"Of course I can Krynn. It doesn't matter how much you might have changed. I know you'll always be... intimidating to some, but we all see what we want to see, and I want to see you as you are now." Crimson knew she was right behind her, smiling and trying to contain her excitement. She only got the briefest glimpse earlier and wanted to admire her close friend properly. Turning around slowly she was still smiling, holding her wings and tail as still as she could. Crimson wanted to savor this moment, to get her first good look of the creature she was so close to.

She turned completely around, face to face with the hybrid. She took in every little detail, from her spikes to her fur, the hair color, she let her eyes wander up and down for a moment to appreciate the arms, torso, legs and tail of Krynn, still smiling. Sure she was a little scary, but it actually made her more fond of Krynn. To know that such a rough exterior that sometimes matched her inner feelings, such a potential killer could be so kind and gentle, it was one of the reasons she cared so much. "You're still beautiful, everything about you." That tail was the only part that was curious to her. She'd never seen one exactly like it, but knowing her hybrid friend it was a perfect weapon when she wanted it to be. Crimson slowly raised her arms and reached out to give her a hug, in her opinion a very long overdue one.

As the response was given and the dragoness began to turn around, the monster wanted to run. Before her eyes fell upon hir monstrous body the beast looked around quickly, surveying the land around hir.
The last time they were like this, Krynn had been shot... then beheaded as the mob had rejoiced. And now it was a moment like that again. Back then Krynn was about to apoligize to this one for having been so cruel, but with the mob having come so quickly shi failed to say those words before moving on.

Ears falling back, muscles clenching as hir breath caught, feet moving back a few steps, guarding a growl threatening to lose. All because Crimson still held the same look as before when Krynn had died previously. Only difference, Krynn was shorter back then.
As her hands slowly came towards hir, Kryn deftly caught them in a stern, yet gentle, grip. Those eyes told of uncertainty of letting the red dragon in again, but somehow this was going to be different, could feel it within those bones still forming.
"I don't know... what if history repeats itself again?"
The hybrid questioned, not helping but to slowly bring Crimson's hands close to muzzle, gently kissing them as shi closed hir eerie eyes. Hir hands were just as soft as shi remembered if not softer, they were smaller than hir own this time too. It was like falling into the game of love and torture all over again. The beast only hoped that history would not repeat again.
The only true difference was the fact that shi was Blake's pet dog for now. He fed hir blood and meat, making a pact that shi cannot ignore or break until he sets hir free.

What if history chose to repeat itself? "Well then at least this time I can ask you how you'd want me to react. And this time, if it really has to come down to it, I can say you won't kidnap me so easily. You can get me to come willingly but taking me away like last time will be a challenge." Was that the answer Krynn hoped for? She'd defend herself, but she'd still spend every minute she could with the hybrid? And this time it was going to go in whatever way they wanted it to go, no fate or hidden demon was going to steer everything. When she gently kissed her hands Crimson smiled. The gentle side of her was still there, the sweet creature she cared so much about. Maybe it was a ruse for some, maybe it was an act she put on at times, but for Crimson it was all she could see and all she could feel. No, the past wouldn't repeat itself.

Ears fell back as the brow furrowed. Not entirely of what shi had meant by hir question, but either way it would all end the same. Releasing Crimson's wrists as shi stepped back away from the other, shi was still confused. It was very difficult for the hybrid not to just, for a moment, go absolutely crazy when faced with Crimson. Afterall, Crimson was one of the reasons that shi had been killed in the first place. Originally, Krynn just wanted to finish off those who were aware of hir having a brood, wanted to get rid of any hints as to who hir children were from to ensure a better life for them. But none of that happened like shi had wanted.
They all wanted hir dead, they all had hated hir so much for everything that shi had done. Luckily none had found out about hir brood, even still they remain a mystery to almost everyone save for two who knew the truth behind everything. And only one other was linked into the loop with little idea that he was even part of them.
Continuing to back away, the hybrid stopped after shi was out of arms reach. This was very difficult to come to terms with.
"I don't know... It's difficult enough to walk passed my own brood knowing they could never know the truth about who I was or am now... It's even more difficult to come to terms with everything I had done to you and yet you still smile at me and come to visit the grave of someone who could have killed you back then and laugh about it."
Worry and pain were there, clear as day in hir facial features. It was painful, too painful at times.
"I don... I don't know if I should even stay here... I want know my own brood, but what if everyone were to find out that I am the same Krynn they had killed years ago?"
As shi spoke hir tailclaw began to unball, revealing those heavily clawed digits. It was frustrating enough that shi just wanted to run from all of this now.

"Shhhhh." Crimson said with a soft smile, stepping toward Krynn once again. "Could have, but didn't kill me. And not just because there was someone else to torture, or because help came." Crimson took a moment to admire the tail, a very impressive weapon if she wanted to use it that way. "I always cared about you and I always will, the more you let me the more I can care. I want to see you, not lose you again. Many people around here are too skeptical to think that someone they killed could be living and breathing again. Besides, you look different enough if it comes up you can claim to be a sister or cousin instead of the one they knew. Trust me, I didn't believe I'd ever have a chance to be talking with you again, to see you, and though you're a little different I still care just as much." It was so tempting to just run up to her the few steps and kiss her, but the dragoness knew such sudden displays of affection weren't normally the hybrid's style. Beside that she did feel sorry that Krynn couldn't exactly see her own children and let them know who she was. They were in good hands of course, but her sudden return would be just as upsetting to them probably.

Only parents who had lost their own children could even begin to know the pain of what ailed part of Krynn's heart. Even then it was still more than they could even begin to imagine. Most parents are usually backed into a corner and told they had to get rid of them. Yes, the hybrid had given them up willingly, but at the same time shi would never be able to give them a hug or anything to indicate shi still cared for them.
As Crimson spoke, watching her step a little closer each time, the creature stayed put though wanted to move away. Shi knew just what the other wanted to do, also noting how the female restrained. It was admirable.
"I never had any relatives..."
The beast mused quietly.
"What's a cousin?"
Shi cocked hir head to the side in curiousity. The term was used so rarely around hir that the word was invariably alien.

Never had any relatives? Oh, right, not exactly a normal person. Part of Krynn had been normal but even that part was someone left without a family. "A cousin is... if you have a parent with a sibling, say a mother has a brother. And that relative has a kid, that kid would be your cousin. It's a little confusing I guess, but there's certainly far more confusing things in life." The dragoness was still managing to hesitate, to avoid practically pouncing the hybrid. It was harder to do that now anyway, she was a bit bigger than the dragoness remembered. Honestly she was curious how some of those changes felt, both how they felt for Krynn and how nice they'd feel to her caressing them. "I don't want to push you into anything but please, give hanging around a chance?"

That made a little more sense, but it was always going to remain an alien word in hir mind. Nodding to indicate shi understood it enough, the hybrid pinned hir ears back in a fashion that still held hir distinct moment of mischievous thoughts.
Sure, Crimson could wonder all she wanted about going through a massive change, especially how shi was able to walk around when hir real body was in the ground decaying. Perhaps that would be the one thing that Krynn could keep a secret from the dragoness for a good long while until a possible bond was formed again. Shi did not doubt that Crimson still cared a lot for hir, did not doubt that one bit. But shi was left to wonder, hirself, what would be thought of the extra... attributes with this new body.
You see, when Krynn had claimed hir new body and destroyed the original soul and formed the body to hir liking, some unnatural changes happened and had become slightly awkward to even tell Blake about. Of course pure females like Crimson would probably enjoy the thought, but it would still be fairly awkward to explain in that kind of situation.

All that aside, the mischief left hir features as those ears remained back. If shi stayed it could stir up trouble between everyone. Afterall, shi still could not stomach normal food yet and was left to either waiting for Blake to bring dinner or ask to go out and get hir own with the promise of not killing another anthro.
"I... give no promises.."
The hybrid deliberately let hir guard down to hint that it was okay to tackle hug hir or anything else that Crimson may want to do to hir, since the red dragon really wanted to. Hell, if she wanted to smack the hybrid for having left without a goodbye, Krynn would certainly understand.

That was all Crimson needed to hear to run up and embrace her. She knew it would be hard to make a promise of any kind, but just saying those words was enough. In her mind it translated to "I'll do my best and put effort into trying for you." Whether or not that was a good translation she didn't care, not as she wrapped her arms around the hybrid and hugged her tight. "Thank you. Now I know I haven't been dreaming, that you're really here." She was able to run her claws through Krynn's hair, feel her shoulders, the spikes, everything was definitely real. The dragoness wanted to plant a kiss on her lips but it was probably still a little too soon. For the moment it was enough to hug her, hold her close, to familiarize herself with the hybrid's scent again. How long had she been back? No, things like that didn't matter anymore, she was here and that's what counted.

As the dragoness ran up to hir almost immediately after shi had spoken, the hybrid almost reacted badly but quickly kept hirself calm. Hir temper flare was also quickly thrown off when Crimson proceeded to the feeling of hir shoulders, some of the spikes within hand reach like on hir shoulders and both sides of hir neck.
A purr wanted to strangely escape when the other ran her claws through the short mane around hir neck and longer fur on the back of hir neck. It was strangely relaxing and relieving that she could be so intrigued with hir new look. It was definately different to see the differences in how someone could could either be so loving towards it or even repulsed at first glance.
Either way it was something shi could not quite understand, though it would eventually be something that shi'd have to learn on hir own. Though shi'd been back longer than shi would actually tell, it seemed like an eternity since shi had seen Crimson remotely happy.
Even in death Krynn had often stayed near her to try and keep hir happy.

Crimson held the hybrid a moment longer and gave her a little kiss on the cheek before she eased her grip around Krynn. She wanted to give her space for this, just in case it was taken the wrong way. "Krynn? This... may be a difficult subject to bring up. I know it's really hard for you to be able to stay around here and not be able to see your brood. But... well, if it would help, and if you'd like..." she wasn't sure how to continue the sentence. Crimson wanted to let the hybrid know she'd be more than happy to invite her in, to let her into her life, her kids, everything. If she only knew how much Krynn had changed. And how could she express interest in letting Krynn become involved with her own children? From what she heard there were a few parallels, Scarlet and Inno probably a close match. The boys... well... all boys that age were alike at least a little right?

Just when shi was getting used to the feeling again of Crimson so close to hir, the dragoness presented hir with a kiss to the cheek. Surprise was more than likely obvious in hir expression as those cropped ears went back in a reaction not often seen.
As hir own children were brought up, a pained look replaced that of surprise as shi looked down. Everytime it sounded like the hybrid had done a terrible thing, but in hir mind it had been the right thing to do. At least shi had not raised them up in a way that would have condemned them to death.

But what exactly was Crimson trying to say?
"Crimson... I don't understand."
The ahuizotl hybrid spoke softly, confused but kept a soft tone.
Was she trying to say that this creature was welcome in her home? Or was she saying that shi was welcome to come around but not stay for long? This last thought was a little wrenching, however enabling the thought of trying harder. If the first is what she was implying, it brought a strange fluttering filling upon hir heart and stomach.

Okay, here goes. "My home is your home Krynn. You're welcome, always, as long as you want to stay. My family is your family if you want. Me, my brood is your brood, as much as you want it to be." And there it was. Krynn may have "lost" her actual family, her children, but she had just been offered a new one. Whether she wanted, or needed this gesture the dragoness didn't know but she felt relieved that she gave it. She wanted the hybrid to stay close to her, and not hidden or penned up like an animal. She wanted her to be free to express herself, her desires, even if they weren't a perfect match for what the dragoness liked. Unlike the others who knew of Krynn this dragoness had all the confidence in the world in her, that she could choose to be evil, good, or anything in between if she was allowed. "I want you to stay with me."

"My home is your home Krynn. You're welcome, always, as long as you want to stay. My family is your family if you want. Me, my brood is your brood, as much as you want it to be."

Mentally Krynn's jaw had already dropped to the ground and then some several feet under. Was she even realizing what she had just said aloud? Was she actually willing to let this fiendish hybrid into her life and home so willingly? Even put her own children at risk this time?
Sure Krynn was not an absolute threat as of right now, but about in the future? What if hir blood driven side were to rise again?
Surprise and shock were an immenient reaction from the hybrid as shi stared at Crimson, black and pink eyes studying Crimson's features carefully. Though the beast's outer expression was near unreadable those eyes told of untold curiousities and thousands of questions to make sure shi was really alive and hearing this. This creature knew shi was not dreaming, but it was still so strange. After everything in the past, no... Shi needed to stop living in the past and take a chance on a different future. Shi had willingly given hir children a chance for a great life, why not allow hirself to chance that as well?
Stay with me.
Those three little words tugged at hir heart, feeling hir own heart beating faster by the second. This was really being offered to hir. Home. Home...
"Home... Okay, I'll stay..."
The hybrid softly spoke, hints of uncertainty lingering within the few words shi had said.

Such simple little words, said barely above a whisper and not in a definitive manner, and yet they had so much power. Crimson was beaming as she hugged the hybrid tight again, giving her another gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She wanted to say so much more but it would be overwhelming. The dragoness was trying her best to control her outbursts of sudden affection toward the obviously awkward or nervous hybrid. Sometimes the easiest way to let her feel welcome was to avoid smothering her and to just let Krynn have a bit of breathing room. Other times it was important to have some extremely heavy restraints or an armed guard so she'd feel more comfortable about not potentially hurting someone.
Crimson really wanted this to work though. She'd do just about anything to help Krynn have a chance at happiness, a chance... to be with her for a while. Well okay, that wasn't exactly the point but it was a possibility she wouldn't deny. Crimson wouldn't say lust drove her decisions, more like a very deep friendship and a desire to help someone who deserved a second chance. Anything else that happened as a result was a very nice reward for her though.