I eventually gave up on finding a page about P/T's, and listened in on the conversation between Royal Margarine Cookie and another Cookie.

"Do any of you Cookie's realise what creature you're dealing with here?" Royal Margarine Cookie asked everyone. "Have any of you ever even seen a dragon before?"

I quietly nodded to myself as I thought about Pitaya Cookie in his Dragon form. He certainly was awfully tall... but smaller that what I remember when he took over the Hollyberry Kingdom, probably due to his weakening powers.

"What's smaller than a single Dragon claw?" Royal Margarine Cookie continued. "Cookies! Who gets blown away by just a gust of Dragon's breath? Cookies!"

"Ssso you do know."

I glanced at Pitaya Cookie. He seemed so serious and focused now. It was always so mysterious how he acted! Every single time Dragons seemed to be brought up, his cocky careless personality did a full 180°. It was so frustrating when he never told me what was making him change so drastically!

P/N noticed my mood swing, and they looked up at me as I continued to stare at Pitaya Cookie, making sure I didn't lose focus this time. P/N swung their head back ahead of them, barking silently to themself.

I saw Tarte Tatin Cookie in the corner of my eye, making her way towards to Royal Margarine Cookie with a serious expression on her face, which made me switch my full attention to her.

"You there..." She began. "Why do you think dragon hunters do what they do?"

"Well, I don't know." Royal Margarine Cookie replied flatly. "Because dragon scales can be sold for a fortune, surely?"

"There's just one reason." Tarte Tatin Cookie's gaze grew darker as she spoke. "If you don't hunt the dragons..."

The silence made me shiver, especially when she finished her sentence.

"They... will hunt you."

Normally, I wouldn't be so worried, but just the tone of her voice made me fear everything. What would my parents do? What if a dragon killed my parents?! Or what if they were still alive but suffering..?! All the horrifying possibilities flooded my thoughts, washing out the positivity. My heart sank as I gasped for air due to illusions made from fear as if i was drowning in the., as I remembered the last time I saw my parents.

Nobody ever knows the last time you say goodbye to someone you hold so dear in your life.

Tarte Tatin Cookie's voice entered my mind making me even more scared.

"It's because dragons eat Cookies' with their friends and families, and burn down their houses."

An illusion of fire...

"Cookies have been hunted by dragons since the dawn of time. For Cookies, dragon hunting is a means of survival."

An illusion of my parents exiting through the palace doors, tears on their faces...

"Long ago, when the Cookies of your tribe first started riding dragons, that too was to ensure their survival."

An illusion of the fight with Pitaya Cookie when we first met...

"Although that tradition has now been rendered a meaningless farce."

An illusion of darkness...

"At this very moment, Dragon City must make a decision in order to survive."

More fire...

"As a dragon hunter, the only thing I can say is..."

The scorching heat...

"I will fight this threat to a place I hold dear until my body crumbles or burns."

Crying...

"Even if my opponent is the legendary Red Dragon, many times my size, that is."

Smoke...

I heard P/N whimper at me in great concern as my breathing was shallow and hitched at every thought. I lifted a shaky hand and petted their soft fur, letting out a sigh of relief as my friend nuzzled against my friendly touch.

"Birdsss of a feather..." I heard Pitaya Cookie growl. ".... Hmph!" He was obviously dissatisfied with what Tarte Tatin Cookie had said.

"Tarte Tatin Cookie," Hollyberry Cookie announced proudly, "I will join you."

All the raid members gasped.

"When you have something to protect," Hollyberry Cookie said, "and partners in battle you can trust... there is no reason to face away from the fight!"

Wildberry Cookie joined, too.

Soon enough, the rest of the raid were eager to join too, influenced by Hollyberry Cookie's words.

Tarte Tatin Cookie was proud of this outcome, meanwhile Royal Margarine Cookie was not.

. . .

I stood outside the inn, P/N sitting beside me, scratching their fleas while I helped flick them out.

"I thought I got rid of them for the week!" I mumbled.

P/N woofed in agreement.

"Wanna stay outside so you don't give your fleas to anyone else?" I joked.

P/N yawned, then lay down. They clearly weren't interested in embarrassing me or themself with so many Cookies inside. I giggled at their actions and gave them a quick peck on their furry cheek before entering the inn.

".... Ssso what you sssaid there, back at the gathering." I heard Pitaya Cookie say.

"Yes?" Hollyberry Cookie raised an eyebrow.

I walked over to them.

"How there'sss no reason not to fight when you have sssomething to protect and partnership in battle you can trust..." Pitaya Cookie thought back to that moment. "What isss it you are fighting to protect in your war against Dark Enchantresss Cookie?"

Hollyberry Cookie looked at me, and I looked back. We thought about what to say, as if reading each other's minds we replied to his question in unision: "Our precious friends and family, of course."

Hollyberry Cookie finished the rest of what were saying. "We are fighting to rotect our world."

"Are those Cookiesss ssso preciousss to you? Especially your pet, Y/n Cookie. Enough to risssk everything?"

"Why, of course!" Hollyberry Cookie smiled. "I would give away everything to protect them!"

"And P/N isn't just my pet! They're my friend and companion that I've had for as long as I can possibly remember! I am loyal to them, and they are loyal to me; we'd risk everything for one another, no matter the cost."

Pitaya Cookie turned to Hollyberry Cookie. ".... Even that Sssoul Jam of yoursss? The source of your Light of Passion...?"

Hollyberry Cookie couldn't answer.

Suddenly, I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"Oooooh! My beloved yet long-lost other half! *hic* The- There you are!"

It was a dang drunk Royal Margarine Cookie.

"*hic* Upon my waking honour, your sweet name is on my liiiips..." He sang.

Hollyberry Cookie commented on how drunk he was, and if he'd be a problem tomorrow.

Royal Margarine Cookie let out a drunk sight then looked at me. "Heeeeyyyyy, your pretty prettyyy!!! *hic* Makes senseeeee, yeeeah... *hic*"

"Oh, my Pure Vanilla Cookie." I said. "Will you even be able to stand up tomorrow?!"

"I'm not going... *hic*" He said in a tired high-pitched drunk voice. "Whew! Oo, see, I CAN'T go...."

"Why?!" Hollyberry Cookie exclaimed. "I thought you were joining the Dragon Hunt?"

"I- *heh* I'm not a hero at all..!" Royal Margarine Cookie said in a somehow cheerful drunk voice. "Never was.... Oh. 'Ereah, and now you that too... *hic*"

I blinked at him and brushed off his hand, only for him to grab my arm and start crying uncontrollably, drunk. "Buttercream isn't even a real dragon! *hic* *hic* *small gasp* I'M NOT A DRAGON RIDER! *gaaaasp* I'M A SHAAAAAM!"

Pitaya Cookie pulled me away from his grasp as he spoke: "Seemsss quite sssavvy for wyvern, though...."

"In our clan... when you turn, mm, twelve, you must find a wyvern... to fight and tame.... For days and days...! All to become a rider...!" Royal Margarine Cookie said, annoyed at the thought, drunk.

"I-.... The truth is..." His voice became squeaky, drunk. "I ran away...? *sigh* The sound of wyverns howling in the distance was-... too scary..!"

"So that'sss when you met Buttercream!" Pitaya Cookie nodded to himself.

Royal Margarine Cookie gasped, drunk. "*hic* How did you...?!"

Pitaya Cookie blinked calmly, and replied flatly without a single care in the world. "The, uh, 'beast' just told me."

I slapped both of hands over Pitaya Cookie's mouth with a wide-eyed expression and a gasp. Nobody in our main group since the start of this whole adventure wanted, or needed him to reveal that he was an actual dragon!

It was too late. Drunk Royal Margarine Cookie was shocked as his drunk brain processed the words that came out of Pitaya Cookie's mouth. "You could speak to Buttercream..? A wyvern..?!"

I winced as I shook Pitaya Cookie's face with a frustrated look, nearly making him fall over.

"*gasp* It can't be...!!!" Royal Margarine Cookie continued, drunk.

I was tempted to punch Pitaya Cookie and scream out my fear and anger and just let all my bottled up emotions out like a bad-tempered 5-year-old throwing a tantrum because she didnt het what she wanted, as I heard Hollyberry Cookie's gasp of concern beside me.

Then Royal Margarine Cookie turned to Buttercream with a happy, surprised, and drunk expression. "Buttercream, don't tell me...!!!! *gasp* You've learned how to speak with Cookies!?"

I let out a long sigh of relief with a small cheers flinging my hands up in the air, causing Pitaya Cookie to topple over.

"Oh! My bad!" I apologised, helping him up.

I pulled him back up again so fast, that our faces were very close to each other.

We paused in that moment, both awkwardly staring at each other, blushing.

We immediately started saying sorry over and over again, glancing away, then looking back and stuttering every time. Pitaya Cookie soon found his way out of it but talking to Royal Margarine Cookie.

"All Cookiesss are small and insssignificant. Except for Y/N Cookie.... And they crumble ssso easily..! Well, except for Y/N Cookie! I mean, no wonder dragonsss ssscare you. Again, except for Y/N Cookie.... She scaresss me instead, hmph!" Pitaya Cookie said.

I glared at him with a questioning look, and he immediately shuffled away a step.

"Neverthelesss...." He continued, "Sssome innsssist on fighting tirelesssly. I find those Cookiesss quite fassscinating. That'sss who they call... 'heroesss'."

Royal Margarine Cookie was drunken interested in what Pitaya Cookie said. "Mister.... Your name was Pitaya Cookie, right...?"

"It'sss..." Pitaya Cookie began, "Pitaya Drag-"

I slapped my hands over his mouth again. "SHUT. IT." I ordered in a hushed yell.

Thankfully, Hollyberry Cookie covered for me. "That's right! Our friend PITAYA COOKIE here is quite the talker!"

"THAT'S WHAT IM SAYIN'!" Royal Margarine Cookie cheered, drunk. "This Mister Pitaya Cookie is really something! *gasp* Hey! Let's have another drink!"

{ On that evening, after everyone has fallen asleep... }

[3rd-person POV]

Y/N Cookie constantly tossed and turned in her sleep. She was nightmares of being alone in fire and smoke. There was loud crying and the echo of terrified screams as the fire grew taller and spread rapidly as seconds passed, making the heat absolutely unbearable.

She soon woke up with a shaky gasp eyes wide as she stuck her head out her rooms' window.

P/N's ears perked up beside her as they opened one eye.

"Don't worry my loyal friend," Y/N Cookie reassured them. "Just... a little nightmare."

She swiftly got out of bed and grabbed her fireproof bandanna. Her parents had given it to her when she was younger, which was probably a good idea, considering she was now on a quest to find a dragon.

She softly giggled at the seemingly ironic thought as she put on her F/C dragonscale armour and W/O/C. It made her feel as if she was a true warrior, or heroz especially if she was riding P/N, but she didn't want to disturb their rest.

As she exited the door of the inn to the calm, blue stillness of the night, she saw the same little girl she'd seen when she first came to Dragon City, feeling pity for her as her heart tore between the choices she had to make.

She waves to the young Cookie, and she waved back with a smile, until suddenly, the world was engulfed in raging red fire.