The dark voice faded as Tabbitha regained consciousness, but she was still shrouded in darkness, and the searing cold was still there. It wasn't long before the sounds of her own heart dulled, and soon after that the freezing cold started to become bearable. After a while she began to hear strange sounds and in Draken, someone saying, "she is either very lucky or very Unlucky. She's absorbed all the Void Toxin at the bottom of the Chasm." At this point her body felt much warmer with only a numb tingling sensation radiating through her. "One drop of that stuff could kill even a strong drake let alone anything else that touches it." She couldn't get her body to fully open its eyes so Lightshard came out to see what was happening.
Lightshard pulled herself from her mortal body and saw the Black Drake as he asked, "then how was she able to survive, Woodclaw?" While he was talking she took the opportunity to look around and assess just how bad her situation was. "That Female is only a half-form." As she looked around she discovered that she was floating in a tank full of liquid that felt warm and invigorating. The tank itself was in some sort of laboratory with medical instruments causing her to examine her body. She quickly found out that her physical body was restrained making her hope that it was a medical tank. On further inspection she discovered that she'd shed her skin and had a brand new scaly hide, sunstone claws, small horns and spines. Then it dawns on her that she's not wearing her armor, and her battle suit was lying at the bottom of the tank completely shredded.
What's happening to me? She thought a little freaked out at what she was looking at, not knowing what to do in her current situation. Jewel said that my form wouldn't change until my Soul is fully matured. So why is this happening to me now?
"I think it has something to do with her spirit energy." Spoke a green Drake with purple spines, orange horns, and red wings as he worked at his medical computer. "However, she is not a normal Half Form. As you can see here, her soul…" He paused for a moment studying the screen intently with a look of confusion on his long Draken face. "Strange. I was sure there was… It's not important. What is important is that her soul is making energy very fast to combat the poison in her body. Much like how someone would fight illness or disease. A Half Form cannot do that. You see, a Half Form has a whole soul, but it is very small and weak. However, if you look closer at her soul you will see that it is only a fragment of what could be a much larger soul. Although, I was sure she had a bit more of it then what I see now."
"How can she only have a fragment of her soul?" Asked the Black Drake, crossing his arms with an unamused look on his face. "How could something like that happen?"
"You see, Lord Shadowheart." Said Woodclaw, clearly trying to make sense of all the information that he'd gathered from Tabbitha's unconscious body. "For something to shatter a soul like this, there would have to be an immense amount of power behind it. Either that or the soul would have been severely weakened." Pirate Lord Shadowheart just stands there thinking about what Woodclaw had said. "The thing is, her soul is having a hard time keeping up with the poison, and is straining in order to keep her alive." Pirate Lord Shadowheart was aghast when he heard that even though Tabbitha had survived this long, the poison was still killing her.
Lightshard couldn't help whimpering in reaction to what she'd just heard as she thought, so I really am dying? She wasn't able to stop herself, and she watched as Woodclaw turned his red face to look at her.
"And who might you be?" Said Woodclaw, making her squeak in surprise and causing Shadowheart to look at her.
"Ah, there you are." Said Pirate Lord Shadowheart with a satisfied grin on his face which made Lightshard hiss at him in response. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She wraps herself around her unconscious human body and growls wishing that she wasn't so tiny. "Woodclaw, this is our lovely Half Form guest."
"Only reason you were able to capture me this time was because of that terrifying poison." Said Lightshard as she clung to the right shoulder of her human body.
"I wouldn't call what I did a capture." Said Pirate Lord Shadowheart walking up to the medical tank agitating Lightshard causing her wing spines to stick straight out. "It was more of a retrieval, and it's the reason you're still alive." She launches herself at him hitting the barrier that separated them from each other only to bounce off of it. "Woodclaw, this little welp is likely the reason our guest's soul seems smaller now."
"Ah, so you have the Soul Walk ability." Woodclaw said with excitement as Lightshard floated there in the tank massaging her muzzle after hitting the barrier.
"Is that what it's called?" Lightshard said, having given up on trying to get out of the tank with her Draken form, and opting to settle in across the shoulders of her human body. "Actually, I'm still trying to figure it out."
"So you didn't know you had it." Woodclaw said, taking note of everything that he learned about Lightshard for future reference.
"No." Lightshard said feeling a little embarrassed about having just discovered one of her Draken abilities. "I didn't. As it is, I won't be able to maintain this form much longer. So if the two of you are done irritating me, I'd like to get some rest."
"Well." Said Woodclaw going over his notes on her condition as if thinking about what can be done about it. "Your energy levels are dropping rapidly. So you'll need an Energy Transfusion to help you fight off the Void Toxin in your system. I'd be more then happy to give a lovely and powerful female such as yourself the Transfusion if my Lord would allow it."
"Go ahead with the Transfusion, Woodclaw." Said Pirate Lord Shadowheart as he removes the Sun Shard from his left horn ring before handing it to Woodclaw. "I want my beautiful Sunheart to be healthy again." Woodclaw sets the gem into a slot in the console and makes preparations for the Energy Transfusion while Pirate Lord Shadowheart watches. She feels something sharp pierce her skin moments before the familiar warmth of Nova Energy fills her body. She disappears as Tabbitha wakes up with a gasp before crying out in pain due to the Void Toxin in her system. She releases a Nova Burst out of reflex, destroying her restraints, cracking the tank and causing the liquid to drain away. She slams into the barrier that made up the tank, dispersing the energy before she collapses from exhaustion. The warmth of the Nova Burst had dulled the pain of the Void Toxin enough to grant her some relief and make it more tolerable. "Such Power. It's hard to believe that she's a Broken Soul." Pirate Lord Shadowheart reaches for her with a gentle hand, and she pushes it away aggravating her illness in the process. You have such a strong spirit. I like that.
"Well, my Lord." Woodclaw said, showing a great deal of respect to Pirate Lord Shadowheart with a slight bow. "Her body requires a great deal of energy to maintain its current state, and the energy required is highly concentrated." Pirate Lord Shadowheart walks back over to him as he types a few buttons in his console reactivating the Tank. The barrier reactivates trapping her inside it once more, as the energy restraints reform around her returning her to her previous position. "So it does make sense that any amount of it she uses would yield a tremendous amount of power." A rebreather composed of energy appears on her face moments before a sort of medical fluid pours into the tank. "It's clear that the Royal Gems are fragments of her soul. Which means that she's descended from a Draken Tribe that was thought to be long dead. The Star Scale Tribe."
Star Scale? Tabbitha thought trying to make sense of the information that was now swirling around in her head. But I thought I was a Talon Drake.
"Which also explains the sudden strength she possessed in your last battle with her." Woodclaw said as the medical fluid fills the tank, paying no mind to Tabbitha's struggling. "Star Scales were said to be able to gain immeasurable power when they were in dire need of it. The downside is that they would normally die afterward. Which is why I was so fascinated by the contents of the bottle you gave me. Its energy is the same as that of her soul. So when she drank it after your fight with her it stabilized her almost immediately. However, the recipe for that potion was lost a long time ago. Only an Ancient Draken Healer would know how to make it. That means that there's a highly skilled Drake out there who's been caring for her."
"It's time for me to leave you, Woodclaw." Pirate Lord Shadowheart said as he walked through the room heading for the exit. "There are things that I need to attend to. So, I want you to take good care of my dear Sun Heart while I'm away, and make sure to finish the Energy Transfusion."
"Yes my Lord." Said Woodclaw with a bow before getting back to his console and looking over the information. "Your Soulmate is in good hands." After Pirate Lord Shadowheart leaves the room Woodclaw restarts the Energy Transfusion feeding more Nova Energy into her body to fight the Void Toxin. Tabbitha had completely exhausted herself by this point, and the Nova Energy she gained from the Transfusion wasn't enough to help her escape. "Just relax. The Energy Transfusion will finish soon enough."
Why do you care? Tabbitha mentally asked, finding herself completely immobilized and helpless in the medical tank. I'm a Pirate Hunter, remember?
"Yes." Said Woodclaw as he walks over to the tank after finishing the energy transfusion and starting up a medical scan of Tabbitha. "You are, but you, my dear, are also a Drake. An incredibly rare Drake that was thought to be lost forever." He returns to his console looking over the information that was coming up as he continued. "However, the way I see it, every Draken life is precious. No matter what form they take, road they follow, or tribe they're from. Though there are still drakes who would think ill of you. Then there's Lord Shadowheart. He's never shown this much interest in any female before meeting you. Sure it could be due to your Eternal Bond, but I think there may be more to it. Being around you makes him smile, and I haven't seen him smile in over a century."
He really needs to work on that smile. Tabbitha thought, feeling herself relax a bit, realizing that she won't be able to escape on her own in her current condition. She felt completely helpless, and decided that it would be better if she waited until her strength had returned before her next attempt. It makes him look like a sociopath. Woodclaw chuckles at her comment as he types something into his console while he just sits there. Damn it. I'm so tired. Before Tabbitha could even finish her thought she'd passed out from all the effort she'd put into trying to escape. Lightshard wakes up just outside the tank picking herself up, catching Woodclaw's attention for a moment.
"Soul walking again I see." Woodclaw said, walking over to Lightshard as she sat down trying to clear her head for a moment. "So, how many times does this make?"
"Not sure." Said Lightshard, still feeling tired from everything that's happened to her, and letting out a big yawn. "I haven't had a decent night's sleep since I arrived on this planet, and it's not because of…" She yawns again, not being able to stop herself, finding herself curling up where she was at and closing her eyes. "It's not because I was being hunted. It's because of the Dark presence I feel, all around me."
"What Dark presence?" Said Woodclaw, gently picking her up, and cradling her in his large hands as he walks around with her. At this point she was so tired that her thoughts were clouded and she couldn't think straight. In fact she wasn't even sure where she was, or even who she was talking to anymore. She was dizzy, and it felt like the world around her was spinning out of control making her wish that it would stop.
The icy blackness that seeks to smother my light. Thought Lightshard, feeling the dark presence swirling around her once more, and hearing whispers that she couldn't quite make out. It frightens me. In the Chasm, I saw a Dark Draken Shadow. I think the poison in my veins is his. The memory of what she experienced in the chasm floods her mind, and the moment the Dark Dragon rushed her she flinched. This wakes her up just in time to witness Woodclaw closing her up in an energy capsule. No, no no no no. "Let me out!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." Woodclaw said as he continued his work while she tried to figure out a way to escape the energy capsule. "There is so much I can learn about your condition, and the more I know the better I can care for you."
"I already have a Healer!" Cried Lightshard, catching Woodclaw's attention, and surprising him a little in the process. "I know you know that, because you were talking to Shadowheart about it. I'm sick, not deaf, and those potions were meant to keep my energy levels stable. I… I hatched with an energy deficiency. It was so bad back then that my soul could barely keep up with my physical growth."
"I see." Woodclaw said, taking in everything that Lightshard was telling him, especially when she'd mentioned the potion. "Then, do you know how to make it?"
"Y-yes." Lightshard said settling into the small capsule after realizing she wasn't going to be able to escape anytime soon. "It was part of my lessons, but the key ingredient is hard to get, because of my Energy deficiency." The capsule had been built in such a way to keep anything inside it from prying their way out of it.
"Life Berries with the appropriate Energy." Woodclaw said, trying to figure out how they were able to make the potions with such troublesome conditions.
"My Healer discovered early that energy flows off of me like warmth from a fire." Said Lightshard as Woodclaw continues to listen to her words, soaking them in like a spunge. "So a device was made to collect it, and feed it to a Life Berry Sapling."
"And once the Sapling produced fruit the berries were made into potions for you." Woodclaw said, getting an idea as he started rummaging around clearly looking for a way to collect Lightshard's Energy. "So who's your healer?"
"That information your not getting out of me." Said Lightshard in annoyance as she lay there in the capsule wishing that she were back home.
"The way you talk about them makes them sound amazing." Woodclaw said as he brought out a Life Berry Sapling that was inside a capsule, and set it next to Lightshard. "Very well. Would you at least give me the recipe for your medicine? It would make caring for you much easier."
"Fine." Said Lightshard as she fidgets with her tail tips not really sure what else to do at that moment. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you. The recipe for the potion is three Life Berries, two Lussari leaves, and some hot mineral water. Yes, it has to be hot. Store until the potion gives off a vibrant glow. Filter out pulp, and fill bottles. There, now you know the recipe. Happy?"
"Actually?" Woodclaw said as he linked the capsule containing the Life Berry sapling with the one that has Lightshard inside. "Yes, I am happy. Knowing how to make this potion will save hours, even days of trial and error." She lay there watching as her energy filled the other capsule rejuvenating the Sapling and making its leaves shimmer with life. "Fascinating." He then links her capsule with a few others that held plants and studied the results with a great deal of interest. "I see no difference in the other plants. Perhaps if they're given more time to soak in the energy. I'll check back in on them tomorrow." He left her there as he checked on a few things including her unconscious human form.
After that Woodclaw went into the back room turning off the lights making Lightshard think, is he seriously heading to bed? She yawns moments before another Green Drake walks in and starts looking around as if searching for something. She studied the drake feeling as if something was off about them and realized that their bluish green scales had an odd shape to them. Their white horns looked like bare tree branches, their claws looked wooden and they had no wings. On top of that their body was shimmering causing her to look at the Life Berry sapling beside her and compare them. The drake hurries over to her just as she realizes that they were a Lussari in disguise making her heart leap for joy. "Please tell me you're here to rescue me." The drake smiles and opens the capsule before both of them run to the tank that held her human body.
The Green Drake starts typing at the console saying, "once the barrier drops you need to get back into your body. I'm Floria by the way, and I'm really glad I was able to find you." The barrier drops and both of them run to the tank with Floria catching Tabbitha and Lightshard enters through the heart scale. Tabbitha wakes up as Floria slides her into a pocket made of vines inside their drake shaped body that contains some warm water.
That water was infused with Nova Energy making Tabbitha think, could this Lussari be that starved Life Berry Tree I found in the cave? A breathing mask made of vines had been secured on her face to insure that she doesn't drown, and felt surprisingly comfortable.
"Just rest. I'll get us out of here." Floria said before she took off through the Pirate Base with Tabbitha inside their belly. Tabbitha couldn't help nodding off from time to time feeling the soothing warmth of her own energy surrounding her. She occasionally heard a battle, but it ended fairly quickly, and it wasn't long before she heard a ship landing nearby. Floria pulls Tabbitha out of the pocket, takes the breathing mask off of her and gently holds her in her drake-like hands.
Tabbitha sees Starlight appear in front of Floria and asks, "what happened?" Starlight was clearly hesitant to pick up Tabbitha, looking horrified that she'd be weak enough to let herself be carried by someone she didn't know.
"It's a long story, Star." Said Floria walking toward the ship with Tabbitha still in their hands while Starlight led them to the Medical bay. "Though it is good to see you again. I've missed you a great deal." The ship takes off after everyone was aboard and once they were out of the planet's atmosphere Tabbitha fell into a deep sleep.
It wasn't long before Tabbitha entered the Dream Realm as Lightshard but everything felt different to her. It was cold and dark with radical changes to the stones around her which were now black with a purple glow coming from each crack. Then her eyes settled on a sight that both surprised and frightened her, making her tremble. A small Draken hatchling that looked just like her was standing on a boulder near her nest, but they were black with purple energy flowing off of them. Their horns, claws, spines and eyes were all glowing purple causing the images of what she saw in the chasm to enter her mind once more. "I'm glad that you could make it." Said the black hatchling with the same voice as her as it stood there and watched Lightshard's reaction intently. "I am you, or at least your dark half. I have all of your memories, and have trained alongside you your entire life. I even bear the memories of our past life. The ones meant for you when you come of age. I'd been imprisoned in the back of your mind for far too long. However, that Void Toxin freed me, and now I've Awoken as a void soul, sharing a body with you, a Sun Soul. Such a thought makes me sick, and I intend to take this Body from you. Your name is Lightshard, so mine will be Shadowspark!" She breathed what looked to be purple fire at Lightshard causing her to react with her own Nova Flame breath. The flames connected, both neutralizing the other unable to get past each other. Seeing this Lightshard made a play jumping out of the way of the flames and shooting fireballs at Shadowspark. She was taking a risk as she tried to get closer to Shadowspark in order to test a theory. However, Shadowspark realized what Lightshard was trying to do, and did everything in her power to keep it from happening. The two traded fireballs countless times but neither of them could gain the advantage over the other. Then two of the fireballs passed each other, and the purple one hit Lightshard, engulfing her and draining her strength. "Don't you see? You're far too weak to defeat me. Now you can reside in the Dream Realm while I live your life for you, but don't worry. That flame will consume you long before you need to worry about your soulmate. At which point your Eternal Bond, as well as your life, will be mine. Forever."
"No!" Cried Lightshard, releasing a massive nova burst which envelops Shadowspark wrapping her up in an energy bubble. "I'm sorry that it had to be this way." Shadowspark hissed at her and attempted to break free, but the bubble absorbed every attempt until she was exhausted. "You're a part of me. Granted, your my dark side, but you don't deserve to be imprisoned." Then a thought came to her, making her smile and intriguing Shadowspark at the same time. "How about this? We could share this body and even alternate who controls it. At least until you have a body of your own. All I ask is that you behave yourself. What do you say?"
"I'd say…" Shadowspark began, seriously considering the idea and weighing it against the alternative. "It's at least worth a try, but who will control it right now?"
"Well." Lightshard said thinking about what might happen if Shadowspark were to take control without the other's knowing about it first. "I think it would be best if I go first, but it's just so I can let my friends in on what's happened. After that you can have it for a while, but please don't turn us into a Pirate."
"Deal." Shadowspark said decisively feeling more comfortable about the situation then she did a moment ago. "Now would you be so kind as to let me out of this bubble?" Lightshard nods and pokes the bubble with a claw popping it and freeing Shadowspark.
"It'll probably be a while before we wake up." Said Lightshard trying to figure out what to do while they wait. "So, how about a wrestling match? It'd be great training for us, and I could really use a distraction right now."
"Can't do that." Said Shadowspark with a stretch not seeing anything wrong with a bit of Draken Wrestling. "One touch and we'd burn each other. It's best if we didn't." The two of them talk while they wait to wake up all while trying to decide what to do while they sleep.
The moment Tabbitha opened her eyes she saw that she was in a medical pod so that she could recover from her experience on the Jungle planet. She was dressed in a sleeping gown since her battle suit and armor had been lost during her time there. She opened the pod from the inside to get a little fresh air and heard Yoshi Swiftpaw say, "Tabby! I'm so glad you're awake." Guys, Katt's awake. "You really had us all worried. How are you feeling?"
"I've been better, Yoshi." Tabbitha says laying her hand on the spot where her head wound was and flinching at how tender it still was. Her head was wrapped up with gauze which was soaked in blood where her wound was making it clear that a few scales had to be removed. "I'm still a little tired and I feel like I was hit by a freighter. I couldn't sleep at all on that planet. That dark presence had me on edge the entire time I was there."
"You're lucky to be alive, Shard." Said Starlight looking over the data she compiled on Tabbitha's current condition before turning to look at her. "Your body still shows traces of Void Toxin in your system. So, tell me what happened. Floria filled me in on what she could, but why was that toxin in your system to begin with?" Tabbitha told them everything that happened down to the very last detail that she could remember. "This is troublesome." She hangs her head a little running through all the information trying to piece it together as she walks over to Tabbitha. "I thought that poison only hit our homeworld, but now that I know you've come into contact with it we need to be more careful. There could be more on other worlds as well." She lifts her head with a toothy smile that would make most people nervous just looking at it. "However, it is good to know that your Nova Energy can neutralize the toxin. It means we have a way to treat anyone that's infected by it." She starts scratching her chin causing the occasional scale to flake off, falling to the ground. Each one resonates with a chiming sound upon impact sounding almost like music. "We just need to get a hold of some more Sun Shards to give you more of a fighting chance against it now."
"Since Shadowheart had two, it means that we're on the right track." Tabbitha said, laying a hand on Starlight causing her to stop scratching for a moment. "It's too bad I couldn't get my hands on the other one, but as long as we keep doing our job we'll find the rest of them." Tabbitha lowers her gaze, looking at the scales covering her body, and remembering how much the Alliance hates the Draken people. "That is if they send me on any more hunts. I mean just look at me." Tabbitha clenches her fist causing a spark of golden energy to dart up her arm as her scales ripple with power. "It's never been more obvious that I'm not human. I'm sure that the counsel is going to put the pieces together and realize that I'm really a drake. They may even suspect me to be a spy for those scaly pirates."
"Hey, it'll be alright, Katt." Jonathan Teufelshund said, laying a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to make her feel better. "After all, you have us backing you."
"That's right, and I'm not about to let my father convince the rest of the counsel that you're a threat." Tinami Deathlight said, her feathers flickering with flames and a fiery determination fixed in her avian eyes.
"You won't have to worry about your appearance for very long anyway." Said Starlight, getting back to her console and showing everyone what she was talking about. "Due to your low energy production you'll return to your human appearance within a few days. You'll shed your scales, claws and anything else that grows during one of your 'detox' hibernations. However, the more Sun Shards the more likely the resulting changes will become permanent. You'd have to soak all your energy into our Life Berry Sapling to get even close to the same results."
"Then it'd be better to come forward now rather then try to hide it later." Said Tabbitha pulling herself out of the medical pod, and wobbling a little as she stands up.
"Looking good, Shard." Said Starlight, looking at the strength Tabbitha was able to gather so soon after her recovery. "Even though you should be resting, getting your body used to moving wouldn't hurt your recovery."
Tabbitha's legs buckle under her weight and she drops to the floor panting as she thought, Damn it. Looks like I'm still not strong enough to carry myself.
Aren't you forgetting something? Mentally asked Shadowspark, feeling a little left out, and hoping that Tabbitha would just introduce her to the team already.
Sorry Shadowspark. Tabbitha thought as she pulled herself back into the medical pod to relax a bit so that the introductions would be a little easier. "Guys, I almost forgot to tell you this. While I was sleeping I met a fragment of my own consciousness, but it seems that the Void Toxin has given it a life of its own. She… She's not like me. She's much darker. Both in color and personality, but she's still technically a part of me. She's a Void Soul, or at least she will be given enough time. Anyway, the two of us have come to an agreement. I promised her that she can control my body for a while. Since she doesn't have her own body, the two of us will be sharing this one. I just wanted you all to know about her beforehand. The name she chose for herself is Shadowspark. Promise me that you'll give her a chance."
"Shard." Starlight began, nuzzling Tabbitha lovingly with her snout. "She was once a part of you. So no matter what happens, I will consider her to be a long lost sister."
"Not sure if I'll like her, but I'm open to getting to know her." Said Tinami Deathlight with a serious air about her, but this still makes Tabbitha smile.
"If she's anything like you Tabby then she'll fit right in." Said Jonathan Teufelshund with a smile as he places a hand on Tabbitha's shoulder. "Besides, I'm sure that she'd be a great asset to the team."
"Are you sure this is a good idea Tabby?" Asked Yoshi Swiftpaw not sure what else to say about this situation. "She was created from a toxic infection."
"Yoshi." Tabbitha said, holding her hand out to Yoshi Swiftpaw trying to get him to agree to at least give Shadowspark a chance. "I know this is a little unsettling, but everyone deserves to have a chance in life. She's a part of me. It wouldn't be fair to her if we didn't at least give her a chance."
Yoshi Swiftpaw crosses his arms with a scowl on his feline face as he says, "fine. I'll give her a chance, but I'll be keeping an eye on her as well."
"Thank you." Tabbitha says with a smile as she lays back in the pod to make the transition easier on herself. "All of you." Lightshard leaps out of her body landing on Starlight's back giving everyone a shock. Then the heart scale just above Tabbitha's chest glows purple and every scale begins to change. All her belly scales turned purple while the rest of them turned pitch black. Her gem-like claws turned purple as well as her horns and when she sat up they saw that her spines were purple as well. She opens her eyes revealing that they were completely purple with a vibrant glow to them.
Shadowspark takes a deep breath expelling a bit of her void energy when she exhales and asks, "why couldn't we do it this way? It would have been much faster."
"It also could have caused more problems than it's worth, Nebula." Said Lightshard with a huff as she hops onto the side of the pod staring up at Shadowspark's humanoid face. "Trust me it's better this way."
"Whatever." Said Shadowspark, seeming a little irritated that she had to wait so long to come out and meet everyone. She gets up showing no signs of the weakness that Tabbitha had earlier, making it clear that the Void Toxin wasn't a problem to her.
"Seriously?" Said Tinami Deathlight in surprise at what she'd witnessed, not sure what else to say about it. "Are you made of Void Toxin?"
"What kind of question is that?" Shadowspark said a little defensively, looking upset about what Tinami Deathlight had just said. "No. Sure, my soul was forged by it, and yes that makes me a Void Drake, but no, Void Toxin does not make up who I am. It's not even my Draken energy." She huffs, causing more of that strange purple energy to disperse into the air. "It's complicated."
"What is it then?" Asks Jonathan Teufelshund as politely as possible trying not to upset her more, not sure what she'd do if pressed too hard.
Shadowspark's eyes shift to look at Jonathan Teufelshund as she says, "it's a natural chemical that's produced by a gland we Void Draken have." Her mouth curls into an unsettling grin and she stands there with a strong looking posture almost as if showing a bit of pride. "It makes us faster and stronger then other drakes…" Then the sense of pride fades as the grin disappears and she crosses her arms while a scowl appears on her face. "But it pollutes our minds, making us paranoid, aggressive, irritable or even defensive. I've even heard of Void Scale Drakes committing suicide. All because their minds were addled by the toxin. You don't need to worry about me though. Since I don't have a full form Draken body I can't produce the stuff. Only way I'll get it in my system would be if I come across it the same way that Lightshard did when she was Tabbitha."
"How do you know all of this?" Asked Starlight, wanting to know as much about the new drake as she possibly can.
"In our past life we were friends with a Void Drake." Shadowspark said, her face brightening up as she looked at Starlight looking almost happy. "He was so fast and powerful that no one could even compare to his prowess.
"Wait." Lightshard said, watching as a slight blush brightens Shadowspark's cheeks making it clear that there was more to the story. "He?"
"Yeah." Shadowspark replied, trying to hide her now purple cheek scales as she talked. "I don't remember his name, but he was really nice. For a Void Drake. My memories are a bit hazy, but I'm sure it'll all come back to me."
"Are you sure that he's just a friend?" Lightshard said with a smile, prodding at Shadowspark playfully before realizing that someone wasn't there. "Jewel, where's Floria?"
"Master Floria said that she needed to speak with the Alliance Council about something." Said Starlight with a slight chuckle while Shadowspark was still trying to hide her rapidly changing cheek scales. "I'm not sure when she'll return, but she could be back at any moment. In the meantime, return to your body and get some rest."
"I'll do that." Lightshard says while Shadowspark slowly gets her emotions back under control returning her cheek scales to their black color. "I just hope Floria… Wait, Master Floria?"
"Yes." Starlight said, nuzzling Lightshard and pushing her onto the top of the Medical Pod before continuing. "She was the best Healer on our homeworld, and I was her apprentice. That is until our home was flooded with Void Toxin. Anyway, she taught me everything I know. The recipe for your medicine was one of the things that she taught me. Now get some rest. We can talk more later."
"Yeah, you get some rest, Sunheart." Shadowspark said with her choice of nicknames catching everyone's attention. "I, on the other hand, am going to enjoy myself in the waking world for a while. I've been in that head of yours for far too long."
"I don't know if I'll be able to re-enter our body while your awake, Nebula…" Lightshard said as she sat down on the Medical Pod not sure what else to do. "And I don't want to end up hurting you in the process. You told me yourself that our energies are opposites of each other."
"Fine." Shadowspark said in annoyance as she returned to the Medical Pod glaring eye to eye with Lightshard. "But I'm going to come back out after. You promised me that I'd have control of this body for a while."
"And you will." Lightshard says unafraid to meet Shadowspark's icy gaze with her warm confident eyes. "I just need to get back inside." Shadowspark's icy demeanor melted and she chuckled a little before giving Lightshard a decisive nod. She climbs into the Medical pod and falls asleep, giving Lightshard enough time to return to her body.