Michel turned into everything he'd ever needed. He brought her home to Star City and was able to give her little tours of the technological marvel, provided the tours were either short or in the night-shift so they could avoid crowds. The little fedra was sweet-tempered and soft-spoken, and even though she was small enough to perch on one of his headknobs so he could carry her about, her gentle thoughts were more than enough to make him feel enveloped in warmth and affection.

Her love, so unquestioning and pure, was a distraction that let him venture out of his home a little more often, though only for her sake. The station captivated her, though she never asked to see the sights, Laeolyja could sense when there was something she would like to do, and every now and then was able to muster the courage to take her out and fulfil her wish. As long as he kept his attention focused on her and concentrated on how happy she was, being out of the house wasn't as horrible as it once had been.

Though mature for a child, Michel was still just that: a child. She liked to play, so Laeolyja would take her to the Flight Deck, which also had mazes and obstacle courses on its floor for the "runs" flightless dragons had in lieu of flights. As long as the Deck wasn't too crowded, he was even able to enjoy himself, playing a game of hide-and-seek or chase-me-catch-me among the mazes.

As she grew older and learned to fly, the deck also became her favourite practicing ground. Though Laeolyja's home, being scaled to his size, had more than enough room for her to fly in, she found the Flight Deck far more exciting. The open spaces had ample room for full-sized dragons, so to the tiny fedra the deck was like flying in the middle of nothingness. Laeolyja would sit and watch her contently as she soared to the top of the deck, going far enough away to turn into nothing but a little blue speck, and then diving down like a hawk with a gleeful cheer for the exhilarating rush of it all.

The days he'd lived before finding her became like nightmares, fading in the daylight of her unfaltering love. He couldn't comprehend how he'd managed to go on before she had arrived to support him and brighten up his days.

She never tried to coax him out of the house when he didn't want to go, and never complained if he had a day where he was too scared to take her to the Flight Deck, or to a movie, or out for a midnight snack at a favourite fast food joint. If she went out on her own for a while, she always came back saying she'd missed him--in a way that left him feeling loved rather than guilty for making her go alone--and often came back with a little something for him, just so he knew she'd still thought of him. Usually she brought back tiny (by his standards) postcards, which they would put on the walls so they had pictures from all across the cosmos to look at, but there were also tiny figurines and other baubles bought from marketplace vendors scattered about the house, lending the entire place a lived-in feel that it had rather lacked before.

Then one day she came home with a little cloth bag dangling from her jaws. Its bottom bulged roundly from whatever weight it carried. ::I have something extra special for you!:: she sang, as the automated door slid shut behind her.

::Really?:: Laeolyja smiled from where he lay on the carpet of the main room, stretched out and watching a cartoon on the holovision.

::Really!:: she smiled back, padding over to settle down, leaning against one of his paws. Though her size had tripled as she'd grown, at 3'2" she was still small enough to sit in his palm.

Carefully she put the bag down on the floor, and nuzzled at it until two round, shiny objects rolled out it. Laeolyja blinked curiously, dropping his nose down to the carpet to get a closer look. One of them was orange, and the other was blue, and they looked like gigantic gemstones, polished round, glittering beautifully in the light.

::Glass paperweights?:: he asked.

Michel laughed pleasantly. ::No, they're eggs! I got them from a mail-carrier and his dragon who moonlight as "exotic pet merchants", or so they put it,:: she giggled. ::Said they pick up eggs of all kinds as they go from place to place and sell them for smile when they go someplace new. So these are glitter lizard eggs, and I got them for you.::

Laeolyja blinked again, carefully touching one of the eggs with a claw. ::So they're flitters?:: he asked uncertainly.

::Nope, they'll be like me. Tiny dragons.:: She looked up at him fondly, stretching her neck to nuzzle the end of his snout. It was a touch as light and gentle as a butterfly kiss.. ::Don't be scared of them, Lae. I thought that since you came for me because I'd be small, having some more little friends around would be even better.::

::Do you get lonely?:: he worriedly asked his bond. ::With only me around?::

::Of course not!:: she sent back, immediate and reassuring. ::You're all I'll ever need... but I thought you might like a little extra.::

Laeolyja looked down at the little eggs a little nervously. ::D-do you think they'll l-like me?::

::They'll love you,:: Michel giggled.

He tried to imagine what things would be like if he had two more little Michels keeping him company, tried to imagine being three times as happy. But how could he be any happier than he was now?

::If you're afraid I'd be jealous because you'd actually like more little dragons around,:: Michel sent, her mindvoice full of the fondness it always had, ::you're wrong. I know you love me. But imagine this.::

She sent into his mind a picture: a picture of himself, asleep, with Michel curled up at his cheek, where she always slept. But then she added in two shiny little dragons--her guess at what the glitter lizards would be--curled up as well, and then another, and another, and another. Soon her picture of Laeolyja had a veritable swarm of miniature dragons curled up around him, fast asleep and radiating love and comfort.

::What do you think of that?:: she then asked, watching him carefully.

Laeolyja blinked unsurely, but held the picture in his mind and weighed it carefully. He was afraid of crowds, wasn't he? But he wasn't afraid of Michel, and she'd made him feel so loved and no longer lonely...

::That would... that would be nice,:: he answered softly. ::Really nice.::

::Really? Because the guy and his dragon also told me about a place where they're expecting some little summer dragons to hatch, just like I came from a winter clutch... and I thought you might like to go there too. If you think you can stand being in a crowd of candidates again.::

Laeolyja started to protest, but then he looked down at the tiny eggs between his forepaws and imagined the picture she had created for him again. ::W... where is the clutch?::

::A place called Lantessama Isle. Want to go? Give it a try?::

Laeolyja gave his tiny bond a little smile. ::As long as you're there with me::

She smiled back and pressed herself against his cheek, spreading her wings in a tiny hug. ::Always.::