, lots of our lore went up in smoke, though some was saved by... but he was killed in... but then she... no... no, it's too clean, too perfect... too... manufactured? Like, is it possible...? I-I think I need some time alone.}} Dizzy turns tail and retreats into the stables again. You move to go after him, but Blunt-snout stops you.
{{Leave him be, Amber, he needs time to himself, to reconcile with what he has heard. We will know soon enough what he decides he wants to believe. Come, I must go over what we are about to do}} He motions for you to follow him and reluctantly you turn away from the stables. The young Kobolds chirping and squawking as they march in lock-step behind you.
It's not long before you've entered a large field near the edge of the surrounding woods, there is a tower-like structure on the far side of the clearing, a large area of slate rock forms a raised platform in the middle of the field and closest to you is a swath of tall grass - in which you could hide much larger creatures than even the elder dragon guiding you - you add to yourself. {{This will be your classroom and training area}} Speaks the large, curmudgeonly lizard {{Here you will embark on the training of your Kobold charges in the refinement of magical aptitudes}} This declaration makes you pause.
{{Wait... wait!}} You begin, {{How am I supposed to train any of these little creatures? I don't know anything about magic, I barely know anything about being a dragon and, on top of that, I can't even communicate with these things!}} A level of bewilderment entering your tone of voice {{What do you expect me to do?!}}
{{I expect you to listen!}} A booming reply echoes through your mind, you wince a little at its fortitude {{Most of the communication will be done by myself, all I need of you is your eyes, ears and all your other senses to help keep these kobold on track and to document the progress we make.}} This does little to put you at ease, how are you supposed to 'sense' magic? {{Listen, there are simply too many of the little ones for me to look after at once. I need you and your friend to have charges under your wing so that a sufficient number of them may be trained at one time. If we don't, then I'm afraid my experiment might fail and I will not live to see the day when our both civilizations help each other reclaim what we lost during the wars. I can't except that possibility.}} Blunt-snout has an almost pleading look in his eyes, he really can drive a point across, but you're still not sure {{Look, all I need is for you to over see the meditation portion of their training, it is little more than glorified hatchling-duty. I hoped I could convince the blue one -}}
{{Dizzy-tail, his name is Dizzy-tail}} you pointedly remind him that you both have names.
{{Yes, Dizzy-tail, he would be over-seeing their gliding, hovering and flight training.}} This peaks your interest a little.
{{Wait, flight training? Dizzy will be teaching these things to fly?}} you inquire, more interested in the prospect of having your own flight lessons than the idea that Kobolds could fly.
{{Well, in a manner of speaking, they will be taught how to fall... gracefully, so that - when the time comes that they can harness their powers more effectively - they'll be able to manipulate the air around them in order to create levitation and, in a way, flight. In theory.}} He adds the little caveat at the end.
You press a little further for details {{So Diz will be running some flight drills with the Kobolds while I tend to their meditations? Do you think that I might be able to sneak in a few training flights as well?}} you ask with hopeful optimism. Blunt-snout ponders your request for a moment.
{{I'll tell you what, young one, I can't let you leave your charges unattended, but go back to the stables to find your mate and if he's willing to take part in our endeavor - or if you can convince him to do so - I will train you myself after classes in the art of using your wings like a proper little dragon.}} He cracks one of his toothy smirks. You nod your head in excitement, the prospect of finally getting some proper flight training and another chance at soaring through the sky making you light on your feet as you head back toward the stables.
Your body is still sore and stiff from your previous forays into the sky, but you're confident that, in time, you will be up there again feeling the wind rush over your wings and brush against your scales. Something to look forward to in this topsy-turvy world you've found yourself in. Thinking of things you're looking forward to, you peer in to the stables through the still-open main doors in search of your kyanite-blue lover...