Cyanity!!

I've seen a couple people talk about how Platypus reminds them of Sundew or that they should be friends, but to be honest? My very first thought reading the hybrid prince for the first time instead was that Platypus and Peril might be friends. Even though Platypus has a lot of "I'll be the biggest inconvenience ever" for how she deals with her problems, she ALSO goes for "melt the problem" just like Peril(even if her melt is the fire kind as opposed to Platypus' death spit kind). And what did I do with this thought? I drew it of course!

I love Peril and I immediately loved Platypus so I had to, and this is my interpretation of Platypus' design. Might make a full design for her in the future ^^

About their world:

They live in a technological city(think cyberpunk-esque) isolated from the world; no one comes in and no one gets out.

Citizens are led to believe that this is all there is to the world.

This planet has one supercontinent(like pangaea but not the same in shape and size + bigger). The city is relatively the size of the U.S.

They are all trapped led by multiple leaders(think of a co-regency).

About the AU:

Aventurine found out the government secrets about how there is a whole world outside of their city, and that the leader of the rebellion was originally used as a tool to keep the illusions surrounding the city in tact, among other things.

Extra: Halovians power illusions that make the city appear a certain way.

Caelus and Ratio are after Aventurine, kept in the dark about why, uncovering secrets along the way.

Sunday escaped and started a rebellion in order to save his sister and break down the system that preys on the weak.

Robin is still a singer, led to believe it's for a good cause.

The Stellaron Hunters are a separate organization, who aim to take down the current leaders to take the spot for themselves.

Aventurine isn't the only outlaw with government secrets.

Thank you for reading! I'll be posting more content for this AU soon enough, and they'll all be under my personal tag "what lies beyond the city lights." They'll likely be a combination of different things, like art, general discussion abt it, or drabbles of writing to build up more about it. It may include ship art, but since I am a multishipper most will unlikely be canon to the story(though this may be subject to change).

As a side note, I'll have my ask box open, and you can ask me questions about the AU! I'll try to respond to as many as possible, but keep in mind some questions may not be answered if I don't have an answer for them!

Tales of magic and the wonderful or horrid things it could do were a prevalent part of Hydros' childhood. From his hatching he'd felt an icy chill in his talons, as though a freezing blizzard lay just beneath the surface of his tough skin. He lived in the very outskirts of the ice kingdom, where snow lay in a blanket on the ground but far from the subzero temperatures residing in the core of the ice kingdom. His parents had thought him sick, for the descriptions of a chilling bite through his talons, at least, until his first spell came. 

It was small, an accident, where he'd been playing in the snow with his father and had accidentally nicked his father's talons with his small serrated claws. He had never hurt his parents before, even if it was an accident. Since he had not been taught strictly like the higher circles of the rankings, he had been shaken. His father, kind as he was, had told him not to worry, that if Hydros held his talon in his small ones and chanted "heal the cut nice and quick, the pain will go just as slick," it would heal faster. But when Hydros did as asked, the cut healed and the scales knitted together over it as though it had never been there to begin with. 

That was the day his parents had learned he was the first icewing to have animus magic in generations. That day, in order to ensure Hydros was never found out to be an animus to allow him a normal childhood, they taught him of what the magic held and that it could be used for good, but could easily be deadly. They needed to ensure he was aware of how dangerous it was to wield magic, and to never use it unless the situation was dire and as long as it was used only to heal and protect, never to harm another. 

Hydros had abided by these rules to ensure he never caused his family pain. They had told him even of what the royal family might do if they found out. In order to keep his peaceful life in the lowest of the circles in the farthest outreaches of the kingdom, he had to keep quiet. He never used his magic, that is, until news of Darkstalker rising up from the earth came. He was only about a year old when it happened, and his small developing mind had made a choice. 

'Make myself so that animus magic cannot be used on me.'

If he was safe from magic, then nobody could ever force him to do bad things. Shortly after this spell, his parents got sick with the icewing plague when he did not. That was the third time he used his magic to help his parents. He was so small, barely knowing what he should do, but his parents helped him where they could. The terror of Darkstalker came and went, and Hydros stayed hidden with his family as it blew over. 

By the time Hydros was 5 years old, he was picked to go to Jade Mountain. They had already had royals go there before, back when Darkstalker came back, but this year they chose a dragon from out in the outskirts of the ice kingdom. Something about being more inclusive of the parts of the ice kingdom that didn't fit their general mold. Hydros had never imagined he would be picked, but then, he fit the idea perfectly. He had never strived to climb the ranks, preferring to stay where he was. If he stood out too much, they might find out his magic. 

His parents saw him off, giving him what he needed, even despite getting what he might need at Jade Mountain Academy itself. The trip took a little longer than he thought it would, but soon enough he was there. His talons landed on the smooth stone, sliding more than intended. He had never stepped on stone before. He straightened himself, tucking his wings in close as his tail flicked across the rock. 

He dipped his head lightly in greeting as he was welcomed in, holding the scroll they gave him gingerly. He unfurled it, dipping his snout in close to inspect where he was to go and who he'd room with and what winglet he was assigned to. There were two other dragonets he was housed with: Plateau and Morning Dew. He could only guess which tribes they belonged to. 

He looked along the walls, figuring out his way. He was so engrossed in figuring out how to get to the cave he'd be sharing and referencing the scroll that he found himself accidentally bumping into another dragonet, feet stepping over one another and wings jerking as Hydros stumbled to detach him from the obstruction. 

He tips his snout down to see the dragonet he'd run into, who stood nearly half his height with bright blue and purple scales, red and orange horns and spikes, and bright yellow ruff and fins. Bright green eyes looked up into his own dark and light blue ones, expression placid towards Hydros. He dips his head further in apology, remembering his manners as quickly as they could come to his mind. 

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was headed."

The dragonet in front of him tilts his head slightly, expression barely shifting. The other's lips twitch, almost like confusion. Though it's hard to tell with the barely shifting expression. Then, with a hum, bright green eyes blink once, then twice. 

"It's no issue. Were you headed towards the sleeping caves?"

Hydros had never met a more inexpressive dragon in his life. It was almost like the other didn't feel much emotion, though he shouldn't judge from appearance only. The most the other does is glance in the general direction of the sleeping caves, gesturing where they were. Hydros' tongue feels heavy in his mouth for reasons he couldn't explain, so he nods. He clicks his tongue, bringing himself instead to ask, 

"I didn't catch your name."

The other dragonet seems to look at him once over, tilting his head once more. He feels as though the other is deciphering his words deeper than what he means it as. For a moment he wonders if he'll even get an answer, and he's taken aback when eventually an answer comes. 

"Morning Dew. Who are you?"

Hydros' eyes glimmer in recognition, his body straightening up into a more proper position. So this is one of his clawmates, and one of the two that he'd be sharing a cave with. It felt meaningful in a way, even though his first impression is that he really doesn't understand this dragon, but still wishes to know. He knew not to expect everyone to be just like himself, but this isn't quite in the range he was expecting. He realizes a little too late that Morning Dew is still staring almost expectantly. 

"Oh, right- I'm Hydros, I'm sharing a sleeping cave with you and one other."

He shuffles on his feet while Morning Dew blinks, his ruff opening slightly more than before, ears twitching where they connected to his ruff. Morning Dew suddenly lifts a talon up, surprising Hydros. He freezes, tail jerking in surprise. He lifts his own talon far too quickly to grasp the other's talon in a light shake. 

"Nice to meet you."

Morning Dew's words come plainly, and Hydros can't tell if he's uninterested or not. Though he doesn't really mind, not when for the first time his talons feel warm. The biting chill subsides for the first time since his hatching. It's unfamiliar, but he finds he really enjoys warmth more than he thought he ever would. 

General Information:

Hydros is the first icewing animus in generations. This is thanks to the distant nightwing in his blood. A few generations ago, one of Whiteout's descendants met an outer circle Icewing and they had a dragonet together. This dragonet would later find another icewing to be with. In the end, since animus magic was able to skip generations, it inevitably led to Hydros. 

This is the same timeline as Darkstalker and Moon's prophecy, so the jade winglet exists and they are now older. 

Hydros made the enchantment to keep himself safe from animus magic out of fear when the news of Darkstalker spread. He did not enchant his parents because this spell had been with little thought, he just knew he needed to be safe since he also had magic that could be dangerous if used wrong. This means Darkstalker could not summon him like he did with the other existing animus dragons.