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This has actually been done for a looooong time. I just never got around to finishing the polishing process, which is now complete. So enjoy the fruits of a year's worth of labor.

Part I is here.

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Faye opened her eye and looked at Nicholas. He was still asleep, though he did stir the moment she looked at him. She hesitated to wake him for a moment, but decided to nudge him with her nose.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Faye was a bit surprised. "How long have you been awake?" "I woke up a quarter of an hour ago," he replied. "Oh... is there anything I can provide you? Food or drink?"

Nicholas looked down at himself and frowned. "Some clothes to start - it's a bit chilly in here for me, being naked and all." Faye giggled and produced brand-new clothing out of her claw, handing it to Nicholas. Nicholas saw that she was acting strange and became curious. "What's the matter?"

"I'm a bit embarrassed..." she said nervously. "Embarrassed about what?" Faye turned looked away then brought her gaze back to his. "Are you aware of what happens when dragons mate?" After he finished donning his new clothing, he shook his head a little. "Not much... all I really know is that males are always dominant."

Faye sighed. "That happens more than half of the time. Females may be dominant - a rarity, or both dragons may agree to be mutual mates." Nicholas gave it a bit to sink in. "Which one are you, dominant?" She laughed. "No, I'm more toward having mutual relations. The problem is the number of willing males in the region. There are so few that already have mates, leaving me with two options: cave in to a dominant male, or find someone out of the species."

"Oh, now I get why you were embarrassed." He remembered a similar experience with asking someone out once. He cracked his knuckles and opened his mouth but before he could speak he was interrupted by a sudden - and very loud - intrusion.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" Roared a crimson-scaled dragon. "To even consider mating with a filthy creature like that is unthinkable!" He leered at Nicholas and then back at Faye.

"I'm not fil-" "QUIET, SWINE!" Nicholas was unhappy with the crimson dragon's demeanor. Faye stepped in to defend him. "To finish what he-" she was rudely interrupted with a similar response.

"I'm going to be nice and give you options, whatever your name is. Either you leave, or I kill you where you stand. Choose." The newcomer laughed heartily in her face. "Neither! I will not allow you to mate with that disgusting thing over there. You would be better off with me. And my name is Yorrec."

Nicholas threw a rock at Yorrec's left eye, causing him to burst into a rage much worse than when he entered. "I WILL SCORCH YOU WHERE YOU STAND, FILTH!"

He let out flame from his mouth for a full minute to ensure not even the bones remained. When he let up, he was taken aback when he saw Faye's claw protecting the human. "Why would you save him?! He's nothing more than a pig!"

"What you believe is not necessarily true" said an untouched Nicholas. "In your eyes I am filth, but in hers, I am what she has searched for in the span of decades."

Angry, he let out a growl. Leave, or I kill you where you stand. Those words repeated in his head a few times. After a moment, he came to a decision. "I'll leave... but take into consideration what you're doing. Impure dragons are filthy like him." Yorrec walked out of the cavern filled with disgust and disappointment.

"If you still need time to decide, you may have it." Speaking seemed to have been in vain, as Nicholas seemed lost in thought. A great silence had fallen upon the cavern. Nicholas inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I would certa-" A loud, familiar roar pierced the silence as Yorrec, as angry as he had ever been, ran on his four great legs toward the human whom he dwarfed sevenfold.

Quickly reacting, Faye intercepted and managed to cut him with a single claw. He laughed and turned to face her. He knew that Nicholas was no real threat, unarmed as he was. Coming back to his senses, Nicholas, seeing the crimson dragon was larger than Faye, he looked for a weapon. While there was nothing near him, he did see a bright gleam in the corner of his eye and turned to it. A long sword, much like his own, was leaning against a rock. He ran toward it and picked it up.

Nicholas turned to Yorrec, still engaged with fighting Faye. Praying silently, he pulled his arm back. As he finished praying, Nicholas took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes and threw the long sword.

After a few seconds, he heard a furious roar. "M-MY-MY EYE!" Yorrec was absolutely furious. Although he knew the human had to be dealt with, Yorrec was still aware of the larger threat Faye posed. He turned to Faye and saw her left claw come at him. He hadn't the time to react, and was fatally wounded by the blow. His blood gushed from his neck like a waterfall, all the while his body was twitching. Moments later, the twitching stopped.

"Are you all right, Faye?" Nicholas asked, wearily. "Yes, Nicholas; why do you sound exhaus-" the weary man pointed at the sword. She looked toward it. "What about it?" "It made it to the hilt. I don't..." he stopped for breath "... I don't believe that is possible by normal humans."

Giving it some thought, Faye realized that Nicholas was right; no human could make a throw as accurate or as deep, regardless of weaponry. "Then how...?" Faye asked.

He smirked. "I'll show you."

Standing before Faye, he removed all of his clothing. Nicholas then took a few deep breaths, exhaling sharply with each one. Then, he stretched out his arms. His body began to change in shape and size.

Faye watched in awe. The transformation she beheld was unexpected; had she not been tending to their uninvited guest, she would have sensed his power sooner. The hostess was astounded by what she witnessed: the transformation of a human into a magnificent amber dragon.

She was in absolute disbelief. Faye had unwittingly chosen another dragon as a mate. "I... I don't know what to say. I'm... shocked." Nicholas glanced at her. "That's what I thought when I woke up at the cave entrance. Do you need some time?" "No, no, that's not necessary... I just wasn't aware that there were any other magically-gifted dragons besides myself," she responded.

"Well, you're certainly aware now," retorted Nicholas. His hostess smiled, but only a moment later was Faye lost in thought. A moment later she had finished. "I never got that answer from you." Nicholas' eyes widened and knew he hadn't. "Sorry," he said in response, "I had no time to with Yorrec coming in here trying to kill both of us."

Nicholas turned to her, looking her in the eyes. "Are you sure you want me to be your mate?" "Yes, Nicholas, I am sure," Faye said to him. Nicholas smirked and replied happily, "then I certainly will be." After she sighed with relief, he kissed her between her nostrils.

And thus, the story of the two, Nicholas and Faye ends.