I sat on the platform broken from the bridge, hoping that maybe some vestige of what I knew to be correct was around here. Or maybe just waiting to see if there was a male fairie hiding with a crystal, waiting for me. I wasn't sure exactly WHAT had happened, only the facts:

I looked inside my backpack. It was a gift for my seventeenth birthday (that would be the latest one— actually, it's only been a couple of weeks since then), and didn't have much inside of it. About the only things it had was a blank notebook with my name on the cover, a fold-up comb with a mirror for the handle, and a pen. I sighed and decided to comb a burr out of my tail that I had gotten when I was knocked out.

Toki'MemisI saw something flash in the mirror. I stopped combing for a second, and looked at the handle/mirror. The face in the mirror stared at me, with blue eyes that had eyelashes. I froze.

Think, Djari... remember what Father said... I stiffened, replacing the items in my backpack and standing up. I twirled around, and—

"WOAH!" I hit something with my foot and lost my balance. The stranger behind me grabed my hand and made sure I didn't fall off the platform. "Er... thank you... but aren't you supposed to be wearing a mage suit?"

"Males wear mage suits." The stranger replied. It was a fairie, no doubt about that. Its hair was long, and tied into a bun. It didn't wear much of a mage suit— more like a strapless dress, with matching shoes. It also held a wand. "Now cheer up, Dragon. What's a little weanling like yourself doing in these..." She looked around, making a face of dissatisfaction. "...ruins..."

"Why don't you tell me? Your brothers obviously did something to either capture the dragons or scare them away, because I was with a crowd."

"Brothers?" She looked at me. "You saw the male fairies? Here?"

"YES!" I shouted at her. "They did something and now my father has disappeared, along with a healthy group of adults and children!" I sighed. "Don't tell me you have nothing to do with it..."

"I'm sorry; I don't. However, I might be able to help you... oh, where are my manners?" She smiled, holding her right hand out. "Name's Toki'Memis. Means 'Sharp Ruby' in old Fairie. What's your name?"

I looked at her hand for a moment incrediculously, and then put my own hand out to shake. "Djari."

"Spyro's daughter?" She asked, smirking. I sighed. You would think I liked having a celebrity for a father, but there are times when I just get SICK of it. "Er, I say somthing wrong?"

"No, no... you're right; Spyro is my father." I replied, sitting down again.

"Then I know you!" Toki grinned, fluttering her wings. "I was the one that named you!"

"What?" I looked up at her. I slipped by backpack on, making sure that my wings could still flap in case I needed to use them. 

"Fairies name the dragons, Djari— don't you know that?" Toki stood on the ground, smirking. "Flame. That's what your name means. Named you after my cousin, Djari'Nevis— Flame's Kiss."

"Who's she?"

"Fairie General of the Female Elite." Toki explained to me. "I'd love to have her job— but only certain fairies get into the elite. And no one has exactly DIED yet so there's no openings for a new fairie..."

"Think you could explain how the Fairie elite works?" I looked over at her. She shrugged.

"Well, different fairies have different powers, and the ones with different powers wear different smocks. Mine, for example, is red." She pointed down at her outfit. "I'm just one of the foot soldiers that wanders around the dragon worlds— which is how I found you. The next smock color is yellow, and they do assorted jobs, such as creating whirlwinds and keeping dragons from falling too far down. After that, it's purple, and all they do is just float around in one spot and give the dragons MetalFlame— you know, the red-hot flame that destroys metal. Finally, there's the Fairie General, and she wears a beautiful golden smock. She's real powerful, and can do almost anything to help you."

"How come I didn't see any of the male fairies wearing those colors?" I looked over at her.

"To be contrary." She glanced at me. "I can explain male fairie colors later. I don't remember then all, anyway..." She blushed. "Too bad your father's not here. He could be a great help to us."

"He still can." I smirked. "My dad has a set of maps and such of the dragon worlds. Maybe they can help us."

"Where's he keep them?"

"In the Beast Makers' world. His dad was one of 'em, so they gave him some space over there for a home."  I perked up. "let's get over there!"

With that, we flew up into the sky, and headed for the colonnade. Dad told me the story about it one time. After Gnasty Gnorc had been defeated (fifty years ago), dragons from all five worlds came and tore the place down to a metal circle. Then it was rebuilt into a metal gazebo, complete with a signpost in the middle that told you exactly where each world was. There were even a few realms you could hone your skills in.

In other words, very cool.

We flew inside, looking at everything we expected to see. What we DIDN'T expect was that the openings in the colonnade were sealed off with force-fencing— you know, the invisible electric fence that you bump yourself into every now and then— and the way we came in was also sealed up with force-fencing, too. "What gives?" I screamed to the empty room. "This place is a conduit! It can't be closed!"

"Well, it is!" Toki hissed, and then jumped into my backpack. I didn't realize why until I saw a small blue fairie drop down from the middle of the ceiling... and then grow to full size.

I looked at him, this one was wearing a mage suit... and a blue one, at that. He was holding a crystal ball with one hand, keeping it suspended in the air. I looked at him.

"Hello, weanling..." He spoke. "Aren't you a little young to be flying around all alone?"

"I can fly very well on my own, fairie." I walked over to him. "Why is the Beast Makers world shut off here?"

"None of your concern."

"I live there— it SHOULD be my concern." I twitched one eye at him. He kept a straight face, trying to remain unemotional.

"If you're a native, I should warn you that there's been a thief problem over there— Not safe to let you go without some assistance. My personal assistance."

"I don't need an escort, but if it'll get me there, I think I can stand it long enough until we reach the entrance." I sighed. With that, he grabbed me roughly by the wings and immediately took off for Beast Makers.We'd only flown for about twenty seconds before I could see it coming into view... and then I felt something digging into my backpack. I jerked my head around.

"TOKI!" I shrieked. He'd sealed the backpack back up, but he was holding Toki's left wrist, which was the one she held her wand in. I grabbed onto the male's other hand, jerked up, and delivered a sharp kick to his shoulder socket with both feet. It was enough for him to release the hold. Toki flew behind me, holding her wand steady.

"Females always have to band together, don't they..." the male narrowed his eyes at me. "Perhaps I'll strengthen that bond by taking your wings, Sharp... let's see how long you'll last..."

"Don't you dare!" Toki lept in front of me, hissing. She darted left, just before a streak of blue light bolted through the spot where we were. I held onto Toki's ankles while the male followed behind us, trying to get a clear shot. After a few moments, she shouted to me. "You'll have to fly on your own after this next cloud!"

"Why?" I shouted back, but not before I felt my grip slipping, and saw Toki grow small. She darted ahead in front of me. I hovered behind the cloud, watching as I saw the male fairie grow small as well, and turn back. Toki flew onto my shoulder. "Repelling effect. The Beast Makers use a lot of raw magic... And he's used to the refined stuff, like they use in Dream Weavers."

"Just as well... I hate that guy." I stopped in front of a tree stump, with a hollow center. I jumped in, and fell to the bottom of the tree with a not-so-soft landing.

"Get used to it. He's Ranil'Soma— Wild Star. Unless I'm mistaken, he's the Fairie General of the Male Elite. the only reason he allowed us to get here was that he was hoping to get me. He must have seen me climb into your backpack."

"Why would he want you? You're just a red fairie." I looked over at her.

"Yeah. A red fairie that ESCAPED the colonnade. Every fifty years, the fairies rotate. For the last fifty years, we females have been the ones keeping order around here. This fifty, the males are supposed to do it. Usually, there's no problem... this time, there is."

"So what IS the problem?" I looked at her.

"The males took it by force this time. They're trying to change the system, so that only male fairies run the Dragon Worlds, and the females just end up being... well, slaves. They can't get rid of us all. After all, we're the ones that have to make the jagglings... but that's off the subject.

"They've imprisoned us in the colonnade. I managed to escape because I remembered there was a loose panel near the gateway to Artisans. Which is how I found you, and that's pretty much the whole story up to now." Toki looked up at me. "You've got to hide me and make sure that no males find me. There's bound to be a few around here."

"What's the big deal about you escaping and not getting caught again?" We were walking up to the inner temple, where Dad made his home. I began climbing up the stairs.

"Because I did it! A red fairie escaped! Weren't you listening when I said red fairies were the lowest type of female fairie? If I can do it, they all can!" Toki watched the small blue dot flying back to the colonnade. "You're a smart enough dragon to understand the situation. If I get captured, they'll make me show them where the loose panel is. I'll be tortured... exampled by those males. I have to stay free for at least a few more hours. By then, all of them will know I've escaped. It'll strike up the spirits of the other females. They'll start trying... and then maybe we can salvage this situation."

"You want me to be your bodyguard?" I pushed a block that was jutting out, which was the way to open the door.

"You already are. You saved me from gettings my wings hacked off." She smirked. "As far as anyone is concerned, you are now the self-ordained flame-throwing, horn-poking, wing-beating, and all around tailkicking savior of the Dragon Worlds."

"Little wordy, isn't IT!?!?!"  I was swept off my feet by a hip-high thing in blue clothing. As soon as I got my bearings, I saw it. "What the..."

"Thief!" Toki jerked up. "Well? Go after it!"

"I need to find out what was stolen first... did you see what the thief was carrying?"

"Something long and black." Toki shrugged. "Thief's using them for stilits in the high muck."

I thought for a moment."Stilts in high muck?" I hissed. "Those were MY mucking boots, that son of a—"

Toki held me back. "Easy, girl. We've got to get your father's other things before we start."

I grumbled for a moment, but then complied. We quickly found Father's map book, as well as his Journal from his travels. I didn't want to take it right away, but Toki said it would be a good idea. After all, my father was a lot more experienced with saving worlds than I was, and there might be something in the journal that was useful. I put both books into my backpack, and then shut the door behind me as I looked around for the thief. I saw it on a little island off the mainland. I ran to the edge of it, and didn't dare to go further. That muck was like glue without the right equipment, and the right equipment was on the thief's feet.

The thief looked at me, taunting me. Daring me to come over there. I didn't want to fly after him, since that would just lead into a chase, and... well, most dragons know you can run faster than you can fly. I'd lose him.

"Listen, you little thief— those are my mucking boots, and you know as well as I do I can't reach that island without them!"